DC has just shocked fans with the unexpected reveal of a brand-new Joker, sporting the Gotham Rogue’s most R-rated design yet. The look is more disturbing than anything seen before, and it comes with a major boost to the villain’s power levels. With this twisted upgrade, the question remains: Can Batman possibly stand against him?
Those following Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s Absolute Batman series will recall the Joker appearing several times throughout the narrative, most notably in issues #1, #6, and #11. Now, DC has dropped a bombshell by teasing what could be the villain’s true form, and it is straight-up demonic.
The meek man the Joker has been portrayed as so far is gone, replaced by a nightmarish creature that looks like a mix between a dragon and a demon. This may be the villain’s most powerful form yet.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #15: Alfred reveals to Bruce the story of the man he’s been chasing for years. Enter: Joker! Scott Snyder and Jock reunite for an epic tale in the Absolute Universe!
Absolute Batman #15 Unleashes the Joker’s TRUE Form (& It’s Beyond Disturbing)
Comic Panel Comes From Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman #11 (2025) – Art by Clay Mann
DC has released its December solicitations, including fans’ first look at Snyder and Jock’s Absolute Batman #15. The cover showcases the Joker’s most R-rated form to date. The average-looking man seen throughout the story is gone, replaced by a full-blown monster of enormous proportions, a terrifying transformation that elevates the character into entirely new, horrifying territory.
While still somewhat humanoid, the design is distinctly reptilian and hellish. The Joker sports a devilish forked tail, jagged spikes along his back, razor-sharp teeth, a tongue that rivals Marvel’s Venom, an unnaturally unhinging jaw, and horns protruding from his skull. The combination of features gives him a nightmarish presence, making him feel more monstrous than ever before.
This radical redesign is so extreme that, without the cover labeling him as the Joker and his signature pale skin, red lips, and green accents, he would be unrecognizable. While shocking, the transformation aligns with the dark, horrific tone Absolute Batman has established, pushing the character into a form that is far beyond what fans previously believed they knew.
Are Fans Dealing With Multiple Jokers or a Damnable Transformation?
Comic Panel Comes From Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman #6 (2025) – Art by Nick Dragotta
As previously mentioned, the Joker has briefly appeared several times throughout the Absolute Batman narrative, each time looking slightly different. In issue #11, he appears as a classically handsome man; in issue #1, he is hunched and small with bulging eyes; and in issue #6, he is literally covered in the blood of babes.
These changes have been relatively minor, leading most fans to chalk them up to different phases in the Joker’s life, especially since the appearances occur out of chronological order. However, with the reveal of this demonic form, questions arise: Are there multiple Jokers, or is this monstrous design a literal transformation, possibly aided by the villain’s heinous blood transfusions?
Absolute Batman #15 is available December 10, 2025, from DC Comics!