Batman

I’m weary of the excess of movies based on comics, but I want to see The Dark Knight. I’m so stoked about The Dark Knight, I’m avoiding from watching its trailer again, because everytime I do so I cry, “can’t July come any sooner!” I’m not young, and wishing time to fast forward isn’t good for my well-being. 

Still I wish I could timewarp to July and then watch this movie and then timewarp back to June and then resume living this day (June 25, 2008) as a normal but a happier guy. Too bad no such technology exists. Fine, then, maybe Christopher Nolan would be so kind as to grant me an exclusive screening in a room for me alone, or maybe accompanied by a bunch of supermodels dressed up as Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Huntress, Oracle, Batgirl, Renee Montoya, and Harley Quinn. 

Don’t be surprised if I sound like I’m more than just acquainted with the Batman universe: of all superheroes, Batman is my favorite, and I have long been collecting his graphic novels. I like Batman not because he is always likeable — hey, he’s quite the jerk sometimes; I like him because stories about him or his city are very somber, film-noir-like, and psychological. And I dig that kind of crap. 

So what about The Dark Knight gets me excited? Look at the characters: Harvey Dent, Joker, Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Commissioner Gordon. Now imagine all the possibilities! Yes, Bruce and Gordon appear in all Batman stories anyway. But, Harvey Dent and Joker, in the same movie, but only one is the main antagonist, while the other slowly becomes one? ZOMGZ! Did you know that some of the finest stories in Batman involve these two psychos? So, yeah, I want to see how this film is gonna depict Harvey Dent’s fall from grace. And I’m raring to see Heath Ledger’s final role, as Batman’s insane arch-nemesis. 

But since I can only pine, you know what I’ll do? Reread the hell out of the finest Batman comics about Joker. You can do that too, so that when you see the movie, you can throw fits everytime the movie diverged from the source materials! And then you can kick the chair in front of you until the security locks you up in Arkham. 

And here’s where I tell you what Joker stories to read.

First, it’s Batman: The Killing Joke. It’s written by Alan Moore, the same guy who did V for Vendetta and Watchmen. You have always known Joker as that psycho clown who kills without remorse, right? Well, here, you’ll read about why Joker is like that. It shows you his past – how he ended up being Joker - and it also shows you another of his plot to terrorize Gotham, this time by trying to make Gotham’s most righteous person lose his mind. It’s a horrifying tale, and it’s not meant for kids, but it triumphs because it makes you feel sorry for Joker despite how despicable he is. 

But if you can, don’t buy The Killing Joke. What you need is to buy DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore, because it compiles, uh, DC Universe stories written by Alan Moore. The Killing Joke is in there, plus you’ll get to read some of the finest Superman, Green Lantern, and Swamp Thing short stories too. So it’s worth it.

When you’re done with The Killing Joke, you can buy Ed Brubaker’s Batman: The Man Who Laughs. This is a very fitting companion to The Killing Joke. Taking place after The Killing Joke’s past and before The Killing Joke’s present, The Man Who Laughs retells Batman’s first encounter with Joker, about how Joker began to change everything in Gotham City. My copy also has a nice episode about Batman and the very first Green Lantern, and it juxtaposes Gotham’s past and present very well. 

And when you’ve finished reading the two, then keep rereading and rereading them until the only thing you have in your mind is Joker’s nasty smile. And then, start laughing like a loon.