Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, dc, joker's daughter, stephanie brown

Joker's Daughter Is NOT Stephanie Brown, Honest

Yesterday, in a semi-joking piece, RJ Droll wrote "the new Joker's Daughter (who is totally going to end up being Stephanie Brown…)"

That didn't go over too well.

If #StephanieBrown ends up being #JokersDaughter, I'm going to punch someone. #FireDidio

— August Macias (@August_Macias) September 25, 2013

Calm down, calm down, I can confirm that the young lady sporting the Joker's face, yes is naturally blonde with long hair, but her name is Duela.

As in Duela Dent, the Pre-52 identity of the character, though this version no longer seems to be the daughter of Harvey Dent. Unless… of course… Duela, dual identity means that she is Stephanie Brown as well…

Okay August, go ahead and punch someone. Better be safe than sorry.

The comic itself gives us the story of the girl who would grow up to be the Joker's Daughter, told by her, but her narrative at odds with the reality. Not the first time we've had that in Villains Month, but this is slightly more affecting in that Duala self harms to escape what should be an idyllic world. Indeed, right now, it is the mask, the face of the Joker, which holds her together, as she makes for powerplays in the underworld of Gotham. It's the details of that place which are the most engaging part of the comic, the Nethers, previously flooded parts of Gotham now reclaimed by an underclass, one that Duala takes to her own. And of course, if she self harms, won't that extend to those who she keeps close to her? There is something of the ancient trope that the scarred among us become villainous, but this is closer to the mark of a tribe, even if words such as "beauty" and "ugly" are bandied about like its a Dick Tracy comic. Certainly this could be a troubling book for some, know that going on.

Weirdly, Georges Jeanty is now so associated in my head with Buffy The Vampire Slayer that I keep forgetting which comic I'm reading, and this blonde teenager does things with scalpels when I'm expecting her to use a stake instead. But this is no Buffy. She's in Villain's Month for a reason.

You know, I wonder who will be cosplaying as her at NYCC? And just how will they find their costume?

Do let me know if there's a mad rush for copies at your store… of if it just sits on the shelf.

Comics courtesy of Orbital Comics, London. Who, in a week's time, will be exhibiting the work of Esad Ribic.

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