Graphic Novel Review: The Killing Joke

Batman: The Killing Joke is part of my DC Read-through, an ongoing series of posts inspired by a free eGalley I received. The eGalley was a magazine of the books DC claimed were the best places to start with their comics and I took this as a challenge. I handpicked about two dozen, and I try to read one or two a month. If you're interested in the rest of this series check out the tab above. My last post was a review of the first volume of Sandman and my next one is going to be V for Vendetta. Because this isn't a typical review I don't focus on the typical things, I stick mostly to looking at whether this is a good place to start with DC comics or not in lieu of plot details and my personal enjoyment.

This one is up there with Watchmen as one of the darkest comics I've ever read. Seeing as they're both written by Alan Moore I really shouldn't be surprised. I would argue, however, that this is darker, and perhaps, because it is shorter, it packs a very different, but still powerful, kind of punch to the gut than Watchmen did. Which is why I'm going to say that this is a poor place to start for any comic reader.

If you're looking to get into Batman comics this isn't the place. Sure, you're probably well versed in who the characters are, but if you want the full impact of the emotions that this is meant to convey I think you need to spend more time getting to know exactly who it is within these pages. I've read Batman comics before, but I still didn't get all the emotion that I think this is meant to convey. It's also not meant to be a set up for anyone really, but the Joker, as it does reveal a "version" of his backstory. While he may be one of the best character's ever written I don't think his is the head you want to enter into this series with.

If you're looking to get into superhero comics this also isn't the best place. The only hero to really appear is Batman and it's in a limited capacity. He's there, and his morals are certainly fleshed out nicely and quickly, but he himself isn't the most interesting part nor is he meant to be. It's not a comic about a hero as about the human condition, which it portrays beautifully.

Finally, if you're looking to get into comics in general I would say it's so-so. For a one-shot it's a really solid story, and if you're a connoisseur of fine things, particularly fine art, this is definitely a piece you need to add to your collection. However, if you're just generally looking to get into comics this will either be a turn on or a turn off. There's not really a middle ground with this one, so I would recommend starting somewhere else. If you're pretty sure this is the kind of things you want to read regularly, than by all means go for it, but if you're just kinda curious and not sure, try something else first to get a taste for the medium.

I do want to add a word on whether I liked it or not: I did but not really because of the plot (which I find a tad too disturbing for even my tastes) or the art (though it is very nice art that matches the story well) but because of how much of a statement piece it is as art and what it contributes to the genre. I like being able to see it on my shelf and I think it will be a nice piece for my collection for many years to come.

TL;DR? Perhaps not the best place to start with comics or graphic novels but definitely a must read if you think you can stomach it.

Graphic Novel Review: Preludes and Nocturnes (Sandman, Vol. 1)

Welcome to the new year's first addition to my DC Graphic Novel Read-through. This is an ongoing series where I explore what DC has dubbed the best places to start with their comics. For that reason, these reviews focus less on the plot and development of the story and more on whether it's generally good and if you should start here. My previous posts in this story were for Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. This week I'm going in a different direction, and rather than picking up a superhero comic I went with Preludes and Nocturnes, the first collected installment of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. My next review for this series will be for Batman: The Killing Joke so keep your eyes peeled for that one soon!

Going into this I'm more than a little biased since Neil Gaiman is my favorite author. In fact, it's rather surprising that it took me this long to even pick this series up! It certainly disappoint on the Gaiman front, and even though he claims it's not his finest work, his style seeks through the writing and translates incredibly well into a comic. The art was something I was worried about since it's far from conventional, but it really does work with this story and I can't even imagine anything different fitting onto the page quite as nicely.

I realize this is a hard book to sum up, probably because the plot isn't necessarily what makes it interesting. Basically: a group of magicians capture the otherworldly entity known as Dream (our "hero") which leads to his long imprisonment. After he breaks out he goes on a quest to reclaim what was taken from him.

If you're looking to go into comics but aren't interested in superhero's than I would certainly recommend this one. Especially if you're coming off books in the similar genre as this. It's a good graphic novel to cross over into the medium with, even though it is a bit unconventional. It's also a more mature graphic novel, though not necessarily because of violence of sex, more for the concepts and just the world within the pages itself.

However, if this is where you want to jump into classic DC fare don't start here. Sure, Constantine shows up, and there are passing references to some of the big hitters, but they're really just there to cement this in the world of DC not to really be a "part" of it. It's not a superhero comic, it's a fantasy/paranormal comic. 

TL;DR

Probably not the best place to start unless you're not interested in superhero comics at all. It is, however, one of the best graphic novels I've ever read so I can't recommend it strongly enough on that front.

Graphic Novel Review: The Dark Knight Returns

This is a continuation of my DC Read-through where I try to figure out where the best places to start with DC comics are. I previously reviewed Watchmen, which I determined wasn't the best place to start but definitely something you must read. Today I'll be reviewing Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns under the same lens. The next entrance into this review series will be the first volume of Sand Man, and I'm so excited to get that one started!

I've read Batman graphic novels before, but I haven't really enjoyed any of them. I try in vain to find what people claim are the best, but still they ran dry for me. The Dark Knight returns swept that worry away almost immediately, and I can easily say this is the first Batman graphic novel or comic that I've actually liked. 

A large part of that was the setting. It was just alternate-universe enough that it could play by its own rules, but not so much that it felt strange to the reader, nor did it try to cram itself into our universe like I feel many comics attempt to make it seem. The way hero's are regarded in this book mimic that of Watchmen, which isn't particularly surprising, but not in such a dark tone that it could be unbearable. The characters, too, all functioned in a gray zone so that morality was debatable and realistic without the hero's losing the title of hero's. Batman's characterization in particular was interesting, and had me wondering how stable he was and reveling at the idea of a Batman gone insane, while at the same time hoping he was stable enough to do what needed to be done.

The art, too, was spectacular. It was a cross somewhere between sketches, classic comic style, and something a little more abstract and comedic. I loved it! I didn't think I would become so taken in with it, particularly because of that abstract aspect to it, but soon found it was the perfect balance to the story and that they kept each other grounded.

Now, should this be where you start? I would say, yes, it's a good place, actually. Batman, and Superman, (and Green Arrow, who has a small role), are all rather well-known characters at this point that even someone completely new to comics would know who they're reading about and the plot doesn't rely on your knowledge of other characters or storylines in the least, which lends itself to the reader. It also wraps up the story within the graphic novel, and while more is hinted to happen beyond, it's not something that you would have to read immediately. It's not the best place to start with the wider DC universe, but it's also not a bad place to start in general.

TL;DR? A pretty good jumping off point for either comics in general or Batman comics; even veteran readers should give this tamer version of Watchmen a go if not for the great story than for the art.

Graphic Novel Review: Watchmen

This is my first post of the DC Read-through that I was talking about earlier this month. A quick introduction to catch everyone up to speed on why this will be a sort of different review: I recently got a booklet by DC that talked about where to start with graphic novels and comics. It was packed full of so many books and characters that I decided to simplify it a bit. I picked out a dozen or so graphic novels to give a try, based on whether DC claimed it was a good place to start, whether it was critically liked, and whether I had an interest in it. Every ten days or so I'll be posting a review for one of these graphic novels. I started with Watchmen because it has constantly been listed as one of the best novels of all time and how can I pass that up? It also has a of positive recommendations from friends that I trust so I knew I would be getting to it eventually. Going into it I had read already read the synopsis, though that was years ago. The details were all faint in my head and I honestly couldn't remember a single character's name. Even so, had I known what was coming I would have enjoyed the book the same. The goal of this review, and the other reviews for the DC Comics Read-through, is not whether I liked it but whether I think it's a good jumping on point for newcomers or people still getting their feet wet in comics.

Describing Watchmen is very hard. The story itself is less important than the themes that story unearths and the backdrop. Watchmen is about morality, it's about politics, it's about humanity, it's about what being a superhero is, it's about comics in general, and it's about power. I don't want to put down the plot, but like art-films, you don't read this for the story. You read it for the elegance through which the themes are developed. It's a slow burn story that packs one hell of a punch in the end, but isn't necessarily something you'll care about for the majority of the book.

The big question is whether it's a good place to start in comics. I wouldn't recommend this as the first thing you pick up due to how dark it is, and how you should have some idea of how comics function normally to see how well they're being subverted and twisted here. Of course, since pop culture is stuffed full of superheroes right now it's not something you really need to worry about if it is the first thing you pick up.

The biggest problem that would stand if you picked this up for the first time is that it doesn't really introduce you to the wider world of DC comics. Yes, it's a wonderful story, and if you want to add diversity to your shelf and play around in the corners of the comics world, it's wonderful. But if you want to read superhero comics and want an introduction to that world, this is the wrong place to go. I do understand there was a set of prequel comics released at one point, but they aren't written by Alan Moore (and he actually hates that they happened, if I understand it correctly) and didn't last very long. I, personally, have no plans to read them since I'm not really interested in seeing what happened before this book.

My opinion of the whole graphic novel: wow it was amazing! It was not what I expected but I loved it all the way through. In no way did I expect it to take me this long to read, and it does disappoint me that it did, but every second really was a pleasure. If it's been something you've debated I recommend picking it up sooner rather than later, even if it's just from your library.

TL;DR? It's not the best place to start, but is a wonderful book I recommend everyone read at some point in their lives.

SaveSave

DC Read-through

This is going to be a a short introduction post to something I'll be working on for the rest of the year. The other day I got a download from Netgalley that's more or less a magazine of all the finest graphic novels DC Comics has to offer. Me, being a fan of graphic novels in general, decided to make a list of all the ones I wanted to read by this time next year. And I figured, why not share some of that list with you. I'll be posting these reviews pretty regularly and I'll be reviewing them with a certain slant in mind: whether someone new to graphic novels and DC comics pick these up as a starting point.

There were some rules I put into place when creating the list.

1) No New 52. I've read a fair share of it, and besides Batgirl I can't really stomach what comes out of this series. So, skipping that.

2) No rereading. This is all new too me as well.

3) One book every twenty days or so. That's to keep me consistent in my reviewing.

4) If it's the first of the series and I want to continue with the series I can, but those reviews won't be part of this read-through.

5) No two batman graphic novels in a row, because there are a lot on this list and I'm not a huge batman comics fan.

Feel free to read along with me! The first book I'm reading is Watchmen, with a review slated for the 21st, I believe. After that I'll be digging into The Dark Knight Returns.