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challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alan Moore's seminal 1988 graphic novel, Batman: The Killing Joke, has gone down in history as being one of the greatest comic books of all time. Despite clocking in at a relatively low 50 pages, it packs one hell of a cerebral punch and offers up a compelling, dark, grotesque look into comic books most iconic villains; The Joker. So impactful was this, that within a year it served as the origin story for The Joker in Tim Burton's 1989 movie 'Batman'. The origin story told here, has also gone down as essentially the de-facto origin story for the 'Clown Prince of Crime.' Is it his true origin story? Who knows. He doesn't, but it does do one thing that should've been impossible; it makes you feel sorry for the Joker (well the man he was before he became the Joker mainly).
The battle between Batman and the Joker, is perhaps at its most cerebral here as Joker desperately, frantically tries to get Batman to see the world like here does; as one big joke. Further adding to this, I personally feel that their rivalry was brought to quite possibly its most personal level, until 'A Death in the Family' later that same year. Here we see the Joker slip into depths of depravity I don't think he has ever, or really should ever sink to ever again.
It's hard to give any level of serious critique of this seminal story (and it is seminal for its massive status quo change) without talking about the most controversial aspect of this story. Here we see the Joker shooting Barbara Gordon through the stomach, shattering her spine and leaving unable to use her legs ever again. During this, the Joker undresses Barbara and takes perverse photos of her naked, bleeding corpse. These photos are later shown to her father, James Gordon (and us the reader though we don't see anything too explicit and graphic), as a way to torment him and drive him into insanity.
This is where I find the story goes too far in highlighting Joker's depravity and even Alan Moore agrees that he went too far and that DC should've reigned him in. The Joker is a sick and twisted monster, degenerate and disgusting, but would he go this far? He can make jokes about the dark things that happen in the world, but to show him perversely revelling in this...it goes too far. Joker is psychotic, yes, but this just doesn't feel right.
On a more positive note, the artwork by Brian Bolland is stunning and perhaps one of my favourite drawn graphic novels. The colouring and attention to detail really is second to none, and I actually prefer the black and white flashback sequences as opposed to the colour versions from the original 1988 version.
Overall, Batman: The Killing Joke is perhaps one of the best comics ever written. It explores the dynamic between Batman and Joker in a way that I don't think has ever really been explored before or done since, or if it has then it hasn't been done as well. Despite Alan Moore's less than stellar thoughts on the comic now, and the really bizarre mini story at the end of this edition which doesn't really go anywhere (though the artwork is stunning), this still is a good little read. Moore did for Joker what Miller did for Batman, in giving us a compelling and long lasting origin for one of the most iconic characters of the last one hundred years.
This was my first ever graphic novel. I bought it back in 2012 when I was around 13/14 and getting into Batman and Superheroes for the first time, and for the longest time this was the only graphic novel I owned. Whilst my own knowledge of comic books and the genre as a whole is limited, I no longer hold this story in as high regards as I once did. Perhaps it's age, perhaps it simply due to reading other stories I have enjoyed better, or maybe it's because some of the criticism levied at this story have finally sunk in; but I wouldn't really count it in my top ten Superhero/Batman stories anymore. I can appreciate it for what it did for the genre, its impact on these characters and the wider DC Universe as a whole, but alas; I don't get the same level of enjoyment as I used to get out of it these days. Still the artwork is bloody phenomenal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness
Minor: Death
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great, a classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Grief
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping
Minor: Ableism, Sexual assault, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol
A part is set in Arkham Asylum (a mental hospital & prison), but there’s no mention of mental health nor forced institutionalisation/confinement.
The pregnancy is a visibly pregnant character and a mention of their baby.
There’s a conversation about job loss and potential poverty.
A couple argues, but there’s no emotional/physical abuse.
There’s a very minor joke referencing prostitution.
Only one death is shown, and it’s a very minor character. It’s non-graphic, although there’s a small amount of blood.
The gun violence is the Joker shooting someone. It is completely visible but the wound is not graphic, although there is blood. There’s also multiple moments with the threat of being shot.
It’s heavily implied that off-screen, the Joker removes someone’s clothes and takes photos of their wound.
A part is set in a pub/bar, and there’s a very minor reference to drinking alcohol.
Someone is briefly verbally manipulated to commit a (relatively minor) crime.
A part is set in a hospital, although there’s no medical content.
Someone very briefly smokes a cigar.
There’s off-screen implied kidnapping.
The sexual assault is villains unconsensually removing 2 characters clothes, but nothing sexual is implied (although some people interpret it as off-screen rape/sexual assault). Nudity (genitals) is covered by objects and text boxes.
The torture is emotional.
The ableism is an ableist joke the Joker makes. Also, some disabled people are portrayed as “freaks” in a freak show.
There’s an attempt at forced insanity.
The grief is for the death of a spouse and baby.
Police officers are briefly shown, but they only talk, and there’s no violence involving them.
There’s major references to “insanity”, poor mental health, and mental illness.
There’s a brief mention of experiencing hallucinations.
Batman fights the Joker, but it’s not graphically violent.
There’s multiple moments with a threat of death.
Batman sympathises/empathises with the Joker’s situation, despite knowing about his violent acts.
The ending is not happy and very open-ended (up to interpretation).