The Batman Who Laughs Q-Master diorama is the latest exclusive release from Sideshow Collectibles featuring Batman’s newest classic-in-waiting villain.
It had to happen, the lure of mixing reactive chemicals, as polar opposites they are mortal enemies, but merged with the intention of creating evil, the Batman and the Joker became The Batman Who Laughs.
Writer Scott Snyder’s plan was to create what he referred to as Batman’s worst nightmare brought to life – and it made perfect sense that for someone who had built himself into the perfect crime-fighting machine, the nightmare would come from within.
It’s surely one of the darkest, most violent, ruthless, and bloody origins of any supervillain in comics, thanks to a long, drawn-out process involving a body count that took out all the major players in the DC universe as well as innocent civilians.
Set on the Dark Multiverse Earth -22, it started as an opportunity to witness the Joker’s homicidal psychosis taken to extreme levels. After the Joker wiped out most of Batman’s rogue’s gallery and disfigured Commissioner Gordon, it was the bombing of a hospital and intentionally orphaning children and injecting them with Joker Venom that caused the Dark Knight to snap and kill the Joker.
With his dying breath, the Clown Prince of Crime infected Batman with the venom. It turns out that when you combine the most resourceful, resolute, and cunning player in DC’s rank of heroes with the Joker’s imaginative homicidal mania you get one of the most effective villains the DCU has ever seen because, thanks in part to the element of surprise, he was able to take out all the major heroes of Earth -22.
Before long, The Batman Who Laughs was ruling his version of Earth with his minions, Damien and the other children injected with the Joker Venom – the Rabid Robins. In events to come, the arrival of the evil bat-god Barbatos introduced TBHL to other Multiverses and recruited him into his collection of Dark Knights, setting him on a collision course with the heroes of Prime Earth.
Once again, QMx has brought its animated-style influence to the Dark Multiverse. This time the pose for the diorama is influenced by the cover of Dark Nights: The Batman Who Laughs #1 which featured the titular villain and three of his Rabid Robins on chain leashes.
In this version, the Rabid Robins include the crown-thorned Robin King, another product of Scott Snyder’s exploration of dark versions of Bruce Wayne, which saw this one murder his own parents as a child before TBWL recruited him as a Robin. Also present is the hooded Earth -22 Damian Wayne.
Cast in Everston, a proprietary high-temperature polyresin, developed by QMx for durability and enabling more intricate sculpting, The Batman Who Laughs Q-Master diorama is a limited release. As well as including a certificate of authenticity, the Artists Edition collection also comes with an exclusive signature plaque and art print.
Of all the countless villains that Batman has faced, only a handful have the iconic looks and enduring character traits to make it onto the hallowed list of the classic rogues’ gallery, alongside the likes of The Joker. With his mythology growing to increase his powers, The Batman Who Laughs has traction. The Dark Multiverse saga ran from 2017-2021 so it’s still early days, but my money is on The Darkest Knight becoming legendary.
The Batman Who Laughs Q-Master diorama is available to pre-order from Sideshow Collectibles.
Product details:
Who’s Laughing Last?
Introducing a special edition of the ultimate “family” feud in twisted statuesque form. Sideshow and Quantum Mechanix present the Sideshow Exclusive – Batman Who Laughs (Artist Edition) Q-Master Diorama! This museum-quality statement piece is our most demented design of the Dark Knight yet in an exclusive limited-run edition.
This bold statue depicts Batman as his evil alter-ego persona, surrounded by minions of wretched Robins, dressed in tattered versions of their classic costume, whose chains Batman is holding in tensely clenched fists. Batman, clad in a frightening black buckle outfit and spiked cowl, sports an open-mouth and sharp-toothed grin while Damian Wayne in Dark Robin form crouches close by, ready to strike, and Robin King swoops in from overhead, kneeling against Batman’s shoulder with an ominous smirk.
Towering just over 15”, the Batman Who Laughs Q-Master makes a perfectly terrifying conversation piece for fans who appreciate the darker side of DC collectibles. This statue is cast in Everstone™, a proprietary high-temperature polyresin developed by QMx, allowing for intricate details and unmatched durability. The dynamic storytelling in this Q-Master is present from every angle and is so intense, one mischievous Robin is even attempting to crawl right off the statue’s base!
In addition to the compelling Q-Master design you know and love, each Q-Master statue comes in sturdy luxe packaging accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. This Artist Edition elevates the collectability of the piece by including a special signature plaque along with a beautiful exclusive artist print, both of which are unique to this edition only.
Make sure you get the last laugh. Pre-orders for this exclusive Batman Who Laughs Q-Master Artist Edition are open now and will go fast, so reserve yours before it’s too late.
Images and press release courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles
