The Killing Joke Comic VS Movie| Review

I want to start off my saying this is an Opinion piece and in no way shape or form reflects on the opinions of everyone at the Nerd Empire. I openly promote a discussion on the topic and encourage other view points on the subject matter. If I offend anyone, I do apologize.

The Killing Joke movie has been released and I’m sure most of you have read, if not at least heard of the original comic with the same title. Both are equally as dark and DEFINITELY not for the young to read/watch. I will say, I enjoyed both equally as much and it was interesting to see what was similar and different between the two.

Starting with the movie, the whole story behind why Barbra left as Batgirl, to me, was pretty useless. Honestly there was nothing gained from the story aside from an insight into the relationship (Or lack thereof) between her and Batman. The purpose for adding that little bit is beyond me, though at the beginning there is a comment of wanting to show that things were different. Anyone that knows Batman is aware of this to some extent. That opening could (and should) have been taken away and the same effect would have been given to the movie. Aside from that, there were three additional scenes added that were small but gave just a little bit more to the story. After the batgirl story, we see Batman enter a storage unit where Joker clearly had some fun. Batman goes to talk to Joker, tries to clear the air and end the madness that has been their life, only to find that Joker has escaped. We learn what happens to Barbra to make her the Oracle, and Jim’s own words get thrown back in his face when it comes to how he wants to punish Joker Vs. Batman. Ending with Oracle was pretty sweet, but again not needed. The movie really did a great job in taking the comic and bringing to life the artwork and story of WHO the Joker was before he was created. We never learn a true name in the comic or movie, but it shows a man that wanted to provide for his wife and unborn child, and how one bad day screwed everything up.

The comic book was dark. We have no backstory of Batgirl, and it starts with Batman going to the prison to talk to Joker. The way it ends leaves things up to interpretation, both in comic and in movie. We see Batman and Joker laughing at a joke, but what happens? The artwork was beautiful and captured the twisted darkness that is The Joker. We see the back story and how simple mistakes that have good intentions can turn bad really fast. It really brings out a different side to the characters and just sits with you. You can’t help but to think about the characters to some extent and how the backstory changes things, even just a little bit.

I enjoyed both the movie and comic very much, and despite the things that were added to the movie, it was over all a good one to watch. I recommend picking up the comic of The Killing Joke if you haven’t already and reading it at some point. I do also recommend checking out the movie and seeing what you think of it. The artwork is great, and with voice actors like Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, it’ll feel like watching the old tv shows all over again. I am so happy with the people they got to do the voices and the artwork. It really did feel like they took the comic book and brought it to life. There was VERY little differences between the two. Be sure to not watch this movie with small children around, and keep the comic away from small hands. Both are for MATURE AUDIENCES.

THIS PART IS MY PERSONAL OPINION AND IN NO WAY REFLECTS THAT OF THE NERD EMPIRE, OR THOSE THAT WROTE THE COMIC/MOVIE

The whole comic and movie was a mind trip, but really brought some insight into the universe as a whole. Joker makes a comment “I’ve demonstrated there’s no difference between me and everyone else! All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That’s how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day.” That one quote perfectly explains what happened to Joker, and in the animate series, batman paraphrases this to Harley. Seeing that Joker had a wife and unborn child and how their death brought him to his knees, it explains why he cannot love Harley in return. It in NO way justifies the abuse he put her through, but there is at least a possible reason why he is incapable of loving her in return. We see just how much Joker and Batman need each other and as much as Batman doesn’t want either of them to kill each other, it probably is inevitable.

 

Leylines | Review

LeyLines

A conspiracy is afoot in Itsuri. The wife of the High Sage has just died. Strange visions are perturbing its residents. Now, the High Sage’s family has gone missing after a terrorist attack on a train, and the gods are carrying out machinations of their own. The interplay of mystery, fantasy, and romance is the crux of the plot of LeyLines, an ambitious webcomic by Robin Childs that as of the publication of this review has reached 11 volumes and is currently on indefinite hiatus. The internecine story has already unveiled plenty of impressive complications, and will be of interest to anyone who likes science fiction and fantasy series like Girl Genius, Neuromancer, and Eragon.

Billy Love Nibbles | Review

Billy Love Nibbles

Some of the nicest and most moral people in the world are not very smart and not very rich. Billy Love Nibbles is a comic that paints this observation in vibrant and sometimes gruesome detail, with its protagonists being the titular young giant Billy and his pet pug Nibbles. The two friends share a deep and pure bond, which is tested by the troubles that come their way. Unfortunately, as the comic progresses, the story appears to forget many of its own messages, and features some simplistic and disturbing twists and turns that make it unmemorable and unfulfilling.

Kurt Belcher’s World Issues 1 and 2 Review

 

Telling a full and satisfying story with a very limited amount of words and space is a mark of talent. Short stories, comics, and sketches often require writers to be economical and tell a good story without superfluous elements. Unfortunately for Kurt Belcher’s World, there are no such stories to recommend. Devoid of appealing art, three-dimensional characters or interesting plots, these two comic anthologies feature all the talent of a bored high school student’s doodles that were then colored by Microsoft Paint.

Curse Of The Vessel Issue 1 Review

Being a victim of revenge can be a real pain. It’s even worse if you end up with a chest tattoo, get intermittently possessed, and can’t remember a thing afterwards. That’s the situation made man Vincent finds himself in in the first issue of Curse of the Vessel, written by Michael Leal, illustrated by Mike Wilson, and colored by Michael McElveen. After the attempt to kill the owner of a magic shop goes wrong, Vince gets branded with an ominous symbol and his body becomes temporarily rented out to dead people who have a new chance to righting some wrongs in their lives. Vince has no choice but to get shot, punched, drunk, and have no idea what’s going on.

 

The premise immediately grabs readers’ attention, and doesn’t let go for the rest of the comic. The artists have done a splendid job of drawing and coloring; colors alternate between bright and subdued, and skillfully correspond to the mood of the moment. The style can be described as a blend of soft colors encased in thin lines that allow detailed expressions and fluid action. This comic clearly enjoyed plenty of care and work, and it doesn’t waste time in immersing readers into Vincent’s predicament. In the first issue alone, we witness fistfights, a branding, innocent people being shot at point-blank range, and a baby being kidnapped. The creators certainly know how to acquire a captive audience.

 

Wilson has a talent in creating captivating facial expressions and quick movements of characters, and different panels of the comic switch perspectives to maintain interest and motivate readers to view the story from varying perspectives. It’s encouraging to see a comic experiment with panel shapes and points of view, resulting in a more exciting comic.

 

It’s still not entirely clear what the rules of this magical predicament are, like how certain spirits inhabit Vincent and how long they can use him for. We know little of Vincent’s origins and what he has to do in penance to get rid of the curse. Ultimately, the major weakness so far is that there are a number of story threads tossed around in the comic, and they have yet to be snugly woven together. Vincent is still something of a cipher, quite a few characters come in and out of panels with little explanation, and the final third of the comic introduces an entirely different character and his backstory for us to juggle with. Hopefully, later issues will put together and sustain a more consistent narrative of Vincent trying to get his life back, while expanding more on the nature of the magic and the man who cursed him. The scenes of the first page of the comic feature some seemingly unconnected events and remain a mystery, but presumably will play a major role in the future.

 

Despite a somewhat loose introductory plot, Curse of the Vessel is an impressive comic. It should especially interest fans of horror and supernatural stories, due to its consistently dark tone and gritty setting. There is plenty of gore and violence as well as casual murder to please fans of such stuff, so it’s not a suitable comic for the faint of heart. However, Vessel is off to a good start with its absorbing tale of a man limping toward redemption and getting his butt kicked a lot.

Unmade Issue 1 Review: You Can Check Out Anytime You Like, But You Can Never Leave

“Crime doesn’t pay, except when it does.” I don’t remember where I first read that phrase, but it flashed prominently in my mind while reading Unmade, a new comic written by Brandon Barrows and drawn by Johnnie Christmas that deals with a made man realizing he wants to leave his mafia family for his real family, and finding out that doing so is easier said than done. It’s an intriguing scenario to explore, and the first issue of Unmade delivers an unflinching look at lives of crime and how much of a powder keg leading a double life is.