A Must Read
After years of hearing the non stop praise that has been lavished upon this story I finally decided to pick up The Killing Joke. I must say the people are right, this is an amazing story with some of the best artwork I have ever seen in a comic. Bolland's cinematic artwork will strike you from page one as Batman walks in to Arkham Asylum to meet with a man whom he believes to be the Joker. Bolland's attention to detail is astonishing especially when he handles the colouring chores (found in the 20th anniversary edition). But the best part of Bolland's artwork has to be his depiction of the Joker, whose madness is perfectly captured in his facial expressions and body language.
As with any good comic book story the writing is also top notch. This is actually the first work by Alan Moore that I've read and I must say it has got me curious about his other works such as Watchmen and V For Vendetta. I had some reservations when I heard that someone gave the Joker an origin story, but fortunately I was wrong. Not only does Moore's origin fit the Joker perfectly but the writer also casts doubt about its validity in the story, allowing the reader to take it or leave it. Top it all off with one of the best endings ever produced in comics and you've got an instant classic on your hands.
A word of warning: with all the praise that has been lavished upon this story, it's easy to go into it expecting it to be the best thing you've ever read and coming out disappointed when it inevitably was not. Too much hype can ruin even the best of stories, and this one is certainly one of the best.
