The Batman Who Laughs

Not to be confused with Batman: The Man Who Laughs.
The Batman Who Laughs
The Batman Who Laughs and his Robins as depicted in The Batman Who Laughs #1 (January 2018).
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceDark Days: The Casting #1 (May 7th 2017)
Created byScott Snyder (writer)
Greg Capullo (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoBruce Wayne
SpeciesMetahuman
Place of originEarth -22 (Dark Multiverse)
Team affiliationsDark Knights of the Dark Multiverse
Legion of Doom
Secret Six
Justice League (Formerly)
Notable aliasesBatman, Darkest Knight
Abilities
  • Genius-level intellect
  • Peak human physical condition
  • Master martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant
  • Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons
After gaining Doctor Manhattan's powers:
See list
    • Nigh-omnipotence
    • Nigh-omniscience
    • Nigh-omnipresence
    • Reality warping
    • Subatomic perception and control
    • Science manipulation
    • Disintegration
    • Chronokinesis
    • Time travel
    • Cosmic awareness
    • Shapeshifting
    • Size alteration
    • Flight and levitation
    • Near-invulnerability
    • Self-regeneration
    • Self-sustenance
    • Intangibility
    • Immortality
    • Telekinesis
    • Telepathy
    • Teleportation
    • Dimensional travel
    • Precognition
    • Clairvoyance
    • Superhuman strength, speed, senses, and intelligence
    • Energy projection
    • Matter and energy manipulation

The Batman Who Laughs (Bruce Wayne) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo, he is an evil counterpart and alternate version of Batman within the Dark Multiverse.

He is depicted as a hybrid of both Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Batman's arch enemy Joker, and is a member of the Dark Knights and the overarching antagonist of the Dark Multiverse Saga, alongside cosmic deities Perpetua and Barbatos, from 2017 to 2021, following DC Rebirth. His first appearance was in the crossover storyline Dark Nights: Metal, before receiving his own series and serving as the main antagonist in Batman/Superman in 2019 and DC Comics' Year of the Villain alongside Lex Luthor.

His name is an allusion to the original Batman’s seriousness and to the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs featuring Conrad Veidt, whose performance inspired the creation of the Joker.