Batman: The Killing Joke

This book was phenomenal. This may be one of my favorite comics that I have ever read. The story was interesting for me because it took a character that I am familiar with and presented a thorough back story, so unlike the past two superhero comics I read, I did not feel lost in the story. The dialog was fantastic and clever, it must have taken so much thought to come up with all the cheesy puns and jokes the Joker says! It was a very dark story, but the plot was full and suspenseful, the characters were developed and consistent, and the art was amazing.
The illustrations in this book were truly remarkable and played a big part in the story. The Joker is such a dynamic and expressively loud character that his facial expressions are key. The way that Brian Bolland captures the Joker's expressions, as well as the faces of the other characters (Barabara when she gets shot and even stern Batman), is so impressive. There is an aspect to the detailed faces that adds personality to The Killing Joke in a way that I have not found in most any other comic. He locates the most important part of a bit of dialog and imitates the expressions so that the panels correspond perfectly with the dialog that they contain.
I am very glad that I own this comic and I intend to purchase Jusge Dredd to see more of Bolland's work!