The Joker appears disguised as a prostitute and, unaware that Bruce and Batman are the same person, blackmails Bruce into bidding in an auction of the Blue Cat diamond in exchange for Alina's life. Bruce receives a letter from the Joker, asking him to meet him at the bar where he first met Mariah. In present time, Bruce is still interrogating former associates of the Joker with no results. In a flashback to nine years before, Bruce Wayne meets Mariah Shelley in the bar where she tends and the two flirt. Part 1 ends with Alina desperately hoping Batman saves her while the Joker prepares for the inevitable confrontation. He ruthlessly interrogates known associates of the Joker, including Killer Croc, but fails to gain any new intelligence. Batman learns the results of a DNA test to figure out if he is indeed Alina's biological father, though the result is left unknown to the reader. The Joker attempts to befriend Alina in his own psychotic way, comparing her plight to that of a princess in a fairy tale. The Joker hospitalizes Mariah in a car crash and kidnaps Alina, attempting to gain ransom to buy the 'Blue Cat' for Harley.

Bruce Wayne receives a paternity suit from Mariah Shelley, an alleged one-night-stand of Wayne's who claims that Wayne is the father of her highly-intelligent 8-year-old daughter Alina. Harley shows enthusiastic interest in a valuable diamond called the 'Blue Cat'.

Angry at her disappointment, the Joker kills his entire gang except for a suicidal clown named Archie, whom Joker hires to find new recruits. The Joker loses the pearls intended as a birthday present for Harley Quinn after jumping off a bridge. Some time before, in downtown Gotham City, the Joker and his gang flee a successful jewelry heist, pursued by Batman and his lover/casual adversary Catwoman. In a flash-forward scene, Bruce Wayne receives a gift-wrapped box. The series is considered a standalone, out-of-continuity story. In The Dark Prince Charming, Batman pursues the Joker and Harley Quinn, who have kidnapped a child whose mother claims her to be the daughter of Bruce Wayne. It was written, illustrated, and painted by Italian artist Enrico Marini and is his first major American publication. The first volume was released on November 1, 2017, followed by the second volume on June 20, 2018.

Batman: The Dark Prince Charming is an original two-volume graphic novel series from American comic book publisher DC Comics and French publisher Dargaud, featuring the DC Universe character Batman.

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