Arguably the most popular and recognizable character in the Gotham City universe besides the caped crusader, his vicarious presence ran amok on Halloween as hundreds of clones laced the Queen City's streets and homes.
The character is the Joker and he finally stars in his own graphic novel, Joker, written by Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Superman: For Tomorrow) with art by Lee Bermejo (Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, Hellblazer).
Not since Alan Moore's 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke has the Joker been shown in such a refreshing manner. Azzarello and Bermejo depict the character, who has long suffered from overexposure, in a great new light.
The story begins with terrible news: the Joker has just been released from Arkham Asylum.
Azzarello never reveals the reason why the Joker has been let out, adding another layer of to the mystery surrounding the character.
Joker finds that Gotham is divided and he plans to take it back. What follows next is the "protagonist's" brutal takeover of the city through a destructive path of blood, drugs and violence.
Azzarello takes the usual comic book world of bright costumes, super heroics and classic tales of good versus evil and filters it through a lens of dirt and grime. The world of superheroes turns into a deranged universe of noir and grit caked sin.
The Joker is shown in a coarse light like so many other famous Gotham villains, including Two Face, the Penguin, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, the Riddler and even the yin to Joker's yang, Batman himself.
Instead of showing the Joker's thoughts through a first-person narrative, as he did in his brilliant portrayal of Lex Luthor in Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, Azzarello shifts perspective to that of Jonny Frost, a naive but ambitious henchman and third-person narrator. Frost follows the Joker around in his disturbing quest and gets an eye into the Joker's life.
Using Frost as the narrator wraps the Joker in an even deeper shroud of mystery. Throughout the graphic novel, Frost crawls deeper into the Joker's dark pit of a life, depicting an image of the criminal who is less of a crazed clown and more of a rabid animal. Azzarello humanizes the character more than any writer since Moore.
The Joker is host to a number of problems. He is an illicit drug user, in some panels shown breaking down and crying uncontrollably. In this light, we see the Joker away from his usual in-control and demented self; instead, he is shown as a broken man.
Frost, in many respects, is as intriguing as the Joker. The narrator's naivety is ultimately his downfall as he continues down Joker's bleak path. Frost believes that the Joker is controlling the city when, in reality, that control has turned into nothing more than a nihilistic path of violence and destruction.
Aside from the Joker and Frost, the biggest character in Joker is Batman, despite the Dark Knight's near visual absence throughout the story. Azzarello makes Batman's presence known consistently, setting up the stage for the dynamic struggle between the two forces.
The Joker is out in the open, cutting through the heart of Gotham while Batman lurks in the shadows, always watching. Using this portrayal, Azzarello creates the perfect Batman/Joker relationship. The Joker is unhinged and out of control while Batman's sparse appearances establishes an atmosphere of order and structure, all culminating in a chilling climax.
Azzarello's work is truly chilling and offers a brilliant portrayal of this demonic trickster. What really helps brings this gritty world to life is Bermejo's art. Bermejo paints a Gotham that has truly reached rock bottom. It is a depressing gray world and lacks any vivacious color.
That being said, Bermejo's redesign of the Joker stands out amongst the rest of the novel. The design is very reminiscent of Ledger's performance, though it came out before the film. The Joker no longer looks like a kooky super villain, but a dingy criminal. The cut smile and dirty clothes truly construct a mad animal.
Joker is a refreshing new spin on a villain that has been around for over 60 years. Complimenting the sinister character study, Azzarello and Bermejo's dark, bleak and deranged underworld adds volumes visually and contextually.
This new take on old characters is a breath of fresh air for any fan of the Clown Prince of Crime and a must-have for Batman fans.
