Joker by Brian Azzarello

Azzarello, Brian. Artist, Lee Bermejo. Joker DC Comics, 2008 ISBN 978-1-4012-1581-1
Plot
Told from the perspective of Jonny Frost, a low level thug who is sent to Arkham Asylum to pick up the Joker. Frost becomes part of the Joker's gang and begins to assists him in trying to regain his former status as a high profile gang figure within Gotham City. By gaining notoriety again he clashes with notorious figures, such as, Two-face, Killer Croc, The Penguin and Batman. Jonny aids and abides the Joker in numerous crimes, including multiple murders. Jonny goes from petty crime to underworld notoriety he has always sought. Although he is afraid of the Joker he respects and idolizes him. Jonny begins to look at Joker differently once he begins to act in ways that Jonny does not find to be a ‘joking’ manner.
Critical evaluation
Joker is a deeply disturbing and completely unsettling work, a literary achievement that is a successful attempt to scratching beneath the surface of the Joker's unfathomable psyche. It is a hellish decent into the insides of the most foul and guilty city that is known as Gotham City, with its most unworthy of living citizens. Its straightforward plot and onslaught of extremely graphic violence, Azzarello and Bermejo's story somehow manages to achieve a level of delicacy rare to any Batman comic, let alone one that goes into one of the most ludicrous and sick minds graphic novels have ever known. Bermejo and Azzarello create a Joker that is a masterpiece of chaos, gore, grit, guts, and unimaginable insanity.
Readers annotation
Jonny Frost life of petty crime has led him to break out one of the most notorious enemies, the Joker. Jonny helps Joker receive the notoriety he once had before the Arkham Asylum by committing many heinous acts.
Information about the Author
Brian Azzarello developed the idea of Joker out of Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.
Genre
Graphic Novel- Superhero
Curriculum Ties
English
Booktalking ideas
1) First person narrative – Jonny while he commits crimes with Joker
Reading level/interest age
15 and up
Why book included?
Is a must read for Batman comics.
Controversy
Violent Scenes
Defend
Award Winning Series