WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for Batman #48 by Tom King, Mikel Janin and June Chung, in stores now.


Ever since the Joker first showed up in Gotham City, Batman and the clown faced villain were positioned as polar opposites, as good and evil, order and chaos. Over time, the two fought, many, many times, with each confrontation further cementing the pair as eternal fixtures of a dark city whose soul is constantly pulled between the two. Whenever the Joker pushes, Batman arrives and shoves back. Virtually every major Batman creative team left its mark on the Batman and Joker relationship, from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons in The Killing Joke, to Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers in Detective Comics, to Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo in Batman, and more. They all explored the nature of the Joker, and redefined his role in Gotham City.

In this week's Batman #48, writer Tom King and artist Mikel Janin continue their ongoing Batman saga, which has already featured a few Joker appearances, mainly in the flashback story "The War of Jokes and Riddles." However, in the most recent issue of the series, on the cusp of Batman's wedding to Catwoman, the Joker once again gets the Dark Knight's attention -- and, as he does so, the relationship between the two is given a whole new wrinkle yet again.

RELATED: Batman: The Joker’s New Wedding Request Proves How Crazy He Really Is

Batman Joker cathedral Gotham City

The issue, as is the case with much of King and Janin's work together, is haunting. It starts with Joker murdering a bunch of people in a church, only to get Batman's attention. But when the Dark Knight finally shows up, Joker does what he wanted to do: talk. He talks about the wedding, about his mother and about religion. It's clear that this Joker is hurt and that he's lashing out because of it. Batman choosing to get married signals an important step forward for the character, and the Joker doesn't wish to get left behind.

As the villain talks about his mother, he shares a story she used to tell about Augustine. The Saint, who was once a Manichean before converting to Christianity, used to see two forces in the world -- good, and evil. But over time, he came to the realization that there was only one divine power in all of reality, and that the rest was just chaos. Only one power pulled you in: The omnipotent power of God.

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The Joker has long been likened to the pure embodiment of chaos, and his story about St. Augustine indicates that perhaps even he sees himself as disorder personified. But what's even more telling is the significance behind this story. If Joker is chaos, then according to the story, Batman is God.

It's no wonder then that the Joker, of all places, chose to have this discussion in a church. Yes, it's where weddings are traditionally held, but more importantly, it's a place of worship, where people pray to a force from above. And "above" is exactly where Batman first enters the church at the beginning of the issue.

RELATED: Batman #48 Pays Deadly Homage to The Killing Joke

Batman Joker church talk

Fans of Batman have long likened the character not to the God, but to a god, thanks in large part to the fact that he has been written to be one of the greatest superheroes in the DC Universe. He may not be the most powerful, but he is certainly the most resourceful, something that has allowed him to defeat pretty much everyone, from the various members of the Justice League to Darkseid himself (who just to happens to be a New God).

Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash all have god-like powers, and since he stands among them as their equal, to many DC Universe residents, Batman is the undefeated Bat-god. Now, it appears that even the Joker recognizes Batman's "divine power." No, he doesn't equate him to the actual God in the sky, but perhaps he does see him as the only power that matters. And in answer to that, Joker, his opposite, is the chaos necessary to exist opposite Batman's order. He doesn't pull people toward him -- he simply is. He terrorizes without rhyme or reason, and he doesn't answer to anything or anyone.

Tom King's work has never been just a surface-level read. More often than not, there is subtext to be found in the panels his artistic collaborators draw, and in the text he writes. Batman and Joker have long been at each other's throats, and they will continue to do so forever. But now, thanks to King and Janin, the relationship between the two characters is different -- the two are closer than ever, and yet farther apart.

KEEP READING: Prelude to the Wedding Reveals Batman’s Groomsmen