The night Joker was released from Arkham, the dregs sent some nobody named Jonny Frost to go pick him up and show him around town.  Joker had caught wind that most of his assets, and by that I mean to say his city, had been snatched up by a few unscrupulous chums looking to get ahead while the clown was away.  So sets the stage for the Brian Azarello and Lee Bermejo “Joker.”

Released near Dark Knight, the book seemed to have slipped under the radar of most comic aficionados, perhaps over shadowed by Alan Moore’s representation of the Joker from Killing Joke.  That is part of what makes “Joker” so successful.  Let’s face it kids, Alan Moore’s Joker shot Barbara Gordon in the spine.  How much darker can you get with the clown prince?

Azarello’s Joker is a different breed.  Where as Moore’s Joker is methodical and careful, Azarello’s is random and sadistic.  I am tempted to compare him to Heath Ledger and wonder if Ledger drew from this particular comic for the film role.  This Joker is more intense, more apt to fly off the handle.  It’s humbling to see him bring criminal masterminds like the Riddler, the Penguin and Two Face to their knees.

Azarello’s storytelling is fast paced, twisted and introspective.  Jonny Frost is in too deep before even we realize it, and when the end comes around we are left wondering if there was any other way it could have played out?  The tale of Jonny Frost is not a memorable one, we care about him, but his story is not unlike any other crony.  What makes this book unique is that it brings us right into the Joker’s inner circle.

Glimpses of Joker planning and strategizing, shots of him sobbing out of confusion against the naked stomach of the sexy Harley Quinn, the echoing laughter of a mad man facing death and thinking he is alone.  This closeness to such a charismatic character demands careful handling, and Azarello does not disappoint.  I began picking up on Joker’s motives as the story progressed creating moments where I knew what would happen, because that’s what Joker would do. Those moments were the most rewarding.

Lee Bermejo’s art helps capture the grimly lit city of Christopher Nolan’s vision, the new films almost seem to go hand in hand with the illustrations of this book.  Croc is a towering broad shouldered beast, his manner and voice evident before he even begins to speak.  Joker is a mess, a hideous white thing that smiles that extra long, jagged smile and cackling.  Harley is an elusive blonde bombshell, a dame with flowing locks and “come get me eyes.”

The colors and shading add depth and give texture to this world.  The problem is that this place looks like any other downtown.  With the exception of the gates of Arkham (and perhaps the bridge) we might as well be in any town USA.  There are no landmarks to this world, nothing that is unmistakably “Gotham” about the book.

If you enjoyed the strong sense of voice from 100 Bullets, you will be happy to know Azarello doesn’t depart from that smooth talk style.  This can be challenging at times, forcing you to sound things out loud while you read.  It actually had me working on my sleazy mobster accent.  Sometimes this works, sometimes this is a chore.  Nothing a second read through can’t fix, which is expected/encouraged.

This story doesn’t fit in with any particular time line, it doesn’t follow a convention, Batman’s appearance is barely a blip.  There really isn’t anything special about the story of Jonny Frost, but this book feels unique to Batman from start to finish.  Written as a one shot off the heels of Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, Azarello and Bermejo decided to dive into Joker’s world and get a good look around.  I wonder if you will be able to stomach what you find there?