Joker by Brian Azzarello

Jacket: "I didn't know the particulars as to why, but he was . . . Joker was being released from Arkham Asylum ...

So begins this searing look at the crazed world and cracked mind of the Joker . . . the crowned king of Gotham City rackets.

Joker is getting out of the madhouse and, though he's laughing, he's not happy. While away, his fellow rogues have sliced and diced his chunk of the pie and sold it off for scrap - thinking he was gone for good. But now Joker's back on the street and eager to make Gotham bleed like it's never bled before.

During this long night of the soul, he'll cross paths with the likes of The Penguin, Two-Face, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, The Riddler and, of course, The Batman . . . and heaven help them all.

Told through the eyes of his loyal (but naive) henchman Johnny Frost, JOKER is a true noir crime novel - a harrowing journey into a city of rain-soaked streets, dirty sheets and nothing but bad choices."

Slash Film Review: "Azzarello, known for writing hardcore violence into his comics, calls it “the most violent thing I’ve ever written.” Brian reteams with Lex Luthor: Man of Steel artist Lee Bermejo to “show an even darker and more disturbing side to the most dangerous man in Gotham.”

Bean: All I can say is WOW. This is the type of story you'd love to see on the big screen, but with all the blood and gore, it wouldn't get a rating. All the more reason to pick this one up!