User blog comment:Rising Moonlight/The True Identity of the Joker/@comment-70.24.49.209-20141022183723

I agree with Mr. Black. I have read and watched probably at least six or seven Joker origin stories and found the Jack Nicholson Joker's origin (he killed Bruce Wayne's parents) to be a bit trite or silly, although when the movie came out I thought it was a great origin story at the time. The origin in 'The Killing Joke' was very character driven and touching as well as shocking, also it was very cool how he was originally a down-at-heels stand-up comedian which makes sense for his character (I think this smart idea has recently been copied in the new TV series 'Gotham' when Fish Mooney is auditioning a nervous stand-up comedian). Lastly, the beginning scene where Batman visits the Joker in Arkham (actually a look-alike that Joker had left in his place while escaping) and the ending scene where the Joker tells Batman a joke about two maniacs at an asylum make for one of the most impressive and powerful story bookends I have ever read. If you haven't read 'The Killing Joke' you really should, it's written by Alan Moore (of Watchmen and V for Vendetta) and he's a literary heavyweight especially in the realm of comics and graphic novels.

Dave J.