Batman: The Killing Joke - 10 Disturbing Moments We Can't Wait To See

Created in 1988 by the legendary duo of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, The Killing Joke is seen by many comic book aficionados as being the definitive Joker story, and one of the greatest ever graphic novels, period.

Whilst part of the mystique of the Harlequin of Hate is that he has no exact backstory or origin, Moore and Bolland's work gave readers a suitable, shocking and sad look at what could well have set comics' most iconic villain on his path of death, destruction, carnage and chaos.

Luckily, this must-read tale has been adapted into an animated feature. Not only that, but the fan favourite pairing of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are back to voice Batman and The Joker, respectively. Given the source material and the talent involved, not to mention the ever-high standards of animated Bat-features that Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment, anticipation is high amongst fans for this project.

For those not familiar with The Killing Joke, it's brimming with tragedy and some of The Joker's most nefarious acts to date - in fact, it was this story that put Mr. J on the map when it comes to being a truly evil, psychotic presence. So extreme are some of his actions here, many thought we'd never seen an adaptation of this twisted tale.

Ahead of the film's cinema and subsequent home releases, let's look at what we can expect from this dastardly dark story of The Joker's quest to push Jim Gordon over the edge.

When we’re first introduced to The Joker in The Killing Joke, he’s not actually The Joker at all.

An unnamed comedian, the future Clown Prince of Crime is desperately failing at life, beating himself up over the situation that he’s in. Unable to land a comedy gig, stuck in a hell hole of a neighbourhood, struggling to pay the rent on an apartment that smells of “cat litter and old people”, and with a pregnant wife to look after, there’s a tragic sense of despair about this poor fella.

Down on his luck, this struggling comedian is just looking for a good payday so that he can give his wife and their unborn child the life that he thinks they deserve. Whilst this is a tragedy-drenched introduction to the man who would go on to become the most iconic villain in comic book history, there’s also a disturbing veil of self-loathing and a hair-trigger temper about this future Joker, giving the slightest of insights into the darker side of what could be around the corner for this troubled soul.

Ultimately, The Killing Joke sets its stall out early on giving The Joker a sympathetic edge, but what’s most disturbing about the introduction to the pre-Joker Joker is that you can see the seeds for just why he ended up diving into a life of insanity and chaos.

Throw in some slick animation and an emotional, poignant score, and an animated feature has the potential to do something stunning with the pre-Joker days of this clearly troubled individual.