The Dark Knight may yet receive its January re-release, but it hardly seems to matter with the Oscar-season fan-offensive presently — and unofficially — being mounted in the blockbuster's name.

The earnest Dark Campaign to which we alerted you a few weeks back has inherited the role of Bat-freak Oscar Clearing House, gathering one fanmade for-your-consideration poster after another and today announcing the TDK community's plans to hit the trades with their grass-roots blitz:

Tomorrow… Dec. 17th we are sending Joker cards in the mail to Variety.

It is simple;
1. find a deck of cards
2. remove the joker card
3. with a red pen, somewhere on the card write:

“Why So Serious?”
For Your Consideration
Heath Ledger - Best Supporting Actor
The Dark Knight - Best Picture of 2008
http://DarkCampaign.com

We're all for these people ruining however many decks of cards they feel they need to trash to get a couple Oscar nods or whatever, but they're forgetting the key step: Address them to Peter Bart. The look of curiosity, whimsy and horror that the campaign's ad money is basically being spent on postage will virtually guarantee whatever the blog equivalent of a heart attack looks like. Cameras at the ready, tradesters.