Brian BOLLAND; Batman: The Killing Joke, page 6 prelim

The three pages of prelims that you see in this gallery were purchased from the artist through Wallace Harrington, to whom I still owe a huge debt of gratitude.

If you haven’t seen any of these up close, you may be surprised to learn that they’re quite small--about 6 3/4” wide and just over 8” high. As such they’re even smaller than the printed page and not quite as tightly rendered as say, the cover prelims you may be more accustomed to seeing.

Still there’s a remarkable amount of detail here and it’s fascinating to compare them to the printed version, noting the changes made and trying to determine the reasoning behind those changes. Just as interesting are those visual elements that were there from the very beginning.

I chose this page as it had the first appearance of the Joker (not counting the cover).

For a version of Panel 3 much closer to that which was published, check it out in Jonathan H's gallery.


The following is excerpted from Alan Moore's script for Batman: The Killing Joke; Page 6, Panel 3:

NOW WE HAVE OUR FIRST CLOSE UP OF THE JOKER’S FACE. HE LOOKS OUT OF THE PANEL, STARING AT THE OFF PANEL RUIN OF THE CARNIVAL, AND HE SMILES, WRINKLES CREASING THE WHITE FLESH AROUND HIS COLD, DEAD, MALICIOUS EYES AND AROUND THE BLOODY SLASH OF HIS DISTENDED AND SMILING LIPS. HIS BILIOUS GREEN HAIR BLOWS IN THE NIGHT BREEZE AND HE LOOKS SO DELIGHTED THAT HE COULD ALMOST BE IN LOVE. LOOKING OVER THE JOKER’S SHOULDER WE CAN PERHAPS SEE A GLIMPSE OF MITCHUM AS HE LOOKS ON AT THE JOKER, NERVOUSLY AND UNEASILY, FROM THE NEAR BACKGROUND. (INCIDENTALLY, I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED SOMEWHERE IN MY DESCRIPTION ON THE PREVIOUS TWO PANELS THAT THE JOKER HAS A HAT WITH HIM..MAYBE A SLOUCH HAT OR MAYBE SOMETHING MORE UNCONVENTIONAL. HE ISN’T WEARING IT, BUT HE CARRIES IT WITH HIM AS HE WALKS AROUND ON HIS INSPECTION OF THE CARNIVAL. SORRY I FORGOT ABOUT IT.) HERE, WE SEE HIS GREEN HAIR BLOWING LIKE SEAWEED IN THE BREEZE AS HE SMILES A DEATHLY AND HIDEOUS SMILE OUT OF THE PANEL AT US.

JOKER: Don’t LIKE it?

JOKER: I’m CRAZY for it.