Smile! DC Comics’ twisted tale of a madman trying to break the iron will of Gotham City’s Police Commissioner returns in March to mess with your mind all over again. In 1988, DC Comics released “Batman: The Killing Joke”, a one-shot prestige format comic book chronicling the tale of the Dark Knight’s greatest foe’s attempt to drive Police Commissioner James Gordon insane by giving him “one really bad day.” To celebrate its’ 20th anniversary, DC COMICS has announced the release of a special edition Hardcover reprinting the chilling story with all-new coloring and added material. Written and drawn respectively by creators Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, this story still holds its’ own as one of the most intriguing and disturbing looks inside the mind of the Joker and the DC Universe today. “This is one of those stories that you just can’t put down,” says longtime comic-collector Jason Kittrell of Hendersonville, TN. Standing in front of his collection of Joker memorabilia during the interview, Kittrell was quick to point out the importance of the story. “Joker has always been Batman’s main villain, but ‘The Killing Joke’ adds a whole new level of depth and creepiness to the Batman mythology.” Kittrell also pointed out that events from this book have had ramifications for the DC Universe as a whole for almost 20 years. “He shoots Barbara Gordon, effectively ending her career as Batgirl”, he says, “she has been portrayed in a wheelchair ever since. We also get a closer look into the early days of the Joker when he was a two-bit criminal called the Red Hood.” DC Direct will also release a special collector’s set of action figures of Batman and Joker in June 2008 to add to the madness. The figures, with sculpts based on the artwork of original Killing Joke artist Brian Bolland, will come packaged in a 4-color window box with a new printing of the story for fans to enjoy. When asked if he will buy the new figures, Kittrell responded “I’d be ‘crazy’ not to. Heh.” For more information on Batman: The Killing Joke, visit www.dccomics.com . *(Steve Boyd is the Event Coordinator for Comic Collector Live and can remember buying the original Killing Joke the day it came out in 1988. He was 14.)