batman killing joke batman killing joke shot graphic novel featuring characters batman written illustrated published set fictional city provides origin story loosely adapted story arc man red hood taking place killing joke depicts attempting drive insane batman desperate attempt stop created moore source psychology story famous origin tragic character family man failed comedian suffered bad day finally drove insane moore stated attempted similarities characters story effects mainstream batman continuity included shooting event laid develop identity critics consider graphic novel definitive story best batman stories published comic won award best graphic album appeared killing joke reprinted trade paperback universe stories reprinted story deluxe hardcover edition features new coloring somber realistic subdued palette original elements killing joke inspired incorporated aspects batman media films video games background creation artist version stemmed having recently seen film man laughs invitation led directly working writer create plausible background story recounted thought terms favorite writer moment hero love villain basically came story takes pains stress merely possible origin story widely accepted adopted continuity central long running character specially approved editor said saw judge death dry run drawing recounted time finished fallen certain extent end continued favour page prestige format shot comic took considerable time produce moore known meticulous time consuming work creators recently finished issue titles moore seen delays aided laid attitude taken says prepared let pace original editor left company replaced hands sort guy recalls having conversation book envisaged flashback sequences black white instructed use muted november colors upset saw finished comic glowing precious esque flashback sequences orange published 20th anniversary edition book featured new restoring artistic intentions palette plot summary man unnamed engineer job chemical company stand comedian fail desperate support pregnant wife agrees guide criminals chemical plant previously worked rob card company door planning police inform wife died household accident grief stricken engineer tries withdraw plan criminals strong arm keeping commitment plant criminals don special mask infamous red hood unknown engineer criminals plan use disguise accomplice divert attention away inside run security personnel shootout criminals engineer finds confronted batman investigating disturbance terrified engineer jumps chemical plant waste pound lock escape batman swept pipe leading outside outside discovers horror chemicals permanently skin chalk white stained lips red dyed hair bright green compounded man bad day drives completely insane marks birth present day kidnaps commissioner gordon run amusement park owner killed shoots daughter barbara alias strip gordon naked cage park freak chains gordon park rides forces view giant pictures wounded daughter naked hoping drive gordon insane order prove citizen mad having bad day gordon run puts display freak average man doomed insanity batman attempts locate commissioner gordon unsuccessful sends clue leads amusement park batman arrives save gordon ordeal gordon retains moral code insists batman capture book order legal process works batman enters faces traps tries persuade old foe world black awful joke worth fighting states takes bad day turn ordinary man insane batman correctly bad day lost loved hands criminal drove batman batman tracks tells gordon survived suffered hands suggests madness batman attempts reach offers help old foe recover end war batman fears day result fight death declines saying late says situation reminds joke proceeds tell joke batman punch line accompanying police arrive laughter stops batman disappear rain continues fall text ending ambiguous according view similar different adversaries fighting years end disputes having good laugh according view batman agrees breaking neck panel causing laughter stop abruptly ending purposely left uncertain allow reader decide happened themes analysis book explores moore assertion psychologically batman mirror images relationship story shows batman came terms respective tragic days eventually leading present lives confrontation critic explained batman creations random tragic bad day batman spends life meaning random tragedy reflects life random injustice trials commissioner gordon meant serve proof buried deep insanity simply waiting right moment spring forth unlike gordon kept moral code story famous changing comics perceived batman comics bringing darker roots comic book deeper order present batman psychology insane clown perceived world according differing points view interpreted joke serves unreliable narrator admits uncertainty disparate memories single event remember way going past prefer multiple choice comic depiction world relentless urban violence moral critical reception legacy shot killing joke extraordinary impact universe significantly officially retired hero shot comic special july eventually led identity birds prey series later adapted series title incorporated elements continuity universe appearances event batman storyline takes place shortly killing joke involving murdering robin batman death family leads batman obsession clown prince crime personal level mantle eventually passed successor later gordon later temporary event lasted years comics line wide title new saw restored graphic novel won award best graphic album garnered best writer award praised calling easily greatest story told adding moore rhythmic dialogue organic art create unique story matched ign declared killing joke greatest batman graphic novel dark knight returns batman year pop syndicate called killing joke greatest comics 20th century period van said time read killing joke amazed teamed pack intensity humanity pages comics called graphic novel incredible story moore best awe inspiring art painter comics historians describe definitive story time manning additionally called powerful disturbing stories history lukewarm response saying wonderfully executed suffer reliance rules superhero story den geek mixed response calling killing joke revered influential batman stories written arguably definitive story adding level true creator response interview moore said don think good book saying interesting elaborated killing joke story batman isn going encounter real life batman like human beings lived important human information yeah thought clumsy real human importance couple licensed characters didn relate real world way interview wizard magazine moore critical decision asked problem time remember spoke editor project said yeah okay bitch probably areas didn introduction story appears universe stories trade paperback disputes widely held belief story started batman annual story ended prestige format book recalls idea batman story focusing batman incidental character says editor told project wanted requested prestige book moore writer expressed dissatisfaction final book regrets impending schedule release meant color book says end result wasn hoped don think rates highlights career march saw release artwork intended twentieth anniversary hardcover edition completely book new_york_times best seller list influence stories critic wrote killing joke provided sympathetic story presented villain offenses moore rendition origin employs elements story man red hood detective comics established concept originally having thief known red hood tragic human elements character story coupled crimes portray character dimensional human interview salon moore explained nature caused bad decision life backstory killing joke referenced batman knights reprinted batman events observed reported recounts pregnant wife pre accident called jack prior accident kidnapped murdered criminals order force compliance feminist interpretations book subject feminist critique criticizing treatment author notes readers felt violence moore retrospect expressed displeasure story turned author wrote feels feminist critics gordon accident advised consult source material moore killing joke core shows gordon stripped mutilated photos attack displayed bound father police commissioner merely disabled included character list major female characters killed mutilated dubbing phenomenon women reference story title character discovers girlfriend mutilated body author noted killing joke example relatively unequal violence female characters subjected major marvel comics industry male characters critically injured killed likely returned original conception women hand likely wounded original spine shattered fun restricted wheelchair decade joke wrote companion story entitled joke appeared series gold story charged time save barbara shot arrives carnival shortly rounded attacked manages escape arrives late save barbara catching middle taking photos wounded barbara having struck commissioner gordon attacks rage gains upper hand snapping photos rip removes moments killed demands sent fails times rip reveals destined ensure story reveals batman kept photos barbara waiting came age confronting batman thanks trying stop offers friendship eventually mentor temporary successor batman learn offer thanks ladies night writer artist collaborated shot story called ladies night published anthology series brave bold story set shortly killing joke deals struggling come terms impending attack barbara dream like joke story heavily implies alter barbara fate despite desire instead giving final night town loses use legs story implies served inspiration eventual new comics universe batman stories erased altered killing joke story intact new continuity recovered inflicted bullet lasted years resumes work year recovering mobility continues suffer stress disorder exposed gunfire result receiving new spinal damage refers tracks villain carnival took gordon shot confronts daughter currently presumed dead march comics released themed variant covers monthly series release june celebration character 75th anniversary cover artist took inspiration killing joke cover depicts standing red smile painted mouth hand holding revolver shoulder pointing cheek hand shoot cover quickly drew criticism highlighting dark period character history especially youthful optimistic direction series time drew dozens posts twitter asking release variant ultimately withdrew cover publication request stated intention hurt upset art reason recommended variant cover pulled media film comic con actor stated willing voice adaption encouraging fans campaign said adaptation notably october facebook page titled petition play animated killing joke set fans expressed desire create project saying possibility july gods monsters panel announced animated film based novel development slated released direct executive produce film film feature minute prologue sets story july tweeted hoped contacted reprise role july reported voice film reportedly given filmmakers ahead film rated march batman animated series confirmed play batman respectively alongside commissioner gordon confirmed release dvd august play select theatres night event july complete introduction influence films dark knight returns mentioned influenced film adaptation batman giant comic book fan loved image batman reason comic book fan think started child tell box supposed read don know loved killing joke time tell read favorite comic loved success graphic novels ideas acceptable director mentioned served influence version appearing feature film dark knight played stated interview given copy reference role story referred flashback scene batman red hood movie antagonist red hood lured batman chemical factory accident took place batman remembered events like comic fleeing attempted escape trying claim set accidentally fell toxic waste red hood called batman greatest failure refers barbara television birds prey features slight retelling killing joke series prologue version barbara shot clearly knows opens door batman features killing joke season comedy tragedy detective breaking way similar way tortured gordon book bad day mentioned transformed bennett 2nd season episodes artifacts takes place future shows barbara video games hawaiian attire appears playable character batman video game batman adapted post killing joke timeline feeds batman information references story game makeshift throne end game identical graphic novel game revealed mail alias batman identifies oldest personally makes knowing reference story guys asylum hell heard haven video game batman sequel batman interview tapes found origin killing joke version reveals worked apparently blames batman happened hugo strange accuses having fabricated series events order conceal truth condition read different accounts past different detail batman line book like things interesting wise man told origin story better making multiple choice video game injustice gods downloadable content pack includes skins character story includes hawaiian attire red hood hat long coat batman references batman enters carnival esque room tells got great deal service amusement park seen look real estate agent face shook hands deal conning theme park entrepreneur granting rights run amusement park early graphic novel proceeding murder level featuring psychiatric interview playable red hood walking chemical plant end earlier beating patrons poor reception joke achievement defeating ending game reference batman talk beginning graphic novel promoting game voices game monologue graphic novel batman influence latest batman shooting kidnapped mysterious noting merely got lucky shot barbara ignorant true ties batman claimed actually aiming barbara head addition story matter family similarities story including kidnapping holding police commissioner gordon hostage run amusement park backstory revealing murdered original person owned park granting control killing joke included trade paperback collection universe stories march deluxe hardcover version book released featuring book new colors featured black white flashbacks opposed colors items panel colored pink red helmet revealed addition pages removed yellow oval bat symbol batman chest included colored version innocent guy originally published white introduction epilogue van said new colors improve book giving subtlety present original james pop syndicate said original version said gives comic timeless quality den geek lukewarm reaction calling flashbacks superb commenting changes point increasing definition sake giving book present day feel looking like printed 1980s
Batman: The Killing Joke