The artwork is excellent, don't get me wrong. I'm confident there are parts of this story that resonate with other people and that other people might enjoy this work just fine.For me, I just don't jive with this writer's interpretation of the Joker's character as well as his interpretation of Harley Quinn (silent and dressing up like a trophy girlfriend--come on, BORING!). It was okay at first... then there was the rape scene. I have a hard time believing the Joker would rape one of his underling's girlfriend's just to keep him in line and send a message--it's just so uncreative and yeah, kind of offensive to just stoop to that as a plot/character device, in my opinion. The woman is dehumanized not just because of what the Joker did; she's given no character or voice, it's only about how it effects this minute, unimportant goon of the Joker. I like the Joker shooting the guys who don't follow his directions unexpectedly; I like the Joker emotionally manipulating people in preposterous, zany, heinous ways as he does in The Killing Joke--the Joker is a villain I want to like, even when he's threatening women and children. If you think I'm being too sensitive and precious about a "darker interpretation"--would you like a story about the Joker raping the croney instead? Or raping a child or an animal? It's just... basic, and crude. And yeah, I think it says a lot that I don't remember much of the rest of the story--just how many times phallic images showed up in spite of the rape that lost the story to me (lots of Freudian dicks--shrimps and guns--and some of them go into the Joker's mouth. Just saying, it was interesting imagery that stood out to me.) Warning: this is not the funny, wisecracking joker of the Adam West era. He's not the suave master criminal Jack Nicholson Joker. He's not the psychologist terrorist of Heath Ledger. He's not even the flat-out terrifying semihuman monster with a peeled face from Batman 13. He's not the killer that beat Jason Todd to death and shot Batgirl. This time round, he manages to do something even worse, something that beats everything else he's done so far... he is sane. He is a sane creature that walked into insanity as a defense, as an attack... and the result is a randomness that will terrify at a different level altogether. Batman doesn't even show up till the last panels. This is about Mr. J and man, does he steal the show. A look unlike any seen before, unforgettable, and you won't ever see him the same way again.
Do You like book Coringa (2008)?
Great narrative makes it clear that the Joker is only looking out for one man: himself.
—idontread1015
my favorite joker story. my favorite art as well.
—abbie
fantastic...beautiful art and writing (imo)
—hannahpankratz
