Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino join forces in Joker: Killer Smile, a play that explores the twisted mind of the clown prince of crime
Joker: Killer Smile invites readers to take a whole new and truly terrifying look at Batman’s archenemy as he methodically unravels the confident and well-meaning Arkham Asylum psychotherapist Dr. Ben Arnell.
Arnell is convinced that he can diagnose the Joker, so who is really the madman? Let’s say you actually take your work home.
Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino speak to DC Comics about their version of the Joker and the descent into madness that awaits Dr. Arnell.
DC Comics: What aspects of the Joker did you want to explore? What shaped your opinion of him?
Jeff Lemire: I’ve written a lot about the DC Universe in the past, but I never had a chance to write any of the Batman-related characters, so this opportunity was very exciting for me. Aside from Batman himself, of course, Joker is probably the most iconic character in that corner of DC. But I wasn’t really intimidated by it, really just excited to try to do something new and fresh and put our own spin on the character, while still celebrating all the great Joker stories that have come before.
In terms of the Joker stories that I looked to for inspiration, it really came down to three specific books. Of course, Killing Joke is Joker’s biggest and most iconic story, and his influence cannot be ignored. But also reread Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo Joker and Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers’ Batman run.
Andrea Sorrentino: We wanted to take a break from the “meatier” side of him and show a man that he can crawl under your skin and enter your mind just by using his words. Like that kind of psycho who can scare you even while handcuffed to a chair from behind glass.
Be serious about everything, especially in the beginning. I did a lot of studies for his expressions and his body language trying to give the readers something that would make him a more subtle and real character.
DC Comics: Andrea How do you describe the visual tone of the series? What kind of mood are you looking to establish?
Andrea Sorrentino: Our goal is a real version of the character. Even Gotham or Arkham Asylum that we see in the book are stripped of their usual gothic aesthetic to show them as real places. I believe and hope it is something new.
And the story is really a crescendo. Things start out pretty good, and then we see the insanity grow and grow through the troubles. The artistic approach, in terms of storytelling and page layout, also reflects this.
We are also giving the story two other narratives. One is seen through the Joker’s eye: the stories of his wildest accomplishments as he tells them to Dr. Arnell. The other has a more metaphorical meaning and will introduce the mysterious “Mr. Smiles ”to DC readers. Each story will feature a different art style, one of which is a complete novelty, even to me.
DC Comics: Jeff, what made Andrea the right collaborator for Killer Smile?
Lemire: Andrea and I have developed some really great chemistry since our first project together, which was our run at Green Arrow for DC. Since then, we’ve continued to grow and experiment as a creative team, both at Marvel and currently with our creator-owned series, Gideon Falls.
The aspect of Joker that interested me the most was his influence on other people; how his insanity can spread, infect and reshape the world around him. Andrea is the perfect artist to take that concept and bend the visual reality of the book to express it in new and exciting ways.
DC Comics: Do other familiar characters beyond the Joker play a role in Killer Smile?
Lemire: For sure YES. You can’t have Joker without his favorite dance partner, right? But Joker is the central theme of this book. Every other DC character is there to help tell a great Joker story.
Let’s talk about Dr. Ben Arnell – how are you so sure (clearly wrong) that you can diagnose the Joker?
Lemire: Ben is a great guy. There’s nothing wrong with good old Ben Arnell. It will be totally fine, I promise. It is very likely that Ben will manage to deal with the madness of Joker, and the story will have a very happy ending for everyone. Actually.
Or … Dr. Ben Arnell could be the reader’s gateway to horror and madness, and a world of chaos like nothing Gotham has ever seen.
Source: Dc comics
The psychological terror of Joker: Killer Smile at SMASH and DC Comics México
Arkham Asylum is home to many of Batman’s worst enemies, including the most dangerous of all: Joker.
No psychologist or psychotherapist has ever managed to break through the insanity that imprisons Joker’s mind. In fact, many of them have broken themselves in the attempt. But Dr. Ben Arnell thinks he is someone else. He is sure to be the one to finally reach the man inside the madness … and heal him.
SMASH and DC Comics Mexico bring you Joker: Killer Smile. Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino bring us a shocking tale of psychological horror that explores the insanity within one of the most complex villains in pop culture.
It is also being read
The phenomenon that joins Fortnite with Batman arrives in Mexico
Henry Cavill wants to be the next James Bond
Gallery | Nostalgia for Superman