ECC Ediciones publishes the first volume of the series dedicated to one of the greatest villains in the history of comics, Joker
In literature and cinema, the villain is the character to be defeated, an obstacle that the hero must overcome so that good, an ambiguous concept, can triumph. It is clear that in our lives we want good to triumph and the bad guys in our reality to lose, but in fiction sometimes villains are created so fascinating that many feel attracted to such evil figures.
There are some fascinating villains, in Star Wars we have Darth Vader or Maul, in the MCU we have Thanos and Loki. DC Comics has fascinating villains like Lex Luthor or Zoom, but the most surprising of all is undoubtedly the Clown Prince of Gotham, Joker. The Dark Knight has had many scary villains, but the clown is the worst (and the best at the same time).
The Batman villain is perhaps the best-known villain in the world of comics, so much so that he is already a part of popular culture after transcending the original medium long ago. ECC wanted to pay homage to such an impressive villain by publishing the Joker Collection: Unauthorized Biography. This collection consists of 10 weekly episodes with the best contemporary stories of the Clown Prince of Crime by great authors such as Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Ed Brubaker, Doug Mahnke, Tom King, Mikel Janín, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Geoff Johns or Jason Fabok.
In the first chapter we have the origin, or one of his possible pasts, of the villain written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Greg Capullo. This comic collects the first issues of Batman: Zero Years, the retelling of the origins of the New 52 superhero from ten years ago. We also have a little preview of what’s to come from Chip Zdarsky, Andrea Sorrentino and Giuseppe Camuncoli.
What is the origin of the Joker?
Without a doubt one of the most interesting aspects of the character, aside from his relationship with the hero, is his origin. Although 80 years have passed since his creation, the exact origin of the villain is uncertain. The character has gone through several versions since his creation in 1940. The most widespread and well-known origin seems to be the one created by Alan Moore and Brian; Bolland in The Killing Joke, but it doesn’t seem definitive. Geoff Johns wanted to put a twist on all this, going so far as to clarify that there were actually three Jokers, each with a particular past.
Even so, the character has played a lot with his past, changing versions multiple times, making it impossible to know exactly when one of history’s most iconic villains was born.
The return of the prodigal son
Bruce Wayne, the young millionaire and heir to the Wayne Company, returns to Gotham City after spending years abroad. Bruce’s goal is to free his beloved city from the scourge of crime and delinquency. Ordinary criminals are not a problem, but the Red Hood Gang, a group of criminals led by a charismatic man who has never revealed his identity, is putting the city and Bruce himself in serious trouble.
For some reason, Wayne becomes the new target of this dangerous gang and this sparks a manhunt. Bruce realizes that Little Red Hood is much more than just a thief, so he understands that he too must become something more, a symbol.
Snyder presents us with an origin story, both that of Batman and that of the Joker. What’s interesting is how they take the opportunity to somehow connect each character’s origins to show us how one couldn’t exist without the other. We are introduced to a Dark Knight who is a bit inexperienced and impetuous due to his youth and lack of experience, so we will see a more surly character than many might be used to. But without a doubt the most interesting thing is, as it couldn’t be otherwise, the villain, an interesting and charismatic character who makes everyone else pale every time he appears.
As for the overall story, Snyder does a solid and good job, but at this point no one should be surprised by the writing in this volume. The origin of Bat-Man and the Joker has been told so many times that it is already very difficult to generate something new or surprising. Despite this, the story is very well written and the characters are the best thing about the story, as well as introducing key figures from the Dark Knight mythology.
Capullo, the man who consolidated Spawn, is responsible for the design. The artist is no stranger to drawing Batman and it’s clear he got the point of the character. A very detailed drawing with strong lines that captures the decadent atmosphere of Gotham very well. Also, the character designs are fantastic and the action sequences are the best. The Snyder-Capullo tandem makes it clear in these issues why their collaboration on Batman is so appreciated, the quality of their work regarding the Dark Knight is always exceptional.
If after finishing the comic you are left wanting to know what will happen next, don’t worry because the second volume of this collection continues where the previous one ended.
Collector’s Edition Joker: Unauthorized Biography Vol. 01 of 10: The origin of Joker by ECC Ediciones
ECC collects Batman 0, 21-24 and 142 in a hardcover volume for a total of 144 pages with the quality to which the publisher has accustomed us. The volume has an introduction by Fran San Rafael, who talks about the villain, as well as a trailer made by Chip Zdarsky and various artists. In general the comic is well laid out, but sometimes there are pages where the drawing appears blurry, perhaps a printing error which we hope will be corrected in future reprints. This first volume of the weekly collection is now on sale for €19.95. A very nice edition even if it has some small points to improve.
The Origin of the Joker is a good option to learn more about one of popular culture’s greatest villains. A beautiful edition, even if with its small errors, where we will see one of the “origins” of the criminal clown. The duo of Snyder and Capullo proves that they are destined to create one of the most popular current Batman periods.
Collectible Joker: Unauthorized Biography Vol. 01 of 10: The origin of Joker
Author: Scott Snyder | Greg Capullo |
Editorial: Editions ETC
Format: Hard cover
Pages: 144 color pages
Price: €19.95
ISBN: 978-84-10330-73-3
Synopsis: A collection of 10 weekly episodes featuring the best contemporary (and some classic) villain stories! Authors like it Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Ed Brubaker, Doug Mahnke, Tom King, Mikel Janín, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Geoff Johns or Jason Fabok They will immerse us in the mind of the villain. The perfect summary of the fragmented career of a character that we will be able to enjoy again on the big screen this October.
In this first episode, Bruce Wayne has just arrived in Gotham City after a long stay abroad. Their goal is to cleanse the city of criminals, but some are making their task very difficult. They are the Red Hoods gang, thieves whose leader has never revealed his identity. After an initial encounter with them, Bruce becomes the target of the bandits, and begins a hunt that will culminate in Ace Chemical Industries…
Witness the birth of the Joker, or at least one of his possible origins, in this volume written by Scott Snyder and designed by Greg Capullo which includes a preview of what will come from the hands of Chip Zdarsky, Andrea Sorrentino Yes Giuseppe Camuncoli.
