29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Joker Returns, November 4, 2008
This review is from: The Joker (Hardcover)
Ever wonder what it would be like to be in the employ of the Joker? Job security would certainly not be one of its selling points, nor would benefits like health and life insurance. In fact, it might be a good idea to purchase some beforehand. Just ask Jonny Frost, his new henchman. Brian Azzarello's much anticipated new Joker novel is seen and told through the eager yet anxious perspective of one of his new accomplices in crime, and no previous experience on the mean streets of Gotham is going to prepare him for the mayhem and madness that is to follow. This is a slightly different Joker than normally seen; more serious than silly, more reflective than refractive. He has just returned from yet another of his enforced sojourns in Arkham, this time released legally for a change, brutally back with a vengeance to reclaim lost turf, and heaven help anyone who gets in his way. Joining the party on various sides are Killer Croc, the Penguin, slightly reinvented incarnations of Harley Quinn and the Riddler, and the one unfortunate downside, an ineffectually depicted Harvey Dent. While this obviously is the Joker's story, it serves little purpose in the grand scheme of things to portray other villains as weaker in order to make the Joker loom larger. As Batman can attest, you're only as imposing as your adversaries. All of the rogues have delightfully different visual looks, thanks to the imaginative illustrations of Lee Bermejo, whose work overall ranges from simply remarkable to occasionally awkward. As for Batman himself, he is only seen briefly at the very end, a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion that did appear a bit abrupt and condensed, but then again, this is more about portent and personalities than plot and practicalities. Comparisons to the creators' fantastic Lex Luthor mini are natural and indeed inevitable. That tale took Lex in a completely different direction than usual, and was a major part of its appeal. While this project didn't break any shocking new ground, it thankfully didn't retread the same tiresome and inane gag fests and mindless mania that many of his stories do. Azzarello instead wisely incorporated his trademark grit behind the grin, added danger to the drama, and in the process possibly produced this generation's unique Joker saga. Fans of these two talented men expected no less.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great art, good story, frustrating characters, January 17, 2010
This review is from: The Joker (Hardcover)
I was really eager to get this book when I ordered it, the synopsis said that I should expect the Joker wreaking havoc on Gotham along with Harley Quinn, Two Face, Killer Croc and the Penguin. And that's what I got, essentially, but it was delivered in a manner that I was not expecting. While the art was beautiful and plot not horrible- albeit lacking some of the complexity I was expecting from an 100+ page book- I was taken aback by the complete butchering of certain characters, specifically Harley Quinn. I don't even need to describe how she was in the book, the artist's own words puts it perfectly.
"Visually, I threw her in a vinyl outfit and made her look as much like a junkie as possible. Harley Quinn is like a stripper to me. I don't want to know her name, I don't want to hear about her life, and I sure as hell don't want her to talk. Just dance, baby..."
Personally, had I read this before buying the book, I would have thought twice about getting it. In addition to the usually energetic Harley being turned into a stoic crack whore, Killer Croc is a gangster with a penchant for hanging out in a slaughter house, the Penguin is a total pushover and the Riddler is a sixties dope head that shows up for no more than three to five pages. If that's not how you want to see some of your favorite characters, then this comic is not for you.
Also, if you're not interested in reading this story from the perspective of Jonny Frost, the uninteresting one dimensional lowlife who is more annoying than Holden Caufield, then don't pick this thing up. He's really what ruined the comic for me. I was so distracted by his rather irritating commentary, explaining things that I can deduct for myself. While I suppose he was tolerable in the first read over, it really sunk in that this comic should have been called Jonny Frost, not Joker.
The Joker may have been the catalyst for all of the events that happened in the comic, but Jonny Frost was the main focal point and we are completely tied to his back, limited only to what he experiences and to what he feels. (Dang it.) I was expecting to be able to explore the Joker's mind, to see things from behind his eyes and go on a joyride of insanity. Instead Brian Azzarello gave me a story that forgot some of my favorite character's personalities and failed to live up to the expectations that a title as bold as Joker must have brought with it.
If none of the above issues bother you, then by all means get the book. The art really is lovely and the story is somewhat enjoyable. It's just hard to stomach if giving up your idealized vision of Gotham is much too hard.
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27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not my cup of tea, March 26, 2010
This review is from: The Joker (Hardcover)
This story just did not work for me. I understand the concept of "re-imagining" a character, but when it's taken this far, you might as well be writing about a different character all together. This is not the Joker. A sleazy kingpin of crime? Perhaps the writer thought he was writing a Daredevil book...All of the villains are a disappointment. Harley Quinn, the Riddler, Killer Croc are reduced to uninteresting, pathetic versions of themselves in order to make the Joker look like a commanding presence throughout the plot. Well, it doesn't work. I don't know what Azzarello was trying to do with the character, but the result is a muddled mess. So, the Joker is crazy..but he's really not? The small amount of character development we get is that he "hates everything"? How original. And now he's a rapist? Ugh. He's feared throughout the crime community because...he kills people? How creative! The plot is so shallow and meaningless. Apparently we're supposed to buy into the fact that this character is such a bad ass after he "takes back his city" (a ridiculous characterization), yet for some reason he fails to anticipate the arrival of Batman? This book is a mess. The art is good, but the likeness to Heath Ledger is such a cheap attempt to cash in on The Dark Knight. It's like DC was like, "Hey, we need to write a dark story involving the Joker so we can make money off of the movie hype." The result is not "dark" at all, it's just stupid. Go read The Killing Joke or The Man Who Laughs for a real Joker story.
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