Week 13- Killing Joke Blog Response

What is the reaction to the text you just read?

            I had seen the movie before so I knew what I was in for. A thought I do have though in comparison is that the movie felt more impactful for me. Probably because the movie was an hour and a half in comparison to the significantly smaller portion of time it took to read the comic, or just because I had already seen it or I hadn’t read as closely to every single line since I had seen it before. It might also be due to the fact the movie has more capacity since it has the capability to bring in music as well which can be a huge factor for emotional impact.

            One thing I hadn’t seen before was the monologue in the few pages of the “ordinary” guy’s plan for Batman and his own future. It got me thinking there really could be and are people like this out there with intentions or thoughts such as this and no one could be wiser.

What connections did you make with the story? Discuss the elements of the story with which you were able to connect.

            I really connected with the aspect of the story where it took Batman’s forgiveness or even the thought of forgiving Joker beforehand in order for the two to have a bonding moment together despite their history. It made a lot of sense to me, since Batman is a vigilante and Joker is a sympathetic villain (to the readers in this comic at least), it would never occur to them to just sit down and talk. In fact, with crimes and a record as heinous as the Joker’s, it wouldn’t occur to bother to try being more empathic to the criminal; there is just the desperate urge to get him off the streets and under due process. Batman was able to get passed that and tried to talk through to the Joker as physical altercations and their usual banter was wearing thin.

What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium?

What medium would you use?

I would want to turn this comic into a live action comic film.

I see a lot of potential for good cinematic visuals with the composition of the comic’s art. There is pretty much already a script and a story that is well structured, and the animated film proves that with its pacing and run time. The material of this comic is pretty heavy and dark, which is what I like to see in cinematic settings. With more relatable “real life” visuals and delivery, I see a well marketed, well executed live action film reaching more people and potentially making a deeper connection, as the message or content could be less digestible or impactful for some being delivered in a comic/cartoon format; especially in this currently rising trend of blockbuster action comic films. The changes I would make are in soundtrack, some changes to minor details like setting or time period so that I’m able to leave my own creative imprint on the product rather than ripping off the comic page for page and without ruining the property, and maybe making some of the events in the story even darker or impressionable.