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Batman Graphic Novel Collection #34
Batman: The Man Who Laughs and The Killing Joke
DC Comics The Legend of Batman volume 34 features a classic Joker double-bill: The Man Who Laughs and The Killing Joke.
Captain Gordon uncovers a new menace in Gotham – a killer who leaves behind a factory workshop full of bodies, each having died with a vile rictus grin on their white faces. It’s just the start of a sick killing spree by a new threat, who the city dubs the Joker. And coming up next on his hit-list is Gotham socialite, Bruce Wayne…
In a second case, the Joker attacks Commissioner Gordon’s family in their own home, and puts the cop through mental torment designed to make him lose his sanity. The smiling villain believes we are all just one bad day away from being as mad as him. The Dark Knight must act quickly, but fears his own prophecy that one day one of them will surely slay the other.
Captain Gordon uncovers a new menace in Gotham – a killer who leaves behind a factory workshop full of bodies, each having died with a vile rictus grin on their white faces. It’s just the start of a sick killing spree by a new threat, who the city dubs the Joker. And coming up next on his hit-list is Gotham socialite, Bruce Wayne…
In a second case, the Joker attacks Commissioner Gordon’s family in their own home, and puts the cop through mental torment designed to make him lose his sanity. The smiling villain believes we are all just one bad day away from being as mad as him. The Dark Knight must act quickly, but fears his own prophecy that one day one of them will surely slay the other.
140 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
4 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,797 books3,022 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 30, 2017
Chudák Joker! :'(
Nikdy ho nenechají dotáhnout plán až do konce. To musí být silně demotivační.
Nikdy ho nenechají dotáhnout plán až do konce. To musí být silně demotivační.
September 24, 2022
Cette édition dans la collection Nomad chez Urban contient le classic Killing Joke et Joker, l'homme qui rit.
Le premier, bien que court d'une 50ene de pages, mérite le déplacement. Intense, profond, énigmatique, proposant un possible passé au Joker!
Le second est plus dispensable (mais il fallait bien proposer quelque chose au lecteur, sinon la pagination finale serait bien plus proche du format franco-belge que des habituels comics). Presque aucun lien entre les deux histoires (si ce n'est Red Hood). La lecture n'en est pas moins plaisante.
Le premier, bien que court d'une 50ene de pages, mérite le déplacement. Intense, profond, énigmatique, proposant un possible passé au Joker!
Le second est plus dispensable (mais il fallait bien proposer quelque chose au lecteur, sinon la pagination finale serait bien plus proche du format franco-belge que des habituels comics). Presque aucun lien entre les deux histoires (si ce n'est Red Hood). La lecture n'en est pas moins plaisante.
January 6, 2023
First time I read The Killing Joke years ago I found it truly overrated but re-reading it now, I think I was wrong. I still find it overrated but not as much as I did the first time.
September 24, 2019
Je to skvělá kniha na pět hvězdiček, ale já u ní nedokážu překousnout ten Jokerův nezpochybněný origin.
April 19, 2020
Ta kniha je skvělá a všechny obsažené kusy jsou klasiky. Přesto...když to člověk čte po Gotham Central, něco tomu chybí. Něco nesedí, něco nedává smysl.
Je to nefér srovnání. Koneckonců v pozdejsich Mekkych cilech Brubaker zjevně vykrada sám sebe a kdesi cosi, ale při čtení leccos trochu škrábe, i hlavní Jokerova motivace v Killing Joke je sice skvělá, ale jako nezpochybnitelna origin story úplně nefunguje.
Stojí za přečtení, určitě, je to taky už kus historie. Ale těch 5* tam dávám jenom za závěrečný mini příběh, který je víc báseň v komiksu než co jiného. A krásná a mrazivá.
Je to nefér srovnání. Koneckonců v pozdejsich Mekkych cilech Brubaker zjevně vykrada sám sebe a kdesi cosi, ale při čtení leccos trochu škrábe, i hlavní Jokerova motivace v Killing Joke je sice skvělá, ale jako nezpochybnitelna origin story úplně nefunguje.
Stojí za přečtení, určitě, je to taky už kus historie. Ale těch 5* tam dávám jenom za závěrečný mini příběh, který je víc báseň v komiksu než co jiného. A krásná a mrazivá.
August 23, 2025
2.5
In the dc comics universe Batman and The joker are my ultimate favs. When I was in middle school I read nearly everything about them but weirdly I have never read “Killing Joke” who’s like one of their most famous comic.
The Joker has escaped from Arkham Asylum once again. Reignited in his criminal ways, he will seek to personally reach his enemy, Batman, through the commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara.
This comic compile two famous story about the Joker, “Killing Joke” and “the man who laughs”. The first little story who’s barely 50 pages long was really really good, very captivating and explain perfectly in just a few pages this “cat and mouse” dynamic between Batman and The Joker. But sadly the second story could have easily been skipped because it had no correlation whatsoever with the first story. It wasn’t that interesting and the drawing style wasn’t even that good.
Joker and Batman are just made for each other but y’all aren’t ready for this conversation.
In the dc comics universe Batman and The joker are my ultimate favs. When I was in middle school I read nearly everything about them but weirdly I have never read “Killing Joke” who’s like one of their most famous comic.
The Joker has escaped from Arkham Asylum once again. Reignited in his criminal ways, he will seek to personally reach his enemy, Batman, through the commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara.
This comic compile two famous story about the Joker, “Killing Joke” and “the man who laughs”. The first little story who’s barely 50 pages long was really really good, very captivating and explain perfectly in just a few pages this “cat and mouse” dynamic between Batman and The Joker. But sadly the second story could have easily been skipped because it had no correlation whatsoever with the first story. It wasn’t that interesting and the drawing style wasn’t even that good.
Joker and Batman are just made for each other but y’all aren’t ready for this conversation.
September 19, 2020
Two of my favourite Batman stories, both featuring the BEST comic book villain combined in the same book: what’s not to love?
November 11, 2024
Juste la perfection
March 24, 2025
Finalmente lendo um clássico, que de tão clássico, inspirou tanta coisa e já foi tão falado, que eu já sabia praticamente tudo, mas mesmo assim foi uma boa leitura. Já a segunda história é legalzinha, prende a atenção, mas nada demais
November 14, 2019
Clearly I have read The Killing Joke (it's like a right of passage in the Batman world or something) and I have seen the movie where Batgirl hangs up her cowl and turns the most tragic situation into becoming Oracle, but it never stops being so damn (heartbreakingly) good. My favourite part of this whole story is when Joker says about not remembering his own origin story and how he plays it out differently... gives me chills.
So onto new (to me) content, The Man Who Laughs was fantastic too. I could really hear the Joker's voice in those lines, how his inflection would change with his emotion, it all just felt very true to character, as did the newly appointed Commissioner Gordon.
This is Batman in his finest.
So onto new (to me) content, The Man Who Laughs was fantastic too. I could really hear the Joker's voice in those lines, how his inflection would change with his emotion, it all just felt very true to character, as did the newly appointed Commissioner Gordon.
This is Batman in his finest.
January 8, 2016
No jo, jenom čtyři, to za ten první příběh, který je do publikace zařazen velmi logicky a smysluplně a sám o sobě by zřejme vydal za skvělé, byť spracováním přece jen spíše sešitovité, než knižní čtení, ale ve srovnání s Kameňákem, jež po něm nasleduje, pokulhává tak markantně, že to vlastně kazí i jemu. Kdyby něco takové bylo možné. Protože na Kameňáku opravdu těžko hledat chyby, je vlastně pravým protipólem komiksového žánru, běžně vnímaného jako jednorázové čtení do vlaku, a první čtení v tomto případe znamená pouze povinnou jízdu. Až pak začíná ta opravdová zábava.
A třeba jako postřelení Barbary mně už ve fikci dávno nic tak nebolelo. Stačili na to čtyři okénka.
A třeba jako postřelení Barbary mně už ve fikci dávno nic tak nebolelo. Stačili na to čtyři okénka.
October 6, 2019
Oukej, názor som stále nezmenil. Navždy srdcová záležitosť.
Dva príbehy stretu Batmana a Jokera.
Nak je Alan Moore akýkoľvek frfloš, vytvoril kultový príbeh. (Jeden z mnohých)
Príbeh ktorý poslúžil ako adaptácia nie jednému spracovaniu. Či už komiksového, seriálového či herného ..
Mimochodom, animovaná adaptácia Killing Joke je sračka. Aj napriek prítomnosti Conroya a Hammila.
No a potok je tu druhý príbeh. Ukazujúci prvé stretnutie dvoch BFF.
Dva príbehy stretu Batmana a Jokera.
Nak je Alan Moore akýkoľvek frfloš, vytvoril kultový príbeh. (Jeden z mnohých)
Príbeh ktorý poslúžil ako adaptácia nie jednému spracovaniu. Či už komiksového, seriálového či herného ..
Mimochodom, animovaná adaptácia Killing Joke je sračka. Aj napriek prítomnosti Conroya a Hammila.
No a potok je tu druhý príbeh. Ukazujúci prvé stretnutie dvoch BFF.
December 12, 2017
Tak nebuď labuť a buď CVOK !
DON'T GET EE-EE - EVEN GET MAD !
Podľa môjho názoru je toto majstrovské dielo !
Spracovanie, dej, kresba ... Nie je nič, čo by som vytkla.
Zatiaľ nie som v stave písať konštruktívnu kritiku, pretože som tak unesená, že by som to tu asi celé vyspoilerovala a/alebo (who knows? :D) úplne ospievala do nebies xD.
DON'T GET EE-EE - EVEN GET MAD !
Podľa môjho názoru je toto majstrovské dielo !
Spracovanie, dej, kresba ... Nie je nič, čo by som vytkla.
Zatiaľ nie som v stave písať konštruktívnu kritiku, pretože som tak unesená, že by som to tu asi celé vyspoilerovala a/alebo (who knows? :D) úplne ospievala do nebies xD.
July 2, 2019
48/130 (2019 Reading Challenge)
A couple of great standalone stories. I’d read the killing joke before (of course) it’s like comic book 101. Even if it has it’s problems & is not really the greatest. It’s just one of the most popular but that still a good read & required reading almost for getting into comic books/Batman.
A couple of great standalone stories. I’d read the killing joke before (of course) it’s like comic book 101. Even if it has it’s problems & is not really the greatest. It’s just one of the most popular but that still a good read & required reading almost for getting into comic books/Batman.
September 26, 2013
Amazingly great art, dark story, fabulous one...
June 18, 2017
...DOBŘE...VYHRÁL JSI...
...ZABIJU JE... AŽ NĚKDY... JINDY...
To prostě nikdy neomrzí.
...ZABIJU JE... AŽ NĚKDY... JINDY...
To prostě nikdy neomrzí.
April 4, 2016
Drahé, krátké, ale dobré. Celkem. Celkem dost
August 25, 2018
Obě hlavní povídky i závěrečný dodatek super!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews