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For current reader’s The Joker is no laughing matter! Check out one the story that exposes this villain’s sinister nature.
The Killing Joke
Written by Alan More
Art by Brian Bolland
Published by DC Comics
The most famous Joker story ever told actually started as a Brian Bolland project. He hand picked Alan Moore to write a Batman/Joker story, the final result something that both writer and artist have been surprisingly critical of.
Nevertheless, the graphic novel was a critical smash and sales sensation. The ultimate deconstruction of the relationship between the Dark Knight Detective and the Clown Prince of Crime, ‘The Killing Joke’ also gives us our first ever glimpse into the life of the Joker before he was disfigured by his spill into a the vat of chemicals that disfigured him.
Mirroring Bruce Wayne’s childhood trauma that forever altered his life, we learn that the man who would be The Joker (who is never named) was once an average, everyday stand up comedian…until (like Bruce Wayne) he has ‘one bad day’ that sets him on the path to insanity.
Since its publication, the reputation of this story was only become grander. Its easily one of the most frequently mentioned stories on Batman’s list of ‘must reads’. Outside of the comics media, the critical praise is no different:
“easily the greatest Joker story ever told … Moore’s rhythmic dialogue and Bolland’s organic art create a unique story often mimicked but never matched.” – Hilary Goldstein (IGN Comics)
Comic book historians Robert Greenberger and Matthew K. Manning describe The Killing Joke as “the definitive Joker story of all time” … “one of the most powerful and disturbing stories in the history of Gotham City.”
While elements of The Killing Joke were utilized in various media, neither film nor animation has ever attempted to adapt the story verbatim. The subject matter might be too disturbing for even the fans of Christopher Nolan’s violent Dark Knight trilogy. What’s also odd is that the story lacks closure. The psychology is too complex, too messy for such an ending, making it all the more frightening.
Buy the book here: http://amzn.to/Z7qj9U
Here’s a gallery of pages from the book that you can check out, and yes we left out the juicy bits. Those you’ll just have to read for yourself!
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