The Many Shades of Joker

Brian Bolland's artistry stands as an instantly recognizable touchstone for comic-book fans around the globe. Renowned for his striking cover illustrations, his rare incorporation into the body of a graphic novel — Batman: The Killing Joke — helped cement the enduring Batman–Joker saga as a fan favorite for generations. Paired with the graphic novel's original script, which functions beyond simple narration as a meticulously laid-out blueprint tracing every step of a remarkable journey, this documentary reveals the creative process behind The Killing Joke's distinctive visual language. Viewers will discover how artists and writers collaborated to convey story and human emotion panel by panel, captivating readers with unforgettable storytelling and humanized depictions of heroes and villains. And after almost three decades in print, Batman: The Killing Joke remains as thought-provoking as ever, its socio-economic themes resonating with each new generation.