
Fans of DC Comics have been taken aback by a new narrative in which renowned Batman villain Joker becomes pregnant and delivers birth in a fairly realistic manner.
The current issue of Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing, #4, which was released on January 3, had a storyline twist that no one saw coming.
Part of the latest edition features Joker encountering potential love interest Zatanna in a special bonus story called Knocked Upside Down, written by Matthew Rosenberg and drawn by Francesco Francavilla, with lettering by Tom Napolitano.
After a confrontation with the female superhero, who is not a fan of his flirtation, she releases a backwards spell, ‘On eno esle lliw reve evah ruoy ybab!’ (Wait a moment.)
He then awakens, horrified to discover that he is nine months pregnant, and goes to the hospital to prepare to give birth.
He vomits out a mud monster, which subsequently evolves into a small, child-sized doppelgänger of everyone’s favourite green-haired crook.

Of course, Joker is immediately charmed with his ‘handsome’ new offspring and their resemblance.
Shortly after the comic’s release, the storyline sparked debate on social media, with some fans perplexed by the approach and others defending it.
One disappointed admirer tweeted a synopsis of the story, adding, ‘I don’t know how much longer I can do this…’
Others, meanwhile, chastised DC for being ‘toxic’ and ‘woke’.
However, many readers defended the issue, pointing out that sections of the tale had been misread, as well as the fact that it was not the most surprising thing to happen in a DC comic book.
‘I don’t get everyone freaking out about the pregnant joker panel,’ tweeted one reader.
‘Y’all, try reading more comics I guarantee that’s not even the weirdest thing that happens this month…if not just this week lol [sic].’

Another added: ‘Comics aren’t dead because of a back-up Joker had a weird moment played for laughs. Sometimes a weird moment, is just a weird moment. Y’all would not have survived the Silver Age.’
Fans were also clearing up ways in which the story had been wrongly understood, branding it ‘misinformation’.
Proclaiming that Joker hadn’t been portrayed as a transgender man, one fan explained: ‘A magical character named Zatanna (her) just placed a curse on Joker to make him pregnant.
‘I know y’all don’t read comics but that doesn’t mean we gotta [sic] spread misinformation. It’s magic so everyone chill with the “woke” complaining.’
Joker has previously been portrayed as a father in Injustice: Gods Among Us, where Harley Quinn reveals she has had Joker’s daughter but gave her up for adoption to protect her, according to IGN.
The villain has been portrayed on screen many times, by actors including Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto.
Joaquin Phoenix is returning to the role – for which he won an Oscar – to star in a musical sequel opposite Lady Gaga as Harley.