After years of hearing the non stop praise that has been lavished upon this story I finally decided to pick up The Killing Joke. I must say the people are right, this is an amazing story with some of the best artwork I have ever seen in a comic. Bolland's cinematic artwork will strike you from page one as Batman walks in to Arkham Asylum to meet with a man whom he believes to be the Joker. Bolland's attention to detail is astonishing especially when he handles the colouring chores (found in the 20th anniversary edition). But the best part of Bolland's artwork has to be his depiction of the Joker, whose madness is perfectly captured in his facial expressions and body language.

As with any good comic book story the writing is also top notch. This is actually the first work by Alan Moore that I've read and I must say it has got me curious about his other works such as Watchmen and V For Vendetta. I had some reservations when I heard that someone gave the Joker an origin story, but fortunately I was wrong. Not only does Moore's origin fit the Joker perfectly but the writer also casts doubt about its validity in the story, allowing the reader to take it or leave it. Top it all off with one of the best endings ever produced in comics and you've got an instant classic on your hands.

A word of warning: with all the praise that has been lavished upon this story, it's easy to go into it expecting it to be the best thing you've ever read and coming out disappointed when it inevitably was not. Too much hype can ruin even the best of stories, and this one is certainly one of the best.

Surprisingly, this is the first comment on this magnificent graphic novel. This is without a doubt the greatest comic I've ever read. The portal of the Joker in his "past" (he remembers it in multiple ways) makes you feel sympathy for the comedian. This book contains themes that make you feel more sorry for the Joker then any other character even though he kills a guy, paralysis someone and tries to make Gordon go mad for the sake of proving a point. At the end of this novel you see an interesting take on the relationship between Batman and the Joker. The are two men linked to each other by their pasts. "All it takes is one bad day," right? That's all it took for the Bat and Clown Prince, but is that the only reason why they are like this towards each other? Or is there something deeper, almost a brotherly love...who know. I'm starting to ramble, but my point is this book written by the fantastic Alan Moore has many interesting ideas placed in it and paced fantastically. Don't even get me started on the genius of Brian Bolland his fine lining was perfect for the Joker. The way he created his smile and demonstrated exaggerated emotion in the Joker's face was mind blowing! This is a definite must real for everyone, even if your not a Bat-fanatic.