Batman: The Killing Joke is well known for giving The Joker an origin story that has largely been accepted as canon. In short, a struggling comedian just has one gruesome, terrible day, and it makes him lose his mind. But the comic is also well-known for a controversial move by the villain that saw him shooting Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, in front of her father Commissioner Jim Gordon. This left her paralyzed, effectively ending her role as one of Gotham’s protectors. The Joker poured salt in the wound by having her captured and stripped, with the implication that she was also sexually assaulted.
This Batman storyline is not for kids at all, so don’t think you’ll be able to watch it with your young ones who love superhero movies and cartoons. Just a quick glimpse at this featurette, which explains plenty about
The Killing Joke‘s history and story, will confirm that fact.
The graphic novel has come under fire in recent years for completely disarming an iconic female superhero at the time, especially in such a brutal way, but it’s still revered as one of the best in Batman’s history. That’s exactly why it’s being turned into an animated movie, and Hamill and Conroy expressed as much when they announced their return to the animated world of Batman.
