REVIEW: ‘Batman’ Issue 7

Batman Issue 7 is published by DC Comics and written by Matt Fraction, art by Jorge Jiménez, colors by Tomeu Morey, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

The Joker is alive, stuck in a lab created by Dr. Zeller, seeking an audience with Batman.

Batman Issue 7 (2026) is almost entirely confined to one room and to one scene as the story focuses on reuniting the most famous enmity in fiction. The Batman and the Joker, two sides of the same coin that have been apart for so long. It’s a tense story from the start, even when the safety measures are put in place. It keeps the two separate, preventing physical engagement. There’s so much mystery in the reintroduction of the Joker, with an unpredictability pulsating from the giant sci-fi tube he’s held in.

The pace is slow because there isn’t any action to boost it, but adding any would break the scene’s tension. Every time Batman goes to leave, Joker says something that keeps him coming back. It’s an intoxicating blend of fascination and intrigue. The surprises come from how Joker talks, which is unnerving. Even more unexpected is the final word uttered in Batman Issue 7, which changes everything.

The dialogue is mesmerizing as the Joker seems so different. The absence of the Joker in Batman comics has been necessary, as an over-reliance on the clown can make him stale. But here, the change in his personality is more terrifying than his usual manic state. He’s eloquent and intelligent, even remorseful for the countless evils he’s committed. The monster becomes aware of how monstrous he is. Dr. Zeller explains the intensity and balance of his brain as immensely hyper and overactive.

What Matt Fraction explores superbly is the relationship between Bruce and his nemesis. Through these newfound emotions, like empathy and regret, a strange closeness is inferred, too. Batman isn’t complete without the Joker. The dialogue itself is poetic and engaging, unlike the mouth it’s coming out of. It turns the clown into a scholar, again highlighting his intelligence.

The art is fantastic, making Joker look scary and helpless at the same time. He’s naked, inside a lab, and hooked up to tubes and wires. There’s also been a physical transformation. He’s bigger, no longer the wiry stick figure he’s often presented as. His mouth is also covered, which is incredibly disconcerting. It means you can’t tell what he’s withholding, including his iconic grin.

All that’s left is the wild eyes, horrifying in how wide they are. There is a small piece of physical comedy in Batman Issue 7, because Bruce is forced to take his shoes off before entering the cell/lab. So he’s in his full Batsuit, but barefoot.

The colors are incredibly stark. Batman is very blue in this run, with all the black on the costume replaced by blue. Joker still has white skin but is submerged in a vat of green fluid. These two were surrounded by bright white walls and equipment, which adds a medical quality to the comic.

The lettering is inventive. Joker’s voice is crafted using computers, translating his brainwaves into words. So there are individual panels for the text to appear, gem words on a black background. This draws extra attention to what’s being said but also removes the emotion from it. It seems more sophisticated, and it’s easy to forget the mind that created them.

Batman Issue 7 is a masterclass in conversation. The entire issue is based on reinstating such a famous hatred and rivalry. What’s amazing is how Fraction subverts expectation. Batman is prepared for a cackling maniac, one who manipulates his way into murder. But that’s not what he gets in the end. Instead, it’s a talk with someone intelligent and erudite, who has a genuine concern for Bruce. The immense focus on the conversation makes the entire issue fascinating.

Batman Issue 7 is available where comics are sold.