Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's 1988 graphic novel "The Killing Joke" is one of the most famous Batman stories. It's also undergone a more adversarial reevaluation in the 21st century due to its exploitative depiction of violence against women; the Joker shooting and disabling Barbara Gordon is a textbook case of a woman in a refrigerator.
Despite the ickiness, I still think it's a damn good comic. Bolland's artwork is gorgeous and the book interrogates Batman and the Joker's shared dynamic with depth every Batman writer since has been chasing.
In "The Killing Joke," the Joker abducts Commissioner Gordon and tries to push him to his psychological breaking point. As the Joker remembers it, he was once a regular man who had a really bad day that convinced him to laugh at how awful the world is. But his hypothesis is wrong; Gordon doesn't crack and Batman suggests the...
Despite the ickiness, I still think it's a damn good comic. Bolland's artwork is gorgeous and the book interrogates Batman and the Joker's shared dynamic with depth every Batman writer since has been chasing.
In "The Killing Joke," the Joker abducts Commissioner Gordon and tries to push him to his psychological breaking point. As the Joker remembers it, he was once a regular man who had a really bad day that convinced him to laugh at how awful the world is. But his hypothesis is wrong; Gordon doesn't crack and Batman suggests the...
- 2/12/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Written by Andrew Cartmel | Art by Brian Williamdson | Published by Titan Comics
Before jumping into the main part of these scribblings, after all you are here to read a review of the story are you not, I want to give a shout out to what a great cover this issue has. I mentioned with last issue’s review that I thought this story had a touch of the old pulps about it, and this issue has a rather fabulous cover that also references that. It’s in the style of the old EC comics of the 1950′s, and is a pitch perfect imitation. Not that I need a reason to love this book more, but this certainly doesn’t hurt. By now most of you will know what is going on, but for those that came in late, Nightingale and friend Angus Strallen have been pitting wits against a magic...
Before jumping into the main part of these scribblings, after all you are here to read a review of the story are you not, I want to give a shout out to what a great cover this issue has. I mentioned with last issue’s review that I thought this story had a touch of the old pulps about it, and this issue has a rather fabulous cover that also references that. It’s in the style of the old EC comics of the 1950′s, and is a pitch perfect imitation. Not that I need a reason to love this book more, but this certainly doesn’t hurt. By now most of you will know what is going on, but for those that came in late, Nightingale and friend Angus Strallen have been pitting wits against a magic...
- 2/1/2019
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
Written by Andrew Cartmel | Art by Brian Williamson | Published by Titan Comics
The previous arc, ‘Water Weed’, was different in that it was the first written solely by Andrew Cartmel. No worry was necessary though, as it turned out pretty good, with I’m assuming creator/formerly co-writer Ben Aaronovitch serving as a sort of executive producer to help it along. This issue also sees another milestone, with artistic mainstay Lee Sullivan giving way to Brian Williamson. I am sad in the sense that now two thirds of such a great creative team is missing, but happy in that Andrew Cartmel is a steady hand and Brian Williamson is certainly no compensation prize. Although very different from Sullivan in style, his style is very pleasing on the eye.
As it’s all change on the creative front, it is perhaps appropriate that it’s also a bit of a change...
The previous arc, ‘Water Weed’, was different in that it was the first written solely by Andrew Cartmel. No worry was necessary though, as it turned out pretty good, with I’m assuming creator/formerly co-writer Ben Aaronovitch serving as a sort of executive producer to help it along. This issue also sees another milestone, with artistic mainstay Lee Sullivan giving way to Brian Williamson. I am sad in the sense that now two thirds of such a great creative team is missing, but happy in that Andrew Cartmel is a steady hand and Brian Williamson is certainly no compensation prize. Although very different from Sullivan in style, his style is very pleasing on the eye.
As it’s all change on the creative front, it is perhaps appropriate that it’s also a bit of a change...
- 10/19/2018
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
Written by Andrew Cartmel, Ben Aaronovitch | Art by Lee Sullivan | Published by Titan Comics
Always a pleasure when a new issue of one of my favourite books drops. I read many comics every month, and some I read through a sense of completion rather than a sense of enjoyment, but can honestly say that has never been the case with Rivers of London. Consistently enjoyable and fun to read, I often can’t even find fault when I want to, to throw in a little criticism now and again. Damn you Cartmel and Aaronovitch.
So, Cry Fox has been tapping into the place of the fox in fairy tales and mythology, intriguing enough, but the scope of the story widened much more last issue. Talking foxes and foxes in human form aside, Peter’s niece Abigail has been abducted, as has Anna, the daughter of a Russian family. The abduction is not what it seems,...
Always a pleasure when a new issue of one of my favourite books drops. I read many comics every month, and some I read through a sense of completion rather than a sense of enjoyment, but can honestly say that has never been the case with Rivers of London. Consistently enjoyable and fun to read, I often can’t even find fault when I want to, to throw in a little criticism now and again. Damn you Cartmel and Aaronovitch.
So, Cry Fox has been tapping into the place of the fox in fairy tales and mythology, intriguing enough, but the scope of the story widened much more last issue. Talking foxes and foxes in human form aside, Peter’s niece Abigail has been abducted, as has Anna, the daughter of a Russian family. The abduction is not what it seems,...
- 1/23/2018
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
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