Anthony Durrant (May 17, 2006) hypothesizes, "It seems to me that running the False Face Society is not the Joker's cup of tea, as none of the crimes in this story would appear to have a prankish twist; in fact, they are very different from his original method of operation. Perhaps he was not originally intended to be the secret leader of the False Face Society, as he only appears unmasked at the very end of this story."