absolutely's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
jbleyle63's review
3.0
This collection brings together the nine issue run of The Joker comics from the mid 70s. Since I was reading every Batman related comic at around that time including these in their original run, this wound up being a nostalgic read for me. This Joker lies somewhere between the campy version from the 60s TV show with lots of gag gadgets and the nightmarish homicidal maniac from more contemporary versions. Main enjoyment for me was revisiting some my favorite Batman artists from this era, especially the under appreciated Irv Novick.
justabookholic's review
3.0
Enjoyable but nothing spectacular.
Oddly enough, none of these stories had any real Batman appearances! I did find it fun to see how the clown prince of crime or as he was called in these comics, "The Harlequin of Hate" (before Harley's time), interacted with other notable DC characters. The stories weren't particularly groundbreaking in terms of plot or noteworthy to the canon but I had a good time reading this collection. I can see why this series didn't have a long run though... I wish I could read the unpublished tenth and final issue of the series. Maybe I'll look for a copy of it down the road.
I also found it unsettling that Mr. J had a thing for raven-haired girls but that's for my future therapist to unpack.
Oddly enough, none of these stories had any real Batman appearances! I did find it fun to see how the clown prince of crime or as he was called in these comics, "The Harlequin of Hate" (before Harley's time), interacted with other notable DC characters. The stories weren't particularly groundbreaking in terms of plot or noteworthy to the canon but I had a good time reading this collection. I can see why this series didn't have a long run though... I wish I could read the unpublished tenth and final issue of the series. Maybe I'll look for a copy of it down the road.
I also found it unsettling that Mr. J had a thing for raven-haired girls but that's for my future therapist to unpack.
kryten4k's review
3.0
Solid 70s storytelling, but I loved the story of The Joker versus "Sherlock Holmes"!
gothiebiovenom's review
3.0
3.5/5 :)
I like the Joker, but I do have a preference for the darker storylines.
I did enjoy The Joker screwing with a whole bunch of other heroes and villians :)
I like the Joker, but I do have a preference for the darker storylines.
I did enjoy The Joker screwing with a whole bunch of other heroes and villians :)
thirty37seven's review
4.0
It's Joker, so biased rating. Had to read this to see how much Joker has changed over the years. There is quite a difference between what he is now and what he was then. Modern Joker is more sinister, not as comedic and he's way more obsessed with Batman than Vintage Joker. Vintage Joker is a silly, trickster asshole that fucks with everybody and I'm all about it. I can't say I prefer any one version over another, I pretty much love all versions of the Joker. (Except Leto, the abomination in Injustice 2 and I never watched Gotham, so I can't judge that dude's performance.)
"Ta-ta... and ha, ha!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Okay, Joker—! No tricks!"
"Me? Tricks?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm a genuine, card-carrying lock-you-up-throw-away-the-key lunatic! I can do whatever I want because I'm not legally responsible for my actions... the state is!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, pal—got a light?"
"Sure!"
*Proceeds to set the poor bastard on fire.*
"Moriarty is the Joker...?! The Joker is Moriarty...?"
Finkle is Einhorn... Einhorn is Finkle!
"I think I know what these do—but if I'm wrong... my life will only be one day shorter!"
Joker using a golf club to sword fight a guy who thinks he's Sherlock Holmes was definitely my favorite part. That's the kind of silly I came here for. The Lex Luthor body-swap (or mind-swap) issue was pretty good too.
Never thought I'd see cowboy Joker in my life but it happened and it was wonderful.
Joker had persistent henchmen in this one. Southpaw, Blue Eyes and Tooth. I'm not used to that, I guess. They're usually just Batman cannon fodder, so they're never around long enough to have names.
"Ta-ta... and ha, ha!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Okay, Joker—! No tricks!"
"Me? Tricks?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm a genuine, card-carrying lock-you-up-throw-away-the-key lunatic! I can do whatever I want because I'm not legally responsible for my actions... the state is!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, pal—got a light?"
"Sure!"
*Proceeds to set the poor bastard on fire.*
"Moriarty is the Joker...?! The Joker is Moriarty...?"
Finkle is Einhorn... Einhorn is Finkle!
"I think I know what these do—but if I'm wrong... my life will only be one day shorter!"
Joker using a golf club to sword fight a guy who thinks he's Sherlock Holmes was definitely my favorite part. That's the kind of silly I came here for. The Lex Luthor body-swap (or mind-swap) issue was pretty good too.
Never thought I'd see cowboy Joker in my life but it happened and it was wonderful.
Joker had persistent henchmen in this one. Southpaw, Blue Eyes and Tooth. I'm not used to that, I guess. They're usually just Batman cannon fodder, so they're never around long enough to have names.
ekansthepokemon's review
3.0
Good stories, but they're all too nonsensical for my taste. Also, Batman doesn't make a single official appearance
More...