Review: "Joker" Graphic Novel

Christmas came early this year for this particular blogger.

Friday I managed to finally get my hands on the new Brian Azzarello/Lee Bermejo graphic novel "Joker" which I had previewed earlier in my blog. I predicted that it would be pretty dang amazing.

And let me be the first to say that it didn't disappoint.

The story is told through the eyes of the Joker's newest right-hand man, Jonny Frost. All Jonny wants is to be a big shot, not just some "two-bit hood, hustling small potatoes"-- but the only way to do this is to lay himself at the mercy of the Clown Prince of Crime. Through his narration, we are taken on a roller coaster ride of drugs, death, and depravity.

Jonny learns that the Joker has somehow managed to convince Arkham Asylum doctors that he is no longer insane, and that he is getting out of prison. He takes a chance and volunteers to go pick up good ol' Mr. J at Arkham. For reasons never fully known, the Joker takes an immediate liking to Jonny and begins to train him as his newest gang member.

When Joker gets out of Arkham, he discovers that all the money that he worked so hard to steal has been divvied up and squandered by his underbosses. This does not make him very happy. Rounding up the few criminals he can still trust, he sets out on a killing spree the likes of which Gotham's underbelly has never before seen.

The one thing I was completely impressed with in this graphic novel was how Azzarello and Bermejo re-imagined all the traditional characters. Both visually and psychologically intriguing, every single character makes you want to reread their panels over and over again. For all you Batman purists out there, we get pretty much the entire original Rogue's Gallery: Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Riddler, Harley Quinn, and Croc. I'm extremely tempted to describe in detail every one of the villains, but I'll just leave it up to the reader to go and find out for themselves.

The Joker in this graphic novel is one that we've never seen before. His look and some of his traits are eerily similar to Christopher Nolan's Joker (i.e. Cheshire Grin, funky suits, penchant for laceration) but Azzarello and Bermejo started working on this project two years before the release of Dark Knight. Strange coincidence, no? But whether it's plagiarism, the common sharing of ideas, or simply divine intervention, one thing is for certain: the new Joker kicks so much ass. Not since The Killing Joke was I actually frightened by the Joker. With this particular graphic novel, I was legitimately freaked out by the time I finished reading. He becomes more than just a character-- he seems to come alive within the pages and scares the pants off of the reader. But you can't help but like him, and that scares you even more. Kind of makes you question your own sanity. But there's another, more relatable side to Joker that is shown to us in this graphic novel. It is revealed to us that the Joker has a very human side to him-- flawed, imperfect, weak, and even vulnerable. One panel almost brought me to tears. It shows a sobbing Joker clinging to the waist of his one and only Harley who gently strokes his hair. This kind of-- dare I say it-- sensitivity, is something we've never seen in the Joker before. But of course, the Joker gives meaning to the word "volatile," and after he's done crying he proceeds to go on a shooting spree in Gotham, laughing along the way. In true good villain fashion, by the end of the book you don't know whether to love him, hate him, or just feel sorry for him. Only true masters can pull this trick off. Azzarello/Bermejo did this well.

One thing that is extremely compelling about this graphic novel is that Batman almost never present. Most of the time he is alluded to by the Joker and other villains as "Him." In fact, the Dark Knight doesn't show up until the last three pages. But when he does, oh boy, does he show up with a bang. One thing that made me just squeal with delight was the fact that he has only one line. Just one. But that one line is so packed with disdain and sarcasm that it will send you careening with a newly resurrected love for our boy in black.

All in all, I give Joker my stamp of approval. I found it a great read, especially amongst some of the dreck that is being published nowadays. Also, for you casual readers, it will probably spark a new interest in comics and graphic novels. Joker is available for $20 at any Books-A-Million or Barnes and Noble, so go get one today you cheap bastard!