When DC rebooted their universe in 2011, they reset Batmans continuity altogether, allowing writer Scott Synder to retell Batmans earliest day in a story called Zero Year. And although Zero Year focused on the Riddler as the main Bat villain, the first arc in this three part tale retold the story of the Red Hood Gang. This incarnation of the Red Hood Gang is comprised of blackmailed Gotham citizens under the leadership of Red Hood One. Though it was never confirmed, it was heavily implied that Red Hood One is the individual who would become the Joker especially since he was the individual who fell into a vat of chemicals after a fistfight with Batman. It's kinda become the Joker's MO. Elsewhere in Synders run, specifically his Death Of The Family arc, Batman mentions a possible origin for the man behind the Red Hood that he was raised by a murderous, abusive woman named Aunt Eunice. This origin is later explored in Batman #23.1 the Jokers villain month issue. Written by Andy Kubert with Andy Clarke on pencils, this issue tells the story of the Joker raising his pet monkey, Jackanapes. Here scenes from the Jokers unhappy childhood are interspersed throughout the issue as flashbacks. When the Joker was a small child, his Aunt Eunice would starve and beat him. One day, when the child Joker was hiding behind a wall, his Aunt Eunice came at him with a hammer. She knocked the wall down, dragged him the sink, and scrubbed his skin white with bleach. While this issue contradicts the aforementioned Red Hood origin, Batman does note that the Joker is prone to changing his origin. Therefore, the Joker is known for being an unreliable narrator, hence casting doubtful shadows on the Aunt Eunice origin. These conflicting stories also set the stage for Synder's next big Joker story: Endgame.
Since childhood, Bryant has been an avid fan of superheroes, and he has been reading comic books since 2006. His full name is "George Bryant Lucas"; however, after enduring countless Darth Vader jokes, he has chosen to go by his middle name. Born and raised in the United States, Bryant is currently living with his lovely wife in the country side of Wiltshire County, UK. Bryant does suffer from a mild case of dyslexia; misspellings and homonyms are to be expected on occasion.
