Alan Moore - The Killing Joke

If there's a singular book that slapped the comic industry across the mouth and forced it to grow up, BATMAN/THE KLLING JOKE gets my vote. A one shot graphic novel from one of the all time greatest writers in the field Alan Moore combined with one of the greatest artists of all time Brian Bolland.

This story goes deeper into the psyche of Batman's greatest foe and the most evil villain ever, the Joker, more than any Batman/Joker story ever. What makes it even more evil and disturbing is that we can understand where the Joker is coming from even though we can't let ourselves agree with him.

We get the definitive origin of the Joker. A normal guy who dreamed of being a comedian but not making much of a living at it who also has a young wife to support. Strapped for a way to make ends meet, he turns to crime which leads to the accident that permanently turned him into the ghastly clown we know and love.

We get all this in flashback through the minds eye of the Joker as he plots and schemes his way back to the heights of evil and insanity. He blames Batman for his accident and for everything that's ever gone wrong, yet he knows more than anyone that Batman is not only his enemy but his entire reason for being. Therein lies the plot of the whole book.

Joker doesn't want to simply kill Batman, he wants to destroy him emotionally from the very inside out. This is what makes him the scariest bad guy of all. The clown prince of crime has always been scary, but in this story his evil even surprises us and Batman himself!

While Joker is back on the loose and wreaking havoc, Batman of course is on the case and the detective in him sees something that disturbs him more than ever about his arch-enemy. We get clues from the very beginning that whatever Joker is up to this time, it's gonna be his greatest punch line EVER!

One scene in particular sets us up for the heinous acts to follow. Joker finds a run down carny amusement park for sale and offers to buy it from the owner. While they are discussing payment, the carny owner is sitting on an old hobby horse as Joker offers his hand to "Shake on the deal!"

Now, the way this is portrayed is one of the most beautiful, yet ugly depictions in any kind of artwork! Too much to put into words, you simply see sheer, unadulterated evil on the Jokers face and I swear it's the most realistic illustration of meanness you pray to God you never see in real life!

This old man is looking up at the Joker as the clown grins like Satan himself and shakes his hand. Of course, the Jokers deadly "Joy Buzzer" injects the man with a poison that instantly kills him, freezing his face into a Joker grin. Our villain laughs and walks on into his new digs.

Later in the book, we return to the same scene where it's a week or so gone but the man with the death grin is still sitting on the hobby horse rotting away! That Joker is always making murder funny!


I can't give anymore of the plot away without spoiling the big ending for you but the theme here is really the symbiotic relationship between Batman and the Joker. Without one, could there be the other? One bad day for the Batman turned him into a hero. One bad day for the Joker and well......the MOST VILE FIEND IN THE WORLD!

Alan Moore was already a legend before he even picked up a pen on this one, and along with the "WATCHMEN" this is his best work.

Brian Bolland had also already sealed his place in history as an artist but I'd have to say his work here is not only his best, but the best comic art I've ever seen.

KILLING JOKE may just be the most disturbing graphic novel ever written. I mean it! This one will stay with you for years! You won't wanna turn the lights off for awhile after reading this one!

READ IT NOW!