I'm thinking of The Killing Joke -- that this world is so fucked-up that the only possible response is insanity.

Yeah, I figured that's what you were talking about, but I read that a year ago, so I couldn't remember exactly what he said.

Jim Gordon: tough as nails.

Love that man. Ex-marine. Bad-ass mofo.

What worldview?

Could also be "Killing hundreds with a poisonous gas is funny! Don't ya get it? Huh? Get it?

You ain't got no sensea humor..."

Yeah, everyone thinks Batman is fucked up; they've just got different and often conflicting explanations of how.

Micole, there's at least one book on it (How to Read Superhero Comics and Why--I love it, despite myself, and blame it for me falling further into this than just the occasional graphic novel), and Te's been collecting links in her memories section.

I have half-formed ideas and analysis in my head, but right now, I'm completely kid-in-candyshop about it, and not much comes out beyond glurble squee flail.

Could also be "Killing hundreds with a poisonous gas is funny! Don't ya get it? Huh? Get it?

You ain't got no sensea humor..."

If you do it on the David Endochrine show it certainly is.

"Now that's just darn rude."

Gotham Knights has only been collected as part of cross-book storylines.

Is there a good place for actual Bverse comics analysis out there?

I honestly don't know, although I think one would be welcomed. (LJ community? Someone should volunteer.) My problem is that I'm a Johnny-come-lately to comics, too, and even though I've read A LOT of backstory, I still feel unable to meta.

(Possibly because the moment I start, I get side-tracked by all the re-reading. Or I venture my tiny, nebulous theories and get spanked by canon I don't know. Or because I have the attention span of a gnat, and generally don't meta anyway.)

Possibly because the moment I start, I get side-tracked by all the re-reading. Or I venture my tiny, nebulous theories and get spanked by canon I don't know.

I'm in a weird reverse of stuff where, with Buffy and Angel, half of everything that was supposed to be fic would turn into essays, and here, everything that's supposed to be essay turns into... fic. I can't quite explain it, beyond a vague notion that making sense of the mythology involves active playing inside the mythology, like Sophocles with less talent and more nudity.

I can't quite explain it, beyond a vague notion that making sense of the mythology involves active playing inside the mythology, like Sophocles with less talent and more nudity.

That makes sense to me, and it reminds me of an essay I was going to write. It didn't turn to fic, somehow.