Amazon.com: trashcanman's review of Batman: The Killing Joke
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46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One REALLY bad day., July 14, 2008
Length:: 2:37 Mins

"The Killing Joke" is widely considered to be the be-all-end-all of Joker stories, so what better way to pay homage to the greatest comic book villain of all time near the eve of his re-unveiling in The Dark Knight than by reviewing his definitive story? This is the comic that (sort of) revealed the origin of The Clown Prince of Crime, humanizing him to an extent never before, and truly examined -with pictures rather than words- the antagonistic symbiosis that exists between Joker and his arch nemesis, The Batman. A beloved Gotham regular will never be the same and another will be put through hell before this story is done. Oh, and there are creepy little henchmidgets as well. Gotta love the henchmidgets.

The art is outstanding, the storytelling superb, and the character examinations are vital to understanding both combatants. The "one bad day" premise highlights the "two sides of the same coin" argument that Batman and Joker are in fact more alike than dissimilar. As if Bruce Wayne took a right when his arch-nemesis took a left. The controversial ending leaves little doubt as to Alan Moore's take on the debate, and I like it like that. While many critics have strongly resisted both the comparison and the somewhat sympathetic look at The Joker's past, the truth is that every great character -villain or hero- needs that sort of intricacy to their story to remain relevant in the world of modern fiction. Comics are no longer for children and adults realize that the world is seldom black and white, that all monsters were once men, and that unspeakable darkness and insanity resides deep inside each human mind. It can take years of suffering to bring them out or it can take one bad day. One bad day could ruin your very existence and everything you were; it's a frightening reality that cannot be overlooked while reading this comic. The more the reader is willing to ponder the ideas put forth by this story, the more you are likely to appreciate "The Killing Joke". An outstanding achievement in storytelling any way you look at it.

I was tempted to knock this down to four stars because with this book you are buying a single issue of a comic for what you could easily pay for a full trade paperback or graphic novel of equal quality like, say, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, which is so good it may very well cure cancer (can you prove it doesn't?). But the fact is no Batman fan should be without "The Killing Joke" and I would rather stick to reviewing based on quality rather than haggling over price. The bonus story at the end (written and illustrated by TKJ artist Brian Bolland) is a killer little mini-comic that serves as a perfect companion piece to the main story and definitely sweetens the pot for those wondering if they should get this hardcover edition. "The Killing Joke" is an absolute mindless must-have for fans of the comic book medium and even more so if you claim to be a follower of The Caped Crusader or his twisted nemesis. End of story.
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trashcanman
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      

Location: Hanford, CA United States

New Reviewer Rank: 155
Classic Reviewer Rank: 1,034

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Showing 1-10 of 24 posts in this discussion
Initial post: Jul 14, 2008 2:18 PM PDT
 TANTRUM!!!! says:
Dude, youīre going through a hard phase of Batman / joker paraphernalia. Youīre gonna go berzerk on the Dark knight movie release, i tell you.

Youīre filling the tank before the big race? Youīre gonna explode! Cool.
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Posted on Jul 14, 2008 4:57 PM PDT
Last edited by the author on Jul 14, 2008 10:03 PM PDT
 Woopak says:
T-man, this book is awesome! I bought the first edition/printing when it first came out and I think it's very valuable now. "The Killing Joke" is one of the greatest Batman stories ever told.
I heard this was one of the books that Ledger himself read when he isolated himself for a month to prepare for his role in "The Dark Knight".
Nice review, dude. I'll watch the video when I get home, I'm at work right now LOL!
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Posted on Jul 15, 2008 1:54 AM PDT
 trashcanman says:
Thanks, guys. Tantrum, you have no idea how crazy I am for TDK right now. 2 more days. Then I feast.
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Posted on Jul 16, 2008 5:28 AM PDT
 C. Christopher Blackshere says:
Cool trashy! Only 16 hours, 32 minutes, and twelve seconds...
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Posted on Jul 16, 2008 4:12 PM PDT
Last edited by the author on Jul 16, 2008 4:13 PM PDT
 Karen Shaub says:
I'm sure that I speak for us all when I say, your BATMAN TDK review is gonna be one for the ages, Trashie. Can't wait to read that one!
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In reply to an earlier post on Jul 17, 2008 2:06 AM PDT
Last edited by the author on Jul 17, 2008 2:07 AM PDT
 trashcanman says:
I wasn't planning on doing one (too high profile), but if you want to read it, your wish is my command.

I'm happy to see that instead of using a capture of my face that makes me look like I'm having a stroke for the video, Amazon used one where it's blocked altogether. Maybe I should always hold the product like that when i do these vid-reviews.

Tomorrow night, folks! Be there!
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In reply to an earlier post on Jul 17, 2008 3:07 PM PDT
 Karen Shaub says:
We want.
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Posted on Jul 18, 2008 7:03 PM PDT
 THE GHOST says:
This used to be one of my fav stories. I'm surprised you haven't reviewed The Dark Knight yet. I will see it before this weekend is over.
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In reply to an earlier post on Jul 19, 2008 1:20 AM PDT
 trashcanman says:
I have reviewed it, actually. It just hasn't posted yet. Get ready for a book.
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In reply to an earlier post on Jul 19, 2008 6:58 AM PDT
 C. Christopher Blackshere says:
The world is waiting trashy! I can't stand it! You should charge admission. Where is it?!?
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