WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Punchline #1 by James Tynion IV, Sam Johns, Mirka Andolfo, Romulo Fajardo Jr. & Gabriela Downie, on sale now.
In her solo debut comic book, Punchline has served up a deep dive into the fractured psyche of Alexis Kaye, the young chemistry student who'd become corrupted by Joker's philosophies. She tried to help raze Gotham City in Joker War, but bit by bit, we discovered she wasn't just another Harley. Instead, she found a deeper meaning to why she wanted the city doused in flames.
In the comic, Punchline actually unearthed the truth behind Joker's crimes over the years, and she found a populist message promoting social causes in his various attacks.
As Alexis goes on trial, she tries to prove that she's a victim by inspiring a global cult of supporters through her podcasts. As Harper Row's brother, Cullen, falls prey to her, we learn that Alexis first encountered the Joker when he held her hostage at a news station, which she took as a moment of divine intervention.
Although Batman saved the day, she carried his message with her, as she dissected the Joker's message and found his desire to build a new world by burning the old one down. In acts of terror like poisoning the water supply, Alexis saw an effort to show society that Gotham's corrupt officials were really the ones feeding the city toxins. Dead people and poison in the waterways reflect how they're bathed in corruption and that the public ingests this without batting an eye.
In his infamous Joker Fish gag, she saw a message to show how the city used money that could've helped others to create memorials and sell it as toys -- a statement on opportunism and capitalism, slowly converting Alexis. In her eyes, these jokes are mirrors, meant to reflect society and show people that they're monsters for participating, condoning and allowing these actions. Even when Joker takes Arkham over, it's to show the city they make criminals and send them there to suffer. By trying to get Batman to unmask, the Joker is simply trying to make the Dark Knight admit that he's part of the problem.
Alexis finally understands that this is a kind of therapy for the clown, trying to free his people makes him feel like he has a purpose. And to her, this is the truth, the good word that she tried to flee from. But now, Punchline thinks that she has to spread this word by becoming a symbol.
As Joker has pointed out who profits and who suffers for years, Punchline wants new Joker gangs all over the globe to stand up to the forces keeping people down. These crimes are to stop cities from turning a blind eye, and as Joker predicts the reaction -- or lack thereof -- it means he and Punchline will keep coming back as they see these acts as the cure for a corrupt world.
KEEP READING: Batman: Joker Proves That He STILL Underestimates the Dark Knight