Batman: Secrets
Encyclopedia
Batman: Secrets was a five-issue superhero
comic book
limited series
published by DC Comics
in 2006. It was re-released as a compilation in early 2007.
gets paroled, publishes a tell-all book (Laugh, Monkey Boy, Laugh), and hits the TV-talk-show circuit in an attempt to rehabilitate his public image. He has struck up a relationship with a female member of the parole board which granted his release. But his "reformation" proves short lived when he requests a meeting with the Batman -- and brings along the head of the parole board (his girlfriend's boss) as his hostage. For reasons not yet apparent, the Joker shoots and kills the woman right before Batman's eyes. As the Joker attempts to make his escape, naturally a struggle ensues, during which the Joker attempts to shoot the Batman. A young woman across the street is filming
the struggle from her high-rise apartment, and later it is noticed that in just one particular frame of the film, it appears that it is the Batman who holds the gun, grinning, with the Joker recoiling in fear. With no regard for ethics, the young photographer sells this misleading frame of film to the news networks, and thus a controversy ensues, tarnishing the Batman's reputation and generating sympathy for the Joker. Because it was the head of the parole board who was murdered, some assume the Batman killed her for setting his archnemesis free. The quick-witted Joker takes advantage of this turn of events.
particularly the joke that was told at the end ("You remember that joke I told you -- about the flashlight?") It is clear, then, that Secrets takes place after the events of The Killing Joke.
Near the end of the story, reference is made to a sanitarium for the criminally insane
, called "Arkum Asylum", whereas the usual spelling is "Arkham". This could suggest the story does not take place in the primary DC Universe.
:
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
in 2006. It was re-released as a compilation in early 2007.
Plot
The JokerJoker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
gets paroled, publishes a tell-all book (Laugh, Monkey Boy, Laugh), and hits the TV-talk-show circuit in an attempt to rehabilitate his public image. He has struck up a relationship with a female member of the parole board which granted his release. But his "reformation" proves short lived when he requests a meeting with the Batman -- and brings along the head of the parole board (his girlfriend's boss) as his hostage. For reasons not yet apparent, the Joker shoots and kills the woman right before Batman's eyes. As the Joker attempts to make his escape, naturally a struggle ensues, during which the Joker attempts to shoot the Batman. A young woman across the street is filming
Film stock
Film stock is photographic film on which filmmaking of motion pictures are shot and reproduced. The equivalent in television production is video tape.-1889–1899:...
the struggle from her high-rise apartment, and later it is noticed that in just one particular frame of the film, it appears that it is the Batman who holds the gun, grinning, with the Joker recoiling in fear. With no regard for ethics, the young photographer sells this misleading frame of film to the news networks, and thus a controversy ensues, tarnishing the Batman's reputation and generating sympathy for the Joker. Because it was the head of the parole board who was murdered, some assume the Batman killed her for setting his archnemesis free. The quick-witted Joker takes advantage of this turn of events.
Continuity
The Joker makes several references to acts that happened in Batman: The Killing JokeBatman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Killing Joke is an influential one-shot superhero graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland. First published by DC Comics in 1988, it has remained in print since then, and has also been reprinted as part of the trade paperback DC Universe: The Stories of Alan...
particularly the joke that was told at the end ("You remember that joke I told you -- about the flashlight?") It is clear, then, that Secrets takes place after the events of The Killing Joke.
Near the end of the story, reference is made to a sanitarium for the criminally insane
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
, called "Arkum Asylum", whereas the usual spelling is "Arkham". This could suggest the story does not take place in the primary DC Universe.
Collected editions
The series was collected into a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Batman: Secrets (128 pages, Titan BooksTitan BooksTitan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
, April 2007, ISBN 1845764250, DC Comics, January 2007, ISBN 1401212123)