Lee Bermejo and Brian Azzarello's Joker Graphic Novel

[batman44]

Can't wait to read this story, love the art.

 

[The Denialist]

I'm getting bad vibes here

I've had bad vibes about this book for a while, now. Everything that Azzarello and Bermejo have said (especially Azzarello's comments from SDCC), I've been getting warning signals from. But for some reason, I have a good feeling about the book. I'm excited for it, and I'm hoping that it'll be good.

 

[zahanbil]

I'm getting bad vibes here

Have faith t:

They both took a lot of time on this. I don't think either would steer you wrong.

 

[mongoose-mania]

reminds me of this guy

 

[Dirt Like Me]

Wizard has a Q&A with Bermejo up, and he talks a little bit about Joker. No new pictures, but here's most of what he says about the book:

What was it like working on a classic character like the Joker? Did you add your own spin to the character?
BERMEJO: We definitely did our own thing with everybody in the hardcover. All the villains in the book are classic in the sense that you know who you're looking at. Starting with the Joker, I think writers these days tend to write him as ridiculous. I've said this before and people tend to slam me for it, but the Joker is a very sexually ambiguous character where he has this feminine quality and it works, I think, when a guy like Grant Morrison writes him. But I definitely wanted to see something different with his characterization and I think Brian found a way in the story to make him definitely be the Joker you know but much more realistic. Yes, he makes jokes. Yes, he kills people, a lot of people in The Joker. He is the character [in The Joker] but you're not laughing at him. He's not comical at all. The fact that he's the Joker is completely ironic because he's just not funny. He's funny really only to himself and I think everybody laughs nervously with him.

I think with a guy like the Joker, visually, I tried to match what I knew Brian was going to bring to the table beginning with my own vision of the character, which was the scarred mouth and stuff like that. We started this book a long time ago. Now that scar thing, obviously with the success of Heath Ledger's Joker in "The Dark Knight," has become an iconic version of the character. When we started this thing though, that was more me just trying to find a way to realistically interpret the character. I tried to figure out a way to give him that exaggerated smile without it being too cartoony.

Killer Croc is the same guy, the same character, but he's done much more like a thug, or like muscle or a gangbanger. He's got a skin condition instead of being a monster or a crazy lizard guy. The Penguin's the Penguin, a short, little gangster dude and money launderer. I think the character that will surprise people the most will be the Riddler. When Brian and I were first talking about the book, we knew we wanted Two-Face and Killer Croc in there. I did not want to have anything to do with the Riddler. I thought he was the lamest Batman villain and I didn't have a good take on him. I think Brian gave me like a one-sentence description of who he is and that really made me kind of rethink that character. So yeah, visually I think all the characters have their own little flair that's different from what you see in the monthly titles and that definitely goes hand in hand with the story.

Sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to reading this.

Here's the link, if anybody's interested:

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/082908leebermejo.html

 

[Ace of Knaves]

sweet i'm deffinatly getting this!!!!!!!!!! hooohehahahehehahahahahaho hum

 

[Buttman]

So is this gonna be black and white or are they just inks? I'd prefer it in colour.

 

[Drz]

So is this gonna be black and white or are they just inks? I'd prefer it in colour.

The cover is in art, that site has the smily cover black and white tho. And the preview we saw was colored, but then we also have had some black scans but we don't know if that was maybe in the past or so.

 

[Motown Marvel]

cant wait.

 

[Dirt Like Me]

Now it's Azzarello's turn to talk about Joker, to Newsarama...

Here's a couple highlights:

NRAMA: How do these other characters perceive Joker? Are they scared of him? Do they see him as an equal? Is he a leader-type?

BA: Different characters see him in different ways. Are they scared of him? They’re terrified of him! They’re scared of Batman—they’re terrified of Joker. There are differences though; Two Face wants him eliminated; there’s no room in Gotham for the both of them. The Penguin and The Riddler view him as this sort of rabid dog—they don’t understand him. Killer Croc, out of all these characters, plays the biggest role; he’s a part of Joker’s gang. He’s muscle—that’s what Croc does; and he’s entertained by Joker

and

NRAMA: Historically, do you have a favorite incarnation/version of Joker? Did someone just nail the character for you?

BA: You know, I really love what Frank did; but then, you have to consider what Alan Moore did with Killing Joke. Denny O’Neil did some great things with Joker—I thought Greg Rucka used him really well in Gotham Central. So I guess—no—there isn’t just one. (laughs)

I think that’s part of the power of that character—there hasn’t been a definitive Joker—and that’s what makes some of these characters so strong; coming back to them and there’s always something fresh. Look at the theater—that’s a brand new Joker!

NRAMA: Yeah, that’s definitely a different take on this character.

BA: Well, if you like that character—you’re gonna love our book. They’re very, very eerily similar.

And here's a link to the whole thing:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090802-AzzarelloJoker.html

 

[Toxin72]

This seems like it could be awesome. I can't wait for this.

 

[Figs]

Thanks for posting those interviews!

I really can't wait to see what they did with the Riddler.

 

[The Denialist]

I really don't like the way Azzarello says Harley is portrayed in this GN...

 

[kguillou]

Sounds real good, but looks like Batman's gona be completely absent from this.

 

[Toxin72]

Sounds real good, but looks like Batman's gona be completely absent from this.

He'll probably show up at some points but the main focus will be the joker.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

i think its told from the point of view of one of jokers goons, so Batman will probly show up a couple times to foil there latest plan or something.

 

[kguillou]

Well in the interview Azzarello says:

NRAMA: How prominent of a role does Batman play in this project? How comfortable are you with this character?
BA: It seems like every time I do him, I do something different; I try to play up a different aspect of the character. I’m not so wrapped up in the continuity stuff—I don’t get into that too much.
NRAMA: What aspect are you playing up this time around?
BA: He’s there—he’s a part of Gotham; he’s everywhere.
NRAMA: And this is all seen through the eyes of your protagonist?
BA: It’s mentioned. You don’t see Batman but he’s on every page.

So like i said it seems like he's absent. I dont really mind too much, but i was looking forward to seeing Bermejo's version of him.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

yea but you might see him a couple times, theres no way to tell fo' sure yet.

 

[Grommers]

It turned me off when I saw that two-face was trying to fight the joker for dominance.

 

[ronny]

It turned me off when I saw that two-face was trying to fight the joker for dominance.

It's all dependant on what Two-Face's motives are. If he is portrayed as a straight up criminal than I will have lost a lot of interest.
He shouldn't be a mob boss.

 

[Greg]

It's all dependant on what Two-Face's motives are. If he is portrayed as a straight up criminal than I will have lost a lot of interest.
He shouldn't be a mob boss.

But most of the time Two-Face is a crime boss. Two-Face always seems to have a different motive each appearance or different writer. A lot of the time he's a crime boss.

 

[ronny]

But most of the time Two-Face is a crime boss. Two-Face always seems to have a different motive each appearance or different writer. A lot of the time he's a crime boss.

And it's never worked. What criminal would work for a former District Attorney? He should seek to elimate the freaks, Batman, the mob and the crooked cops in order to fully cleanse Gotham.
I just think that the character works best as a deranged, messianic vigilante.

 

[Greg]

And it's never worked. What criminal would work for a former District Attorney? He should seek to elimate the freaks, Batman, the mob and the crooked cops in order to fully cleanse Gotham.
I just think that the character works best as a deranged, messianic vigilante.

Yeah, I prefer the vigilante aspect of the character, but the mob boss element has been a part of his character for a long time. A little bit of being turned into something that he always fought against.

 

[ronny]

Yeah, I prefer the vigilante aspect of the character, but the mob boss element has been a part of his character for a long time. A little bit of being turned into something that he always fought against.

That's an aspect of it. But I think that whole theme was explored in The Long Halloween in a much better way. The man who believed so strongly in law and order becomes a common murderer. Shooting a guy in the head without a trial or a jury or any legal means. Merely on the flip of a coin.
I personally found that a lot more effective than him having stereotypical hired goons and being a ganglord. Because not only has he turned against the system but he has become completely disillusioned by it.
Honestly, if he is to have hired help I would imagine it being from people like the Batman copycats in The Dark Knight. Basically, people who want to help but whose plans boil down to shooting people.
That's what Two-Face becomes and that's the tragedy of the character. That someone so brilliant loses all his chivalry and takes it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner.

 

[Greg]

That's an aspect of it. But I think that whole theme was explored in The Long Halloween in a much better way. The man who believed so strongly in law and order becomes a common murderer. Shooting a guy in the head without a trial or a jury or any legal means. Merely on the flip of a coin.
I personally found that a lot more effective than him having stereotypical hired goons and being a ganglord. Because not only has he turned against the system but he has become completely disillusioned by it.
Honestly, if he is to have hired help I would imagine it being from people like the Batman copycats in The Dark Knight. Basically, people who want to help but whose plans boil down to shooting people.
That's what Two-Face becomes and that's the tragedy of the character. That someone so brilliant loses all his chivalry and takes it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner.

Sort of like how he was written by the great David Hine in the Joker Asylum mini, right? I love stuff like that.