THE JOKER IS DEAD. There is no doubt about that. But whether Batman finally snapped his scrawny neck or some other sinister force in Gotham City did the deed is still a mystery. Problem is, Batman can t remember and the more he digs into this labyrinthine case, the more he starts to doubt everything he s uncovering. So who better to set him straight than John Constantine? The problem with that is as much as John loves a good mystery, he loves messing with people s heads even more. So with John s help, the pair will delve into the sordid underbelly of Gotham as they race toward the mind-blowing truth of who murdered The Joker. Batman: Damned is a groundbreaking supernatural horror story told by two of comics greatest modern creators: Brian Azzarello (Dark Knight III: The Master Race, 100 Bullets) and Lee Bermejo (Hellblazer, Joker). Collects Batman: Damned #1-3.

With no memory of the events of the previous night, Batman is going to need some help. So who better to set him straight than John Constantine? The problem with that is as much as John loves a good mystery, he loves messing with people's heads even more. So with John's help, the pair will delve into the sordid underbelly of Gotham as they race toward the mind-blowing truth of who murdered The Joker. Batman: Damned is a supernatural horror story told by two of comics' greatest modern creators, Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo--a visceral thrill-ride that proudly puts the black in DC Black Label. DC Black Label, a new publishing imprint from DC Entertainment, gives premier talent the opportunity to expand upon the canon of DC's iconic Super Hero comic book characters with unique, standalone stories that are outside of the current DC Universe continuity. An all-star line-up of creative teams will craft their own personal definitive DC stories in the tradition of compelling literary works like Batman: The Killing Joke, DC: The New Frontier and Watchmen.

Known for his incredible work on BATMAN, LUTHOR, RORSHACH, and the JOKER Lee Bermejo s list of work speaks for itself! Fans won t want to miss this beautiful and brilliant showcase of Bermejo s art!

Written by Brian Azzarello Art by Lee Bermejo & Mick Gray Cover by Lee Bermejo In the all-new, hardcover original graphic novel JOKER, writer Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS) and artist Lee Bermejo (HELLBLAZER covers) - the creative team behind the acclaimed miniseries LEX LUTHOR: MAN OF STEEL - show an even darker and more disturbing side to the most dangerous man in Gotham: The Joker. After yet another stint in Arkham Asylum, The Joker finds "his city" divided among mobsters and costumed villains. Not content to settle for a piece of the pie, The Joker vows to take back the whole damn enchilada by any means necessary. Look for appearances by a slew of Gotham's most wanted, including gritty takes on Two-Face, Riddler, Killer Croc, Penguin, Harley Quinn and even Batman! Not since THE KILLING JOKE have you seen such a powerful tale of The Joker - you won't want to miss this one! Advance-solicited; on sale October 22 * 128 pg, FC, $19.99 US

A "New York Times" Best Seller
The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all-time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN For over twenty years, the back stories of the now iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's landmark graphic novel have remained a mystery, until now. DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of WATCHMEN, with this second volume starring two of the most polarizing anti-heroes ever, COMEDIAN and RORSCHACH.
Eisner Award-winning writer and creator of 100 Bullets Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR, BATMAN/DEATHBLOW) to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comic world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him.
Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN 1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH 1-4.

"From the Hardcover edition."