Review of Batman The Killing Joke

Batman The Killing Joke

Author: Alan Moore

Summary:  This book provides a great twist one of the older origin stories of The Joker.  Without giving too much of the story away, the amazingly talented Alan Moore gives the reader a new backstory set in the past that makes you want to have sympathy for The Joker and who he was. While simultaneously running one of The Joker's most infamous and vile criminal acts when he paralyzes Barbara Gordon and kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and attempts to drive him insane.   Batman spends much of the story fearing that eventually, in order to stop the chess game that is their relationship, either The Joker or himself will have to die. When Batman arrives to save the day and the reader is left with a somewhat ambiguous (though it was not intended to be that way) ending regarding The Dark Knight and The Joker.

La Torrious' Analysis: This book is a must read for any serious comic fan.  It is such an important work for the character development that arguably only Alan Moore is capable of.  On the one hand, you have the tragic background of The Joker, hanging over the story in the present that gives the reader a better glimpse about what made Batman's nemesis snap in the first place.  On the other hand, you see Batman struggling with the fact that in order to finally stop the cat (or should I say bat) and mouse game that is Batman vs. The Joker, one of them might have to die.

As I have said, this book is so important for comics and was one of the jewels in the Alan Moore and Frank Miller dominated 1980's period in comics.  You would be hard pressed to find a comic writer working today that is not inspired by either one (or likely both) of those authors.  I mean this is freakin' Alan Moore writing Batman, it really does not get much better.  If I taught a course on comics, this book would most definitely be required reading.  If you have not read this yet, and you call yourself a comic fan, do yourself a favor.  Slap yourself in the face and pick it up immediately. Like yesterday.

La Torrious' Rating:  10 out of 10 Batman Cowls.