бэтмен убийственная шутка персонажи
Комикс дня — «Убийственная Шутка»
История, которая раскрывается в комиксе, считается одной из самых влиятельных историй про Джокера всех времён. Благодаря плотному психоанализу персонажа Алана Мура и великолепной художественной работе Брайана Болланда, создаётся по истине мрачная и жуткая история, которая захватывает с первых страниц комикса.
«Batman: The Killing Joke» был издан в 1988 году DC Comics, с тех пор был неоднократно переиздан, сохраняя оригинальную форму.
Сюжет «Убийственной шутки» вертится вокруг психологической битвы между Бэтменом и Джокером. Автор вводит первоначальную историю Джокера, рассказывает о том, кем он был до того, как стал злодеем и о его первой встрече с Бэтменом, что подаётся читателю как воспоминания Джокера, соответственно — не может быть истинной правдой.
Стоит отметить, что комикс раскрывает не только личность самого злодея, но и Бэтмена, благодаря диалогам между двумя противниками, что заставляет читателя переосмыслить всю историю противостояний Бэтмена и Джокера.
Жили-были двое в дурдоме… и однажды ночью… однажды ночью они решили, что им там больше не нравится… И захотели сбежать! Ну и вот, вылезли они на крышу и видят: лишь небольшое расстояние отделяет их от соседнего дома, а дальше — целая вереница крыш простирается в лунном свете… Дорога, ведущая к свободе. И первый парень — он спокойно перепрыгивает на соседнюю крышу. А его друг… Его друг всё никак не решается прыгнуть. Видишь ли… Видишь ли, он боится упасть. Тогда, первому приходит в голову отличная мысль… Он говорит: «Эй! У меня с собой фонарик есть! Я сейчас посвечу в твою сторону, и ты сможешь дойти до меня по лучу света!» Н-но второй парень только трясёт головой. Он г-гговорит… Он говорит: «Я т-тебе что — сумасшедший что ли? Ты ж его выключишь, когда я на полдороге буду!»
«Комикс дня» — новая рубрика в подсайте, которая будет выходить раз в два дня. В ней мы будем немного рассказывать о истории создания комикса и его содержании без спойлеров.
Batman: The Killing Joke
«Batman: The Killing Joke»
General Information
Issue Number:
Cover Date:
In 2008 it was reprinted in a deluxe hardcover edition. This Deluxe Edition features new coloring by Brian Bolland, meant to illustrate his original intentions for the book, with more somber, realistic, and subdued colors than the intensely-colored original. The reprint also included the story An Innocent Guy, which had earlier been included in Batman Black and White series of comics.
Contents
Synopsis
«The Killing Joke»
The plot revolves around a largely psychological battle between Batman and his longtime foe the Joker, who has escaped from Arkham Asylum. Batman paid a visit to Arkham Asylum, and specifically to the Joker’s cell. He then tells the Clown Prince of Crime that he’s been thinking of their battles, more specifically how they’re most likely going to end: One of them is most likely going to kill the other, whether it be Joker killing Batman, or Batman killing Joker, that most likely it may happen either sooner or later, and wonders if Joker himself is aware of that. However, he then realizes the man in the cell is not actually the Joker due to his chalk skin smearing off when he tried to grab him, and demands to know where he is. The Joker intends to drive Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon insane to prove that the most upstanding citizen is capable of going mad after having «one bad day». As part of his plan, the Joker managed to scam the owner of a run-down amusement park into giving him control, also poisoning him in the process when shaking hands on the deal, revealing that the park was actually Joker’s since an hour beforehand thanks to his minions forcing his business partner to grant Joker ownership. Along the way, the Joker has flashbacks to his early life, gradually explaining his possible origin.
The pre Joker, with his pregnant wife.
The man who will become the Joker is an unnamed engineer who quit his job at a chemical company to become a stand-up comedian, only to fail miserably. Desperate to support his pregnant wife, Jeannie, he agrees to guide two criminals into the plant for a robbery. During the planning, the police inform him that his wife has died in a household accident involving an electric baby bottle heater. Grief-stricken, the engineer tries to withdraw from the plan, but the criminals strong-arm him into keeping his commitment to them.
At the plant, the criminals make him don a special mask to become the infamous Red Hood. Unknown to the engineer, this disguise is simply the criminals’ scheme to implicate any accomplice as the mastermind to divert attention from themselves. Once inside, they almost immediately blunder into security personnel, and a violent shootout and a chase ensues. The criminals are gunned down and the engineer finds himself confronted by Batman, who is investigating the disturbance.
Bolland’s iconic image of the Joker.
Panicked, the engineer deliberately jumps into the chemical plant’s chemical waste catch-basin vat to escape Batman and is swept through a pipe leading to the outside. Once outside, he discovers, to his horror, that the chemicals have permanently bleached his skin chalk white, stained his lips ruby red and dyed his hair bright green. This turn of events, compounding the man’s misfortunes of that one day, drives him completely insane, causing him to break out into hysterical laughter, and results in the birth of the Joker.
In the present day, the Joker kidnaps Gordon, shoots and paralyzes his daughter Barbara, and imprisons him in a run-down amusement park. His henchmen then strip Gordon naked and cage him in the park’s freak show. He chains Gordon to one of the park’s rides and cruelly forces him to view giant pictures of his wounded daughter in various states of undress. Once Gordon completes the maddening gauntlet, the Joker ridicules him as an example of «the average man», a naïve weakling doomed to insanity.
Barbara in the hospital
1988 version of the scene where Joker reveals his pessimistic views on the world.
2008 version of the scene where Joker reveals his pessimistic views on the world.
Batman arrives to save Gordon, and the Joker retreats into the funhouse. Gordon’s sanity is intact despite the ordeal and he insists that Batman capture the Joker «by the book» in order to «show him that our way works.» Batman enters the funhouse and faces the Joker’s traps while the Joker tries to persuade his old foe that the world is inherently insane and thus not worth fighting for, also claiming that Batman must have suffered from a bad day himself and gone insane as well, mostly because of his attire (with Joker being far more correct in his assumption than even he realized). He then commented that, while he doesn’t remember exactly how his bad day went due to his memories changing every time, he knows he went crazy as a result, especially after knowing how the world was a black awful joke. He then ranted as to why Batman won’t acknowledge he’s gone crazy, especially when he’s pretty sure the Caped Crusader was smart enough to see things from his eyes, pointing out how the Cold War frequently came close to escalating to World War III due to a flock of geese appearing on a computer screen, or how the second World War was allegedly caused by Germany entering an argument over the amount of telegraph poles they owed the Allies when undergoing reparations shortly after the first World War, and then denouncing everything everyone has strived to fight for as being a «monstrous, demented gag» before demanding to know why Batman not only doesn’t see the funny side, but why he isn’t even laughing at all. Eventually, Batman tracks down the Joker and, after explaining that the reason he isn’t laughing at all, nor seeing it as a funny side is because he’s heard the joke before, and it wasn’t funny the first time around, subdues him. Batman then attempts to reach out to him to give up crime and put a stop to their years-long war; otherwise, the two will be eternally locked on a course that will one day result in a fight to the death between them. The Joker declines, however, ruefully saying «It’s too late for that. far too late.» He then tells Batman a joke that was started earlier in the comic:
The joke is funny enough to make the normally stone-faced Batman laugh. They continue to laugh as the police approach. Batman then grabs the Joker and the story ends, leaving it up to the reader to determine the Joker’s fate.
Appearances
«The Killing Joke»
Individuals
Locations
Items
Vehicles
Influence in other media
Despite Joker not appearing in Batman Returns due to dying in the first movie, there was at least one scene that had similarities to a scene from The Killing Joke. In particular, after Selena Kyle ended up using her «last life» to take out Max Shreck, The Penguin, having survived his descent into the waters of the penguin exhibit, attempts to use one of his umbrellas, with Batman witnessing it at the last second and looking concerned, only for Penguin to realize upon activating it that he accidentally picked the «cute» umbrella instead of his gun umbrella, which was similar to how the Joker upon being beaten by Batman attempted to use his gun to kill Batman only to realize upon firing it that he actually had used up all of its rounds (shown by his using the pop out flag saying «click, click, click»).
The Joker’s HP portrait in the SEGA version for Batman: Return of the Joker (titled Batman: Revenge of the Joker) was taken from Joker’s «don’t get even, get mad!» panel from the comic.
Although there was no direct adaptation of The Killing Joke in the DCAU, the Batman Animated Series episode «Make ‘Em Laugh!» indirectly referred to Joker’s alleged backstory of being a failed comedian in that comic, as Joker initially attempted to enter a Comedy contest unexpectedly only to be thrown out, and later proceeded to brainwash three of the judges to earn the title of the funniest man in Gotham. In addition, the episode Harley’s Holiday had some thematic similarities to The Killing Joke, in particular the character Harley Quinn having a very bad day during her parole period, and also coming to a better understanding with Batman similar to the Joker. In fact, some of Harley and Batman’s exchanges in the episode mirrored dialogue from the comic.
The infamous scene of Joker paralyzing Barbara Gordon was used in a flashback in Birds of Prey, with the only notable difference being that the Joker in this scene clearly knew the connection between Barbara Gordon and Batgirl when shooting her, while in the original comic and various other adaptations afterward, Joker was unaware of her being Batgirl as well.
The design of the Joker in the video game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is based on The Killing Joke. In addition, one of his Fatalities, where he uses a bang flag gun before using a real gun on his opponent (censored in some versions) is named after the comic. The ending also has him sitting on a throne made of mannequins, alluding to a similar instance in the comic.
In the climax for Batman: Arkham Asylum, the Joker is seen sitting on a throne made of dismembered mannequins, alluding to The Killing Joke. In addition, Barbara Gordon’s status as Oracle and being crippled by the Joker also references the comic. Joker also is about to recite a joke before interrupting himself and remembering he already told Batman that joke, alluding to the ending of The Killing Joke. His alias of «Jack White» was also referenced in the game.
The version of the Joker in The Batman paraphrased Joker’s «one bad day» statement when explaining his origins, while also adding that another reason for his appearance was due to falling into a chemical bath.
During the interview tapes in Batman: Arkham City, Joker tells Hugo Strange his «Origin Story», which was based on The Killing Joke. Hugo, however, claims it to be fake, as he read up on 12 other «origin» stories that Joker had told. Joker also directly references Alan Moore’s writing by stating that someone once told him to respond to his past with «multiple choices.» In addition, Joker’s character trailer nearly quotes word for word what Batman told Joker, or rather, a double of him, in the beginning of the graphic novel, with the only difference being that, in a role reversal, it is Joker who tells Batman this.
A DLC of The Killing Joke was launched for Injustice: Gods Among Us which includes the tourist costume, the costume he uses in the final confrontation with Batman, and the Red Hood costume.
In the DC Animated Original film series movie Batman: Under the Red Hood, aside from references to the Joker’s status as the original red hood, a flashback to Batman’s first encounter with the Joker (or rather, the man who would become the Joker) at the ACE Chemical Plant has the man claiming that he was set up and that he wasn’t a crook before tripping and falling into one of the chemical vats, alluding to the backstory given in The Killing Joke where he was strong-armed into participating in the heist. In addition, the second Red Hood, Jason Todd, indirectly alludes to Joker’s crippling of Barbara Gordon from the comic nearing the end, with the Joker also briefly asking for a camera, alluding to his photographing Barbara Gordon to break her father’s spirit.
In Batman: Arkham Origins, during Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s patient interview with the Joker midway through the game, the flashbacks accompanying the Joker’s story to Quinzel are based on his past from The Killing Joke (specifically, his status as a failed stand-up comedian and his brief heist as the Red Hood that led to his first encounter with Batman and his disfiguration). Just prior to the patient interview, Joker asked Quinzel «Tell me something, dear have *you* ever had a really bad day?», alluding to Joker’s belief that it only takes one bad day to be driven insane in the comic. It also showed a flashback to a comedy club as well as him robbing the Ace Chemicals after being strongarmed by some criminals, alluding to the flashbacks from the same comic. In addition, his killing an amusement park owner to gain control of it via a handshake in the comic was also referenced in the same game, when he explains how he managed to get the equipment and set it up inside the Gotham Royal Hotel. The poem on the roof of the Gotham Royal Hotel also referenced The Killing Joke. Joker’s voice actor for this game, Troy Baker, also recited his «madness being the emergency exit» monologue made by the Joker, in his Joker voice, from The Killing Joke at Comic-Con when he was announced to be the voice of the Joker for Arkham Origins. In addition, the achievement for beating Joker, «Maybe Sooner, Maybe Later», refers to what Batman said to Joker, or rather, a body double of the latter, when discussing the bleak future that their current feud will lead to, specifically one killing the other, during his visit to the Joker in the beginning of The Killing Joke.
In Batman: Arkham Knight, there was a fear toxin-induced hallucination/flashback referring to the events of Barbara Gordon’s paralysis at the hands of The Joker from the comic, with Joker himself also casually alluding to his showing photographs to her dad. Also like in the comic book, the flashback had Barbara Gordon opening the door thinking it was her friend Colleen. The DLC story «Batgirl: A Matter of Family» also indirectly alludes to his taking over of an amusement park and drawing out Commissioner Gordon for his own agenda from the comic, in this case, to force Batgirl and Robin into operating without Batman playing any role in it, also killing its owner beforehand. It is also implied that he did something similar to the comic after crippling her. His Jokermobile’s ultimate attack during a hallucination near the ending, a missile salvo that wipes out everyone in the vicinity, is named after the comic.
The issue of Darkwing Duck «Toy With Me»‘s cover, depicting Quackerjack using a camera with a worried Darkwing Duck on the camera lens, was taken directly from the cover for The Killing Joke.
In the TV series Gotham, owing to Jerome Valeska’s characterization being largely based on the Joker (and to a lesser extent, Jeremiah Valeska, his twin brother, actually becoming the Joker in that series), elements of The Killing Joke were used in some of his appearances. In particular, in the episode «Knock, Knock», Jerome’s speech about how the people are «prisoners» to their sanity, and comparing it to a prison in their minds that obscures their being «tiny little cogs in a giant absurd machine» before telling them to be free like the Maniax, was similar to Joker’s memories monologue in The Killing Joke. In addition, his character arc in Season 3, where he upon his revival abducted Bruce Wayne and tried to force him to go mad at the horrific carnival upon causing a blackout, was similar to how Joker tried to force Commissioner Gordon to go insane to prove that it only took one bad day to drive anyone insane. Lastly, after Jeremiah Valeska, Jerome’s estranged twin brother, opened a gift that had been sent by Jerome post-humously and driven mad via the laughing gas, proceeded to make a similar pose to when Joker was driven insane in the graphic novel while giggling insanely. Likewise, Jeremiah Valeska’s character arc was similar to what Joker described of how a bad day would drive the sanest man to lunacy in the graphic novel. Later after Jermiah kidnaps Bruce Wayne in a similar manner only difference is he isn’t stripped naked.
The DC Showcase film Batman: Death in the Family, aside from plot points directly from Under the Red Hood, the events of The Killing Joke was referenced at least three times, all of which in the Jason Survives scenarios. The first instance is when Jason confronts the Joker and unmasks himself, causing Joker to flash back to his torture of Jason and cause him to say in shock and joy «One. Bad. Day.», referring to Joker’s view in The Killing Joke that it merely took one bad day to drive someone insane. The second is shortly after this as Red Hood manages to kill Joker by shooting him in the head, where it shows Commissioner Gordon and Barbara hugging each other in silent relief over Joker’s death, with the latter being in a wheelchair, referencing Joker’s crippling of her. The third instance has the Joker, who was implied to have attempted to become sane out of guilt over Batman’s death and using makeup to make himself appear more normal, relaying the same joke that he told Batman in the ending of that comic, causing Jason to recognize him immediately due to reading the files of Joker’s crippling of Barbara, including transcripts of the joke, back when he was Robin and then promptly kill him by stabbing him in the eye after repeating what Joker said to him before leaving him to die to a bomb. On a similar note, the flashbacks to Red Hood’s unconscious murders of various crooks were depicted in black and white with some red utilized throughout, which was similar to the art style of the Deluxe version of The Killing Joke as well as the animated adaptation.
Рецензия на комикс «Бэтмен: Убийственная шутка» / Batman: The Killing Joke
Помнишь ту фотку Джареда Лето с зелеными волосами и фотоаппаратом, что так резво разбежалась по интернатам с описанием «первое фото нового Джокера»? А помнишь, как отдельно взятые гики радостно хлопали в ладоши и говорили о какой-то суперкрутой отсылке к какому-то супер крутому комиксу? Вот о нем-то мы сегодня и поговорим. Точнее, я напишу, а ты почитаешь. Смешная шутка, правда? Нет? Ну, я же не Джокер, чтобы убийственные шутки генерировать на лету.
Начну с того, что Batman: The Killing Joke создали Алан Мур («Хранители») и Брайан Болланд («Судья Дредд»). И тут даже больше нечего добавить. И тут даже не надо ничего больше добавлять.
Милый улыбчивый сумасшедший всего-то решил приобрести себе Парк Развлечений, а заодно парализовать Барбару Гордон и на примере ее отца кое-что доказать. Доказать, что каждый «совершенно обычный человек» только и мечтает, чтобы поскорее слететь с катушек, потому что в этом суровом мире жестокости и случайностей так жить гораздо приятнее и проще. Интереснее и страшнее всего то, что места-ми Джокер кажется вполне правым. Напевая заводную песенку про безумие, тот отправляет раздетого догола комиссара в компании чудовищных карликов на милый аттракцион, посвященный трансляции фотографий его голой окровавленной дочери. А Бэтмен тем временем бегает по злачным местам города, рвет плакаты и разыскивает беглого психа. Бегает он, кстати, крайне безуспешно, пока Джокер собственноручно не высылает ему приглашение в Парк.
Заканчивается комикс анекдотом. Джокер на какую-то долю секунды даже кажется совершенно нормальным, разве что очень уставшим человеком. И вдруг он берется рассказывать странный анекдот, после чего происходит нечто, что сегодня считается одной из самых знаменитых сцен в истории комикса.
Batman: The Killing Joke, несмотря на свою хардовость и сингловость, оказал влияние на всю Вселенную DC. Здесь с Барбарой Гордон случился паралич, что в итоге привело к ее превращению в Оракула, да и тотальное помешательство Бэтмена на Джокере тоже частично началось именно тут. Даже Джокер в других комикс сериях нередко ссылается на себя же из Batman: The Killing Joke.
Брайан Болланд, художник комикса, недавно признался, что в бэт-историях всегда отдавал предпочтение именно Джокеру. Он полагает, что в каждом из нас сидит такой же сумасшедший чувак, который очень хочет натворить кучу разной тупой фигни. Но чаще всего мы просто не позволяем ему это сделать. Вероятно, именно поэтому в переизданную в 2008 году версию комикса Болланд включил свою историю An Innocent Guy. Это очень странная история про Бэтмена. Таких точно больше нет. По сути, это рассказ о том, что будет, если выпустить внутреннего психопата хотя бы раз, прежде чем начать жить свою правильную, удобную и немного рутинную жизнь. История крайне двусмысленная. Хотя как раз это и побуждает к куче размышлений. А еще это немножечко страшно. Что если у каждого вроде бы мирного человека в голове ТАКОЕ.
Batman: The Killing Joke
«The Killing Joke»: A concerned Batman visits Arkham Asylum and goes to Joker’s cell. The Joker is sitting alone in his cell, playing with a deck of cards as Batman sits at the opposite end of the table. The Dark Knight tells Joker that the c
«The Killing Joke» 
Batman: The Killing Joke
July, 1988
Executive Editor
Cover Artists
The Killing Joke
Writers
Pencilers
Inkers
Colourists
Letterers
Editors
Batman: The Killing Joke is a one-shot with a cover date of July, 1988. It was published on May 29, 1988.
Contents
Synopsis for «The Killing Joke»
A concerned Batman visits Arkham Asylum and goes to Joker’s cell. The Joker is sitting alone in his cell, playing with a deck of cards as Batman sits at the opposite end of the table. The Dark Knight tells Joker that the constant madness of their lives must end, or otherwise one of them will surely die at the hands of the other. Joker doesn’t move and keeps playing with the cards, and Batman grabs the clown’s arm, infuriated. Batman notices that he has white stains on his hands and grabs the man in front of him, who is just a man dressed and wearing make-up to look like the Joker. Batman questions the man about the location of the Joker, who has escaped Arkham and is on the loose.
Joker is looking to buy an abandoned amusement park and after he checks the whole place, he kills the owner and claims the park as his own. However, Joker is lost in thoughts and he starts remembering memories from a past life.
The man who would become the Joker is an unnamed lab assistant who quits his job at a chemical company to become a stand-up comedian, only to fail miserably. Desperate to support his pregnant wife, he agrees to guide two criminals into the plant for a robbery. During the planning, the police come and inform him that his wife has died in a household accident involving an electric baby bottle heater. Grief-stricken, the comedian tries to withdraw from the plan, but the criminals strong-arm him into keeping his commitment to them.
At the plant, the criminals make him don a special mask to become the infamous Red Hood. Unbeknownst to the man, this disguise is simply the criminals’ scheme to implicate any accomplice as the mastermind to divert attention from themselves.
Once inside, they almost immediately blunder into security personnel, and a violent shootout and chase ensues. The criminals are gunned down, and the comedian finds himself confronted by Batman, who is investigating the disturbance.
Panicked, the man deliberately jumps into the chemical plant’s toxic waste catch-basin vat to escape Batman, and is swept through a pipe leading to the outside. Once outside, he discovers to his horror that the chemicals have permanently bleached his skin chalk white, stained his lips ruby red, and dyed his hair bright green. This turn of events, compounding the man’s misfortunes of that one day, drives him completely insane and results in the birth of the Joker.
The Shooting of Barbara
Joker makes his move and he knocks on the door of Commissioner Gordon. Barbara opens the door and is shocked at the sight of the Joker, dressed in a tourist outfit and pointing a gun at her. Joker shoots Barbara in the spine and his henchmen enter the house and knock Commissioner Gordon out, while Joker starts undressing the wounded Barbara and takes out a camera.
Barbara is taken to a hospital and the doctors tell Harvey Bullock that the damage caused by the bullet would make her unable to use her legs ever again. Batman visits Barbara and when she recovers, she begs Batman to save her father from whatever the Joker has planned.
Joker takes Gordon and imprisons him in a run-down amusement park. His deformed henchmen then strip Gordon naked and cage him in the park’s freak show. He chains Gordon to one of the park’s rides and cruelly forces him to view giant pictures of his wounded daughter in various states of undress. Once Gordon completes the maddening gauntlet, the Joker ridicules him as an example of «the average man,» a naive weakling doomed to insanity.
Batman searches all over the city for Joker with no good results. Suddenly, the Bat-Signal beacons in the night and Harvey Bullock gives Batman two tickets to the abandoned amusement park. As Batman arrives to save Gordon, the Joker retreats into the funhouse. Gordon’s sanity is intact despite the ordeal, and he insists that Batman capture the Joker «by the book» in order to «show him that our way works». Batman enters the funhouse and faces the Joker’s traps, while the Joker tries to persuade his old foe that the world is inherently insane and thus not worth fighting for. Eventually, Batman tracks down the Joker and subdues him.
Batman then attempts to reach out to him to give up crime and put a stop to their years-long war. The Joker declines, however, ruefully saying «It’s too late for that. far too late». He then tells Batman a joke, which reflects their current situation and is funny enough to make the normally stone-faced Batman laugh. While they are laughing, Batman reaches across to Joker. They stop laughing abruptly while the sirens of the police cars keep getting louder as they approach the two men. In the end, all noise ceases and only the rain keeps pouring down.