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Joker: Killer Smile #1

Joker: Killer Smile #1

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Everyone knows The Joker doesn’t have the most promising history with psychotherapists. In fact, no one’s even been able to diagnose him. But that doesn’t matter to the confident, world-beating Dr. Ben Arnell; he’s going to be the one to unravel this unknowable mind. There’s no way The Joker could ever get through the therapeutic walls Ben has built around himself. Right? There’s no way The Joker’s been entering his house at night…right? There’s no way The Joker has stood over his son’s bed, and put that book in his hands, the one with the, the, the… 

34 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2019

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About the author

Jeff Lemire

1,434 books3,905 followers
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name


Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.

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5 stars
215 (37%)
4 stars
204 (35%)
3 stars
124 (21%)
2 stars
23 (4%)
1 star
9 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
Profile Image for Paolo Marchini.
23 reviews3 followers
May 4, 2022
Volume che racchiude due graphic novel distinte: il sorriso che uccide e il killer che uccide.
Nel primo la storia è incentrata sul Dott. Arnell, psicologo all'interno dell'Arckham Asyilum, il quale tenterà, come molti altri in passato, di psicoanalizzare Joker.
Nel secondo romanzo a fumetti, i protagonisti sono Batman e il solito Joker. Qui l'autore modella uno degli scenari più inediti e accattivanti sulla storia personale di Bruce Wayne.
Inutile dire che ho apprezzato molto questa lettura. Le due storie sono caratterizzate da un atmosfera inquietante e un'escalation di orrore, oserei dire, quasi Lovecraftiana.
Profile Image for Dan.
260 reviews23 followers
November 1, 2019
It’s not bad, it’s not over (part one), but also not very much content or very deep.

I feel like I’ve seen a version of this story many times (so far).

My question so far is why is the psychologist going crazy or losing it? That seems to be the progression. Is it really just being in proximity to the joker? There hasn’t been much progression or space to give a causal connection to why the psychologist seems to be so affected by Joker.

Is it really just cause he’s the joker?

Anyway, I’ll hold out till the rest of the books come out.
Profile Image for Mindi.
1,426 reviews280 followers
November 26, 2020
I think HARLEEN ruined me for other DC graphic novels. It’s just so perfect. The art is interesting in this one. It’s not my favorite, but it is thought provoking and unique. The story draws you in, but it just seems so familiar. I enjoyed this, but it certainly isn’t my favorite Joker story.
Profile Image for Derek.
1,079 reviews81 followers
March 18, 2021
I was surprised by this issue. The story is well layered and intriguing. The pacing, as I've come to expect from Jeff Lemire, is what you'd call slow-burn. Not too fast paced, but the story unravels bit by bit to ensure a worthwhile and engaging reader's experience. I'm pysched by the concept of Mr. Smiles and love to see where Jeff takes this (despite the story arc being only 3 issues) He's surprised me once already, let's see him do this again.
Profile Image for Valéria..
1,035 reviews38 followers
November 4, 2019
I can't help but the coloring is ruining the all atmosphere. And it was.. dry and somehow boring? Just not what I expected from this duo.
Profile Image for Rolando Marono.
1,950 reviews19 followers
November 1, 2019
Un inicio bastante mesurado pero muy prometedor. Lemire no pone toda la carne al asador para este volumen, la introducción de su historia, y no esta mal.
A primeras luces, estamos viendo la misma historia que estamos acostumbrados: Joker tiene un psicólogo que trata de curarlo, pero el psicólogo poco a poco va aprendiendo que cuando miras el abismo, el abismo te mira de regreso.
Tenemos a Ben, aparentemente un renombrado psicólogo que trata de curar al Joker. Todos le dicen que esto es por ego así que le retiran la extensión de su investigación. Él dice que no es por ego pero nunca nos menciona sus motivaciones reales. Así que probablemente sí sea por ego, o tal vez vaya a ver un giro que no esperemos. La vida de Ben comienza alterarse tras la aparición de un misterioso libro para niños que su hijo tiene.
Lemire aprovecha perfectamente el simbolismo, para darnos una historia con varias capas de profundidad. Al final del libro queda clarísimo que Ben es el animalito del cuento que visita al señor sonrisas. Aunque el cuento va más allá y nos cuenta cómo terminará este encuentro. Eso es interesante porque de cierta manera, al final del tomo, sabemos en qué terminará la serie. No creo que haya problema con eso porque es difícil imaginar que la historia terminaría de una forma diferente a una violencia psicótica.
El arte de Sorrentino, también está mesurado. Yo esperaba sus clásicos colores apagados y su arte violento con un viñetaje poco usual. Aquí tenemos poco de eso, pero me da la impresión que tanto el arte como la narrativa van a ir subiendo de intensidad para generar más tensión en la historia.
La tensión es algo importante en este tipo de relatos y Lemire lo logra sin ningún problema. Las últimas páginas del volumen son terroríficas porque no sabes que está sucediendo.
Profile Image for Bonnie.
408 reviews8 followers
July 5, 2020
Really interesting premise! I don't read much Joker (or DC) but I do really like Jeff Lemire and DC Black Label (thank you, Joe Hill). I am curious to see where the story goes and how the characters develop. I was still hoping for a bit more story and a bit more background, but I enjoyed the issue and I do want to read the next one.
Profile Image for Daniele Lanza.
46 reviews2 followers
May 6, 2024
"Ci sono due mondi. C'è il mondo nel quale vive la maggior parte di noi, quello dove trascorriamo le nostre vite quotidiane. Per semplicità, lo chiameremo il 'mondo reale'. Ma ce n'è anche un altro. E quest'altro luogo possono vederlo solo le persone molto speciali. Anzi, non è esatto. Non si limitano a vederlo...queste persone speciali lo abitano. Vi si risiedono completamente...e per le persone speciali, questo mondo è reale tanto quanto quello in cui viviamo io e voi. E le persone speciali...quelle che lo abitano...vengono chiamate squilibrate. Pazze. Ma io lo trovo riduttivo. Un modo per semplificare qualcosa di molto più grande di quanto noi 'normali' possiamo capire. Ci sono due mondi. Ma cosa succede quando non sai più in quale ti trovi? Quello che voglio dire è...quando impazzisci, te ne accorgi?"
Profile Image for Roman.
97 reviews6 followers
November 25, 2019
Важко дати повноцінну оцінку синґлу, особливо коли до цього моменту я отримував всю історію зразу. А тут приходиться бути в режимі очікування, а це вже огого як давно траплялось. Мабуть, навіть один раз.
Так ось, комікс взяти тому, що дует Лемір/Соррентіно знайомий серією Старий Лоґан - про неї у мене хороші враження. А тут ще й в ДС залізли. Чому б і ні, особливо якщо варіантна обкладинка така крутяцька?

Більшість людей хочуть бути щасливими та радісними, тільки от у нашого Джокера трошки все по-іншому, але у свій, артистичний спосіб, він таки дає людям радість.
На сцені з'являється новий персонаж, психіатр, котрий впевнений, що може вилікувати злодія.
З однієї сторони начебто таке вже десь було (Привіт фільму Джокер ) і це якось таке-собі, але з іншої, як я вже і казав - нема цілісності історії. У психіатра явно має щось піти не так і цікаво, як до цього може бути причетний Джокер, якщо він по той бік клітки і він явно неспроможний на якісь грандіозні речі, але він розказує казку та творить...

Варто також підмітити, що досить несподівано бачити малюнки Соррентіно яскравих тонах.
Я без поняття, чи зумів я розкусити усю геніальність першого випуску, та чи вартує полювати за рештою, адже всього плановано 3 випуски. З однієї сторони - перший номер не вражає і не вбиває мене своєю геніальністю, ну а з другої сторони можливо вб'є у наступних та й щось в цьому початку є. Мені завжди важко робити вибір.
Profile Image for Amber.
3,299 reviews42 followers
November 4, 2019
I think it's a promising opening. I love this artist, love this writer. I know we just got a HUGE influx of Joker comics coinciding this recent DC adaptation and I can't pinpoint anything in this particular comic to say WOW IT BLEW ME AWAY but I think it's just done so well it's worth the read.

Only complaint is that this issue was way too short to be charging me $6 but story-wise, I think the length was where it should be.
Profile Image for Petr Nakasharal Fabián.
251 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2019
Tohle je obří nafouknutý nic. Bolestivá průměrnost, nuda a šeď. Sorentinovo styl “kontrastní razítko z fotky” není nic pro mě a coloring je vyloženě bída.
I mistr tesař se někdy utne a tady si useknul ruku pod ramenem.
93 reviews
July 13, 2022
Una pasada de historia y con una ilustracion de 10, imprescindible
Profile Image for eliseinwanderbook.
267 reviews6 followers
August 9, 2024
Sai cosa? I fumetti americani non mi piacciono praticamente mai, e invece questo mi è piaciuto un sacco. Sarà che si parla di psicologi e psicopatici………
Profile Image for Matt.
1,456 reviews14 followers
November 3, 2019
Given the talent, I was more excited than entertained.
Profile Image for Heather V  ~The Other Heather~.
517 reviews55 followers
December 2, 2019
I may still be spoiled by how spectacular I've found HARLEEN so far (exhibits A and B), but this first issue of JOKER: KILLER SMILE, also from DC's Black Label imprint, left me feeling...a bit underwhelmed?




Bonus points for the awesome variant cover I got, though.


I've just read a few reviews that complain about the colour scheme happening here, and while I get that Arkham is supposed to be muted, it feels like they went a few steps beyond “muted” into something almost distractingly bland…? Is “distractingly bland” a thing?




...yeah. Really nicely drawn, but not much of a feast for the eyes. I do like a Joker without his makeup, though, so that always makes me feel charitable.




This is weird for me, because I adore the Lemire/Sorrentino team as much as I love Brubaker/Phillips, so when I picked up #1 of this series I fully expected to be a loud, mouthy fangirl about it. Upon finishing it I’m feeling rather more restrained.


As far as criticism for the story itself: The whole issue feels more like something you’d read before the intro splash page than an actual introduction to where they’re going with this. Now, they do go full creepy in a little foray into a child’s book about “Mr. Smiles,” and I like where that seems to be headed, so I’ll definitely be buying #2 to see if it’s skewing in a good direction. Considering its pedigree I’m more than willing to give it that shot. If I weren’t already such a huge fan of its creators and of Joker (he and The Comedian are my two favourite villains in comics; feel free to call a psychiatrist on me), I can see where I might not be grabbed sufficiently around the throat to pursue it further. The lukewarm reviews here on Goodreads aren't surprising to me at all; I see where they're coming from.


So. Three (probably prejudiced) stars for “I liked it,” and I’ll withhold judgement until I’ve got the next issue in my hot little hands.



Related, sort of:
Harleen (2019-) #1 by Stjepan Šejić
Harleen (2019-) #2 by Stjepan Šejić
Before Watchmen The Comedian #1 by Brian Azzarello
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Profile Image for Mery ✨.
691 reviews40 followers
November 4, 2019
3.5/5

For those who are expecting to read a story that’s focused on Joker, I’d like to start off by saying that this is not that book. Instead, this story is centered around Ben Arnell, a psychiatrist working at Arkham Asylum who is trying to find a cure for Joker’s madness. Joker himself is more of a demonic entity in this, something that opposes Ben every step of the way and, at least in this issue, remains a mysterious force that Ben can’t quite figure out. That said, Joker’s portrayal is interesting.

Lemire and Sorrentino also fully embrace the horror side of Joker. By keeping the character mostly in the background and barely letting him actually do anything (at least in this issue), it’s clear that casting Joker as a mysterious horror entity isn’t about the gore or the edginess at all. In fact, this is about how Ben’s mission to find a cure for Joker affects his own mind, and not only is this an interesting angle to take, but this is also where the real horror comes from.

The artwork in this comic is out of this world. The colors also blend nicely.

Overall: I have thoroughly enjoyed this first issue of Joker: Killer Smile. Ben’s descent into madness might happen a bit too quick for some, but I actually like how the story sets Ben up as someone who has been struggling with internal conflict for a while because he has been working on this Joker case. I also like the fact that this first issue raises more questions than answers because it builds a lot of suspense and makes me hungry for the next issue. I’ve had a blast reading this from start to finish.

I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Carlo Gnutti.
319 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2025
In maniera simile a quanto fatto da Brian Azzarello in “Joker” Lemire decide di raccontare la figura del Joker da un punto di vista esterno, in questo caso quello del dottor Ben Arnell che col passare del tempo viene progressivamente manipolato modellato a immagine e somiglianza del Clown principe del crimine. Bellissime le parti ambientate nel mondo della follia, specialmente quando vediamo l’arkham asylum in versione diner frequentato da un sacco di villain (killer croc, harley queen, bane, due facce, lo spaventapasseri, professor pig ecc…).
Entrambe le storie (il sorriso che uccide e the smile killer) si concludono con una nota positiva di cieca determinazione e speranza per il futuro.
Sorrentino spessa compone tavole in cui tante piccole vignette sono disposte a casaccio per simulare la confusione e l’incertezza che vive il Dottor Ben Arnell.
Anche qui come in “batman l’impostore” Sorrentino durante gli scontri evidenzia con un riquadro colorato le parti del corpo dove vengono assestati i colpi.
La palette cromatica e’ composta principalmente da colori freddi, tenui ma anche leggermente acidi.
Entrambe le storie (il sorriso che uccide e the smile killer) si concludono con una nota positiva di cieca determinazione e speranza per il futuro.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
3 reviews
December 12, 2019
Why do we like characters like Dracula and Hannibal Lecter? Is it because they scare us, or is it because they pique our curiosity? Maybe it's because they pique our curiosity and maybe we see something in them that we want to possess ourselves.

Maybe seeing Joker be the Joker, killing people and being a looming prescence isn't really a lot of fun anymore? Maybe some of us would prefer a fresh take that shows real creativity from the writers. Next time, maybe they could take us into the mind of the character and let us ride along for one of his long cons?

It may be somewhat better than some of Snyder's stories that include the character, but it may also be boring predictable and more or less contain the elements you might expect a Joker story to contain, killer clown criminal mastermind turns out to be the bad guy? Who saw that one coming?
Profile Image for Marianne.
428 reviews55 followers
December 2, 2019
4 stars!

Joker: Killer Smile Book One is a bit too short for my liking and the plot itself is quite familiar, having a serial killer/thriller vibe you would usually find in novel. But strangely enough I wouldn't consider this two points to be negatives. My interest is very peaked. Jeff Lemire does an excellent job of selling this premise and given such a short book manages to execute the intro to this story very well, at least for me. I would also like to commend the art and the coloring. Both work really well together to capture the mood and atmosphere of each panel.

I will for sure be adding this to the list of Black Labels to follow from now on :)
Profile Image for Thor Aksdal.
14 reviews1 follower
November 3, 2019
This first issue doesn’t exactly give a reason for the story to exist. It’s another version of the same Joker story. The connection between The Joker and the psychiatrist isn’t fleshed out, which leads the events of the issue to be confusing. The artwork and layouts are what save it. In a world of stylized characters and blocky pages, it was a nice refresher to see how the art shaped the tone of the book where the writing couldn’t.
Profile Image for Henry Blackwood.
657 reviews3 followers
November 9, 2019
I like this concept. It’s not a very new one but Lemire writes this style of unfolding mystery so well. I’m going to put faith in this one from the off because I felt a similar way at the beginning with Gideon Falls on how much of a slow and unoriginal start it had but now that’s turned into one of my favourite monthly’s.

Lemire on a down to earth psychological joker story? Im down.
Profile Image for Ian De Quadros.
60 reviews1 follower
November 12, 2019
I feel like DC Black label is finally hitting its stride with books like this and Harleen. There are a lot of parallels between this and Harleen in that at its core it’s about a psychologist and the Joker but the focus is slightly more on The Joker in this one. I’m looking forward to seeing how it pans out.
Profile Image for Nacho Pena.
51 reviews2 followers
June 2, 2020
Buen punto de partida de Lemire y Sorrentino con el Joker mejor escrito de los últimos años. No es un revolucionario absurdo, sino lo que es puramente: un psicópata asesino pero Lemire le da una nueva dimensión inquietante. Es sorprendentemente tranquilo e inteligente, no el histrionico al que estamos acostumbrados. Muy recomendable.
Profile Image for Nate.
279 reviews
November 6, 2019
In what could be an interesting take on Joker, this is an interesting read. More so with the renewed interest in the character thanks to the movie. It will be interesting to see where this series heads.
Profile Image for Adam Spanos.
637 reviews123 followers
October 5, 2020
Nice beginning. A whole new version. A whole new psychiatrist trying to solve and cure The Joker. 30 years of a creative cartoon. A storybook. Everything to twist your mind. But whose mind is actually being twisted? The Joker, Ben, or Batman? What’s the truth? And who really is inside?
Profile Image for Erica.
118 reviews
March 29, 2021
Hmmmm, the end was not satisfying. A lot of build up to what the reader already guessed within 3 pages. But I love anything about the Joker messing with his psychiatrists, so that made it mildly interesting
Profile Image for danek.
84 reviews
November 25, 2025
estoy seguro que hay mejores historias del joker pero igual es interesante y el dibujo me agrada... dejando de lado lo bizarro, leer esto a media noche cuando ya todos están dormidos no está siendo una buena idea
7,103 reviews82 followers
October 31, 2019
Awesome start like I thoughts it would! Very psychological if not psychotical! I enjoy this one very much!
Profile Image for Kevin Schnurr.
180 reviews6 followers
November 3, 2019
Nothing shockingly original here but I’m curious to see where the series is headed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews