Batman: The Killing Joke
Author: Alan Moore (words), Brian Bolland (pencils)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Noir, Detective
Pages: Not that many, can't be bothered to check
Finished: Yes
Final Rating: 7.5/10
Final Rating: 7.5/10
I've never been a huge Batman fan outside of the animated series in the 90s, so in order to change that, I figured I would give one of his seminal stories a whirl and see what happened.
This is really more of a Joker story than a Batman story, and I guess it's one of the better ones. Brian Bolland's art is fantastic, and not just on a technical level (although it shines there, too). His visual storytelling is on a completely different level and is something that I think can only accomplished in a comic book.
The story is decent, I just wish there was a little more of it. It centers around the Joker, who escapes from Arkham and holes up in an abandoned amusement park. After attacking Barbara Gordon and uh, doing unsavory things to her (this really didn't sit well with me) he kidnaps Commissioner Gordon with the ultimate goal of driving him insane. Of course, Batman must come to the rescue.
In between plot points, we get flashbacks to the Joker's previous life where he was a struggling stand-up comedian with a beautiful girl and a baby on the way. In an effort to try and earn a bit more money, he ends up taking a job with the local organized crime outfit which goes horribly wrong. I believe you know the rest.
One bad day turned a good man into the Joker, and one bad day turned a kid into the Batman.
And then the story kind of just... ends. It's weird.