Joker Heads to Japan on Foot in New 'Machibura JOKER' Manga

Kodansha's Morning magazine dropped the surprise reveal in its latest issue: a brand-new series titled Machibura JOKER launches in the July 2 edition. Artist Masa Ichikawa, known for works like A-BOUT!, will draw the story as part of an official DC Comics collaboration.

The premise takes a light, fish-out-of-water turn. The Joker grows tired of America's nonstop price surges and decides to hunt for a fresh base of operations — in Japan. Instead of immediate chaos, he starts by exploring the country on foot first.

This continues DC's partnership with the Kodansha seinen magazine that previously produced Batman: Justice Buster and an earlier Joker-focused title. DC handles character supervision while international rights agency Fortuna assists on the publishing side.

Ichikawa's signature style should give the iconic villain a grounded, character-driven spin that blends seinen storytelling with the rogue's signature unpredictability. The first chapter arrives in stores next week.