The Man Who Laughs

[Dr.Omega]

Seeing as how this is one of the joker stories ive never read is it Worth owning? when i checked at borders to see how much it was, it was like 20 bucks then i went online and read reviews and found out its only 43 pages of story plus a golden age storyline thrown in.

anyone have it for download?

 

[Nathan Petrelli]

I'm thinking about buying it, but the length puts me off. Everyone goes on about how amazing it is, but it makes me feel it is a tad overrated due to how short it is. It sounds like it would be:

Gordon: Hello Batman
Batman: Hello
Gordon: Guy running around killing people
Batman: Ok I'm on it
Gordon: Good
Batman: Hows Barbra?
Gordon: None of your business
*Batman flies away*
Batman: I'm Batman
Batman: STOP!
Joker: NO!
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Joker in Arkham*
The End.

 

[BubbaGump]

I'm thinking about buying it, but the length puts me off. Everyone goes on about how amazing it is, but it makes me feel it is a tad overrated due to how short it is. It sounds like it would be:

Gordon: Hello Batman
Batman: Hello
Gordon: Guy running around killing people
Batman: Ok I'm on it
Gordon: Good
Batman: Hows Barbra?
Gordon: None of your business
*Batman flies away*
Batman: I'm Batman
Batman: STOP!
Joker: NO!
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Joker in Arkham*
The End.

Not everything is about length. Some of the best Batman stories have been told within one issue.

If TLH was compressed (and I'm talking about no pointless splash pages and more efficient page layouts--ala Gotham Central) it would probably be no more than a 100 pages.

The thicker a comic is doesn't indicate quality. Look at Dini's stuff. He's doing self-contained stories within one issue and they're some of the best Batman comics in years.

By the way, your TMWL description:

 

[Nathan Petrelli]

Not everything is about length. Some of the best Batman stories have been told within one issue.

If TLH was compressed (and I'm talking about no pointless splash pages and more efficient page layouts--ala Gotham Central) it would probably be no more than a 100 pages.

The thicker a comic is doesn't indicate quality. Look at Dini's stuff. He's doing self-contained stories within one issue and they're some of the best Batman comics in years.

By the way, your TMWL description:

But how can you get into it with only 44 pages? How can you get involved with the characters, just because you read Batman and know who The Joker is it shouldn't mean that you can just open it up and already be attached to what you are reading because you have read stories with the characters before. It could be a great story, I have yet to buy and read it. But I have a pretty big problem with only being 44 pages in length.

And I know right? I should get into comic writing. I'd be hotter than Morrison.

 

[CrimsonMist]

But how can you get into it with only 44 pages? How can you get involved with the characters, just because you read Batman and know who The Joker is it shouldn't mean that you can just open it up and already be attached to what you are reading because you have read stories with the characters before. It could be a great story, I have yet to buy and read it. But I have a pretty big problem with only being 44 pages in length.

it all comes down to writing ability and illustration. Good writing can get you involved no matter what the length, and with good illustrations can enforce that. And that's the case with this book.

I personally can't get into 70's era Batman books. I think "Night Of The Stalker" is pretty good, but i think Darwyn Cooke's re-telling, "Deja Vu" is way better. Night of The Stalker just has too much narration that can be seen in the panel already. It just beats you over the head by telling you what you're already looking at, or what can be implied from what you're looking at. "Deja Vu" has no narration boxes, and you only go by what you're looking at, and what the characters are saying. And with that, i find it far more engaging. But that's just me.

my point is that it all comes down to writing ability and illustration. Then again, writing ability and illustration is all subjective anyway. ::shrugs::

It's a good book though, check it out.

 

[The Joker]

But how can you get into it with only 44 pages?

It's about quality not quantity. You could have a 100 page comic book, but if it's badly written then it's not engaging at all.

The Man who Laughs is a terrific read. I recommend it.

 

[BubbaGump]

But how can you get into it with only 44 pages?

Have you ever read a Dini comic before? He manages to cram detective thrillers complete with villain characterizations and motives, as well as Batman's crime solving skills perfectly paced and with some rip roaring action scenes all within 25 pages or less.

Like Joker said below me, quality not quantity. Good writers don't need year long arcs to tell a story (cough).

it all comes down to writing ability and illustration. Good writing can get you involved no matter what the length, and with good illustrations can enforce that. And that's the case with this book.

In terms of modern Batman comics, Gotham Central does this as well (also written by Brubaker <333).

I personally can't get into 70's era Batman books. I think "Night Of The Stalker" is pretty good, but i think Darwyn Cooke's re-telling, "Deja Vu" is way better. Night of The Stalker just has too much narration that can be seen in the panel already. It just beats you over the head by telling you what you're already looking at, or what can be implied from what you're looking at. "Deja Vu" has no narration boxes, and you only go by what you're looking at, and what the characters are saying. And with that, i find it far more engaging. But that's just me.

The 70's comics do seem dated (the narration boxes with exclamation points and thought bubbles have pretty much been axed) but they have a certain charm.

Night of the Stalker was great as was Deja Vu. Darwyn Cooke: also <333

It's about quality not quantity. You could have a 100 page comic book, but if it's badly written then it's not engaging at all.

The Man who Laughs is a terrific read. I recommend it.

Thank you. Man Who Laughs is excellent. It's what made me a Brubaker fan in the first place.

 

[sclabguy]

I'm thinking about buying it, but the length puts me off. Everyone goes on about how amazing it is, but it makes me feel it is a tad overrated due to how short it is. It sounds like it would be:

Gordon: Hello Batman
Batman: Hello
Gordon: Guy running around killing people
Batman: Ok I'm on it
Gordon: Good
Batman: Hows Barbra?
Gordon: None of your business
*Batman flies away*
Batman: I'm Batman
Batman: STOP!
Joker: NO!
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Batman punches Joker*
*Joker in Arkham*
The End.

yeah seriously dude that's very lame

 

[Qoèlet]

It's pretty good. Shorter than some, true (actually 60-odd pages though, not 44), but then the Killing Joke is less than half as long and people seem to be willing to pay good money for that. It introduces the Joker fairly well, and in a lot of ways follows the Joker's first appearance from 1940. There's a good bit of diving into the Joker's psyche as Batman unravels the mystery, although he remains somewhat skeptical about Joker's exact origins. Good Year One feel to it, which I like.

Good Joker story, maybe not the best but it would make my short list. It's definitely the best version of Batman's first encounter with the Joker. Got to love the Joker's last line, "Okay, uncle... you win. I'll kill them...some other time"

Oh, and yes. If you search torrents, you can definitely find a copy. I mean, if you want to do something dishonest like that.

 

[sclabguy]

the first few pages is really when it grabs you. all those dead victims rotting in some slump with ghastly grins stretching across their faces. Hell when I first saw that i nearly orgazmed

 

[The Guard]

It's nothing brilliant, but it's a nice retelling of Batman and Joker's first encounter, and deals with some of the relevant themes of their coexistence.

 

[Yurka]

Man Who Laughs is one of my favorite Joker stories, its quite disturbing (especially the first few pages) and I love the way the Joker is depicted in it.

 

[Compi716]

I'm a big fan of The Man Who Laughs, but I do agree slightly with Nathan Patrelli regarding the length. Though it is very enjoyable, I do find it a bit rushed at times. It doesn't have quite as much gravitas as I would have liked (though this is just my opinion).

Also, I'm really not a fan of the art. I don't like the way the artist draws the Joker at ALL.

 

[The Dark Guybrush]

It's a great book, I got it as a gift a couple of months ago.
The second story in the book by itself makes it worth buying..
don't get me wrong- I loved the title tale, but the Green Lantern story caught me by surprise.
I think I'll re-read the book in it's entirety when I get home from work today!
(call me inspired..)

 

[Nepenthes]

The best part is when Joker busts in with night vision goggles and twin shooters taking a]out a room full of SWAT all by himself. I think Lovers & Madmen must have definitly picked up on that angle, even though it's also the way he was first introduced, punching Batman off of buildings etc

 

[TruerToTheCore]

One of the best Batman comics I had read for years.

 

[Dr.Omega]

just read it, pretty good read and I dont have an issue with the art at all and Im a big fan of guys like Andy Kubert, Mcfarlane and Jim Lee. Its Doug Mahnke, granted he could have done better in some scenes judging by his past work on The Mask series.

I give it a solid 5 out of 5. but thats if you already own the single comic, the trade paperback gets a 3, because I dont see why it deserves one, couldnt it just have been apart of the re-issue of the greatest joker stories ever told? That way the customer gets more bang for their buck.

 

[Dr.Omega]

Oh, and yes. If you search torrents, you can definitely find a copy. I mean, if you want to do something dishonest like that.

the original sells for 50 dollars, i still think its outrageous to pay over 20 dollars for a trade thats only 43 pages plus another "classic DC" (shudders) sidestory.

 

[The Dark Guybrush]

just read it, pretty good read and I dont have an issue with the art at all and Im a big fan of guys like Andy Kubert, Mcfarlane and Jim Lee. Its Doug Mahnke, granted he could have done better in some scenes judging by his past work on The Mask series.

I give it a solid 5 out of 5. but thats if you already own the single comic, the trade paperback gets a 3, because I dont see why it deserves one, couldnt it just have been apart of the re-issue of the greatest joker stories ever told? That way the customer gets more bang for their buck.

a GREAT book! picked this up when I was fourteen or fifteen (almost 15 years ago.. sheesh)
still holds up. Mahnke is great!!

 

[Finlandman]

The Man Who Laughs is excellent. It doesn't have to be long to be good. Artwork's great too.

 

[ronny]

It's pretty good but the artwork sucks. The way Joker is drawn is horrible.

 

[Drz]

It's pretty good but the artwork sucks. The way Joker is drawn is horrible.

Hmm i wouldn't say that, maybe hes eyes and facial expression is abit weird but i wouldn't say Joker is drawn terrible.

 

[Qoèlet]

a trade thats only 43 pages.

You keep on saying that, and I keep on flicking through the story, and every time I do it's still 63 pages of "The Man Who Laughs". Maybe I got a defective copy or something, but if twenty of the pages from the story I'm reading weren't there, it wouldn't make any sense.

 

[zahanbil]

I recomend buying it off of half.com. I bought mine brand new for less that $10 bucks I believe and loved it, but I lent my friend the book and she said the attatched Green Arrow story was even better than Man Who Laughs. I've heard it's worth purchasing the book alone. I haven't actually read the Green Arrow story, because I didn't know it existed and haven't looked through the book since I bought it (I had read MWL online before purchasing.)

 

[Dr.Omega]

You keep on saying that, and I keep on flicking through the story, and every time I do it's still 63 pages of "The Man Who Laughs". Maybe I got a defective copy or something, but if twenty of the pages from the story I'm reading weren't there, it wouldn't make any sense.

thats what i read on the reviews for amazon.com untill i actually read the issue. Whats the big deal about the green arrow story, wasnt that published in the 70's?