Batman: The Killing Joke | Alan Moore, Brian Bolland | Dissects, Examines, and Redefines the...

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 188 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

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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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.

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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Very Cool One-Shot

There really isn't anything I an add that hasn't already been mentioned by other reviewer's: the comic looks great, the story is entertaining and provides (as far as I know) an unprecedented look into the origins of The Joker, and The Joker is just an awesome character in here. It is a bit short (you can probably finish it off in less than an hour, though I spent quite a bit of time examining the artwork) and a bit cliche (Batman and The Joker are the same) but still very enjoyable.

Check it out, it's well worth the $10 and the hour it takes to read it.

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Not Alan Moore's Best Work. Nor is it the best Batman story

As much as I enjoyed this comic, there's a limitation placed on a writer when he has to work with established characters. Alan Moore said in an interview that he created Rorschach in Watchmen on the premise that Batman really is a sociopath. However, when Alan Moore has to write Batman himself, he can't make Batman a sociopath. He gets to have some fun with Joker's origin story, portraying him as a nebbish who went mad from the chemicals that bleached his skin white and turned his hair green (the standard origin story for the Joker - one that they don't bother to repeat in the current movie). There's also a fun torture sequence (I can't believe I wrote that) with the Joker trying to drive Commissioner Gordon mad.

However, there's not much else to this comic. It's about 64 pages of the Joker being the Joker. The artwork is great. Batman and the Joker are again portrayed as two sides of the same coin, which is true but also a rather tired cliche in most crime novels (as in Red Dragon where Hannibal Lector taunts the hero by saying he's just like him - except for all the cannibalism). And for $10, I would expect something a little more substantial from Alan Moore.

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