Batman by Alan Moore: Book Cover

    Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, Brian Bolland (Illustrator), Richard Starkings

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    (Hardcover - Deluxe)

    Reader Rating: (28 ratings)

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    • Publisher: DC Comics
    • Pub. Date: March 2008
    • ISBN-13: 9781401216672
    • Sales Rank: 1,374
    • 64pp
    • Series: Batman Series
    • Edition Description: Deluxe
     
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    Synopsis

    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.

    Library Journal

    This classic, infamous story in the Batman saga has been recolored with a more effectively cooler palette and set into context with an introduction and an afterword. Escaped from Arkham Asylum, villain deluxe Joker shoots Barbara "Batgirl" Gordon as part of his plan to drive her police commissioner father insane. Intending to prove that anyone can go mad after "one bad day" as he describes in his putative origin story, the Joker also kidnaps and torments Commissioner Gordon. But Gordon remains sane, and Batman recaptures the Joker-the two actually share a laugh at the ambiguous ending. With Barbara Gordon now a paraplegic, the story stands as a chilling profile of madness. The Killing Joke provoked fury among many readers who lamented the disposal of Barbara Gordon as a mere pawn to testosterone; yet Gordon reinvents herself later as superinfohacker Oracle, poster girl for disability empowerment (see Birds of Prey, LJ 7/08). A bonus story at the end paints the quieter, equally chilling madness of a Batman fan fantasizing about killing the superhero-a perfect foil for the publicly gaudy Joker. For adult collections.-M.C.

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    Customer Reviews

    the image we all know todayby Anonymous

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    August 21, 2008: response to 'a better joker out there' alan moore's joker is the FIRST one to invent the image of the joker that we now know it..meaning...the joker image that we've seen on the big screen acted out by heath ledger in the dark knight is all due to alan moore. before alan moore, the joker, in this fashion has never existed.

    four words: this book was awsome!by Anonymous

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    June 26, 2005: wow!, thats all i can say about this book .great from start to finish.the joker finally has an origin.the story was almost perfect but with a few flaws.alan moore keeps you on the edge every page.the joker is finally the sick crime clown we have been waiting for.two thumbs up


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