46. Batman: The Killing Joke

Aidan makes his return to Comic Misfits as he and Pedro chat all things about Alan Moore’s classic storyline, Batman: The Killing Joke. 

Batman: The Killing Joke is a 1988 one-shot graphic novel featuring Batman and the Joker written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland. The Killing Joke provides an origin story for the supervillain the Joker, loosely adapted from the 1951 story arc “The Man Behind the Red Hood!”. The Joker’s origin is presented via flashback, while simultaneously depicting his attempt to drive Jim Gordon insane and Batman’s desperate attempt to stop him.

Created by Moore, Bolland, and Higgins as their own take on the Joker’s source and psychology, the story became famous for its origin of the Joker as a tragic character; a family man and failed comedian who suffered “one bad day” that finally drove him insane. Moore stated that he attempted to show the similarities and contrasts between Batman and the Joker. The story’s effects on the mainstream Batman continuity also included the shooting and paralysis of Barbara Gordon (Batgirl), an event that eventually leads her to develop the identity of Oracle.

Take a listen as Pedro and Aidan break down all things Batman: The Killing Joke!

As always, become a patron of the show today and get on an episode with us! visit www.patreon.com/comicmisfits to find out more info!

Make sure to rate us on Apple Podcasts, and get in on the conversation!

As always, don’t forget to follow us on all your favorite social media platform:
www.facebook.com/comicmisfits
www.instagram.com/comicmisfits
www.twitter.com/comicmisfits

Related Posts

Pedro Heizer

Pedro is the founder and one of the hosts of the Comic Misfits podcast. A passionate comic book fan, he believes that every fan deserves a seat at the geekdom table, not just those who have been in the fandom for years. The idea for Comic Misfits came after experiencing gatekeeping in certain fandoms. Pedro wanted to create a podcast and website that would serve as an easy access point for anyone looking to start or learn more about the fandoms they love. Batman is his favorite character, and he loves connecting with fellow comic fans on X and Threads.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *