Whats the explanation for Batman laughing w/ the Joker at the end of The Killing Joke

[dupersuper]

I personally don't care for the book. For one - Batman is out of character for the entire book, not just the end. Also, I didn't care to have the Joker's past explained, especially in such a "he's just a human" tone. He's the Joker, not some guy who had a bad day.

In the story, Joker himself says he's not sure he's remembering his actual origin. He says he prefers his past be multiple choice.

Batman as a symbol is black and white. The Joker is black and white. Moore story doesn't fit into that black and white world, so it doesn't fit.

So it's not that you don't think it didn't fit their character, it's that you don't think it fit the archetypes you want them to be?

If I wouldn't laught, I have a hard time thinking that Batman would.

You think your senses of humour are that similar? There's a nice little Lois Lane short story in a Superman 80 page giant in which she comments on the odd things that make him laugh (we see them watching TV, him laughing and her looking at him like "WTF?"). Point being: these are unique people with unbelievably unique life experience that likely see the world a tad differently than us civilians.

[jgiannantoni05]

...some days, [laughing at "the joke" is] all you can really do to keep from crying. Sure, it's morbid and terrible, but sometimes, you've just got to see the joke....And maybe, for just one moment, Bruce had a bit of self awareness, of how he is arguably insane, too, and maybe it's a little absurd for him to be offering to help Joker. And maybe the laughter is a bit out of character, but isn't that life? I mean, real people aren't just internally consistent beings that never contradict previous actions. Maybe 99 times out of 100, Batman wouldn't laugh at the joke...but that one day, that one instance, he did. That's life. Some days, you just see the joke.

This. Well said. That's Joker's little victory in this Joker-focused story. This one instance, Joker succeeded as a comedian, he made Batman see "the joke."

[thanamesjames]

Batman broke character, but I don't get why that's a problem. Is no one ever allowed to act different than they typically do? Are we all one note beings? The fact is that for this brief moment, Batman lost it. He's typically cool headed, and even keeled. However in this one particular instance the Joker breaks him. The Joker "wins" the mind game he's always playing with Batman. While Batman really does believe that he's doing the "right" thing, and is a sane, but driven and obsessive individual... for this one moment he realizes he's crazy. And folks lets face it, he is crazy.

[maxpower00044]

This thread made me open me TKJ book, and it fell apart! All the pages separated from the binding. The pages are all still together so I just need to glue it back, but that sucked!

[Concept Coop]

In the story, Joker himself says he's not sure he's remembering his actual origin. He says he prefers his past be multiple choice.



So it's not that you don't think it didn't fit their character, it's that you don't think it fit the archetypes you want them to be?



You think your senses of humour are that similar? There's a nice little Lois Lane short story in a Superman 80 page giant in which she comments on the odd things that make him laugh (we see them watching TV, him laughing and her looking at him like "WTF?"). Point being: these are unique people with unbelievably unique life experience that likely see the world a tad differently than us civilians.

When I suggest that I wouldn't laugh, so why would Batman? - I am not claiming that we share personalities, or senses of humor. Quite the opposite: I am a lot more light-hearted than Batman the character. How often does Batman laugh? Yet, we expect to believe he laughs at a not-so-funny (LOL) joke made by a guy who just crippled one of his friends?

It is not about what I WANT Batman or the Joker to be; it is about what I have perceived them being. I am not claiming to be right, or wrong - I am sharing my opinion.

It doesn't fit my idea of Batman or the Joker. I feel like Moore altered the characters to make them fit his story. Just my perception, which is no more or less valid that anyone else's.

So screw Batman go read Wolverine comics, it seems to be what you want.

What I want? I love Batman - grew up with him, and still love him as an adult.

Quite of few of you seem to take personally me sharing my opinion. Enjoy the book. Why are you threatened that you enjoyed it more than I did?

[dupersuper]

What I want? I love Batman - grew up with him, and still love him as an adult.

Quite of few of you seem to take personally me sharing my opinion. Enjoy the book. Why are you threatened that you enjoyed it more than I did?

No one's threatened, but if you share your opinion on a forum, expect counter-opinions.

[varsity_club]

Okay, maybe because Alan Moore was essentially writing a Joker story and perhaps didn't like the Batman character as much, and had that ending as a joke on us.

[Davidian]

Okay, maybe because Alan Moore was essentially writing a Joker story and perhaps didn't like the Batman character as much, and had that ending as a joke on us.

Yeap I think Batman is quite Out of character, but the story is about Joker.

[maximiliani]

Wasn't this supposed to be an elseworlds type oneshot and not in canon story, I think? At least I've sworn I've read it was supposed to be like Batman's last case or something and he's laughing at the end cause he's snapped. Moore never intended it to be carried into the main canon (thus crippling Barbara) that's why the ending is so finite I think...

[Shimarenda]

I find it dubious that this was intended as an elseworlds story because DC took the trouble to retire Barbara from the Batgirl role in Batgirl Special prior to the release of The Killing Joke.

[djss1297]

I agree it is an emotional release, and I don;t think it is hard to get either. But I didn't mean he was choking him in that panel, I thought the very last panels might have kinda implied it, where we only see the rain and "HA HA"s, they end very abruptly.

That is how I took it.. also how he said I don't want to hurt you and maybe this is our last chance.. Just my interpretation.

[Patroklos]

I've always seen the last panels as being purposefully vague. They might either show Batman finally snapping and killing Joker, or they might just show them leaning against eachother in continued laughter, or they might symbolize how Batman and Joker finally embrace, recognizing how twistedly alike they are. The lightbeams reflected in the water lends some credibility to the last theory, but as I said I've always read it as purposfully vague. A classic open ending.

[pietran30]

I've always seen the last panels as being purposefully vague. They might either show Batman finally snapping and killing Joker, or they might just show them leaning against eachother in continued laughter, or they might symbolize how Batman and Joker finally embrace, recognizing how twistedly alike they are. The lightbeams reflected in the water lends some credibility to the last theory, but as I said I've always read it as purposfully vague. A classic open ending.

Yea that's how I see it... It's one moment where batman can relate to the joker, and actually sees things through the eyes of the joker. I think that in the final panels when the laughter stops, batman is killing him, since that seemed to be the ultimatum batman decided on in the beginning of the story. Once rehabilitation was out the door, one of them had to die...