'Batman: Secret Files' #3: Has the Designer's true identity been revealed?
Spoilers for 'Batman: Secret Files' #3
Ever since James Tynion IV took over as the writer on the main 'Batman' title, the Dark Knight has been dealing with an attack by five of the world's deadliest assassins, all sent by a mysterious master criminal known as the Designer. While the Designer's origins have previously been revealed, his identity has so far been a mystery but 'Batman: Secret Files' #3 drops a major clue.
Here's what we know about the Designer so far: he is a criminal mastermind who is something of a legend in the underworld and years ago, he tried to make deals with the Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, and the Joker, before turning on them after discovering the full extent of the Joker's madness. The Designer was seemingly killed by the Joker but he appears to have returned from the dead now. However, the truth might be something a lot less complicated.
To be clear, we still don't know who the Designer originally was but we do know that since his "resurrection", he has hired Deathstroke, Merlyn, Cheshire, Gunsmith and Mr Teeth to attack Gotham City. And as of 'Batman' #92, we also know that the Designer is aware that Batman is Bruce Wayne.
In the final story of 'Batman: Secret Files' #3, it's revealed that Deathstroke was approached by the Joker a month ago to carry out the exact attack that is currently rocking Batman and Gotham to its core. In other words, it's not the Designer who hired the assassins, it was the Joker.
The Joker's masterplan, at least the version he tells Deathstroke, is to steal the Wayne fortune and use it to wage war on Batman like never before. We're guessing that in order to hide his hand and keep the element of surprise, Joker may have become the new Designer, taking the identity of the person he once killed.
This theory is further strengthened by 'Batman' #91 where the Joker reveals what he told the Designer all those years ago that made the genius criminal so very afraid of him: the Joker wanted to become the Designer, to be that good at what he does and command that level of respect. Now if our theory is true, he has done exactly that.
The story continues in 'Batman' #93, going on sale on June 23.
