DC's Definitive Joker origin

Do we know how many parts there is to this story?
 
yeah, i actually gotta say, it was pretty damn good. i was surprised by the writing and the characterizations. pre-joker's personality makes good sense, and batman's mentality works perfectly. and the juxtaposition of the two personalities is quite pleasing. the art is pretty hit and miss. theres some really good panels, and some really not so good panels. but when it comes to the story, im ready to hear it out....
 
I agree with everybody's take on the artwork. It was inconsistent. But it wasn't so bad that it detracted from what has the makings of a pretty good story.

Just to be safe...

There's a lot that I really liked about this issue. I liked seeing the young Batman reflect on how Gotham feels safer since he started wearing the mask; I liked how Jim Gordon acted towards Batman--not quite buddies yet, but veering that way; and I think that this Joker characterization could set up some really interesting things down the road.

Even though we've seen the Joker before the accident, we still don't know much about him. He's a good thief and a good shot, but we have no idea how he took that route, and we might not find out. I think this could be a great way to have an origin story without really delving into his roots too much.

I thought that Harley's role felt a little bit shoe-horned in, but I get the feeling that this was just a nod to her fans and she won't figure into the rest of the story.

Maybe my expectation were really low coming off of the last Confidential arc, but I'm cautiously optimistic about this one.

And, full disclosure: I think the Killing Joke is really overrated, so I'm open to having a Joker origin that departs from Moore's. If you think TKJ is the be-all and end-all, then this might not be a good one for you to read.
 
See, I love Killing Joke, but it says right there in it that it's very possible nothing of his origin told in it really happened...I liked the multiple choice thing, and I did like the tragedy about the origin that was presented...but I'm liking this too, for totally different reasons...nice to have a bit more in continuity confirmation of his first name being Jack too...
 
The Joker said:
Last time Azzraello wrote Batman, he gave us a steaming pile of crap he named Broken City...so I think I'll be passing on that one unless the art is spectacular.
Click to expand...

Sir, quite frankly, your opinion sucks. Broken City is probably one of the best modern Batman stories.

Sure, it isn't EPIC and LIFE-CHANGING like most of the stories today, it was just a great, hard-boiled mystery with Batman being a badass.

Dirt Like Me said:
I thought that Harley's role felt a little bit shoe-horned in, but I get the feeling that this was just a nod to her fans and she won't figure into the rest of the story.
Click to expand...

It's possible--but it's also possible that they're changing continuity so that the two paired up at the beginning of their careers. With the amount of times Emoboy Prime punched existence, I wouldn't be surprised. :o
 
The Joker said:
nice to have a bit more in continuity confirmation of his first name being Jack too...
Click to expand...

well, the writer said in that recent interview that pre-joker gives a name, but thats not necessarily his real name, just what he told them. but yeah, still....
 
The Joker said:
See, I love Killing Joke, but it says right there in it that it's very possible nothing of his origin told in it really happened...I liked the multiple choice thing, and I did like the tragedy about the origin that was presented...but I'm liking this too, for totally different reasons...nice to have a bit more in continuity confirmation of his first name being Jack too...
Click to expand...

I agree with this.
 
I personally liked The Killing Joke, but I have to admit I like this new take on The Joker's origin as well. As I've always felt the idea of Jack the gangster ultimately becoming Jack the Joker where he can bring out his nastiness to a completely new level to be much more of a credible scenario (especially considering The Joker's track record) than the one (miserable failed comedian) we recieved with Moore's take. Either way, looking forward to seeing this one played out.
 
See, I see Killing Joke as the perfect origin for the post-Crisis Joker, sort of totally shrouded in mystery, etc...I see an origin like this, or his original origin, as a great way to do an origin for Kane's original Joker, who was more of a gangster who just looked weird than he was a total psychopath anarchist...
 
Wait--is the issue any good at all? Or worth buying at least?
 
I'm going to give it a few more issues until I judge it, that being said, I f#cking hate when they go back and retcon cute little meetings between characters.
Jack (Jack? f#ck) meeting Harley when she was a waitress and he wasn't a psychotic clown pisses me off. No matter how well written
 
Fledermaus said:
I'm going to give it a few more issues until I judge it, that being said, I f#cking hate when they go back and retcon cute little meetings between characters.
Jack (Jack? f#ck) meeting Harley when she was a waitress and he wasn't a psychotic clown pisses me off. No matter how well written
Click to expand...

why would it piss you off? it was a throwaway refference...and Joker's name has been established in continuity as Jack since Hush Returns, and it's a good name...Kevin Roegle here at the boards gave one reason why I love the name in a TDK thread...Jack is the weakest of the face cards in a standard deck, while Joker is the wild card, and can be used as anything, if you play with them left in, and could be considered the most powerful...it actually shows his transformation on another level, from just another thief (although a skilled one in this) to the crazed psychopath he is as the Joker...
 
I've just always been a fan of the Joker's mysterious origin. Having a name, a real name, humanizes him a little more.
 
Fledermaus said:
I've just always been a fan of the Joker's mysterious origin. Having a name, a real name, humanizes him a little more.
Click to expand...

I see your point, and I think the humanization of him in The Killing Joke is one of the things that bugs me. (Pregnant wife? C'mon. I don't want the Joker to be any kind of victim).

But I just re-read Confidential #7 and picked up on a few things that I might have missed yesterday. 'Jack' is still pretty effing mysterious:

In addition to his shooting skills and ability to beat alarm systems, he quotes Hamlet, doesn't drink and won't kill himself because he fears reprisal from God. I just hope they can up keep this balance between mysterious detail and revealing details. It could make for an interesting story.
 
The Joker said:
See, I see Killing Joke as the perfect origin for the post-Crisis Joker, sort of totally shrouded in mystery, etc...I see an origin like this, or his original origin, as a great way to do an origin for Kane's original Joker, who was more of a gangster who just looked weird than he was a total psychopath anarchist...
Click to expand...

Yeah, The Killing Joke can be considered a good origin for the Post-Crisis Joker, but I believe so could this one as well. As like I've said before, it just seems to make a bit more sense, and is also more credible for him to be a damn good hitman who is essentially bored to tears because he is so good at what he does. In the way The Joker has been presented during the Post-Crisis realm, this to me atleast, seems to fit perfectly with his characterization. As indeed, he has been conveyed as a complete psychopath, but one thats extremely skilled, and successful among "The Freaks" that took over Gotham's Underworld following Carmine Falcone's downfall as well. Which in the grand scheme of things, ties very well into this particular story. As his skill, combined with his transformation that in essence gave him a completely new realm of creativity, and nastiness to subject his unfortunate victims to, could very well fit into the origin of a Post-Crisis Joker as well I think. With The Killing Joke, the multiple choice angle definately worked. Mystery with this kind of character is a good thing. Now the failed comedian who had a pregnant wife, and just sorta stumbled into the life of organized crime angle (which was heavily referenced in a recent Gotham Knights arc)... not so much.

But then again, we all have our own personal tastes.
 
I read the preview pages and i loved them, is there a version of it online?
 
Morbo?





morbo.jpg


"SKULLS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY!!!"



Thank you, Morbo.
 
MaskedManJRK said:
Sir, quite frankly, your opinion sucks. Broken City is probably one of the best modern Batman stories.

Sure, it isn't EPIC and LIFE-CHANGING like most of the stories today, it was just a great, hard-boiled mystery with Batman being a badass.
Click to expand...

One hundred percent agree.....I loved Broken City.

-R
 
I would but there is no local comic stores here, buying online would probably be my best bet, but then with packaging its like £5.
 
I was quite suprised that this issue was as good as it is. Implausible Harley/Joker meeting aside, judging by this issue it looks to be the best Joker origin produced.
 
Yes, I didn't think I'd like this. But it was surprisingly enjoyable.
 
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