Graphic Novel Review: Joker by Brian Azzarello

Publisher: DC Comics

Date of Publication: November 4, 2008

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Tiara’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars – “I thought this was a great read. It’s one of those comics that provide an alternative perspective of the Joker.”

The Joker has been released from Arkham Asylum–released, not escape. No one is sure how the Joker managed such a thing, and he’s unwilling to divulge his secret. This story is told from the POV of a hood with lofty goals named Jonny Frost. He volunteers to pick Joker up the day that he’s released and follows him down a dizzying spiral of destruction as Joker begins a madcap scramble to reclaim what he considers his.

While the Joker is a dark figure in the DC universe, there’s always this aspect of him that seems to be morosely gleeful no matter the situation. You don’t often see him outside of that “clown” mode. In this book, there’s something deadly serious about the Joker. For sure he’s still the smiling murderer, but there are more moments where he’s just not amused in such a serious way, and it shows all over his demeanor. I know there are moments in the past where he isn’t amused with his current surroundings, but he’s always managed to hide that behind murderous glee as he meted out his punishment.

In this comic, readers can catch glimpses of him where he appears to be angry and bitter with no smile in sight. There’s even a scene where we catch the Joker in a very vulnerable moment with Harley. It’s almost like a slip of the mask, very human moments from a character that doesn’t show many other human emotions. Part of this different view on the Joker might be colored by the fact that story is told from Frost’s point-of-view. So, Joker may be acting in the ways the reader normally sees him, but Frost’s perception of Joker and the situation may temper this view.

Joker’s sanity or insanity is never really directed addressed. This books allows the reader to speculate on this throughout. It’s a topic that’s actively avoided by the Joker with him saying only a few words about his release. I think that Riddler has the most interesting things to say about the Joker and his sanity/insanity when I wasn’t being distracted by his belly tattoo and the fact that he looked like he was a rejected extra from The Fast and the Furious.

Another thing that was different was the Joker’s reaction to Batman. Joker is not Batman’s number one fan in this book. He’s very antagonistic toward him when they finally encounter one another late in the book. So many writers tend to write Joker as a sort of twisted admirer of Batman who seems to cause all this mayhem as some of orchestrated play that involves only the two of them. While I liked this alternate view of Batman and Joker’s “relationship,” their confrontation felt a bit overdramatic and pulpy when it happened.

Even with me being a little ambivalent about the ending, I thought this was a great read. It’s one of those comics that provide an alternative perspective of the Joker.