Batman: The Killing Joke [10th Printing]
([1988])

DC, 1988 Series
Published in English (United States) United States
 
Price
4.95 USD; 6.95 CAD
Pages
52
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Suggested for Mature Readers
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
DC Comics
Brand
DC [bullet]
ISBN
0-930289-45-5 Search at WorldCat
Barcode
9780930289454 50495
Editing
Denny O'Neil
Color
color
Dimensions
standard Modern Age US (6 5/8" x 10 1/8")
Paper Stock
cardstock cover; Baxter interior
Binding
squarebound; prestige format
Publishing Format
one-shot

Issue Notes

This issue is a variant of Batman: The Killing Joke (DC, 1988 series) [First Printing]. There exist further variants:
Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (DC, 1988 series) [10th Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [First Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [First Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [First Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [Sixth Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [7th Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [9th Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [11th Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [14th Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [4th Printing - Book of the Month Club Edition] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [Third Printing] Cover Thumbnail for Batman: The Killing Joke (1988 series) [8th Printing]
Edit cover

Batman: The Killing Joke (Table of Contents: 1)

credits, title page / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Brian Bolland
Inks
Brian Bolland
Letters
typeset
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover. Illustrated with a close-up of the raindrops from the first and last panel of the story.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 2)

illustration / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Brian Bolland
Inks
Brian Bolland
Colors
John Higgins
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Close-up of the raindrops from the first and last panel of the story.

Batman: The Killing Joke (Table of Contents: 3)

Batman / comic story / 46 pages (report information)

Script
Alan Moore (credited)
Pencils
Brian Bolland (credited)
Inks
Brian Bolland (credited)
Colors
John Higgins (credited)
Letters
Richard Starkings (credited)
First Line of Dialogue or Text
There were these two guys in a lunatic asylum...
Genre
superhero
Characters
Gotham City Police Department: Harvey Bullock
Ace the Bat-Hound (photograph); Bat-Girl [Betty Kane] (photograph); Bat-Mite (photograph); Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Batwoman (photograph); Barbara Gordon; Commissioner James Gordon; The Joker (villain) (origin in flashback); Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot] (cameo); Alfred Pennyworth; Red Hood (flashback); Robin [Dick Grayson] (photograph); Two-Face [Harvey Dent] (cameo); Jeannie (flashback); Mrs. Burkiss (flashback)
Synopsis
Batman visits the Joker in Arkham Asylum only to discover he has been replaced by a double. As Batman attempts to track the villain down, the Joker shows up at the house of Commissioner Gordon where he promptly shoots Barbara and captures her father. The Joker takes Jim to a modified carnival where he tries to drive him mad (partially by showing him pictures of his naked and bleeding daughter). Batman arrives and starts beating on the Joker who attempts to reason with him in his own insane fashion. As things wrap up and the police arrive, the Joker finally tells Batman a joke that he gets.
Reprints
Keywords
Ace Chemical; Arkham Asylum; Bat-Signal; Batcave; Batcomputer; Batman's T-Rex; Batmobile; Bonus Brothers Carnival and Amusement Park; Giant Penny; Gotham City; newspaper

Indexer Notes

Story tells a comprehensive origin of the Joker based on the story “The Man behind the Red Hood” from Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #168. The story remains controversial for the crippling of Barbara Gordon.

The “joke” is a gag that can be traced back in the comics of DC at least as far as Mutt & Jeff (DC, 1939 series) #6 (Fall 1942) in which Mutt suggests that Jeff climb up a spotlight beam. Jeff refuses, worried that the spotlight will be turned off and he’ll fall. Possibly not the first or only time the joke’s been told.

Bob Kane’s signature appears in the photograph from page 10.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 4)

illustration / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Brian Bolland
Inks
Brian Bolland
Colors
John Higgins
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Close-up of the raindrops from the first and last panel of the story.

[Editorial Credits] (Table of Contents: 5)

credits, title page / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Brian Bolland
Inks
Brian Bolland
Letters
typeset
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Inside back cover. Illustrated with a close-up of the raindrops from the first and last panel of the story.

[Back Cover] (Table of Contents: 6)

Batman / illustration / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Brian Bolland (credited)
Inks
Brian Bolland (credited)
Colors
Brian Bolland (credited)
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; The Joker
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Back cover shows a playing card featuring Joker on the top and Batman on the bottom.

Editing
Issue at my.comics.org
Related Scans
Table of Contents
  1. 1. Batman: The Killing Joke
  2. 2. [no title indexed]
  3. 3. Batman: The Killing Joke
    Batman
  4. 4. [no title indexed]
  5. 5. [Editorial Credits]
  6. 6. [Back Cover]
    Batman
This issue was modified by
  • Ralf Haring
  • Jim Van Dore
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