This isn’t your typical Batman comic. Released in 1988 The Killing Joke has stood the test of time. Batman vs. Joker might be the most oversaturated rivalry in the history of comic books, but this is the story that set the bar a bar that 33 years later is still yet to have been eclipsed. The dark tone and gritty style alone are enough to pull you in and keep you interested, but everything from the art to the story is about as good as it gets. To me this is the comic that makes the Joker the most beloved villain of all time, as well as one of the first to really delve into the root of the evilness of its villain—a trend that’s been copied hundreds of times since. The Joker is such a complex character that, in a world where Marvel and DC only make movies starring the heroes, the fans NEEDED to see the world from the Joker’s point of view. 2019’s Joker, loosely based on this oneshot, made a billion dollars. And not to take away at all from Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix, or the rest of the cast and crew by any means, but that movie never would’ve happened if not for The Killing Joke. The tones are identical, and given how talented of a director Phillips has proven to be over the years I have to think that was done intentionally.