WARNING! Spoilers for Batman: Dark Patterns #1
The Jokeris known to strike fear in the hearts of heroes and villains alike, and he’s regarded asBatman’s arch-nemesis for good reason. Now, though, a new villain has been introduced in Gotham who makes the Joker look like - ironically enough - a joke. The Wound Man is scarier than the Joker could ever dream of being, shifting Gotham’s hierarchy of villains.
Batman: Dark Patterns#1 by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman, Tríona Farrell, and Frank Cvetkovic serves as the debut of the Joker’s unexpected challenger. Batman investigates a series of gory murders, where the killer has covered victims in nails and tortured them in brutal fashion by removing their teeth and tongues. This killer is revealed to be a new villain, the Wound Man, who boasts a truly grotesque design.
The Wound Man’s design and vile crimes make him a cut above the Joker in terms of his terror-inducing potential, and he would even instill fear within theClown Prince of Crimehimself if they crossed paths.
Sorry, Joker: The Wound Man Is Officially Batman’s Scariest Enemy
The Wound Man Has a Creepier Design Than Any Other Gotham Villain
From a visual standpoint, the Wound Man is difficult to look at due to his gruesome appearance and thus a more horrifying sight thanany other Gotham villain.His searing red body is covered head-to-toe in nails, bearing a resemblance to a surgical diagram intended to indicate possible injuries medics could treat.While the diagram depicts potential wounds, the Wound Man makes every single wound a reality by seemingly inflicting them upon himself. While theJoker’s clown designis frightening in an uncanny way, subverting a look that’s typically silly and unassuming, the Wound Man’s design is straight out of a horror film.
Who is The Joker, Really? The DC Villain’s True Identity Explained
The Joker is one of the most mysterious characters in comic books with multiple backstories, but there is an official identity for the Joker.
Like the Joker, the Wound Man’s fear factor also lies deeper beneath the surface level. The sickening condition of his victims proves that he’s as cruel as they come, surpassing even theJoker’s level of violence. Moreover, the scariest aspect of his actions is that they’re a misguided attempt at helping others. The image of the Wound Man features hypothetical wounds to be mended, and the real Wound Man is forcing those wounds upon others as he tries to “heal” them.The Joker hurts for the sake of hurting, whereas the Wound Man may genuinely believe he’s in the right - making Gotham’s latest villain that much more twisted.
The Wound Man Dethrones Joker As Batman’s True Nemesis
Gotham Faces the Ultimate Threat as Batman Meets His Match
The Joker may get under Batman’s skin like no other villain in Gotham, but the Wound Man is an even greater adversary for one key reason. Because he’s covered in nails that are positioned around his organs and arteries, one strike can kill him on impact.Batman’s no-kill ruleforbids him from dealing a blow that could be fatal, so he must abstain from attacking the Wound Man. However, the Wound Man still attacks relentlessly as the Dark Knight is frightened into inaction.The Jokerhas officially lost his status asBatman’s most fearsome foe with the arrival of the Wound Man.
The Joker
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman’s order and justice.
