The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

[Zero]

First off the cover is half of the Joker's face. If it had been the full thing I'd have bought two. Poor show DC.

Apart from that, this was a brilliant start to the story. Joker murdering an entire roomful of cops (save one) was brilliant, and his ongoing torture of Gordon suitably creepy. The references to The Man Who Laughs and his own origin are enough to hook me and Capullo's reveal of the Joker on the final page is just shocking enough to work.

[draco x]

Interesting as it sounds it will most likely end with Batman about to kill the Joker but decides not to because of his moral code. However, if the Joker were to bump off the current Robin, then I will praise him in song.

[Zero]

Interesting as it sounds it will most likely end with Batman about to kill the Joker but decides not to because of his moral code. However, if the Joker were to bump off the current Robin, then I will praise him in song.

I think he's definitely going to take a run at the whole family this time round, I'm actually a little worried for Alfred.

[TROY]

I wasn't overly impressed with this, and that saddens me because I really hoping for something so much more. Capullos artwork was top notch, but the design of the Joker didn't do anything for me. It's like they combined Hush with Joker, the bandages just made me immediately think of Hush. Going after Alfred was nice twist, especially if this means that Joker knows all there is to know about the Batman now.

[Juan Cena]

Interesting as it sounds it will most likely end with Batman about to kill the Joker but decides not to because of his moral code. However, if the Joker were to bump off the current Robin, then I will praise him in song.

With Morrison still doing Batman, Inc., that's very doubtful.

[Zechs]

At a mused whim I took a peek at this. The thing is, this story was told but a mere four years ago by Morrison. Yeah the story and art sucked. But at least the end design was a little better. I'm still not sold on the new look or direction for the Joker. Because of two reasons: 1.) It looks over complicated and too gritty. 2.) It continues to de-evolve him as nothing more than a killer on par with Carnage. When you're nothing more than Carnage now.. well. Yeah.. that says a lot of the writing then.




We've gotten to the point were the Joker is so over the top violent that keeping him around well.. makes it more insane as to why he still is. You can get an easy answer as to why Mr. Freeze is, Two-Face, or even Scarecrow. But Joker? It's gotten too ridiculous.

Still I think the real reason that bugs me so much is that I still can't for the life of me take Capullo's art. There's something that bugs me about it. That it tries to be creepy but can't. Jock on the other hand. Damn.. the stuff he did with Snyder on Tec still gives me nightmares. Now speaking of that.

The second story with Harley? MUCH MUCH more frightening.

[IvCNuB4]

I assumed the half-face die-cut was done for variety, and logistical reasons for attaching to the spine. If they had used a full face it would've looked like just a double cover.
Either way it was decent of them to not charge more for these.

[chap22]

Y'all crazy. First off, i'll admit that OK, this is definitely the less-appealing version of the Joker for me, where his plans revolve around absolutely nothing more than killing as many people as possible as sadistically as possible, but i'll be damned if that version of the character may not be the antagonist Snyder was born to write. This book has all the creepy foreboding little tricks Snyder is expert at playing, with a classic "kill 'em in a dark room" scene that brought the horror, classic Joker mindfuckery with Gordon and Bats, some swerves, etc., but Snyder made sure to inject just enough zaniness into Joker as well to keep just a hint of lightness to the gruesome evil on display as well. The backup with Joker and Harley is the perfect example...it's mental torture of harley by a clearly totally bugfuck Joker, but just when you think it's gonna get really gruesomely ugly, we get the classic Joker "ha, gotcha!" moment. I hate the whole face-mask thing they've got going with Joker right now, but other than that absolutely zero complaints, with a terrifying last page that leads to an awful lot of long-time questions that may finally get answered. I loved it.

[guitarsmashley]

First off the cover is half of the Joker's face. If it had been the full thing I'd have bought two. Poor show DC.

Apart from that, this was a brilliant start to the story. Joker murdering an entire roomful of cops (save one) was brilliant, and his ongoing torture of Gordon suitably creepy. The references to The Man Who Laughs and his own origin are enough to hook me and Capullo's reveal of the Joker on the final page is just shocking enough to work.

Never read That little story? The Killing Joke?

[Juan Cena]

At a mused whim I took a peek at this. The thing is, this story was told but a mere four years ago by Morrison. Yeah the story and art sucked. But at least the end design was a little better. I'm still not sold on the new look or direction for the Joker. Because of two reasons: 1.) It looks over complicated and too gritty. 2.) It continues to de-evolve him as nothing more than a killer on par with Carnage. When you're nothing more than Carnage now.. well. Yeah.. that says a lot of the writing then.




We've gotten to the point were the Joker is so over the top violent that keeping him around well.. makes it more insane as to why he still is. You can get an easy answer as to why Mr. Freeze is, Two-Face, or even Scarecrow. But Joker? It's gotten too ridiculous.

Still I think the real reason that bugs me so much is that I still can't for the life of me take Capullo's art. There's something that bugs me about it. That it tries to be creepy but can't. Jock on the other hand. Damn.. the stuff he did with Snyder on Tec still gives me nightmares. Now speaking of that.

The second story with Harley? MUCH MUCH more frightening.

Yeah, Joker as a psychotic killer is way less interesting than the old Clown Prince of Crime with a ruthless streak.

[Zechs]

Yeah, Joker as a psychotic killer is way less interesting than the old Clown Prince of Crime with a ruthless streak.

Yeah when was the last time the Joker did a zany crime that also happened to have people get murdered?

[fieldy snuts]

Not a fan of the Jokers new look, can't believe I actually agree with Lidfeld who called him 'leatherface joker'.

About how he's written, ok Snyder can write a creepy character, creating creepy psychotic villains seems to be a specialty of his. But the Jokers twisted brand of humor seems totally off.

[ElijahSnowFan]

I enjoyed this for what it was; I've read so many interpretations of the Joker over the years, and while I don't particularly love "homicidal maniac Joker," it's not like I don't understand that this is an interpretation that some people prefer, or like to write about.

One thing I realized while reading this issue, though: Scott Snyder's Jim Gordon Jr., as drawn by Jock, was infinitely scarier. The issue of Detective, "Skeleton Key," is without a doubt one of the creepiest damn things I've ever read and, to be honest, no Joker story I've read thus far compares to that.

I have viewed Greg Capullo's artwork generally favorably over this run, but for some reason, I wasn't feeling it this issue. Nothing I could put my finger on, but I wonder if Capullo's style simply doesn't mesh with this kind of story. That's not a criticism; for example, Frank Miller's artwork was perfect for Daredevil and Dark Knight, but it likely wouldn't have been as effective on a book like, say, Adam Strange or something like that.

[Juan Cena]

Yeah when was the last time the Joker did a zany crime that also happened to have people get murdered?

The original Englehart "Laughing Fish" story maybe?

[draco x]

With Morrison still doing Batman, Inc., that's very doubtful.

Yeah, I know unfortunately, but wishful thinking never hurts now does it?