In the late 80s the darker Batman was making a comeback and one of the defining comics of that era was Alan Moores Batman: The Killing Joke. The comic starts like any Joker story, he escapes from Arkham Asylum and is on a rampage, but rather than hold the city ransom, he kidnaps Commissioner Jim Gordon to prove that deep down everyone is just like him. This leads to one of the most shocking scenes in comic history when The Joker breaks into Gordons house and shoots his daughter Barbara (Batgirl), crippling her before going one step further and undressing her. Its a brutal, senseless act of violence that really strikes Batman and the reader to their core. Its a fascinating story that really dives into Jokers psychological state of mind. Moores work helped revolutionise his relationship with Batman and rather than make them bitter enemies, he writes them as lost souls, both victims of that one bad day far beyond their control that shaped the rest of their lives. Theyre destined to fight forever, both so trapped in this never-ending cycle that Joker says it wont end until one is dead, while Batman is on the verge of snapping (or possibly already did). Combine Moores writing with established artist Brian Bolland, then DC have an instant classic. You need a great artist to get the most from Moores unique writing and like Gibbons for Watchmen, Bolland was the right man for the job. Its one of the best, yet ugliest Batman stories ever told, with an ending so ambiguous that fans are still debating over the events to this day. Although Alan Moore has since decided he didnt like his work on The Killing Joke (if Moore isnt given something to complain about hell find it himself), it must still go down as one of the greatest and most popular Batman stories ever told.
An aspiring filmmaker, writer, traveller, and avid comic book fan, with an undying passion for calligraphy and chopping boards shaped like fruit. Genuinely enjoys receiving your hate mail.
