Over 20 years ago (1988) comic wunderkind scribe, Alan Moore teamed up with artist mastermind, Brian Bolland, to craft a 1-shot Batman book, "The Killing Joke" which would go on to serve as the blueprint for one of the most popular interpretations of the Joker ever (Heath Ledger in 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'). Although somewhat tame in today's era, at the time, 'The Killing Joke' stirred up a smidgen of controversy over the use of violence and depictions of The Joker's sadistic crimes. One thing that stands up to this date is the masterful character study of the Joker himself. The book flashes back to reveal the Joker's back story and provides a complete retelling of his origin to flesh out the reasoning on why the Joker became such a sadistic, cruel and brutal cold-blooded killer. While the narrative may feel somewhat skimpy this tale is truly all about the Joker (along with Bolland's detailed and sumptuous art).