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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After a few meh Batman stories the last few reads I'm very happy to report, this is a fantastic 6 issue story worth reading if you're a fan of early day Batman and Joker.
This is of course another origin story in a lot of ways, especially for the Joker. Taking ideas from Killing Joke but giving a better twist (in my opinion) and a much darker Jack (Joker) than we are used to before he becomes The Joker is a interesting little twist. On top of that we have Bruce learning to be Batman. Actually making a impact on crime. However, when he starts to become too confident, he might, by mistake, create something way worse.
Good: Hell of a interesting dynamic we have here with Joker/Batman. This might be one of my favorite versions of the two going head to head in mind games and physical warfare. The evolution of Jack and turning him into a super villain known as the Joker was really well done. Watching a much more vulnerable Bruce in his early days was really intriguing and there's actually a couple of gut wrenching moments that work well for our hero.
Bad: The art can be kind of messy. Especially in fight scenes I couldn't tell what the fuck was happening sometimes.
Besides some weak fight scenes and messy art at times, this was a great collection. I really enjoyed everything from the story itself, the dialogue, and the ending result and message. A easy 4 out of 5.
This is of course another origin story in a lot of ways, especially for the Joker. Taking ideas from Killing Joke but giving a better twist (in my opinion) and a much darker Jack (Joker) than we are used to before he becomes The Joker is a interesting little twist. On top of that we have Bruce learning to be Batman. Actually making a impact on crime. However, when he starts to become too confident, he might, by mistake, create something way worse.
Good: Hell of a interesting dynamic we have here with Joker/Batman. This might be one of my favorite versions of the two going head to head in mind games and physical warfare. The evolution of Jack and turning him into a super villain known as the Joker was really well done. Watching a much more vulnerable Bruce in his early days was really intriguing and there's actually a couple of gut wrenching moments that work well for our hero.
Bad: The art can be kind of messy. Especially in fight scenes I couldn't tell what the fuck was happening sometimes.
Besides some weak fight scenes and messy art at times, this was a great collection. I really enjoyed everything from the story itself, the dialogue, and the ending result and message. A easy 4 out of 5.
Ah, the origins of the Joker. A very creepy, and yet also sad read. The B-plot of Bruce Wayne's romance with Lorna Shore was rather sad, especially when he worked to push her away at the end.
The artwork was all right for the most part, though the drawings of Bruce seemed a little... rough, maybe. Not really sure how to describe it.
I was actually a little shocked to see that Batman was the origin of the infamous scars on the Joker's face, put there in revenge for the Joker stabbing Lorna. Batman came close to stepping over the line there.
The artwork was all right for the most part, though the drawings of Bruce seemed a little... rough, maybe. Not really sure how to describe it.
I was actually a little shocked to see that Batman was the origin of the infamous scars on the Joker's face, put there in revenge for the Joker stabbing Lorna. Batman came close to stepping over the line there.
This was much better than I was expecting. I sort of like this take on the Joker's origin, though I'm not sure the character really needs one. But this story does an extremely good job of showing how the Joker needs Batman. I like the sense of peace and optimism the story starts with and the feeling of everything getting ready to explode at the end. I think the thing keeping this book from five stars is that, somewhere near the end, the book loses some of its steam.
On a side note, I will forever smile at the line of dialoge from Bruce, "I never trained... for love!"
On a side note, I will forever smile at the line of dialoge from Bruce, "I never trained... for love!"
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. This is another telling of the first encounter between The Batman and The Joker. Never was a fan of the maniacal laugh Joker squirting people with a flower (think Jack Nickelson Joker). I was more into the evil, insane, anarchistic Joker (Heath Ledger as Joker). This is definitely the latter. Certain elements in the story didn't really work for me. Batman's doubt over whether he could let someone kill the Joker seemed a little out of place. At this stage of their relationship Batman has no way of knowing the depth of the Joker's depravity, or just how murderous he is. So thinking of offing him so soon seemed out of character, especially how the no killing is so fundamental to Batman's character. Despite that it was a solid, enjoyable story.
My foray into graphic novels continues, and I am not disappointed. This volume presents a sort of alternative origin story for the Joker. Definitely lots of similarities to the film The Dark Knight, though the interwebs don't seem to think it was part of the source material for it. In this version, the Joker comes into existence because of Batman--he is a brilliant criminal, but has lost his zest for life until Batman presents him with an adversary and a field for his formidable talents as a psychotic villain. Batman must then decide how to deal with this new breed of monster, which presents not a few ethical conundrums. Definitely worth looking into, if graphic novels are at all your thing. And if you can stomach some of the Joker's more senselessly destructive and violent actions.
A few years ago, I made a chronology for how to read modern Batman. I was focused quite a bit on creating the order, as opposed to just reading the books for enjoyment, so now I'm going back to see how the chronology holds up.
When I first started reading to make a Batman canon, I found this superior to [b:Batman: The Man Who Laughs|2182780|Batman The Man Who Laughs|Ed Brubaker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486038991s/2182780.jpg|2188473] because it delved more into The Joker's origin, and has some fun Easter eggs, even though [a:Denys Cowan|493715|Denys Cowan|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s angular faces and ill-fitting clothes never sat well with me.
I've read much more Batman since the original time I read this, and I'm much happier with [a:Ed Brubaker|37450|Ed Brubaker|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1230612199p2/37450.jpg]'s vague backstory than this specific one. So I'm removing this from what I consider Batman canon.
I recommend it for die-hard Batman fans, and people who simply must know every detail of The Joker's life before he became Batman's nemesis.
When I first started reading to make a Batman canon, I found this superior to [b:Batman: The Man Who Laughs|2182780|Batman The Man Who Laughs|Ed Brubaker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486038991s/2182780.jpg|2188473] because it delved more into The Joker's origin, and has some fun Easter eggs, even though [a:Denys Cowan|493715|Denys Cowan|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s angular faces and ill-fitting clothes never sat well with me.
I've read much more Batman since the original time I read this, and I'm much happier with [a:Ed Brubaker|37450|Ed Brubaker|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1230612199p2/37450.jpg]'s vague backstory than this specific one. So I'm removing this from what I consider Batman canon.
I recommend it for die-hard Batman fans, and people who simply must know every detail of The Joker's life before he became Batman's nemesis.
I can see why this is considered an alternate, non-canon storyline. It was cool to see Joker as this cool headed mastermind that was just too good for Batman, but it just didn't feel right. Especially after reading "The Man Who Laughs."
Artist is also very talented, but not my favorite style.
Artist is also very talented, but not my favorite style.
"You can't quell or quash insanity. You can't understand it. You can't dose it with logic, put it in a box and a label it and make the world safe again. Insanity is the very dark place." Batman Lovers & Madmen is an origin story of The Joker. The artwork is creepy and disturbing.
This story very closely mirrors the first Tim Burton Batman movie: Batman, new at the crime-fighting game, meets a pretty art docent, then has a hard time dealing with the Joker. I'm not really a huge Joker fan ("he's insane!" isn't the most compelling motivation a character can have), but [author: Michael Green] nails Joker's voice in his running narration. Even before he's doused in the skin-bleaching chemicals, the Joker is crazy. The only off-putting part of the story is that Batman is very, very complicit on the Joker's chemical bath, which I'm not sure is the exact canon (and certainly isn't heroic), but does give Batman just one more reason to be upset by his archenemy.
[author: Denys Cowan]'s panel layouts and storytelling are generally great, though his overuse of thin, black lines muddles any expressions his characters make.
[author: Denys Cowan]'s panel layouts and storytelling are generally great, though his overuse of thin, black lines muddles any expressions his characters make.