Assessment (April 23)

“The Killing Joke”

1. While reading the comic, I really felt like the text/dialogue really does a service to the emotions of what the characters are feeling in a given scene. Everything from Joker's stammering and stuttering when a character, especially the Joker in flashbacks, reacts to what he has to think about the crimes he’s about to commit. There are points of stopping, and slowing down, then counting trying to connect the dots on what he’s going to do with the mafia. Another aspect I noticed. In the dialogue is when a character is said or, a certain way a word is said but a character, the text becomes bold. I just felt like this was emoting very interesting to point out. I see it in a lot of comics and is often used in the medium to address a character or situation.
2. I related the story of a the joker’s origins to that of pretty much anyone who feels they can’t really get the kind of life they need or want. Personally, I feel that trying to make something of yourself can be very difficult. In the story, the Joker is struggling to try to become a comedian to help support his family, especially with a baby on the way in a few months. I always felt that trying to make a name of yourself, especially in an area of entertainment like comedy can be especially tough. It’s not easy trying to get the same kind of reaction from people that you want, and trying to do that for a living can come with some definite complications and goal not reached. I also feel that the scene where the Joker harasses Barbara by removing her clothes after shooting her is something deeply disturbing. And him taking pictures of her and showing them to her father, Commissioner Gordon, adds more unsettling levels on to the narrative. Ing in a world where serious crimes or harassment happen, and the fact that there was not reason the Joker did that, other than to mess with Gordon adds onto the twisted sense of humor Mr. J.
3. If I were to adapt this onto a medium, It would be animation. I feel that animation can help create stories that wouldn’t feel a true amor real in live action. For the animated adaption, I would keep it pretty much the same as it was in the original animated film, expect remove some of the parts that added more onto Barbara’s story, such as the sex scene between her and Batman. I would have it start with the interrogation between Joker and batsman, and the give flashbacks of Barabra’s past adventures that lead up to her being shot by Mr. J. I also feel that this could be an interesting stage play, but in a. Carnival setting. Somewhere that could help with the creepy aesthetic of the stores, especially since most of the story takes place in one. I would also have the scenes that depict the Joker’s failed stand up acts be portrayed by comedians trying to make bad jokes, and try to make the audience the laugh with truly bad jokes. Having the messed up scenes that appear in the comic, I would love to see all of that be interpreted in that way. It could really feel like a real adaptation of a comic.