Batman: The Killing Joke Review

Writer: Alan Moore

Artist: Brian Bolland

Rating: 7 of 8

Batman

The Killing Joke

'All it takes is one bad day'. That's what the Joker believes, believing that all it takes for someone to tip over the edge from sanity to madness is one bad day. He recounts a time when that happened to him, moving his life from a tragedy to the never ending dark comedy that it is today.

Though, as he reveals to Batman 'Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another... If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!' , indicating this might be how he became the unhinged killer we know, though it might not, keeping his origin a mystery. I'm sure many Joker fans appreciate this, preventing any one thing being nailed down as the catalyst for his transformation.

Personally, I'm glad this isn't his origin, as what happens doesn't feel like enough to justify him becoming as unhinged and grandiose as he does. Throughout, he's trying his best to destroy Commissioner Gordon's sanity, likely choosing him because, if he can turn one of Gotham's most law abiding citizens insane, what hope is there for anyone else?

One of the few problems I have with the story's how easily Joker subdues Barbara/Batgirl. I don't have a problem with her being shot, or used to hurt Gordon, but even though Joker was likely pretty quick pulling the trigger, I don't understand why she didn't do something to disarm him, given her level of skill and experience.

I love how the story ends, with Batman offering to help Joker instead of hurting him. He wants their story to end without further bloodshed and he wants to know he made some effort to make that happen. The joke Joker tells afterward is brilliant, both because of it's sad, hidden meaning and humour. 

Overall, this is a fantastic story and one of the best Batman/Joker tales there's ever been. Bolland's art is fantastic throughout, making characters like Barbara, Batman and Joker look almost cinematic. He packs it with really deep inks, adding a lot of visual depth to the characters. Bolland does a marvellous job showing a great range of Joker's emotions, going from insincere joy, to frightening conviction, to a desperate plea for understanding. Definitely the best choice for Killing Joke's art. 

For one of the best and darkest Batman stories around, you'd be mad not to stop here :)

Tom King's Batman - An Overview

Writer: Tom King

Artists: Clay Mann, Mitch Gerards, David Finch and many more

Rating: 6 of 8

Tom King's Batman

An Overview

Though King's Batman was definitely divisive, it still had a lot of praiseworthy moments and stories,too. I can definitely understand having problems with it, but there's a lot to like as well. Though I'm not as a big a fan of Bat/Cat as other comic relationships, I do like seeing Bruce's concerted efforts to be happy.

Whether it's proposing to the woman he loves, or trying to train newer superheroes, Gotham and Gotham Girl, he's trying to find a life beyond the rage and pain of that alleyway from so many years ago. Though some definitely want the opposite, as we see in #49, with the Joker feeling Batman needs pain to motivate him and that, without him, he'll be a lot worse than he already is.

It's an interesting counterpoint to what Scott Snyder did, as when his Batman was 'dead', the Joker ceased to be the Joker and was just a regular man, indicating he needed Batman to be the Clown Prince and without him, he just stops. Here, it seems the Joker would be regardless, but needs the Dark Knight to temper an unseen fury.

Though we see a fair amount of Batman's human side, we also get to see how unflinching and unmoved he is in the face of an incredible danger like Bane, letting him know that every night someone tells him he's going to die, that this is the end. Then, he says 'And yet... I'm still here', a line which still gives me chills years later.

Despite all the positives, there are certain things I still have problems with, like Selina feeling, like Joker, Bruce needs pain to be Batman and that if he's happy, he won't have that pain to fuel Batman. I don't think that'll ever be the case, as I think Batman is who he is now. Even if he's married, his son's happy and the people he love are ok, that'll still be who he is. He'll never be a quiet man, sitting at home, leaving the city be, or content not putting that costume on and living up to that promise.

Later on, an alternate Thomas Wayne enters Bruce's reality and tries to give him a life he could never give his own Bruce. He doesn't think he needs to be Batman anymore, that he can be with Selina and be happy, but Bruce reveals ''Life is a choice you make every day. Every damn day. I choose her. I choose happiness. And I choose Batman''.

Here, King makes clear that he can be happy and be Batman, that Bruce chooses to be Batman, instead of it solely being a vow he made years ago. Though I like that, I wish there had been different reasoning given for Selina leaving him, as the one she had doesn't make sense. I'm not sure using an alternate Thomas holds the same weight as using Bruce's actual Dad, though he might not have fit the story King was trying to tell.

Overall, King's run is decidedly mixed. It's definitely not terrible, not only due to the stuff I mentioned above, but also some other pretty great stories, like the really funny double date with Lois and Clark, the rather stirring War of Jokes and Riddles, or the tales of a boy disturbingly similar to Bruce. It could be a lot stronger and, towards the end, get to the point a bit quicker, but ultimately, it's both a very satisfying and fairly disappointing run. 

Batman: Jekyll & Hyde Review

Writer: Paul Jenkins

Artists: Jae Lee & Sean Phillips

Rating: 6 of 8

Batman

Jekyll & Hyde

There are always two sides to any coin. That applies to people, too. There's the brighter, kinder side we show the world... and the darker, crueler one we keep to ourselves. Most of his life, Harvey Dent acts on lesser devils and here, he tries to get Batman to do the same.

Throughout, he's tormented by childhood memories, revealing a part of him we never knew, possibly revealing just how deep his scars really go. One of my favourite parts of the story's the way Harvey switches back and forth between Harvey - the calmer, more level headed personality - and Two-Face, his crueler, unstable half. It really felt like the Banner and the Hulk, with each half fighting for control.

In both cases, one half considers the other darker, more destructive, needing to be suppressed, while the other feels it's counterpart's weaker and should be pushed aside. It's a very interesting dynamic and one I like seeing explored here. Dent's attempts to bring out Batman's darker half give us one of the greatest moments of the mini, with Batman having a rare display of vulnerability in front of Commissioner Gordon.  It was really refreshing to see, especially as he never usually shows a vulnerable side to Gordon. 

Overall, this is a really good story, well worth reading. Though, near the end, I did have a slight problem with Batman not being as focused on stopping individual acts of violence as I'd expect he would. I'm also not really sure what the ending meant, but maybe it's just open to interpretation. Ultimately, Jekyll & Hyde's definitely well worth a read and, if you're a Two-Face fan, you won't be disappointed.

Joker's Asylum II: The Mad Hatter #1 Review

Writer: Landry Quinn Walker

Artists: Keith Giffen + Bill Sienkiewicz

Rating: 8 of 8

Joker's Asylum II

The Mad Hatter #1

A hero is only as good as their villains, their demented dark mirror and, with that being the case, Batman must be one of the greatest heroes of all. With such an expansive rogue's gallery, ranging from crime bosses like Black Mask and Penguin, to serial killers like Zsasz and the Joker, it only makes sense that DC'd make numerous series zeroing in on them.

That's exactly what they did with Joker's Asylum, in which the Joker both introduces and bookends tales centering around various Batman villains, this time focusing on the Mad Hatter. Hatter, or Jervis Tetch, is a man fixated around the idea of getting his Alice, like the girl from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

To that end, he hypnotizes different women using the unique machinery in his hat, but usually fails to get his Alice. Here, though, he's doing his best to resist the urge to capture another 'Alice', struggling to resist the hat and the tea. Resisting the hat means resisting the urge to hypnotize and take another 'Alice' and resisting the tea to me means resisting the urge to dive into his own madness.

One thing I've definitely gotta praise about the issue's the art. Whether it's the cover, delivering such a simple, yet creative, image, or Tetch's simpler, more childlike drawings, Giffen and Sienkiewicz bring us some really memorable, praiseworthy imagery. Tetch's drawings give us a little insight into his psyche, which I really appreciate. The team also make Hatter a really diminutive figure, with a really big nose and large, protruding teeth, which match his animated iteration's appearance.

The duo also do a great job in illustrating just how fractured Tetch's mind really is and how much of a struggle resisting his lesser devils is for him. They really help elevate an already very good story. Overall, it's a pretty good issue, with very few flaws, though I think it could've delved more into why he's so obsessed with Alice and Wonderland itself. Despite this, the issue's well written and very well drawn and definitely worth a spin.

Batman: The Adventures Continue #1 Review

Writers: Alan Burnett + Paul Dini

Artist: Ty Templeton

Rating: 6 of 8

Batman

The Adventures Continue #1

 

Batman is one of the most malleable characters in comics, so it makes sense that he's been through so many different iterations. Whether the goofier take by Adam West, or the more earnest ones from Nolan and Snyder, it all makes sense for each version.

That's just the kind of character Batman is. With his continuing popularity, I can see why there'd be so many different takes. Perhaps most notably, that of Kevin Conroy in Batman: The Animated Series. Here we get the continued adventures of his Dark Knight, in which he faces both Bane and a giant robot.

One of my few criticisms of the issue is that the fight with Bane's too short and that he's dispatched too easily, though in a way which makes sense for both characters. Even in a couple pages, Templeton does a great job in delivering some explosive action as Batman struggles to deal with a threat literally much bigger than him.

There's also a great scene between Bruce and Lex Luthor, which I really enjoyed. Luthor's got some terrific comments on both the Dark Knight and his Man of Steel, particularly one about keeping him 'on my radar'. I also really liked his comment on 'that incident with the Joker', which is a neat reference to The Batman/Superman Movie.

Overall, a really good 1st issue, ending on a frustratingly teasing cliffhanger, leaving you wanting more. It also closes with a really cool classic movie reference, which fits both the character and the scene itself. So, if you can, why not spend some time with masters Dini, Burnett and Templeton? You won't be disappointed.