For this specific entry of this blog, I was tasked with thoroughly analyzing the critically acclaimed comic in DC's long time series of Batman comics, Batman: The Killing Joke, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland.
Batman: The Killing Joke is a 1988 one shot graphic novel created by Moore and Bolland as their personal take on The Joker's own origins and his decent into madness. The Joker in the main Batman series has never had any sort of past revealed about him even to this day. This work has become so popular that it has since become the definitive origin story for The Joker by fans and has even had many of its elements and setups adapted into the main Batman continuity.
The Killing Joke explains that at one point, The Joker was a poor, failing stand up comedian, desperate to earn enough money to support his pregnant wife and their unborn child. Eventually, he is convinced by a pair of mobsters to help them break into a chemical plant, where the comedian had worked at a prior time, so that they can rob the playing card company next door. In order to accomplish this, as well as to set up the comedian as the fall guy, the mobsters have the comedian disguised as the infamous mob boss, the "Red Hood". However, the comedian soon learns from the police that his wife has tragically died in a household electrical accident, leaving him devastated. Losing the will to continue through with the plan, he tries to back out, but the mobsters force him to continue. Upon arrival at the plant, they are discovered and the mobsters are quickly dealt with by security, while the comedian falls into the polluted river after being confronted by Batman. The comedian soon washes ashore, with his body transformed by the chemicals, and with him remembering his deceased wife and child, the comedian breaks down into madness, becoming The Joker.
While The Joker's origins are told to the readers through various flashbacks, we also see The Joker enact his most recent plan, which he puts into motion. We start off in Arkham Asylum, where Batman goes to talk with The Joker about their feud, and that they need to end it. However, it is revealed that The Joker he is talking to is an impostor, and that the real Joker has escaped. Soon after, The Joker visits the home of Commissioner Gordon, shoots his daughter Barbara, leaving her paralyzed, and proceeds to kidnap Gordon and take him to an abandoned carnival. Here, Gordon is striped naked, drugged, and tortured, both physically and mentally, in order to drive Gordon insane. Batman eventually rescues Gordon after The Joker gives him a clue. He pursues The Joker after Gordon is still shown to be sane despite his ordeal and wants The Joker brought in by the books. Batman eventually subdues The Joker and tries to reach out to him and help him recover so that they can finally end their everlasting war. The Joker declines, saying it's too late and proceeds to tell a joke. Batman chuckles at the punchline and the ending is left ambiguous, but could either be interpreted as Batman breaking The Joker's neck or just symbolizing that nothing has changed.
After reading the story, my reactions have left me in a state of pity for the characters, especially The Joker. The Joker is my favorite comic villain of all time. Whether he is being portrayed as a mob boss, a simple prankster, or a mentally insane person, he is always an interesting character despite never having an actual origin in the main Batman serials. But, in The Killing Joke, it really tugged at my heartstrings as we see him lose everything, both his family and his mind. I also enjoyed how it explored the idea that, psychologically, Batman and The Joker are mirror images of one another and how they come to terms with their tragedies and how it leads them to their present selves. I also enjoyed the end with Gordon as it showed that despite The Joker's belief that there is something inside every lunatic, and that it's just waiting to spring out, one can overcome the tragedies and keep their sanity.
I made several connections with this story, but the parallels between the two main characters and how one bad day can change everything really stuck with me the most. In the main story, both Batman and The Joker lose their families, and while either of the two could have ended up the same way as the other, they each go off in their own way. Bruce Wayne decides to live on and eventually becomes Batman to help others and end crime and corruption. The Joker, on the other hand, is driven to the point of complete insanity due to his grief and trauma and wishes to bring others to the brink as well. If a similar event were to ever happen to me in my life, I don't think I would ever end up that way to that extreme. I would hope that I would follow in the ideals and mind set of Bruce/Batman. I have also seen people fall to the other side of the coin in this parallel, and I feel that by seeing them, it motivates me more to try and keep my more positive frame of mind and not end up the same way.
If I were to adapt this comic into a different medium, I would definitely like to see it made into a film. While recently The Killing Joke has gotten an animated movie, it included numerous additions not from the comic that were unnecessary, which ended up bringing the film down. Since an animated movie was just recently made, I think a live action version could be amazing. Personally, I would keep it more like the original source material. Instead of adding things such as a clunky first half, I would instead expand upon certain sections such as Batman's search for Gordon and Gordon's torture by The Joker. I would also try and keep an R rating, making it as dark and violent as possible while staying true to the comic. Since it would be live action instead of an animated film, the audience would probably be affected by it even more. However, I also feel that even if it were to get a live action adaption, because it's a Batman property, the owners of the film rights would never allow an R rated live action version to exist and would severely tone it down to a PG-13 rating so as to market it more towards younger people and sell more merchandise. I feel it would be edited so much that it would be unrecognizable and effectively ruin the artist's original message. However, I would still love to see a live action film version true to the source material.
In closing, I absolutely loved Batman: The Killing Joke and the numerous themes and ideas that finally give one of my favorite characters not only a proper past, but an emotional one. This comic is a great read, especially for those struggling or interested in insanity and loss. It also has numerous potential for being adapted into other forms of media. I encourage anyone, even those who aren't Batman or superhero fans to give this a look. I doubt they will be disappointed.
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