Joker’s Asylum – Scarecrow (September 2008) 

Writer – Joe Harris 

Artist – Juan Doe 

When I visit home, the first order of business is to have lunch with my Mom then stop at 2^nd and Charles. Sadly, the store no longer sells new comic releases for some reason. I usually dive in the back issue bins and I promise myself I’m only going to spend 20 dollars on the books I find. Halloween was on my mind the last time I was looking in these long boxes and this one shot was immediately added to my buy pile.  

The Joker introduces the reader to a story about a bullied teen named Lindsay who has been invited to a slumber party by the mean girls from her high school. Lindsay tells her therapist that she knows this is a ploy to embarrass and degrade her. She is urged by her doctor to face her fears and go to the party. He wants her to “show these bullies you’re not afraid” of them. These teenage tormentors will get a taste of their own medicine as they are confronted with the very fears they try to hide. 

Back when these Joker Asylum one-shots were released, I grabbed a few of them. I must have either missed out or passed on this Scarecrow one. I’m very lucky I found this one when I did. It’s a nice addition to my comic collection. The story has nods to classic horror movie pastiches we have grown to love over the years by way of the DC Universe. One by one, the Scarecrow stalks the teens and doses them with his trusty fear gas. We get to experience their traumas firsthand brought to life by artist Juan Doe. The style of the art in this issue is very reminiscent of a Batman the Animated Series episode which is a nice touch. The cover art is a nice preview of what’s to come inside the pages of the book. 

My favorite part of the story was the ending. You think everything ends happily as Lindsay helps defeat Scarecrow just seconds before he tries to kill Batman. However, this isn’t the true ending as the coda ends in a shocking reveal that makes you wonder if Lindsay was truly helpless as we believed her to be. Cue the Saw Ending Music. I’m not sure if this one shot was out of continuity or not but this could have been a setup for an apprentice or sidekick for the Scarecrow. I’m sure comic fans wouldn’t have taken too kindly to this as Lindsay would probably be compared to Harley Quinn in some fashion. 

The moral of this story is to treat others how you would like to be treated. So, the next time you see that person that looks like they could use a friend, walk over to them, and say hi and talk to them. I’m sure we have encountered or knew a “Lindsay” in our own lives at some point. It makes you wonder if we treated that person well or not. If we didn’t, we know we can do better the next time we meet someone like her. 

If you are looking for something scary to read during this horrifying holiday season, this issue is worth checking out. For those of you subscribed to the DCUI app, I would try to search for it on there. If it is not available on the app, the complete Joker Asylum collection is on Hoopla, which might be the easiest way to read this one shot.