[TL/N: I uploaded 20+ chapters yesterday, so don't be ungrateful if I only post 5–10 today. By the way, I'm thinking of putting up 50+ advanced chapters on my new Patreon. Would any of you be interested in supporting me there? It'd really help keep me motivated to update daily.]
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At the Grand Theatre, after a brief silence, applause thundered. Martin and the crew took the stage to thank the audience. Warner CEO Alan Horn turned to DC's Geoff Johns, asking, "What did you think?"
Clapping, Johns shook his head in awe. "Unbelievable. Martin gave the Joker life. I never imagined a minor comic villain could carry so much depth, so captivatingly. I'm thinking we could launch villain-focused comic specials, starting with Martin's Joker."
Horn nodded. "Great idea. The Joker's charisma in Batman: The Dark Knight and this film has already built a massive fanbase."
Nearby, Marvel's Stan Lee and CEO Avi Arad held a similar exchange:
"What's your take?"
"It's the best comic adaptation I've seen, bar none," Arad said. "Our Iron Man might match it commercially, but in thought and artistry, it's crushed."
"I agree," Lee replied. "Dark, profound, heavy—a film that fleshes out a villain, making you not hate but pity and root for him, while critiquing society's issues—unemployment, inequality, inadequate healthcare. It's a realist film with a surreal edge."
Christopher Nolan, attending the premiere, stared at Martin onstage, telling his wife, Emma Thomas, "Incredible. When Martin pitched The Joker, I told him it'd be tough. But he did it—and so damn well!"
Emma nodded. "Working with him on Inception showed me he's a master of emotion, an artistic genius. He instinctively captures hidden beauty and manipulates audiences' feelings with precision."
Martin shared behind-the-scenes anecdotes, sparking another five-minute ovation. The crew bowed three times to calm the electrified crowd.
It was a visceral night for The Joker's fans. Back home, Adam Davis and Daniel Mann logged into their IMDB accounts, giving the film a perfect 10. Adam, still buzzing, posted a lengthy review titled: "Gotham Without Batman or Supervillains."
He wrote: "Saw Martin's The Joker with Daniel. Honestly, I was skeptical—a villain's origin story? I'm a Batman fan. But it didn't just captivate me; it shook me. This isn't the comic-book Gotham. It's a city before Batman, without heroes or supervillains, painfully ordinary—until the Joker emerges. Gotham's biggest issue is economic decay, with filthy living conditions, shuttered welfare programs, and mass unemployment. Sound familiar? Like today's USA. Its citizens, like us, numb themselves with cheap TV, existing lifelessly. No leader, no hope. Arthur's one of them, chasing dreams until life beats him into madness. When he becomes the Joker, Martin's acting is unreal—there's no Martin, only Arthur, only the Joker. When Arthur, broken by job loss and rejection, transforms, the theater cheered. We all backed him. Who doesn't want someone to lead us against an unfair system? When the riot, celebrating their chaos, I realized: there's no single Joker. We're all Jokers. We're powerless to change, so we fantasize being the Joker, not Arthur. Chaos, riots, fury—Gotham burns. The Joker, masks, a newly king crowned—it's ugly but exhilarating. In this unjust world, justice is hard, so the Joker fulfills our desires. He'll always exist because injustice does. When he laughs, rebellion begins!"
Adam's post sparked a flood of replies:
"Is it really that good?"
"Not overhyped?"
"Come on, it's Martin Meyers—he never disappoints."
"I loved it too, but I'm worried. It's so intense—could it inspire copycats, causing chaos in the U.S.?"
"Nah, venting through the film might stabilize society."
"Venting? Or inciting?"
"It's just a movie, an R-rated one. You think adults will act out because of it? Hollywood pumps out bloodier, more antisocial films yearly—no one's gone rogue."
"Why argue? I just want to know if it's gory or sexy."
"Not quite, but way better."