Batman Who Laughs #2 (2019)

In the Batcave, Alfred is trying to save the Joker from dying after he shot himself to transform Batman into this reality's Batman Who Laughs. Alfred hints at letting the villain die, but Batman, who is injecting himself with every Joker toxin antidote that they have to stop the transformation, refuses. Even though the transformation is being slowed down, Batman shows clear signs of instability. Later, Commissioner Jim Gordon investigates the death of another Bruce Wayne from a different reality (this time, he is Mayor of Gotham City) with Batman, disguised as Harvey Bullock, who is actually out of town. Batman hints at the idea that maybe The Batman Who Laughs teleports Waynes from their realities straight to this one, which would explain how the body fell from such a height without anything to fall from. He also notices that The Batman Who Laughs has already been there, and took a sample of blood from this "Mayor Wayne", possibly to make some kind of serum. When one of the officers on the scene remind "Harvey" of the bet they have on who will prevail between Batman and The Batman Who Laughs, Batman loses his composure and attacks him, almost blowing his cover. As Gordon calms him down, Batman tells him that he needs to show him a map of Gotham. Batman explains that in the 18th century, following a devastating plague, the founding families of Gotham vowed to create a system to protect the citizens should another catastrophe like that happen, called the "Last Laugh": it would consist in blowing the entryways of the city, vaccinating everyone through airships and using reservoirs of food and water hidden deep below the streets. Batman learned about all this when he fought the Court of Owls, and after the most recent Joker attack, he started creating a "Last Laugh" of his own, having its central hub on the top of Wayne Tower. Unfortunately, as they speak, The Batman Who Laughs reaches said hub and enters it, having the same DNA code as this Earth's Bruce Wayne. Upon entrance, he slashes through the guards, killing all of them. Batman promptly enters through the window and attacks The Batman Who Laughs. He notices the villain is faster, but that he is stronger than him. Since The Batman Who Laughs knows every fighting technique they both learned, Batman overcomes him with a new one that he recently made up. The Batman Who Laughs, on the ground, tells Batman that this was his plan too, as the Grim Knight shoots him with a sniper rifle from the window. The Batman Who Laughs gets back on his feet and proceeds to activate a "special protocol" devised to take down any record of Batman if needed. As The Batman Who Laughs shows Batman that he has thought of everything to prevent him from stopping the activation of the protocol, he jumps off the window laughing maniacally and Wayne Tower starts collapsing on itself. Batman jumps out too. Back in the Cave, Bruce assaults the comatose Joker, asking him what is The Batman Who Laughs planning. The Joker wakes up and answers that only one person knows The Batman Who Laughs's plan. Following the Joker's hint, James Gordon asks for the help of the one person who appears to understand what is going on: his own son (and infamous criminal) James Gordon, Jr.