Batman: The Killing Joke | Alan Moore, Brian Bolland

Batman: The Killing Joke | Alan Moore, Brian Bolland | Good...and disturbing

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Batman: The Killin...

	Batman: The Killing Joke Alan Moore, Brian Bolland DC Comics, 2008 - 64 pages average customer review:based on 165 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A New Joker

I have had a lot of my friends tell me about this book, especially what with the Dark Knight recently being the talk amongst us and I sought the book out hearing about how twisted and insane the Joker was in it. I had no idea just how twisted Joker was in the book. But first, I want to talk about how gorgeous the art is. This is some of the best artwork I've seen in a graphic novel from it's time and it truly captured the horror of Joker. That being said, this book made the Joker one scary villian. It made me appreciate Joker more just because of the flashbacks that showed how he became who he is but it also made me fear the Joker more because his "joke" in this goes far beyond anything I could have imagined Joker doing. I'm extremely happy I got this book because after I finished it, I went back to read it again. I really enjoyed reading the opening statement and the afterword because I don't normally get to hear what the artist and writer's think about their work. But this seriously is one of the best Joker stories ever written and the artwork is horrifying yet beautiful.

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Good...and disturbing

When I read this through for the first time, I was under the impression it was aimed at younger teenagers. Needless to say, when I got to the middle of the book, I was pretty shocked at some of the content. At times I think the Joker's reaction to his "bad day" were a little too extreme, but some of the lines he says are really powerful and thought provoking. So even though this story pushes the envelope, its still a classic.

Dissects, Examines, and Redefines the Batman/Joker Dynamic

I consider myself fairly well-versed in comics, but I've generally steered clear of super-hero comics. Batman and the X-Men are pretty much the only ones I've touched, but even with those, I haven't really had the urge to delve deeper into their stories. I've, of course, read the obligatory Year One as well as a few side stories here and there, but--like many other people, so excuse me if this sounds band-wagony--I was inspired to pick up some more Batman books after seeing and loving The Dark Knight. This graphic novel by the critically acclaimed Alan Moore was first on my list. And, in my opinion, it's better than "Year One."

There is no denying that this book was written by a master. There are so many moments that either gave me chills or, as a writer, made me burn with envy. From the Joker's origin flashbacks, to the repetition of the "speech" Batman gives to the "Joker" when he first arrives at Arkham, to the subtle line of dialogue that throws the accountability of said Joker origin into question, Alan Moore has written a perfect Batman/Joker story that dissected, examined, and ultimately redefined the way the characters interact and the way the reader experiences them. It's short, it's horrifying, it's smart as a whip, and it's a cracking good read.

Brian Bolland's realistic art is wonderful--and at times really, really creepy. We're treated to insight from Bolland, as well as a reprint of a short Batman story titled "An Innocent Man" (written and illustrated by Bolland) that really ends this collection with a bang. The overall package is a handsome, over-sized hardcover book. My only complaint is that it's too big to fit in the shelf next to my other Batman trade paperbacks, but the size and quality of the art is well worth it!

9/10

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Brief, brutal and brilliant

In this short reworking of the Batman-Joker story, Alan Moore applies his trademark twisted perspective to reimage the conflict between the Joker and Batman. The Joker has escaped from the mental institution and Batman is not only interested in putting back behind bars, but in piercing the mystery of their ages old conflict. Why do they hate each other? Are they destined to kill each other? Is there a way out? Moore spins a brutal and action-packed tale that gathers in many threads of the Batman myth. But beneath the gunplay and against-the-moon brooding is a psychological drama. The Joker's own back story is provided. His criminal mind is obsessed with explaining his own "insanity" and comes surprisingly close to guessing that Batman is driven by a fairly similar story. How the characters resolve this issue id the real point of the story

Too short, but great reading and brilliant storytelling.

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Good, But Not the Best

I bought this book on the recommendation of many fans and since it has the reputation of being one of the best Joker stories in comics. Overall, the story delivers. What you get in this book is a Joker origin story and insight into why the Joker does what he does. His primary motive is to prove just one point, all it takes is just one bad day to drive a man over the edge. He doesn't commit crimes because he thinks they're funny. It's the traumatic experience in his past that has desensitized him to the harm that his violence does. Joker may even have a sort of death wish.

Now for the things that keep this from being a 5 star book. First of all, it is very short. Basically it is just one double-sized comic. That's it, so you'll finish reading this in about 30 minutes. The other thing is that some of the artwork is a bit dated, in particular the way Barbara Gordon is drawn. She is wearing glasses with lenses about the size of coffee cup saucers and appears to be stuck in a time warp that leads back to the 80's. Of course this can't be helped since this was when the story was drawn, but it is a bit distracting when you are compelled to do a fashion check in the middle of a story of this nature.

Overall, I recommend this book for Batman and Joker fans. You won't be disappointed. However, if you haven't read any Batman graphic novels recently, perhaps there are some other books you could start with first such as "Batman: Year One" or "The Long Halloween".

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