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Is Batman gay? Do you agree with people imposing their own 'readings' on established characters?

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Worlds Finest #38 (2025) - “We Are Yesterday, pt. 1”

Batman actively avoiding hanging out with his coworkers outside of work. Most might see it as rude but I see it as prudently setting one’s boundaries. 😌😌😌

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I’m begging, pleading if you will for some longer batjokes fic recommendations that are less mainstream (as I’ve read most of the popular ones) because I just finished your timeloop fic and OH MY GOD IT WAS SO GOOD IM GONNA CRY WOWOW YOU CAN WRITE THEM SO WELL.

so now I guess I thought who better to find more fics from that my fav batjokes fic writer!

First of all, thank you for the kind words! I'm really glad you enjoyed REMS, and I'm flattered you think of me as your favorite writer. I hope I can recommend some multi-chaptered, longer fics you don't already know of... but bear in mind, I haven't been able to keep up with recent fanfic a lot-- real life and a PhD are kicking my ass.

Maybe you already know of the #48 verse, The Eternal Batman Universe, City Goblins, matchjokes, Two sided blade soul mate theory, Enemies With Benefits and the jaxverse series? I assume fics over 1k kudos might be considered mainstream... So I tried to go for stories with a lower number of kudos that are relatively recent, or older fics that might not be well known by newer fans. Either way, they're a mix of Universes, with a bias for comicverse because that's my jam. Some of these I haven't managed to read fully, but I am reccing either because I liked what I did read or I heard very good things from friends.

Needless to say, check the tags carefully before reading! I am only including some short summaries and word counts. Do leave the authors some love if you like the story, and check out their other stuff. The list got pretty long, so I'm putting the recs (in no particular order) under the cut.

Ghosts of a Future Lost by messageredacted (15k+, complete)

Wayne Manor has been rebuilt, but things just aren’t the same as they used to be. Something is stirring old memories, and not just Bruce’s…

Strange Comradery in Arkham by Vampowerment (series, 45k+ words)

Bruce Wayne checks himself into Arkham because he considers himself a danger to himself and others, but only Joker seems to understand why.

Blood of the Covenant by batjokesinlove (28k+ words, WIP)

When Bruce is attacked by a horrifying monster, he finds himself turned into a creature of the night with a thirst for human blood. Although he retains his humanity, he wrestles with his need for blood and his desire to maintain his code. That is until an unlikely person offers up himself up to Batman as his own personal blood bank.

Inside the Music Box by MargueritePoretesDefenseAttorney (series, 116k+ words)

A dark comedy where the Batkids are very suspicious of Bruce's new boyfriend, a strange man who looks oddly familiar . . .

Bygone Boy by Masterofceremonies (25k+ words, WIP)

Bruce is millionaire in the public eye. His husband, Jack, is a widely known, largely mysterious artist, famous for his borderline illegal exhibitions. Their marriage has been a happy one. Mostly. Until Jack goes missing, and Bruce becomes suspect #1.

Induced Labor by fractualized (29k+ words, WIP)

After a fight in an illegal magic shop results in Bruce impregnating Joker, at least things can't get any more bizarre— except of course they can.

A Rule for A Rule by Severus_divides_into_H (34k+ words, WIP)

When Bruce walks into his new elementary school classroom, the first thing he sees is green. Green hair, green eyes, green sweater with a clown on it, green pants that look way too big. A decade later, he looks at the Joker, and all he sees is a person he once loved.

This Strange Effect by battybrownboo (19k+ words, WIP)

Batman and the Justice League are forced to harbor Joker when he accidentally gets beamed up to the Watchtower. But a clown in space will be the least of their problems.

Life is so much better when you're dead by toluenesister (167k+ words, complete)

During the two years following the Joker's escape from Arkham, Gotham gradually becomes rid of its criminal element in a particularly ghastly way. The appearances of Batman and the Joker become more and more scarce as well to the point of vanishing from the public eye, leaving the city's crime rate at an all time low. At the same time, Carmine's daughter, Sofia Falcone, decides to rebuild her father's organization, but in the course of gathering resources she accidentally finds out what both Batman and the Joker have been preoccupied with while they were away from the streets.

Dissolve & Absolve by toluenesister (63k+ words, complete)

One day the Joker decides to lay his mark on what is his, but he doesn't anticipate the magnitude of what is about to unravel.

through a glass, darkly by itallstartedwithdefenestration (series, 156k+ words)

Three months after Batman effectively disappears from society, Bruce Wayne goes to work for the Joker.

Blank Canvas by Vampowerment (21k+ words, WIP)

When Eric Border, an orderly at Arkham and an ally to Batman, tries to build a life outside of his work, he somehow keeps running into Gotham's darling, Bruce Wayne.

Hope We Can Again by blackbatsx (22k+ words, WIP)

Their original counterparts are long gone but what do you do when the universe (or multiverse for that matter) presents you with another opportunity to try again?

a world with love by railroadman, slaapkat (48k+ words, series)

A canon-divergent universe where Bruce and Joker really do love each other.

In the claws of the Owl by orphan_account (27k+ words, complete)

The Owlman, the Great bird of Sorrows, White King of Gotham, is barely human any more. There is something terrifying about the secret tyrant of Gotham who is watching all the time. The Red Hood wishes he didn't love him. The Owl had tried to drown him in chemicals, murdered his family, broken him again and again with torture, but this time Owlman has something worse in mind for his favorite pet enemy.

Kintsugi Elseworld by a_stands_for (20k+ words, complete)

A suspiciously insistent Zatanna reads Bruce's fortune, which somehow leads to an adventure in a parallel universe--one where the Joker wears a mask and cape and fights at Batman's side.

The Heart by slire (20k+ words, complete)

The Joker, sick and heartbroken, plans to recreate himself. Another scheme is in motion; one that'll shake his darling to the core and break the Bat like no one else can.

I'll Tell You No Lies by TheMidnightOwl (29k+ words, complete)

Earth-22. One mistake was all it took. In the months that pass after Bruce accidentally kills a hired gun, he must reevaluate his life, his methods, and his mission. He remembers everything the Joker has ever said to him, every taunt he ever made, every similarity they share, and this time he's listening. This time he gets the joke.

Acts of Agression by vojavodun (series, 30k+ words)

Batman confronts the Joker in a skyscraper and the night's events get physical.

Bring Down The House by ArgentNoelle (53k+ words, complete)

The Joker is the greatest performance of Jack’s life.

Madness, Domesticated by thatsnotfunny (56k+, WIP)

Bruce Wayne offers to rehabilitate Joker at the manor for the holidays. But which of them needed socialization the most?

Love isn't brains, it's blood by cutting_capers (27k+ words, complete)

He was speaking before even choosing to. “But, so many lives. If you care about Gotham, how can you end so many lives?” Bruce shook his head but was then startled out of his own daze by the raised voice of Joker across from him. “I don’t care about their lives. I care about yours!” Joker stabbed a finger in his direction, his other hand balled in a fist and his entire body rigid. After just a few moments, though, the tension broke, a high pitch of laughter bubbling out of Joker. His eyes drifted about. “They do say I’m crazy. I must be.”

Arkham by AnonGrimm (74k+ words, complete)

The Joker has landed in Arkham again with a long sentence ahead of him in solitary. While plotting his next escape, he gets a visit from the Batman. Two-Face has been wreaking havoc and Batman wants Joker to divulge clues in how to stop him or cure his madness. Joker pretends to listen as a new game begins to bloom in his fractured mind. Can he crack that cold strength and find a weakness, find a way to warp the Bat?

The Bliss of Ignorance by Crashingthisbane (Sitarsitar) (34k+ words, complete)

After getting a concussion, Bruce loses his memory. Joker crafts a new past for him. He tells Bruce that the two of them are crime-fighting partners, weaving a tangled web of half-truths and plain lies. Complex feelings ensue, for both Joker and Bruce.

Yes And by limeta (41k+ words, complete)

The Joker "yes ands" his way into having a mental breakdown. Kidnapping Tim Drake and a bunch of Rogues isn't helping. Especially because he isn't the Joker, of course, but Bruce Wayne's newest secretary. Cut him some slack, he's just trying to run some errands!

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much to think about...

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i love how dc is obsessed with adding details to make bruce's parents death even worse for him like not only were they gunned down by chance in a random alley but also they were there because bruce wanted to see that specific movie really badly and also got scared and wanted to leave early and also he was the one who picked out his moms pearls and yeahhh he basically straight up told them to turn down that specific street and stand in front of the bullets

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love how the OG batman writers were like 'look at this CREEPY WEIRDO joker who is HORNY FOR BATMAN and DRESSES FEMME SOMETIMES and WEARS MAKE UP' and now we're all like 'Diversity win!! Your villain is bisexual and genderqueer'

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Saw this and immediately thought of them 🦇🃏

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being fictional is problematic (glorifies lying) so the only moral fanfiction is rpf

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Clean up

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The thing I love about the "why so serious?" line is that it works for every iteration of the Joker, but each of them would mean something different by it. I want you to picture Batman (1966) Joker delivering the line with that exaggerated "buh" expression Romero likes to put on as though he's genuinely shocked at Batman's reaction to his antics, versus Batman: The Animated Series (1992) Joker dropping a "why so serious, Batsy?" with Hamill's smug, almost sensual sneer.

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Father. How could you betray me like this.

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look the fun of batjokes is that joker kills a bunch of people and goes "Haha!!! What're you gonna do about that, Batsy?? Spank me???" and then they chase each other around the city and exchange homoerotic stabbings

whereas the fun of juce is that john doe kills a bunch of people then turns to bruce with big shiny eyes and says 'I'm weally sowwy and it wasn't my fault I pwommy' and bruce laps it up and says 'okay buddy we'll talk about it later', and THEN they chase each other around the city and exchange homoerotic stabbings

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It has occured to me that, taking into account Hush 2, we now have enough instances of Bruce keeping Joker in the Batcave to be able to rank them in order of unhingedness. Don't ask why, I just think it's funny. Gonna go from most normal to most unhinged, and let's be fair...

5. Batman/Catwoman (2021) #3

Orange jumpsuit, slippers, glass cage... makes sense. Not a lot of hinges are off on this one, and my theory is that it's because Selina's around and Bruce doesn't want her to see him being a weirdo about the murder clown.

4. The Batman Who Laughs

Half-naked and receiving open-heart surgery from poor Alfred who's not nearly paid well enough for this. All in all, not that weird-- except the beauty that is "Get your fucking hands back inside the fucking clown." Never forget.

3. Dark Days: The Casting

I mean sure, cage with a forcefield makes sense. But why is Joker fully decked out? He's even got checkered socks on! It's implied Joker's been there for at least a week or two, and I love the mental image of Bruce ordering suits in Joker's size and delivering them to his room. Or Joker having this suit on already when Bruce caught him and going "Take this away from me and so help me God."

2. Batman (2016) #159 (Hush 2)

Okay. Once again Joker's dying and Bruce is saving his life. But why is Joker naked and in a weird ass vertically standing tech-pod that tastefully covers his lower half?? Let's say it's to treat him, but then it still implies Bruce undressed Joker and put him in a weird ass vertically standing tech-pod and then got very weird about analyzing his brain and his body.

...Sometimes I think about how canonically, Batman and Joker have seen each other's dicks.

1. Batman & The Joker: Deadly Duo

Do I even need to say anything? Where did Bruce get the gimp mask. Why is there a gimp mask to begin with. Were there truly no other means of making sure Joker didn't see the Batcave?? 10/10 unhinged behavior. It's also mentioned in the comic that Bruce interrogated Joker with some kind of truth serum (though it's not shown), and I'm wondering how that went...

Bruce. Never change, you magnificent freak.

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The funniest part of Hush 2 so far is them implying Bruce didn't know Joker had no fingerprints. At this point he's been fighting the guy for like a decade and a half, and had ten thousand attempts at identifying his previous identity, but no... he only finds out now??

Guys. I think he just wanted to hold Joker's hand. And did he really need to check the feet--

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I love them 🃏🖤🦇

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Oswald Cobblepot has seen Jurassic Park

James Gordon has not