Let me start this with saying I've never read comics with any kind of regularity. I know of the characters, I know of story lines, and I have a general web-based knowledge of what's going on. Having a blog on a comic website is kind of a weird thing for me to do, and I'm probably the least qualified person on the planet to do one, but I'm going to bore those around me with a semi-virginal view of recent comics and how they can appeal to newer readers.

Recently, I started reading the DC New 52 Joker arc titled "Death of the Family." This reading is by proxy, since I borrow the comics from my buddy, but I digress...

I have dabbled in Batman mythos for some time now, going back to when Batman became popular for my generation...namely the early 90's when Tim Burton's Batman movie hit theaters. I never knew much about him other than his name and that he used pretty cool gadgets (toys for me at the time). He seemed pretty cool, dark and edgy and all of that, but what really stuck with me past those two movies was the animated series. That's where I first saw Batman's rouge gallery and found out what his character really was all about. After that short run, that was is for me and the Bats.... that is until fairly recently with the movie reboot and release of the Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Those two things really ignited a curiosity I hadn't felt about a comic character before. I tried to quench my thirst with wiki articles about the Batman, his enemies and allies. My previously mention friend (slopoke36, if anyone is interested in following him), usually dives into things a little more deeply than I do, and I usually benefit from this. In this case, it was the purchase of the graphic novel "Batman: The Killing Joke," by Alan Moore. I really liked the idea that the Joker wasn't just some dude in clown makeup that though he was being silly when he committed crimes with giant boxing gloves and guns that had a flag with the word BANG! on it when shot. It was jarring to see that he was just some deranged lunatic that wasn't trying to be funny, but was sick enough to think his grizzly crimes were funny. It added a depth to the character that I hadn't really seen before.

Anyway, this brings me to the new Joker series...and so far, wow. I know I've said that I don't read much comics, but I guess I had this naive misconception of how they handled murder, which boiled down to it not being "allowed," or something like that. Bottom line is that the Joker is probably the most sadistic I've ever seen, more so than the Dark Knight movie...and probably even darker than "The Killing Joke." I won't go into what I've read in the comics, because you've probably already seen them and have your own opinions about it, but suffice to say, I'm digging it. I think the best part about it is that I have no idea where it's going. I pride myself in being able to predict outcomes of events in movies and books, but in this case I'm stumped...which is good because it's going to keep me reading. My buddy slopoke36 tells me there have been some gripes about the arc crossing over into so many other titles. I can see their point, I don't want to have to buy 6 different titles to follow one arc, but on the other hand, it's actually made me want to follow a title I had no interest in before: Nightwing. From that end, I can see why they would do such a thing. Having Batman fans have to read a Suicide Squad may bring more Suicide Squad readers in the future, so that would be a win in their book.

Bottom line is, start this arc if you haven't, and even if you're on the fence about diving into comics (or diving BACK into comics), this is a good jumping off place.

Peace.