Week 13: Superheroes Reconsidered

This week I read The Killing Joke and will be answering the following questions:
1. What is your reaction to the text you just read?
2. What connections did you make with the story? Discuss what elements of the story with which you were able to connect?
3. What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? What medium would you choose; what changes would you make?
4. In what ways does this story differ from the typical expectations the reader might have for a superhero story?

     Reading The Killing Joke I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a big DC fan, ESPECIALLY not a Batman fan, but I loved it. I think Batman is a dull and boring superhero, but I think the villains are where DC really shines. I didn't expect to like reading The Killing Joke as I have no interest in superheroes, supervillains, or the like (Except the X-Men, I don't know why). I really enjoy the backstories of villains, and I always have. I like stories that don't necessarily excuse the behavior of villains, but I like that they explain their actions and specifically how a reader may be similar to them.
     I think it should be easy to make connections to any character in any well-written story. I even found similarities in the random crazy man in the short comic after the main story. Although I think he takes his beliefs to extremes, I think the basis of what he says is true. Many people are awful but obey the rules out of fear, while there are people that have done awful things but could be considered very good people. I, of course, don't connect that thought process to 'I should kill someone for the hell of it and see if I feel bad' but I get the perspective.
     I've never watched a DC movie through, as I tend to dislike them or fall asleep, but I think this was made into a movie. I haven't yet seen that movie but to adapt this comic into a film I think it would be relatively easy. I think this comic is a very short version of what the movie could be and they'd only have to elaborate on some of the scenes. I think sometimes flashbacks get confusing so it'd maybe be better to rearrange the back and forth flashbacks a bit into an easier to understand format.
     I think the typical expectations for a superhero story is to, first of all, be about the superhero. this story is more about the villain than the 'superhero' at all. Batman in this is also repeatedly trying to get the Joker to give up and let him help him as well, which in most superhero stories it's typically just the hero beating the shit out of the villain. I could be wrong as I'm not very interested in superhero comics or movies, but most of them seem to be very black and white.