Batman: The Killing Joke (Deluxe Edition) (Titan Books UK)

One of the most controversial tales from Batman's career returns as a deluxe hardback edition!

When the Joker commits the unspeakable crime of shooting Commissioner Gordon's daughter in the spine, Batman must use all his skill to outwit the crazed criminal. But in the end, how different are the Dark Knight and his quarry? This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The art by Brian Bolland is so appealing that his depiction of the Joker became a standard and was imitated by many artists to follow.

Legendary writer Alan Moore and artist Brian Bolland present this all-time classic story, digitally recoloured and featuring a bonus black and white story by Bolland.  This is essential for every Batman and graphic novels fan!

Review

"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." Library Journal

Author Biography

Alan Moore is one of comics' most respected and admired writers. His work includes Watchmen, V For Vendetta, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Brian Bolland is one of the highest-demand cover artists in modern comics, his portfolio includes Batman, Superman, Tank Girl and The Invisibles, in addition to Judge Dredd, and Camelot 300