DC's Definitive Joker origin

[Joker]

I actually love that cover...the twisted, off art really works for it...

loved this issue btw, the explanation of the extra wide grin, and seems like Batman is responsible for the mob tossing Joker into the chemicals next issue...

 

[Motown Marvel]

I actually love that cover...the twisted, off art really works for it...

loved this issue btw, the explanation of the extra wide grin, and seems like Batman is responsible for the mob tossing Joker into the chemicals next issue...

that'd be interesting. but i need to see batman involved in that, he needs to be there. i think whats gonna happen: the mob is gonna set jack up by hiring him for a job at the chemical plant, the whole red hood thing comes into play, they set him up for batman to take him down, and...well, you know....

 

[Mr. Socko]

Number 11 preview. These covers are crazy.

 

[Nepenthes]

what's the explanation behind the grin?

 

[Agentsands77]

Yes... What is the explanation for the extra-wide grin?

Anyway, I'm picking this issue up tomorrow. Can't wait to read it.

 

[Nepenthes]

Yeah I want to know the whole issue, I'll be waiting over a week for this. but the smile will suffice for now, no spoiling the rest

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Yes... What is the explanation for the extra-wide grin?

Anyway, I'm picking this issue up tomorrow. Can't wait to read it.

Spoiler

"Jack," during a robbery, slices the girl that Bruce is with (don't remember her name) through the chest. Batman nearly goes after him, but realizes that if he does, the girl will die there. So, he takes his Batarang and tosses it, slicing through both of Jack's cheeks, to tell him that he's not finished with him.

 

[Nepenthes]

^

Guess there had to be a mis-step sooner or later...

Wonder if this is related to TDK

 

[The Empire Ape]

Oh, that's the reason behind this story: DC wants to put out another Joker tpb.

 

[Nepenthes]

I have no problems buying this tpb

 

[Shin-Natsume]

I have no problems buying this tpb

i love that book. to me, this is the ultimisation of batman^^

 

[Agentsands77]

The scar smile returns once more. First BATMAN #663... now it appears in this "official" origin. Sounds like THE DARK KNIGHT is having more and more influence on the comics. There's even a nod to BATMAN BEGINS, as the story sets up Jonathan Crane to run Arkham.

Anyway, I liked #9, more for where it takes Batman as a character than anything else... the conclusion he reaches at the end of the book is quite shocking.

 

[Joker]

Jack talks about going to the doctor to get it fixed though...so my guess is, he gets minor plastic surgery done so instead of it being a giant scar, ala TDK, it's just an unnaturaly wide mouth...

I've felt it's always been implied that Joker was somehow disfigured in that manner, as there's not a single person alive who can smile as wide as he's portrayed to at time...I mean really, look at his mouth on the Killing Joke cover, it's nearly to his ears, and goes above the bottom of his nose.

 

[SenseiofCheese]

To begin with I was heavily opposed to this arc. But I've come to love it, and I think "Jack's" characterization is fantastic.
Loved the last issue, especially the conversation between Bats and Crane.
I'm getting more used to the art, but damn it's taking everything I've got. It's just so....twisted, which is appropriate, I guess.

 

[Agentsands77]

Jack talks about going to the doctor to get it fixed though...so my guess is, he gets minor plastic surgery done so instead of it being a giant scar, ala TDK, it's just an unnaturaly wide mouth...

Well, isn't Maletesta going to be in wait for him at whatever doctor he goes to?

And the cover for the issue #10 shows scarring around the Joker's mouth. At first I thought it might just be stylization, but now that we know the story from #9, there's no doubt about it.

 

[Joker]

Well, isn't Maletesta going to be in wait for him at whatever doctor he goes to?

And the cover for the issue #10 shows scarring around the Joker's mouth. At first I thought it might just be stylization, but now that we know the story from #9, there's no doubt about it.

My guess is Maletesta gets there halfway through the op, which is why it's still a giant grin instead of a regular mouth.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Jack talks about going to the doctor to get it fixed though...so my guess is, he gets minor plastic surgery done so instead of it being a giant scar, ala TDK, it's just an unnaturaly wide mouth...

I've felt it's always been implied that Joker was somehow disfigured in that manner, as there's not a single person alive who can smile as wide as he's portrayed to at time...I mean really, look at his mouth on the Killing Joke cover, it's nearly to his ears, and goes above the bottom of his nose.

Yeah, and hell, look at Tim Sale's version of The Joker--his smile practically takes up half his face and his teeth look like he stole them from a whale.

It seems to me like this is just a slight realistic reasoning for something over-the-top, akin to having Batman wear armor under his spandex suit.

 

[Dirt Like Me]

I'm not crazy about the cut smile in any medium, but I guess I can live with it. (And I'm fine with TDK tie-ins, especially because it means I'll be buying hardcovers of The Man Who Laughs and The Killing Joke).

I'm loving this story, though. 'Jack' is pretty cool as is, so I can't wait to see how Green (is that his name?) writes that character as The full-on Joker. This run has great potential for its last three issues: Jack is pissed off, Bruce is pissed off, the mob's involved--it should be good.

And I would have been shocked if you'd told me three months ago that Confidential would be the Bat-book (well, monthly Goddamn Bat-book) that I'd most looking forward to reading, but that's the point I'm at right now.

 

[deathfromabove]

The only thing definitive about definitive stories is that they are subject to change.

awesome.

can i put this in my signature?

 

[Keyser Soze]

I can't believe I wasn't interested in this Confidential story-arc at first. "Lovers and Madmen" has been a truly fantastic story, and this latest issue was the best one yet!

Batman's characterisation continues to impress - Green really has a handle on the character, and is not afraid to make him flawed, or capable of huge errors in judgement. And "Jack" is a chilling, heartless monster before he becomes The Joker, an interesting contrast to "The Killing Joke". The story seems to be building a strong case against the argument over on the TDK boards that The Joker's "just a normal guy" without his bleached skin. It's good to see a story where both Batman and The Joker are characterised so well.

To me, there were two standout moments in this issue. One was Jack's reaction to his new "smile". But perhaps even better was the conversation between Batman and a pre-Scarecrow Jonathan Crane. A slight niggle from me is that Crane was drawn without glasses. But the writing was top-notch. I love the little ways in which Crane is made a more significant figure in Batman's early years (with his books on fear influencing Batman's approach to criminals), and his monologue on evil and insanity was fantastic. Between this and the recent Detective arc, DC are going a long way to cementing Scarecrow's status as a true A-list foe for Batman.

Great issue, great arc. And the best thing is, we're only halfway through it!

 

[The Joker]

I just read the latest issue, and it was fantastic. Things are really heating up now. The seeds of the Joker's personality are truly evident in Jack, and I love it.

And, the Jonathan Crane sequence was inspiried.

 

[Joker]

The story seems to be building a strong case against the argument over on the TDK boards that The Joker's "just a normal guy" without his bleached skin.

While I love Jack here, if they made it so he didnt have bleached skin, and wore clown make up, he wouldnt be the Joker, even acting how he is now...he's be a crazy guy with stupid clown make up on.

 

[Drunken Savior]

While I love Jack here, if they made it so he didnt have bleached skin, and wore clown make up, he wouldnt be the Joker, even acting how he is now...he's be a crazy guy with stupid clown make up on.

I agree. If this Jack started just wearing clown makeup, It'd be the ultimate letdown. I really like what they are alluding to with Bats making the call. Especially after he decides to fight evil with evil. The philosophy of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' might get rocked.

 

[Agentsands77]

Well, Jack does get a chemical bath. We know that happens.

At any rate, though, I don't think he'd be any less the Joker if he put on clown make-up. There would have to be some incident, some epiphany that gave him his insane sense of calling, but it wouldn't have to be a chemical bath.

 

[Joker]

Well, Jack does get a chemical bath. We know that happens.

At any rate, though, I don't think he'd be any less the Joker if he put on clown make-up. There would have to be some incident, some epiphany that gave him his insane sense of calling, but it wouldn't have to be a chemical bath.

if it's not permawhite, it's not the joker...I dont care how he comes about the permawhite in any medium, but it has to be there.