The groundbreaking Batman tale is back in a new deluxe edition. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past his breaking point to madness, The Joker attempts to drive Commissioner Gordon insane. Refusing to give up, Gordon struggles to maintain his sanity with the help of Batman in a desperate effort to best the madman.

I purchased a copy of this book for my own reading.

I’ll confess that, at the age of 38, I’ve not actually read any graphic novels. I’ve seen loads of superhero films and TV, but not gone back to the source material. I wanted something on the darker side, and had heard that The Killing Joke stands as one of the most definitive origin stories for the iconic Joker, so thought I’d start there.

And what a first foray into the world of graphic novels this made. One of the first things I noticed was that the focus was less on Batman, and more on a young, down-on-his-luck comedian trying to catch his big break. With a partner and child on the way, his desperation to succeed and make some money grows. As a result, he finds himself caught up with a criminal organisation.

The sense of desperation and desire to make a living for his family is palpable, while the descent into darkness from The Joker is unsettling. The art style alone makes for an incredible read, but the story from Alan Moore is nothing short of iconic. It is dark and sinister, revealing a potential origin for one of the most well-known fictional villains of all time.

My rating: