What should I read to prepare for the Dark Knight?

[HankMcCoy]

I'm thinking I should read the Killing Joke because Heath has said that a large part of his Joker portrayal has been inspired by this. What else do you guys think?

[Joe Night]

The Long Halloween, for sure.

[Punch]

Don't read anything

[caboose]

Its not so much a case of reading anything as watching Batman Begins, but you knew that already.

[Choppa]

Nolan said that the Joker is going to be based on his earlier appearances, so you could read those. There's an article on IGN that says this and has specific issue numbers.

Other than that we don't really know, but the teaser did hint at The Long Halloween.

And I guess if you have to read something, the Batman Begins movie adaptation is a good place to start as well.

[Brack360]

You might also want to read to read The Man Who Laughs, which is being reprinted in January.

[Sizzle]

Train for a long time, otherwise, he'll kick your butt.

[The Xenos]

Eh. I'd say Killing Joke, Man Who Laughs, and Long Halloween. Though it would have helped to read Long Halloween evenf or the first. Plus some of the Ra's and Denny O'Neil stories.

[Ramiel]

Train for a long time, otherwise, he'll kick your butt.

That would've worked quite well if he had 'do' instead of 'read' in the title

Anyway, apparently Ledger was given Killing Joke and Long Halloween to prepare for the role, but according to the interview with Nolan at IGN he comes off looking and acting more like the earliest Joker incarnation, but that stuff may be hard to find outside reprints in those essentials and stuff.

[Sizzle]

That would've worked quite well if he had 'do' instead of 'read' in the title


Damn. How about "A kung fu manual?"

[Frankie Dennis]

Arkham Asylum.

[mattx110]

I'd go with the I Ching. Some Joseph Campbell, and anything under the "sociopaths and nutters" section of barnes and noble.

[The Joker]

Killing Joke
The Joker's 1st appearance in Batman #1, and the second story found in Batman #1 titled, "The Joker Returns".
The Man who Laughs
The Long Halloween
&
For the hell of it, Batman Confidential's Origin of The Joker (which is about to conclude anyways).

[the goddamn batman]

The Joker's 1st appearance in Batman #1, and the second story found in Batman #1 titled, "The Joker Returns".



You know, I read those a while back, out of curiosity... it's been a while, but you know what? They're just terrible. Terrible.

It's kind of comics in that period more than the specific stories, bbut christ all mighty was it bad.

If teh Joker is punching Batman in the panel, like, he's drawn punching Batman, I don't need a panel describing the fact that Joker is punching Batman. The whole book is like that.

I do think that it's nice to see the Joker for who he was back then, and he was a grim bastard. He was a ruthless killer without remorse.

So, for that you should check them out. I'm very interested to see Nolan's Joker. I think the character will be pure evil, and I can't wait. Joker hasn't been pure evil in a long time.

[Infernorhythm]

Forget the Killing Joke, it's overrated and not as important as the main stories influencing Heath's Joker: Batman #1. The two Joker stories found in that issue are the most chilling Joker stories ever.

[the goddamn batman]

Forget the Killing Joke, it's overrated and not as important as the main stories influencing Heath's Joker: Batman #1. The two Joker stories found in that issue are the most chilling Joker stories ever.

But Heath mentioned The Killing Joke as a book he read (tha Nolan gave him to read) in preperation.

I agree that it's not that great a story, but still, it's been read by Heath to get a feel for the character.

[Infernorhythm]

But Heath mentioned The Killing Joke as a book he read (tha Nolan gave him to read) in preperation.

I agree that it's not that great a story, but still, it's been read by Heath to get a feel for the character.

True, you have a point. But so was Batman #1, and it was the more used comic for this take on the Joker. I'm not denying Killing Joke played a role in Heath's Joker, but it was minimal compared to Batman #1.

[the goddamn batman]

Oh, so you've seen the movie?

Because I don't think that's at all a fair claim to make if you haven't. I'm not saying that it is or isn't more used or less used, just that until I see the film, I can't actually say which is more important to the character Ledger is playing.

[Choppa]

^Nolan said in an interview that that's the main characterization that he's using a while back. I'll post the link later.

[The Joker]

You know, I read those a while back, out of curiosity... it's been a while, but you know what? They're just terrible. Terrible.

It's kind of comics in that period more than the specific stories, bbut christ all mighty was it bad.

Ok, so you're not a Golden Age fan. Big deal. Apparently Nolan didnt so much like the story, as opposed to what The Joker was originally portrayed to be. And that was pretty badass. As he even mentioned that he finally found someone who would give him a fight right when he was knocking the hell out of Batman. The current Batman Confidential arc seems to be echoing this as well.

If teh Joker is punching Batman in the panel, like, he's drawn punching Batman, I don't need a panel describing the fact that Joker is punching Batman. The whole book is like that.

Pretty common Golden Age stuff. But yeah. Oh well.

I do think that it's nice to see the Joker for who he was back then, and he was a grim bastard. He was a ruthless killer without remorse.

But of course. Apparently, this, if anything was what Nolan had an affinity for when reading The Joker stories in Batman #1.

[the goddamn batman]

@ Choppa, I obviously misssed that comment from Nolan. Fair enough.

@ The Joker, no, I think Golden Age comics were pretty bad in a lot of ways. Describing what's being shown is one of those ways.

But I do understand what Nolan liked about those stories, and I do understand what he's taking from them. I for one am all for it. I love the Joker in those stories. I jsut think the stories... rather, how they're told is pretty hard to read in this day and age.

[The Joker]

TGB, I get you're not a Golden Age fan.

Yeah, it's questionable how much of all that (Batman #1/Killing Joke ect ect) Heath really took in when preparing for his role with The Dark Knight. As I recall Heath essentially stated in an interview that he read the books, and then basically put them down. I believe the overall original concept of The Joker from those particular stories were what Nolan liked more than anything else. We'll see.

[the goddamn batman]

TGB, I get you're not a Golden Age fan.

Yeah, it's questionable how much of all that (Batman #1/Killing Joke ect ect) Heath really took in when preparing for his role with The Dark Knight. As I recall Heath essentially stated in an interview that he read the books, and then basically put them down. I believe the overall original concept of The Joker from those particular stories were what Nolan liked more than anything else. We'll see.

Well, I like them in theory, I just find the really old stuff pretty hard to read from the stand point of a modern comic reader.

And yeah, what you said about Nolan liking the Joker's character from those stories. I like the character in those stories, just not the way the stories are written. Like, Joker hits batman with an uppercut as Joker is shown punching Batman. It's like, "oh, really? BEcause I don't have eyes, or the ability to recognize a punch when I see one.":rolleyes: BUt I like who the Joker was shown to be in those first two stories.

[Rynan]

Batman #1. The two Joker stories found in that issue are the most chilling Joker stories ever.

I never understand this. It's thrilling, yes, but chilling? I don't think it's that scary or even disturbing. The Joker pulls off a bunch of locked-door robberies which happen to involve murder. I like the stories, but I think your overestimating the fear factor here.

Also, to be in topic, I suggest you read nothing. Nothing what so ever.

[Nefarius]

The only thing you have to see before seeing Dark Knight is to watch Batman Begins.But if you want to read something that Dark knight was influenced,here is your list:

1)Batman 1 or Batman:The man who laughs.The viral marketing of this movie reminds the radio(and TV broadcasts for the remake)messages where he threatens to kill someone.

2)The Killing Joke:I don't think that this Joker will have an origin(and that's better for me,i love the mystic and the mystery of this character)but many messages from varius viral sites use quotes that resemble many quotes from the Killing Joke and possibly Archam Asylum.I think Joker in this movie would be some kind of a mad philoshopher.Someone who wants to prove a point,that madness and chaos are the only solution.

3)The Long Halloween:The alliance between Gordon,Batman and Dent to stop crime in Gotham,the appearence of a serial killer(in this case the Joker) and the deformation of Dent,would be elements that this movie will use.

[DeadXMan]

Essential Joker storys:

Long halloween
DKR ( when the smile came back to him, gave me chills)
Death in the Family
(we killed jason Todd before we can Do it again)

Eleseworlds: I, Joker

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Forget the Killing Joke, it's overrated and not as important as the main stories influencing Heath's Joker: Batman #1. The two Joker stories found in that issue are the most chilling Joker stories ever.

Agreed. I've always had nightmares about the TV or radio suddenly changing tunes and talking to you. Can you imagine how frightening that would be?

It happened in the first Joker story, likely inspired by Orson Welles' War of the Worlds radio broadcast that paniced some people in the early 30s.

[HankMcCoy]

update: I just scored Absolute Long Halloween and Absolute Kingdom Come for free... pretty pumped about that. I think I'll start to read LH tomorrow.

[Ramiel]

update: I just scored Absolute Long Halloween and Absolute Kingdom Come for free... pretty pumped about that. I think I'll start to read LH tomorrow.

Well, you should be, what is that like a $150 value.