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memorypalace — RIP Killing Joke
Published: 2011-06-21 18:29:04 +0000 UTC; Views: 5585; Favourites: 167; Downloads: 0
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This situation, it reminds me of a joke...This is my tribute to one of my favourite scenes in possibly the best Batman story of all time, which will, come september, cease to be canon.
I tend to think that this reboot is generally a good thing, but there are some stories which should just remain Batman lore. Killing Joke is one of them. Year One is another. I realise having Barbara Gordon back as Batgirl is both fresh and retro, but couldn't they have set her book pre-Killing Joke for even more retro appeal?
Anyway, I tried to do this in my own style, but it came out pretty close to the original. Still, I'm pretty pleased with it, and Bat-fans may notice I referenced the original rainbow colours and not the recent drab repaint.
Of course now future editions of the book can have writer Alan Moore's own appraisal of his "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" in the prefix.
"This is an imaginary story. Aren't they all?"
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Comments: 68
Mark Hamil should come back one last time for voicing Joker if the Killing joke was adapted.
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I agree, but I doubt he'll go back, sadly
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yep the killing joke ah one of my fav joker comics of all time XD
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it really is a masterpiece ... i really love that book [link] i all so love this video XD i like listening to comics hahaha
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DC want a kick up the arse. Killing Joke was the best Batman story ever. The writing on Batman took such a nose die a couple of years ago that i stopped reading the comics and sold my huge collection that went back to the early 60s.
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The DC reboot isn't the same across all titles, apparently. Batman's reboot is a 'soft' reboot, whichh allows previous stories to exist, so KJ and others did still happen. Now I need to read Batgirl 1 and see how they explain it all
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Apparently, Killing Joke remains.
I guess we'll see!
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Apparently so
It seems Batman is getting a 'soft' reboot, unlike Superman, who gets a full reboot. Barbara still walks, so she must get out of her chair using some of those methods that others characters use (Damian Wayne was also paralysed briefly), so we'll have to wait and see exactly what happens
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AMEN! According to #5 on this list [link] Killing Joke will still be canon & 'crucial' to what they're doing with Babs!
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Hmm, well at least it's still in continuity, I suspect she will recover, like when they ret-conned Jason Todd back to life 
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it won't be wiped from cannon. they just changed the crippled Bat-girl part.
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Yeah, apparently so 
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WHY?! Why reboot The Killing Joke??? That's like messing around with the Mona Lisa. (well not really but, you know.)
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I know what you mean, it is a major event in bat-history
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Yeah.
And after thinking about it, it may be good to freshen up a few stories.
I remain optimistic.
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Im glad I got my hands on this novel before it gets pulled away and re-booted. Srsly, what are DC thinking about this re-boot?! If that Harley design stays...
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I know, Batman needs a history, so some stories must remain canon.
That Harley is just not right, either D:
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That Harley makes me want to kill someone.
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Very cool take on that scene, man! Digging the colors.
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"What a travesty! Th' most cherished and respected (not mention wealthiest!) Bone in Boneville-- out in th' woods-- fending off th' elements with his bare hands! Forced to eke out a miserable existence AMIDST TH' ROCKS 'N' MUD!! OH, CRUEL, CRUEL FATE! WHY HAVE YOU ABANDONED YOUR MOST BELOVED SON?!...God, I pity me."- Phoney Bone ("Bone", Vol. 1: "Out from Boneville")
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Thank you, the original book is very vibrant, especially for it's time. The background colours on this are book-accurate, believe it or not
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Oh, I believe you, man- kudos on nailing those colors
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"What a travesty! Th' most cherished and respected (not mention wealthiest!) Bone in Boneville-- out in th' woods-- fending off th' elements with his bare hands! Forced to eke out a miserable existence AMIDST TH' ROCKS 'N' MUD!! OH, CRUEL, CRUEL FATE! WHY HAVE YOU ABANDONED YOUR MOST BELOVED SON?!...God, I pity me."- Phoney Bone ("Bone", Vol. 1: "Out from Boneville")
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I'm hoping her look is for that story only. Otherwise...
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I know, I know. Horrible if it stays.
Mr J would totally react like that too.
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Killing Joke still happens, so they say.
I am highly against Barbara being cured though. Diversity, DC says? Diversity my ass! They add one black member to Bat family while getting rid of the only crippled hero-role-model, of Cass, of Steph... of Secret Six! Bah, the idiocy.
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So I've heard
I know, a very high-profile disabled character presented in a very positive light abandoned for a Batgirl comic 
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The idea of actually pushing forward a black character isn't good at all. Too much emphasis on skin colour IS racism too. They're all like "He's patrolling Africa", which begs for a "What, the whole continent? From Cairo to Cape Colony?" at first. So yeah.
Steph was a good Batgirl. Then Cass, asian.
And of course, the badass crippled character, ruined. Great job, DC.
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I didnt even know about the killing joke being "un-canonified" until now D: Probably my favourite comic of all time D:
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Mine too
Apparently it is still canon, despite Barbara Gordon being a young, athletic Batgirl in the reboot. I don't know how either
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Confusion O.O Anyway this is awesome xD
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This literally makes me ache. It's so perfect. I cried when I heard about the reboot.
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I know, it's still a great story, I just preferred when it was part of bat-history D:
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Oh, for me it always will be. Babs is Oracle for me and always will be Oracle. She sucks as Batgirl since she has o background or real reason to put on the mask 'cept for "My daddy's a cop."
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Awww! I love. I'm going to miss TKJ being canon. It's my favorite Joker story. ::le sigh::
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Yeah, it really defines the Batman/Joker relationship.
I've since read it's not officially been erased, but Barbara Gordon will be Batgirl, so it's status will probably be 'cool story' from now on
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I LOVE this!!! awesome job, love the perspective and bats' expression xDD
and you already know my opinion about retconning The Killing Joke... HERESY.
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You are very kind, as ever
Killing Joke is Batman lore, but apparently it is still in continuity, despite Barbara Gordon/Batgirl
However they want to present it, it is still one of the best bat-stories. I'd prefer if it were still canon, but it's still great even if it isn't
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Actually from what I've heard DC is still making Killing Joke canon...just magically making Barbara normal!
I was first intrigued with the reboot and all but once they released the new Harley suicide squad look....I backed out.
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Yeah, that doesn't really make sense at all
That Harley look is the worst of all, I'm hoping it's just for that one issue
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I'm against violence between couples...but I would actually forgive Joker for bitch slapping her for that "outfit"
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Violence in their couple is consensual since it's S&M though, just saying. XD
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Excellent work!
I haven't kept up with the whole reboot thing, but what I'm reading now is that Killing Joke is staying in the continuity but that Barbara Gordon is Batgirl again
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Thank you
I just had a look around, and it seems that some stories are still in continuity, and KJ is one of them, despite the new Batgirl with Barbara Gordon
I really don't know how that's going to work, but hey it's still a great book either way
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I'm glad. Even though Alan Moore himself has dismissed the story as one of his lesser works, I still love it. And I've always preferred this origin (even though it might be the false memory of a madman) to the he-was-always-a-criminal origin like in Batman Confidential or in Tim Burton's Batman.
I seem to remember an episode of Bird's of Prey where a high-tech back brace was developed for Barbara and she could actually walk for a little while but not for long. Maybe they're thinking of something like that.
Really, though, it was so cool that they just didn't throw away her character, and that Kim Yale and John Ostrander made her into a whole new type of hero! So her being Batgirl again just seems like a step backward.
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Yeah, I read that Moore can't see what the fuss is about. And I always consider it to contain the Joker's actual origin, though I did like the idea in Burton's that they created each other
In a recent Batman and Robin, Robin was shot multiple times in the spine and left paralysed, yet Talia's technology saved him. There are plenty of ways out of it, but I suspect her previous wheelchair days won't be mentioned, and it is just the ideas in KJ that remain canon.
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O.O this is possibly my favorite piece of your work! The colours and the way you have done Batman and Joker is stunning! They look wonderful on the background!
The more it goes on the more I find faults in the reboot D:
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