Question About The Killing Joke...

[Majic Walrus]

people want to be able to like the Joker, which is why they get so offended at the "rape" accusation. Raping a girl would make him unlikeable.

These ppl forget that Joker is a cruel sadist, and a violent psychopath. Someone whose done the things he's done would not be repulsed by rape. His mission in TKJ was to drive Gordon insane, and if rape was necessary to do so, he would do it in a heartbeat.

But I think the best argument one could offer is that the Joker would find rape too conventional, and would search for more creative ways to humiliate/torture Barbara.

I dig what you're shoveling, but seriously I don't think that rape puts him in the unlikeable category any sooner than mass murder, sadistic torture, and bad jokes. The character can be a violent sociopolitical rapist and we can like the character, we might not like him in real life, but we like them.

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

I dig what you're shoveling, but seriously I don't think that rape puts him in the unlikeable category any sooner than mass murder, sadistic torture, and bad jokes. The character can be a violent sociopolitical rapist and we can like the character, we might not like him in real life, but we like them.

Which explains why fan polls have Hannibal Lector as a favorite character because he's likable like that one wacky uncle we all have.

 

[CaptainClown]

I think its possible he did rape Barbara and it is certainly implied, however I personally don't like to think he did simply because rape is beneath the Joker.

 

[Rasputin911]

Which explains why fan polls have Hannibal Lector as a favorite character because he's likable like that one wacky uncle we all have.

but if Lector ate a 6-year-old girl, or raped her, people would no longer find him appealing.

The joker is cool when he's fighting batman and blowing **** up, or even when he's killing those who can fight back. But people don't want to think he would rape someone because then his likeability would go way down. But all the evidence suggests the only reasons he wouldn't rape someone is that he either doesen't like girls or finds rape too conventional.

Not because he finds it "repulsive" like some people are suggesting

 

[Joker]

either doesen't like girls

Harley Quinn shoots the s**t right out of that argument, by the way. The only convincing argument that Joker didn't rape her is that Alan Moore said "the Joker didn't rape her."

 

[Ace of Knaves]

I don't think he actually raped her, he was just pretending he did to drive Gordon further into madness.

I don't think Joker would find rape beneath him, i could imagen him raping someone just for the fun of it. He obviously gets elated from others misfortunes and being raped has gotta be the worst thing for anyone.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Which explains why fan polls have Hannibal Lector as a favorite character because he's likable like that one wacky uncle we all have.

but if Lector ate a 6-year-old girl, or raped her, people would no longer find him appealing.

The joker is cool when he's fighting batman and blowing **** up, or even when he's killing those who can fight back. But people don't want to think he would rape someone because then his likeability would go way down. But all the evidence suggests the only reasons he wouldn't rape someone is that he either doesen't like girls or finds rape too conventional.

Not because he finds it "repulsive" like some people are suggesting

Why would you stop liking the character if he raped Barbara? Don't you like him because he's sick and disturbed and evil?

 

[The Joker]

Harley Quinn shoots the s**t right out of that argument, by the way.

Not to mention the backstory for him in The Killing Joke, where he's married, and his wife is pregnant, who claims "You're good in the sack".

That story in Legends of the Dark Knight, called 'Going Sane', had him falling in love with a woman, too.

 

[Rasputin911]

Why would you stop liking the character if he raped Barbara? Don't you like him because he's sick and disturbed and evil?

yes, but certain crimes are more glamorous than others. robbery, vandalism, and even murder can be romanticized, rape cannot.

Why not just let Joker molest children in the comics, since that would be sick/disturbed/evil? See how quickly he falls in popularity

 

[CaptainClown]

Mad hatter is a pedophile and has a following because of that... (well he is an implied pedophile)

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Well Joker has killed children many, many times in his comics, not that I would want him to molest children but I'm just saying that even helpless children aren't safe from Joker

 

[CaptainClown]

EVIL COTTON CANDY! I love that panel of him handing it out to boy scouts..

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea is that from TDKR? That whole finale with Joker and Batman in the Love Tunnel is epic.

 

[CaptainClown]

ya thst from TDKR. I was going to make an avvy using those shots but it was going to be way too big.

He also abused Tim Drake in RoTJ which was awesome. However, he doesn't seem like a molester cause thats just not his M.O. however someone like Mad Hatter coudl do it and I would totally be fine with it.

 

[Grommers]

I never pictured joker as a molesting type, as I don't think thats funny in the least, even from his point of view, I wouldnt put him past it to do it, if it he could look at it as a joke, but I just don't see how he can make a punch-line out of it.

 

[The Guard]

Wait...people want to like The Joker?

Noooot so much.

yes, but certain crimes are more glamorous than others. robbery, vandalism, and even murder can be romanticized, rape cannot.

Sure it can. Read a few of the spicier romance novels.

 

[C. W. Saturn]

Rape should not be in an all-ages comic book.

 

[CaptainClown]

killing joke is for all ages?

 

[C. W. Saturn]

killing joke is for all ages?

Batman is, and it affects the regular books.

 

[CaptainClown]

mmm ya no.. I am going to go ahead and disagree that not all Batman books are for all ages. Not that they are too violent, but there are just many stories that goes over kids heads.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea The Killing Joke is deffinately aimed at adults, I don't think some younger comic book readers would even understand the underlying meanings and themes.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Batman is NOT for all ages. That is why there are specific Batman comics and TV shows aimed at kids.

Would you take your kids to see TDK? Would they understand it? Would you let them read The Long Halloween? Would they understand it?

 

[Illstreet]

I always took it as The Joker did Rape her... Based on her reaction to when Batman comes to see her in the hospital. Very reflecting of a rape victim...

Then again, you could say the same about being shot, and stripped naked and having your father taken hostage...

But I don't know. When I read it the first time, that's how I took it.

 

[CaptainClown]

See thats the stereotypical problem comics books have. People seem to think that comics are aimed towards kids when the writing reflects topics that older audiences can relate to.

 

[Rasputin911]

EVIL COTTON CANDY! I love that panel of him handing it out to boy scouts..

what was so scary about that crime is that there was absolutely no motivation for it whatsoever, except maybe to attract Batman. Truly disturbing