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The following article contains spoilers from Batman and the Joker: The Deadly Duo #3, on sale now from DC Comics.
While Batman's partnership with the Joker might be one born of necessity, it's still an interesting look into a part of Batman that fans rarely get to see - the times that he fails. Batman and the Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 (by Mark Silvestri, Arif Prianto, and Troy Peteri) showcased not only how the Dark Knight failed to save two people from a grisly death, but also how he responded to that failure. In essence, this series seems to be a study of how Batman copes with being powerless.
It's very rare for DC to reveal Batman's failures. Usually, the Dark Knight always finds a way to save the day, but this Black Label comic differentiates from that pattern. The story shows how Batman is still human and can stumble like everyone else, as well as the consequences of his mistakes. Right now, everything is working against him, and it's only going to get worse as the story progresses.
The Deadly Duo Shows That Even Batman Can Fail
The issue picked up right where it left off. Batman was trying to save the lives of two people who had been imprisoned in a death trap. They were left dangling over meat grinders that would have painfully torn them to shreds, and it was up to Batman to choose which one should die based on information about their lives. They were both equally awful, Batman tried to stall for more time by saying they should both die as he searched for a way to save them. Unfortunately, his mysterious new foe did not fall for it and killed them both in front of Batman.
This is one of those special, but terrible, moments where fans get to see why Batman works so hard to be the best at everything he does. When he is less than perfect, people die, and in this instance quite painfully. Considering how much Batman cares about human lives, even the ones who probably don't deserve his compassion, each death is a weight on him, especially when he believes he could have done more to save them. This, however, is likely going to be the opening salvo in Batman's struggle throughout the series.
Batman and the Joker's Twisted Alliance
Right from the start, this series has set Batman up against odds that rob him of control. The enemies he is fighting physically outmatch him. Jim Gordon is captured somewhere and slowly being tortured to force Batman's alliance with the Joker, whom he can't interrogate because the Joker doesn't know where Jim is being held. And, finally, he is confronted by a villain who is playing mind games with him and seems determined to emotionally break him down.
He has not been reacting well to being powerless. The loss of life in this issue is weighing heavily on him, and with each passing moment, his friend is probably being maimed in horrific ways. The biggest indication of how he is fraying at the edges was when he agreed to work with the Joker. One sentence from the Clown Prince of Crime pushed Batman enough to punch him in the jaw and then demand that he follows his instructions. It may have seemed like Batman was trying to keep the Joker in line before agreeing to work with him, but considering everything that's happened thus far, it is more likely this was a desperate attempt to regain some control. If this issue is any indication though, Batman will not be able to save everyone involved.