Batman: White Knight (2017) #1-3 Review

Story Summary

“In a world where Batman has gone too far, The Joker must save Gotham City.

He’s been called a maniac, a killer and the “Clown Prince of Crime” but “white knight”? Never. Until now…

Set in a world where the Joker is cured of his insanity and homicidal tendencies, The Joker, now known as “Jack,” sets about trying to right his wrongs. First he plans to reconcile with Harley Quinn, and then he’ll try to save the city from the one person who he thinks is truly Gotham City’s greatest villain: Batman!”

~*~

So this has been an abnormally emotional ride for me, though I guess that’s not super surprising to anyone who knows my opinion on/history with Harley/Joker. I literally sobbed at the end of issue two, but that’s because of my personal childhood traumas that are what draw me to the characters in the first place.

I keep having to remind myself that these are new iterations of the characters because it’s a completely new twist on their relationship in some ways. Granted, there’s a part of me that’s still suspicious that what’s happening is yet another of Joker’s tricks, but there’s a possibility that that’s not the case. I’ll be damn surprised, however, if they take his character in a totally new direction that’s not been done before, though.

I’m not traditionally a fan of Joker’s original identity being revealed because I feel that that undermines what Joker has worked so hard at becoming. He’s removed any individuality or humanity in himself. He’s worked at becoming what he believes is MORE than human… an ideal… a concept… the very thing that is Batman’s biggest weakness: FEAR itself. Similarly, Batman did the same thing: sacrifice his personal identity to become an ideal, as well. His ideal, however, is a bit more shaky than Joker’s, which is pretty clear cut, but that was part of what kept their relationship going. It’s not a classic good vs evil story. It’s two mentally ill people tormenting each other.

I also am not a big fan of Joker actually being kind to Harley on any level because, again, this is antithetical toward his goals of becoming more than just another supervillain. The brilliance of the Harley/Joker relationship is that he never cared for her more than as a HIGHLY useful resource who stroked his ego & (usually) did what he told her to do. Her obsession over him was due to the unreciprocated affection, and her attraction to him was BECAUSE he was ill since that’s how she was able to relate to him & believe that if she could gain the love of the Joker, it wouldn’t matter if her Dad never loved her.

We’re only on issue 3 so far, so there’s a lot of time for things to be revealed further, and it’s very well written despite me being a bit blasé about the premise, too, since that’s not how mental illness works haha. Again, this is why I’m actually kinda HOPING that it’s just another ruse, because then it’d be more plausible, but let’s see where they take it! I always have to remind myself that this is comics, not real life, so gotta take it with a grain of salt hehe. What can I say though, the more realistic the world & characters, even in a different world, the more invested I am in the story.

Over all, I’d give the series a solid 7/10 so far. But again, this is only after issue 3. If you’re a classic Joker/Batman fan, you’ll probably really dig this comic. If you’re a classic Harley/Joker fan, you might be a bit more apprehensive about it, like me, but it’s definitely still worth the read. I’m eager to continue reading to find out what happens next!

Sincerity is Invincible

I’ve been realizing that there really only is one problem in the world & one solution: exploitative egoism & transferring separate interest to what’s in the best interest of the Whole, respectively. Through deductive reasoning, we can understand that if the needs of the Whole are sated, so are all of the needs of each individual that comprises the Whole. Thus, when we are not always thinking about ourselves and what we need and want and lack and desire, we start to realize that we aren’t the center of the universe. We’re actually not the center of anything at all.

Everything is transient, everything changes, everything decays and gets destroyed. We only have a certain amount of years in a lifetime to do something significant, but we waste our lives in a self-delusion that’s perpetuated and reinforced by the societies we live in. The most ironic lie of civilization today is that while communities speak of existing to provide for the whole of the group, there is no greater example of how greed and power exist within us all and is encouraged to come out through the inherent structures foundational to our societies. We talk about wanting justice and power, but we should be striving for mercy & beauty. Mercy, love, beauty, charm, kindness, compassion, sweetness, affection… these are impervious to hate, to fear, to violence. When someone isn’t able to think rationally, approaching them emotionally through pathos will always be the best way to get through. Kill ’em with kindness honestly does work. Maybe we don’t always get immediate results, but if we can honestly swallow our pride and not let our ego flare out of control to submit ourselves humbly before the person we have trouble respecting and tolerating because we legitimately disagree with them or dislike them, we almost always will disarm them by catching them off guard. This has happened to me many times with trolls when I stream on Twitch. I just respond politely and compassionately to their antics & they’ll more than not just be surprised. I’ve had a few actually apologize and end up following me asking me why I was so nice to them. I told them, “trolls are people, too.”

It can be exhausting trying to maintain faith, courage, optimism, positivity, strength, energy, and even compassion sometimes in the face of all the shit life consistently throws at us, but I’ve really come to feel that although “life is painful, suffering’s a choice.” Since I’ve CHOSEN to see things differently, I’ve actually noticed a real difference. I actually hate myself and people and life less. I actually believe that things WILL get better. I actually believe that with my newfound convictions, I will be able to get where I wanna go, even if it takes lifetimes haha. The point is to never give up; to have patience & compassion on yourself for being where you are, however far you are from where you want to be. You WILL be there eventually, but not alone.

As much as I dislike the fact that I’m human, I have to recognize that humans are social animals, and as much of an introvert as I am, I do still NEED people to help me right now. I’m not strong enough on my own yet, but that’s okay. It doesn’t make me weak or pathetic, it just makes me young. I’m still learning. Youth isn’t about age of body, it’s about wisdom. Some people gain a lot of wisdom from a young age, some never gain that much their own lives. It’s about experiences we undergo by choosing to put ourselves in situations outside of our comfort zones. Imagine that; intentionally choosing to experience pain and discomfort to a certain degree BECAUSE you know that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It’s like a vaccine: exposing yourself to difficult situations in small doses will help you build your distress tolerance skills so next time you encounter something you perceive as distressing, you’ll be better equipped to handle it.

What we perceive as negative, disaster, calamity, pain, abuse, etc. these things will ALWAYS come in life. We will ALWAYS encounter stuff that we don’t like, but we have to constantly remind ourselves, so what if we don’t like it? It’s not about US. We are just another cog in the wheel of a huge machine. The world/universe doesn’t exist for us & after we leave these temporary material bodies, the world will carry on as though nothing has changed. This is not a BAD thing. This isn’t something that needs to be lamented after. We can take comfort in the knowledge that as units of consciousness, we are animating and illuminating this material word, we are giving life to the dead matter, not the other way around. When all matter has been obliterated, what is our goal then? What is our desire? When all that is material, all we’ve ever known has been removed, what then should we aspire to/for? The same that can be aspired for/attained right now while alive. A shift in consciousness.

We feel alone, separated and cut off from the Whole, but this is simply misconception. We are physiologically inseparable from the whole on a material level compositionally, so why do we think that on an emotional and spiritual level we are disconnected as well? Because we erect the wall of separate interests, choosing to turn from consciousness of the Whole, to solipsism & nihilism. It’s dangerous and it’s antithetical to the cultivation of love and devotion in one’s heart. Even on a bio-evolutionary level, humans are social animals who NEED one another to thrive and flourish. We CAN survive on our own, but it’s just that: bare needs survivalism. If we want to succeed in our goals and become the best that we can be, we need to work together to accomplish greater feats than can be achieved alone. We CAN transform the world through kindness and preaching by example alone because the most inspiring thing is to see someone who is practicing what they preach and maintaining their faith, strength, courage, and convictions in the face of this exploitative world.

We can choose to let the darkness break us, we can choose to let it cloud our vision and take us over completely, or we can master our darkness. We can take the pain and suffering and nothingness we’ve felt, we’ve stared into, contemplating diving into, and use our pain as fuel to gives us the ability to overcome it. When we have been hurt or we have hurt others, we can choose to learn from this experience or not. It’s not that everything has a silver lining, it’s that everything is GOOD. Again, remove human civilization from the planet and everything is in balance, harmonious. Stuff is born, stuff grows, stuff decays, stuff dies. It’s the natural order of the material universe and it isn’t BAD. If we can stop putting so much importance on this dead matter & start looking for something deeper, longer lasting, more valuable, we can find not just a feeling of inner peace, but start to come into contact with the reservoir of unconditional love.

It’s a practice and it takes a lot of time and dedication to unlearn all of the crap we’ve been force fed. Mastery of oneself is literally the toughest path to walk, but it is also the most rewarding. If we can face the lies we’ve swallowed & created ourselves, if we can accept that it’ll be painful and difficult, but that it’ll all be worth it in the end, we’ve already made it. All we need to do is CHOOSE to want that. Everything else will follow naturally because Sincerity is invincible. ❤

An Apolitical Activist

Saw this post on FB this morning & felt the need to respond ’cause I’ve been seeing WAYY too many posts like this: CLICK ME

We need to stop praising people for being dicks to dicks. That’s still super Hammurabian & it’s not like it’s changed his mind at all. She successfully humiliated him for humiliating her. Well done. Feel better now? Good. Glad you feel better about yourself for doing the exact thing he did to you, which is making ad hominem attacks. We need to stop praising people like her. She did something just as bad as he did, but because we don’t like what he said, she’s the hero somehow. If it had been a conversation of her actually trying to have a serious conversation with him about why he has the preconceived notions & perhaps trying to explore something in a less attacking way, he wouldn’t have been so defensive & prone to attacking right off the bat too. Let’s stop fat shaming, but let’s stop ALL shaming. I DO NOT believe in punitive measures, I believe in communication & rehabilitation (or the attempt thereof) for all. PERIOD.

No, my mind will not change, no, I don’t WANT it to. I believe in the right to life, health, & happiness for ALL, no matter HOW wrong you’ve done me or anyone I love. You are still a living entity & I will fight to save & help you no matter what. If you hurt those I love or me, I will think there is something even more seriously wrong with you and try to ensure you get the help you need if I am not qualified enough to get through. There is a place for everyone & everything in this world OTHER than intolerance. Being intolerant of racists, rapists, murderers, terrorists, etc. is actually just part of the problem. Stop DEMONISING people and REALISE that we ALL started as innocent children who got super FUCKED UP by this world and the factors that were out of our control. Sometimes, yes, it’s too late to help undo ALL of the damage, but it’s hardly EVER too late for people to just be locked away and rot, what to speak of just killed and never to have a chance to change at all.

I know this isn’t a popular opinion right now in this super militant world, but I’m vegetarian, I don’t support abortion or capital punishment or anything that involves killing because I support life! This isn’t a political post because those who know me understand that I am 0% political. Politics are an extension of high school drama, to me, yet another way to escape taking personal accountability for one’s issues & just concerning ourselves with others to use as scapegoats. It’s a waste of time & another distraction from addressing the real root of the problem. It’s NO ONE else’s fault. It’s NOT out of our control. Stop watching the damn news, stop reading reddit, stop writing your angry posts about who did what wrong and how it’s going to negatively impact all your lives & look in the god damn mirror.

Did you clap for this girl when you heard her say these things? Do you feel happy when rapists get beaten publicly? Do you like witnessing murderers getting “what they deserve?” Yeah, well, if so, I’d highly recommend talking to a therapist about how your inner ideology/world paradigm is completely contradictory to your alleged life goals & will ALWAYS be causing you pain and difficulty since that’s what logical inconsistencies breed. There is NO place for hurting others or the self. There is NO reason or benefit from exploiting others or trying to win because it’ll always be at the expense of another with these finite resources. Let’s stop thinking about ourselves and our own little friends groups and family circles and extensions of our own EPHEMERAL egos & think about our real friends and family and source of existence… what are we REALLY made of? Where did we REALLY come from? We’re freaking stardust contemplating the stars man… do we really need to concern ourselves with such petty mundane lowly base stuff? Let’s leave these petty human squabbles behind & look up to the stars again.

I want to learn to be a nectar detector, not a drain inspector.
I’m personally gonna choose to aspire to follow the path of humility, tolerance, respect, and affectionate dealings. I can’t force others to do the same, nor would I want to. One can only lead a horse to water, and I’ll keep trying since why the hell else am I existing on this planet if not to help it? Why the hell else should I even be permitted to take any resources from the universe if I’m not trying to give back however I can? I’m tired of simply trying to survive in a dark scary world that’s out to get me all the time, when the world is literally nothing other than what you make of it. And now, I’m choosing to make it better. Join me by literally doing nothing out of the ordinary during the day other than trying to catch yourself each time you feel yourself getting angry, getting irritated, getting upset about something someone else said or did. Then try to take a step back and see what it is that YOU could have done or said differently in that situation. It’s a practice, but if we start doing this more and more, it’s amazing how less difficult life becomes heh.

After all, every wave is favourable if you have the vision to see…
If you ever EVER are feeling less than worth being alive, if you are ever struggling with feelings of hate or anger inside of yourself that you are afraid might consume you, if you want to feel love and joy instead of misery and pain, please, don’t ever hesitate to come and talk to me. Even if I can’t respond immediately, I promise I will get back to you as soon as I can. The most important thing in the world to me is helping to make the world better by helping each living soul find their way back to happiness and health one at a time 🙂 I love you all!! ❤

Here’s To The Future

Greetings, fair reader!
I greatly appreciate you stopping by! I hope you enjoy your stay!

I’ve not had much luck with blogs/journals/diaries/etc in the past, no matter if they were written or not. I haven’t had the discipline nor structure to maintain the ability to regularly dedicate myself to anything really. It’s really much been the bane of my existence, I realised about a few years ago. Well, it may have been the bane of my entire existence, just not consciously.

I’ve also been trying to come to terms with the fact that my pessimism seems to be one of my most self-destructive qualities that impacts my life on a daily basis. It’s insanely difficult to muster any strength to try to change when your track record makes you feel like you’re destined to fail, so why even bother?

Basically what I’m saying is, I’ve not been able to maintain a regular blog in the past before, but I’m 27 now, and working on my self-discipline a bit more, and since there are so many projects I’m trying to publicly advertise now, it’ll be beneficial to have some place I can regularly update with news as to how everything’s progressing. Thus I shall try harder than ever before & hopefully, with your encouragement, I’ll finally be able to establish a little routine/schedule in my life so that I can take some time each week/day to jot a few words down.

I’ll also post have posts that are more about my personal life & struggles, but those will be posted elsewhere. The site’s basic structure & layout is still being changed around.

Thanks so much for all your support! Just clicking on my links help out!
Hope to see you back soon!

Cheers,
– Jax ❤