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Friday, March 12

“Less gaudy and more refined”

March 25th, 2008
Author JK Parkin

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:

Original
Remastered
 
10 Responses to ““Less gaudy and more refined””
  1. Fanboy Menace Says:

    Hey, all this color is getting in the way of my artwork! *removes all the color*
    ;)

  2. matches Says:

    I kind of liked the gaudy version better. KJ is a very “80’s” story to me, and the neon coloring reflects that.

  3. ce Says:

    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?

  4. Rich Johnston Says:

    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.

  5. Jason M. Bryant Says:

    In some places I like the original better, in some I like the recolored version better.

  6. Shaun Says:

    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?

  7. Rob Webb Says:

    Maybe the yellow circle was deleted so that it could look more like the dark knight movie costume.

  8. Carroll Says:

    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.)

  9. DK Says:

    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.

  10. Rob Webb Says:

    sure but it is allot like lucas messing with star wars if you ask me.

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