Batman: The Killing Joke

published	March 1995 by DC Comics
first published	2008
binding	Paperback
isbn	0930289455 (isbn13: 9780930289454)
ebook
pages	48
description	For the first time the Joker's origin is revealed in this tale of insanity and human perseverance. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past hi...more [close] For the first time the Joker's origin is revealed in this tale of insanity and human perseverance. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past his breaking point and go mad, the Joker attempts to drive Commissioner Gordon insane. After shooting and permanently paralyzing his daughter Barbara (a.k.a. Batgirl), the Joker kidnaps the commissioner and attacks his mind in hopes of breaking the man. But refusing to give up, Gordon maintains his sanity with the help of Batman in an effort to best the madman. [close]
date added	02-12-07 edit book

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Erin rated it:

03/15/08

Read in January, 2000

recommended to Erin by: Zak

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

It causes me no joy to give any comic written by Alan Moore one star, but this is how it has to be. Now, before I write a single word more, let me start with this simple disclaimer: I consider Alan Moore the best writer to have ever worked in comics. There are no qualifiers to that; no qualifications. Moore is unmatched.

But The Killing Joke? As a Batman book, it's just bad. That isn't to say there's nothing to like here: this book certainly has its moments; some of which are brilliant, ...more

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Patrick rated it:

(review of isbn 1845767721)

07/24/08

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: People who enjoyed 'The Dark Knight'

Although I'm still something of a neophyte when it comes to the world of Graphic novels, I can certainly see the appeal to people of all ages.

This is the second full length graphic novel I've read, both by Alan Moore (the other being his opus, 'The Watchmen'), and both have been excellent. Both seem to re-imagine the superhero world as one with real, flawed people trying to reconcile their humanity with their jobs as protectors of the public at-large.

'The Killing Joke' picks up with the ...more Although I'm still something of a neophyte when it comes to the world of Graphic novels, I can certainly see the appeal to people of all ages.

This is the second full length graphic novel I've read, both by Alan Moore (the other being his opus, 'The Watchmen'), and both have been excellent. Both seem to re-imagine the superhero world as one with real, flawed people trying to reconcile their humanity with their jobs as protectors of the public at-large.

'The Killing Joke' picks up with the known quantities of the Batman universe and injects them with new blood. It begins with Batman realizing that his drawn out battles with the Joker are doomed to end in the demise of one or both of them, and he would like to give one final try to understanding each other, hopeless though it may be. Meanwhile, the Joker has escaped Arkham and is bent on doing the exact opposite--proving that anyone can be driven to madness under the right circumstances, using Commissioner Gordon as his test subject.

It's an interesting time to read this novel. I read it prior to seeing 'The Dark Knight', and grew up with Tim Burton's original 'Batman' as my favorite superhero movie, and it's very clear both 'Dark Knight' writer and director Christopher Nolan and Burton both read this novel as well, and it had a huge influence on the way they made their films. The difference is the way these influences were applied, and it's what makes 'The Dark Knight' far superior to Burton's 'Batman'.

Tim Burton took 'The Killing Joke' and applied it superficially to his characters, providing the Joker with the backstory of falling into a vat of chemicals after being pursued by a fledgling Batman and going insane. The subtext of the Joker was more or less lost in Jack Nicholson's enjoyable, but somewhat campy performance. He was a lovable--if still quite dangerous--trickster, but not all that frightening.

Nolan, conversely, takes the heart of Moore's story and crafts it around his own take on the characters. Subtle things, such as Heath Ledger's Joker gleefully providing many contradicting backstories to his prey, the Joker's sick enjoyment of his cat and mouse game with Batman, and of course, his almost casual employment of brutal violence, all harken back to Moore's characterization of the Joker in this novel. And while Nolan dug deeper to the heart of Moore's story, he also clearly used it as a template for the story itself, plugging Harvey Dent into Commissioner Gordon's role, while also changing the results.

In short, as seems to be the case with Alan Moore, there is a lot more going on here than meets the eye. It's also worth mentioning that Brian Bolland's art is amazing. The edition I read was restored and re-colored, and that may have had an effect, but the artwork was very sharp and crisp, with bold colors leaping off the page. The artwork complimented the story in ways that most comics rarely do, in my experience.

Finally, I just wanted to say that the ending of this book was awesome. Just awesome....less

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Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 1401216676)

06/08/08

bookshelves: graphic-novels

I wasn't going to do this one as an official entry - it's so quick to read that it feels like I'm padding the list. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt I wanted to talk about it, and so it goes on the List.

This was originally published twenty years ago, and is still one of the most popular and well-regarded Batman stories ever. Between them, Moore and Bolland - a master writer and a master artist - gave Batman and his prime antagonist new lives and new meaning.

It starts off in...more I wasn't going to do this one as an official entry - it's so quick to read that it feels like I'm padding the list. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt I wanted to talk about it, and so it goes on the List.

This was originally published twenty years ago, and is still one of the most popular and well-regarded Batman stories ever. Between them, Moore and Bolland - a master writer and a master artist - gave Batman and his prime antagonist new lives and new meaning.

It starts off in an unusual way - with the Batman trying to make peace with the Joker. This is, as many Batman fans will tell you, somewhat out of character for him. Batman's fight is the fight against evil, pure and simple. He is a man of black and white, a man of no compromises, and to see him sit down and offer the Joker a way out of their never-ending cycle of self-destruction is... unnerving to say the least.

But this story isn't about Batman. It's about the Joker - how he came to be, what he wants and what he thinks of the rest of the world. His hypothesis is simple: the only thing that divides a madman from a sane one is a single bad day. He knows what his was, and he's pretty sure what Batman's was, and he does his best to make one bad day for Commissioner Gordon that will take the rock of the Gotham police down into madness.

It does ask a very big question: what is it that sets us, the supposedly sane majority of people, from the mad? How much can a human endure before he snaps and dresses like a bat, or sports a permanent grin and murders people for amusement? Where is the boundary between sanity and madness anyway, and how do we resist going over that edge, especially when it is sometimes just so, so tempting to do so?

The writing is outstanding, but that's Alan Moore - we'd expect that. And the art is incredible, as we would expect from Brian Bolland. Read this slowly, and pay attention to the art. The amount of planning and thought that went into every panel is mind-boggling. If you're a Batman fan - and how can you not be? - you'll love this book. If you like a good story, well-told, you'll love this. And I have a feeling that it'll be a good idea to read this before the new movie comes out.......less

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Kerry rated it:

(review of isbn 1401216676)

04/26/08

Read in April, 2008

It's pointless to recapitulate the plot at this point--Batman vs. The Joker in a battle of wills and ideologies, with plenty of casualties besides--but this has always been my favorite Batman story, even over The Dark Knight Returns, since I first read it as a teenager. The Joker never quite lived up to the sheer malice and lunacy that Alan Moore so perfectly captured here; I'd dare say that the scene at Comissioner Gordon's house is as dead solid perfect as the character's ever been. T...more It's pointless to recapitulate the plot at this point--Batman vs. The Joker in a battle of wills and ideologies, with plenty of casualties besides--but this has always been my favorite Batman story, even over The Dark Knight Returns, since I first read it as a teenager. The Joker never quite lived up to the sheer malice and lunacy that Alan Moore so perfectly captured here; I'd dare say that the scene at Comissioner Gordon's house is as dead solid perfect as the character's ever been. That genuinely ghoulish Joker, with the most definitive non-definitive character origin in comics history and a grim, relentless Batman make this story classic. When I think of comics working with both words and pictures, I think of The Killing Joke, where just as much is said with nine panels without dialogue as pages filled with chatter, and scene transitions are things of compositional and storytelling beauty.

Re-presented here in a hardcover format, DC tries to justify the upped price tag by having the artist, Brian Bolland, himself, re-color everything using modern coloring techniques not available in 1988 when the book was first published. It's a nice result, with lots of subtle changes and some fairly jarring ones (if you own a copy of the softcover, compare any random pages and you'll see the difference). Bolland's choices are aesthetically sound and make for a general improvement (I especially like the spot coloring in the flashbacks). The art was always beautiful, realistic but expressive in that distinctive Bolland way, but the updated colors really do suit the book. Alan Moore cut ranks with DC years ago, so he's nowhere to be found in the supplemental material. Instead, artist Tim Sale (himself associated with another highly regarded Batman story, The Long Halloween) provides a fairly useless introduction, while Bolland provides a bemused afterword. Bolland's own short Batman story, "An Innocent Guy," pads out the volume, presented for the first time in color. It's a decent little story (originally presented in Batman Black & White) but, at 8-pages, just a trifle. A brief selection of sketches with some commentary by Bolland close out the book....less

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Michael rated it:

09/07/08

I have read that Heath Ledger was given a copy of this graphic novel to prepare him for his role as the Joker. That explains much toward how his portrayal of that role goes much farther toward embodying the central violent insanity that is that the heart of the joker. As played (although played very well) by Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson, the Joker is more the merry (although vicious) prankster. Ledger's portrayal goes to the central, sociopathic element of the Joker. His plans may be humo...more I have read that Heath Ledger was given a copy of this graphic novel to prepare him for his role as the Joker. That explains much toward how his portrayal of that role goes much farther toward embodying the central violent insanity that is that the heart of the joker. As played (although played very well) by Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson, the Joker is more the merry (although vicious) prankster. Ledger's portrayal goes to the central, sociopathic element of the Joker. His plans may be humorous. They may be ironic. They may pose a central dilemma of human life. But, someone will die, usually painfully and, ultimately, alone.

The Killing Joke looks at this aspect of the Joker and at the relationship between the Joker and Batman. The central story is that of the Joker's plot to drive Commissioner Gordon mad, thereby proving to Batman that every person, when pushed to the brink, has it within himself or herself to become the Joker. The origin story of the Joker that interlineates the "present-day" story of his this plot is an interesting addition to the Joker mythology, but it is not essential to The Killing Joke.

It is no spoiler to say that, ultimately, the Joker fails. His plot, though, is foiled not by Batman, but by the essential strength and character of Gordon. The final scenes between the Joker and the Batman illustrate the essential (as in necessary) relationship between the Joker and Batman and show why their fight will go on forever. They are not two sides of the coin. They are the same side of the coin. Gordon is the other side, the human, sane side. The Joker and Batman have both been pushed to the brink and both have chosen insanity. Batman is an anti-hero, a vigilante who acts outside the bounds of the civilized community. From that perspective, what is he other than a super-villian, like any of his opponents? He may channel his power to protect Gotham City and to defeat those that would harm or corrupt it, unlike his opponents who seek to impose their will on Gotham, but he, like them, stands aside from Gotham, alone....less

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Andrew rated it:

06/28/08

For anyone looking for the ultimate confrontation between Batman and Joker, complete with Batman solving a puzzling mystery, Joker hatching a devious scheme which involves killing many people in a horrifically entertaining way, and of course, Batman winning a thrilling fight with his archnemesis, perhaps with a few henchmen thrown in to keep things interesting... you should probably look somewhere else. Swayed by rave reviews of how mature and sophisiticated this tale was, I bought a copy. It is...more For anyone looking for the ultimate confrontation between Batman and Joker, complete with Batman solving a puzzling mystery, Joker hatching a devious scheme which involves killing many people in a horrifically entertaining way, and of course, Batman winning a thrilling fight with his archnemesis, perhaps with a few henchmen thrown in to keep things interesting... you should probably look somewhere else. Swayed by rave reviews of how mature and sophisiticated this tale was, I bought a copy. It is one of the biggest disappointments in my years of comic book reading.

First off, nothing really happens which isn't included in most one-minute reviews. Batman does not solve a mystery or track the Joker to his hideout (Joker sends him a formal invitation) and is sloppy (but lucky) when he finally does find the Joker. In fact, Batman does next to nothing at all. A more fitting title might be "Joker: the Killing Joke" or "Commissioner Gordon: The Killing Joke." Really, Commissioner Gordon's withstanding of Joker's torture is much more impressive than anything Batman or the Joker manage to pull off. But Moore glides past this, the only hope for making this a somewhat decent story, and instead ends with Batman and Joker, maybe telling us that they are two sides of the same coin, that Batman is not a hero, that Joker isn't really evil, or maybe that Batman is just as crazy as the Joker.

Also, this is NOT a book for children. In addition to slightly more intense violence and language than in the monthly Batman titles, the naked and bloody pictures of the only prominent femal character and garish and unnecessary in a story which affects Batman continuity (which is obviously read by children, among other people).

Two stars because Bolland is an above average artist and the Joker has some memorable and funny lines.

NOTE: If you are looking for the ultimate Joker story, I highly recommend "Going Sane" which ran through "Legends of the Dark Knight" #s 65-68. It has not been reprinted in one volume as far as I am aware....less

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Ailsa rated it:

08/21/08

I used to read comic books in high school. I never really got into any of the classic stuff like I should have. I read Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and Lenore and whatever my guy friends happened to have hidden in their text-books that day. But, since I've always been the girl that hangs around with boys, there were a few things that I couldn't avoid knowing even if I wanted to. First off "DC rules," "No Marvel!" that's a typically conversation between my guys. I figured out p...more

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Tosh rated it:

03/29/08

Through out my life I have been a borderline Joker obsessive. Even when I was a little tot I had a thing for the Joker. And what got me excited about the first Tim Burton 'Batman' was actually the Joker. No Joker, not so much into Batman.

So yes I do spend some time on YouTube locating images of the new 'Heath' Joker (which looks great) and it is really a great American invention. I think the image of the Joker will go on and on - maybe beyond Batman himself.

Nevertheless I was attr...more

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Valentine rated it:

10/07/07

Read in October, 1989

The Eighties were a bad time for female superheroes, particularly at DC Comics. Black Canary was abducted and tortured, Supergirl was killed, Wonder Woman's place in history was erased within comic book continuity and the tragedy that befalls one of DC's most beloved heroines in this story is shocking.

The main thrust of the story is to explore one possible origin for that Clown Prince of Crime, known as the Joker. The tale crafted by Alan Moore, who is the writer behind what is considered o...more

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Leah rated it:

05/27/08

bookshelves: graphic-novel

Read in May, 2008

This graphic novel written in 1988 is what I wanted Year One to feel like. Gritty, with gorgeous art that's realistic when it needs to be and nightmarish and carnivalesque elsewhere, I think this comic is actually burdened by being a Joker origin story. Even the Joker admits that he has a hard time remembering his own past but what's important here is how he's chosen to let it effect him, that "one bad day" has lead to a life of madness. Driving home the fact that Batman and Joker a...more

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Bonnie rated it:

(review of isbn 1401216676)

07/29/08

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: anyone who wants more of The Joker

Wow... just wow! This short story was recently updated, with Brian Bolland recoloring (and apparently sketching in a few new details) the original comic. This is a Joker-origin story, though as the Joker himself admits, he doesn't remember his own past well. In his words, "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another... If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!" The short summary is that the Joker escapes from Arkham, only to have Batman discover he's mi...more

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Alger rated it:

10/29/07

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: Batman fans

This book is incredible, because I believe that this was when the character of the 'Joker' finally met its potential. It has long been my belief that any character can be an excellent character regardless of how trite they appear. This is most certainly the case with the Joker. He's almost a "joke" (pun intended)for most of his run in DC. He'll do something mildly ominous and Batman stops him and its all funny and idiotic. In this not only does Batman not stop him, but is unable to. ...more

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cal rated it:

09/24/07

bookshelves: graphic-novels

Read in January, 1998

recommended to cal by: Nathan Eyring

DC has reissued what some consider the best Batman-Joker story of all time. Written by the masterful Alan Moore and drawn by the brilliant Brian Bolland, this gorgeous deluxe edition of the classic tale tells a very dark and violent Batman story. Moore provides a bit of retcon on the Joker's origin, exploring his earlier crimes days and following his transformation into the character we all know and love. As the Joker rises in the ranks of crime, Batman takes notice and pits himself against the ...more

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Shark rated it:

06/30/08

Read in June, 2008

recommends it for: Batman fans, readers of character pieces

Just when you never thought you could sympathize with a character like the Joker, Alan Moore takes your supposition and pulverizes it to dust. Known for being a psychotic killer with no motive other than the sake of murder, insanity and chaos, Moore shows us a strong possibility of the Joker's origins (it's not definitive, but very likely), which caused my little heart to reach out to the poor guy, only to be repeatedly interrupted by the revolting scenes of him torturing Commissioner Gordon wi...more

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Jackie rated it:

08/12/08

bookshelves: adultfiction, fantasy, graphicnovels

Read in August, 2008

recommends it for: Batman fans

I haven't read any of the Batman comics, and I read this because I had heard Heath Ledger used it to inspire his take on The Joker. I loved the dark artwork, the color palate, everything about the LOOK of the story. The artistry is outstanding.
But the story falls short. It assumes too much knowledge on the part of the reader, knowledge I don't have. So, I don't get it. The punch, the power, it's not here.
I think the author assumes you have the backstory necessary to provide that power. And...more

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Eric rated it:

06/17/08

bookshelves: graphic-novels

"joker...THIS IS YOUR LIFE!"

with so much hype for this particular batman comic as well as its rarity (being out of print), i expected it to be one of the batman "be all end all" comics. although it definitely isn't, it is still pretty good. it gives the reader a bit more depth into joker's past and how tragic his origin is. however, to this day, i dont really understand the few lines of the comic.

also, there are some very iconic pieces of joker art in the comic (ie...more

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Angel rated it:

(review of isbn 1401216676)

07/10/08

bookshelves: graphic_novels_and_comics

Read in July, 2008

On the surface, this appears to be a very light story. And yet, as you read it, it draws you in. It is a quick read, but an engrossing read. Batman and Joker, in some ways, seem like opposite sides of the same coin. I really liked it, but what I liked the most was the art in this one. The origin story was so-so, and I think that, as another commenter noted, we can look at that story as another one of the Joker's mad memories. I think if one looks at it that way, then the story works better (for ...more

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Eric rated it:

07/29/08

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Eric by: Borders
recommends it for: Batman and comic book fans

This was my first graphic novel. I've been a little leery of those for various reasons, but I figured this one was Batman, so I couldn't go wrong. Plus Borders said it was good. So I gave it a shot and was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty gritty and intense for a 46 page book. The story of the Joker's origins shed some light into his insanity and was very interesting. The best part was the portrayal of the relationship between the Joker and Batman. Great story.
Something that can't be left o...more

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Morgan rated it:

(review of isbn 1401216676)

08/15/08

bookshelves: graphic-novels

Read in August, 2008

Things that make this slightly hard to appreciate:

-Having already seen Heath Ledger as Joker in The Dark Knight
-Comparing The Dark Knight to this
-Realizing this was published 20 years ago, and is therefore almost paltry in comparison to today's standards of violence
-Sitting so that the book is backlit by the window so you can't really see any of the artwork and new coloring

Things that made this FANTASTIC for a first read:

-Joker's face (holy shit, fantastically sca...more

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Travis rated it:

08/27/08

bookshelves: comic-books

Some interesting ideas and some beautiful art, but not the 'classic' it's made out to be.
Historically important because it knocks over the first domino that leads to 'Birds of Prey', but it's more a collection of good moments/ideas that don't quite work seen as a whole.

Some of Moore's thoughts on the Joker/Batman relationship are interesting, his portrayal of Jim Gordon was really strong, and Moore nd Bolland do a scary Joker, but I get a bit tired of the 'Joker and Batman are just two sid...more

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avg rating (all editions): 4.20 (1737 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 4.18 (1612 ratings)
number of reviews: 138

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Batman: The Killing Joke

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