Over at his blog on Pop Culture Shock, Jon Haehnle compares Brian Bolland’s original artwork from the original Batman: The Killing Joke to the recolored artwork used in The Killing Joke Anniversary Edition — recolored, that is, by Brian Bolland himself:
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March 25th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Hey, all this color is getting in the way of my artwork! *removes all the color*
March 25th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I kind of liked the gaudy version better. KJ is a very “80’s” story to me, and the neon coloring reflects that.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I liked the old colors better, too. They had a surreal, psychedelic feel that complimented the story.
Does every new edition of something have to be re-colored?
March 25th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Brian’s version is akin to what I tried to do with Ian Sharman on Flying Friar In Color… a subdued colouring scheme that pops on very specific items - here, the Red Hood and Joker’s makeup. That gives a layer of storytelling to the colour that it previously did not have. I may well have to buy this now.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
In some places I like the original better, in some I like the recolored version better.
March 25th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Hmm… Gotta say I like the original, more vibrant colors better. Ultimately, I don’t see the point of this. Then again, comparing one page isn’t a good test I guess.
I understand that the yellow circle was removed from Batman’s chest in the “new” version. That seems a bit much. It’s supposed to be a story fairly early in Bats’ career. It doesn’t affect the story or anything, but why make the change at all?
March 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Maybe the yellow circle was deleted so that it could look more like the dark knight movie costume.
March 25th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Hmm…I like both, but I think I prefer the original. I’m definitely not okay with taking out the yellow circle. Seems to me to be a part of the evolution of Batman. I think I’ll save my money and just stick with my Alan Moore DC Universe trade. (Traded away my original Killing Joke years ago - stupid me.)
March 25th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
People seem to not realize this, so I guess I’ll mention it here. This version was recolored because Brian Bolland, the artist, asked DC to let him recolor it. This was not some editorial mandate. Bolland was never a fan of the coloring job and so this was a chance for his original vision to be recognized. I’m guessing the removal of the bat-logo is a part of that, as he admits in the afterward to doing touch ups on the art itself as well.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
sure but it is allot like lucas messing with star wars if you ask me.