I want to read “Joker: Year of the Villain”. I know it’s a one-shot that is also part of a series of books with the Year of the Villain title. My main question - Is there anything I need to know before reading it? I know that Batman has been dealing with Bane who somehow managed to take over Gotham with Flashpoint-Thomas Wayne (I have no idea how, but ok). But I don’t have the details and don’t know if there is anything else I need to know.
While I’m at it, what exactly is this whole Year of the Villain series supposed to be about? I’m more of a casual reader who picks what I find interesting, but this has my interest.
First of all, nope! You can totally enjoy Joker: Year of the Villain only knowing that. Gotham is in chaos and Joker is running free.
Second, Year of the Villain has been about Lex Luthor consolidating the evil in the world by making deals with the world’s greatest villains. This is all part of a grand metaphysical bid for the morality of the universe itself, mainly playing out in the current JUSTICE LEAGUE run.
Unlike the other major villains of the DCU, Joker was not made an offer. He doesn’t need any help to be a master of evil.
He actually was offered, but he quit the Legion of Doom because he didn’t like how Luthor was running things. The only villain to get a Year of the Villain One-Shot while not receiving an offer from Luthor was the Riddler.