Nov 252012
 

My friend Antonia forwarded this picture in one on her comments and I found it hilarious.  I had to share it with the world…and is going to be part of JUST FOR GIGGLES gallery….

Here you have it…THE CLOWN

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(Picture originally posted in JOKER and HARLEY  at TUMBLR) 

Nov 242012
 

I can’t help it…I am addicted to figurative art.  I know that Post-modernism, Surrealism, Cubism, Futurism, among others have examples of beautiful art, but I prefer to see art that represents the world I live in…and there is where Mike Mayhew comes in, adding his passion for realism to the comic book media.

Born in New Zeland, Mike represents a modern movement of  photo-realistic dynamic art called Stuckism, created in response toPostmodernism. He says that “art is a mirror of our culture but that it should reflect the best, not the worst”, and “.his use of bright colours in paintings not only expresses the strong light of New Zealand, but also the optimism he wishes to express in his art.

Here is one Joker he painted for an Uperdeck VS set of Cards.  I love the maniacal look on the Clown’s eyes as well as that smile…as if grinning at a camera.  Joker can be such a showman…

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Visit the artist’s site at MIKE MAYHEW’S STUDIOS and MIKE MAYHEW at DEVIANTART
Nov 152012
 

Our friends at CBR have scored another fantastic Joker article, with an interview with BATMAN series artist Greg Capullo where he talks about the current DEATH OF THE FAMILY story arc,  BATMAN #15  as well as his takes on Batgirl and the Robins. Please enjoy it and for more information visit the site.

REMEMBER BATMAN #15 is on sale DECEMBER 12, folks!!

 

CBR News: At NYCC 2012, you spoke about how you see Batman as a single, solid silhouette. In “Batman” #15, the whole Bat family gathers together. How do you visually approach drawing them? Is it with that same eye for shapes and silhouettes you use with Batman?

Greg Capullo: No, because I see Batman as an entity onto himself. For me, what I’m trying to do is capture what I know of their personalities and maybe put that into their body language, their facial expressions, their hand gestures, what have you. But no, that monolithic shape is reserved only for Batman! Anybody posing next to him always has to look less than him, so that’s just the equation.

In the very first issue of the “Batman” New 52 relaunch, readers saw most of the unmasked Bat family together — at least all the Robins. That’s a big group of handsome, blue-eyed, black-haired guys. How do you approach depicting the personalities of each one in a visual way and differentiate between these sort of similar-looking characters?

Well, again, I try and make them a little bit different — it’s like when you look at the faces of models. They all sort of have the same features but somehow look a little bit different, it’s like a trick of nature I guess. But body language is a lot easier, especially when you have a character like Damian who’s just brimming with attitude. I’ve got a ten-year-old stepson at home and Damian’s ten, so I have some reference to what ten year olds are about — even though our kid’s nothing like Damian! [Laughs] So with Damian I’m giving him almost hip-hop poses in a couple of things, that gangster attitude in a couple of shots, because that’s more in line with his personality. It’s just more or less playing it up like that, saying, “How can I make it different?” Batgirl’s got a strong personality, so I try and make her stand a little bit proud. I try to play off those things and sometimes it’s small, whether it’s a tilt of the head or the way she’s bending her leg or whatever. I try to make it all natural.

“Batman” #16 leads into the big showdown between Joker and Batman — do you feel issue #15 is more of the calm before the storm, or is it more frenetic than that?

There’s some explosive stuff that happens in #15, it’s definitely not a sleeper issue! But things definitely get more macabre as we move forward into #16 because now we’re going into the Asylum; just by virtue of that things will get kooky! If you’re paying attention the Joker, he’s going to be taking over. He’s remodeled all of Arkham Asylum so it’s going to be Arkham Asylum like you’ve never seen it before. You’ll see some familiar faces and some — I don’t want to spoil things — but it’s big, crazy, off-the-wall stuff that’s been so much fun to draw. It took such restraint not to Tweet off a million pictures! [Laughs] It’s stuff that you would never expect to happen, there’s even animals, there’s everything in this issue! I’m telling you, Scott’s putting me through the paces on this one!

During “Night of the Owls” when Batman was in the Court’s maze you played with a lot of surreal visuals, like the image of Batman turned into an owl. For this story it sounds like the Arkham Asylum stuff is approaching that level of surrealism. Are things a little more abstract, a little more disconnected from reality?

I don’t know if I would call it that or define it quite that way. I mean, some crazy stuff is happening, for sure, but Batman is not on acid this time and so he’s not having such crazy hallucinations. He hasn’t been starved of food so his mind is not quite degraded to the point where we’d see some of that crazy surreal stuff. But the setting itself — some of the things Joker has set in place for Batman and I came to enjoy — are quite surreal just by virtue of what they are. There’s no need to play it kooky. You don’t have to bend the angles or give it a fish-eye lens on the scene, just what is in the scene is crazy and disturbing enough. You could do old-school Jack Kirby six-panel grids and the content is just messed up, the content itself delivers the goods!

Preview page 11:

Going into issue #15 and #16, were there any definitive Joker artists or ways Arkham has been portrayed that influenced or inspired the way your Arkham and Joker look?

Not really so much. Certainly, Scott was inspired by certain stories or what have you, but for me it was a conversation with Scott. Scott said the Joker’s face was cut off. Wow! Ok, I missed that one, what do we do? One of the things he mentioned which was pretty much the only prerequisite is he said, “I want the skin to be stretched really tight so that he’s got the biggest Joker smile that we’ve ever seen.” That was one of the directions he gave me to go on, so I said, “Yeah, alright, we can do that, we’ll have some hooks and stuff we’ll pull it real tight!”

What’s great now is he’s not a one-trick pony — there’s a scene where Batman punches Joker and it busts loose! So then you got a character that, like how you adjust your necktie or fix your hair, he’s got to actually fix his face. And not like women fix their face, he’s got to reattach hooks and stuff! It provides a lot of expressions you could never possibly achieve without this vehicle. Also, even though you have all this fear and dark stuff, you have this black humor. To me it’s funny when he’s fixing his face! It’s kind of sick because it’s his skin and it’s falling off his face, but it’s funny at the same time. But maybe I’m messed up because I laugh at that!

As the artist on the flagship Bat-book, do you talk to the other artists and architect the crossover in a way similar to the writing process?

No, [editor] Mike Marts has me usually provide some art so I gave them my looses sketches, nothing finished, and I go, “Here’s how the face works and here’s where the hooks are and here you go, have at it.” The Joker at some point will don some familiar apparel and some of those artists are ready to roll with that but I’m not, so I set aside some time and put together how I plan on doing that look to shoot that over to them. Being the lead guy, so to speak, I have to provide for the guys, “Here’s what this is going to look like,” when I get to it so we keep up continuity.

Back in “Batman” #1 we actually saw a version of your Joker — albeit really Dick Grayson in a disguise — before he took off his face. How had your concept for the villain changed or stayed the same from then to when you and Scott began talking about “Death Of The Family?”

Again, Scott really wanted him to look less wooden dummy-ish with the big nose and the big chin, because that’s not so much the guy you’d expect to ever really meet. In that respect I both trimmed back and the chin and the nose, and as far as from my own perspective based on what I heard from issue #1 I said, “No way is he going to have that hair-do! I’m just going to give him straight-forward, time-tested, fan approved hair!” [Laughs] And that’s how I kept it! So the only cognizant thought I had was to not do the Heath Ledger hair — I don’t want to get stoned by fans while I’m at conventions!

Not only are you doing the interior art, you’re also doing the covers, each one showing a sort of faceless or shadowed Joker. Do the ideas from the covers spring from the themes of the issues or are these images you’ve had in mind for a while?

Usually what happens when there’s a cover the first thing is to find out what’s going to be taking place in the issue, so I’ll say to Scott, “Got any suggestions for the cover?” He’ll say this, this or this, and sometimes I’ll throw all that away but it inspired something else entirely different. Or I’ll go, “That’s awesome! I really want to do something with that!” The one where he’s wearing all the different [Bat allies’] apparel, I think that might have been Scott’s idea, saying “He’s wearing so and so’s this, and so and so’s that,” and me going, “Yeah, that’s cool, man!”

The last cover, issue #17, which I am very happy with the way it came out, he had a completely different idea for it. I like to make iconic, simplistic designs for covers and the other thing would have been more like an illustration for the interior, I didn’t really want to do that. So I go, “How can I take the essence of what Scott is saying and make an image out of that?” That’s how I came up with him dancing with the burned-out Batman costume. It’s “Singing In The Rain” and it’s sort of like “Clockwork Orange;” I want it to be something messed up and twisted like that. And the whole lesson we’re learning through all of this is the Joker is madly in love with Batman! So I think that’s even there as he so lovingly dances around with this thing, it’s so messed up! But anyway, that’s how it happens — we come up with ideas and put them through the blender. Sometimes we use them and sometimes we discard them, and come up with some kind of image that will hopefully last more than five minutes after the viewer has seen it.

As you said earlier, Scott’s certainly got a couple of favorite Batman stories he’s drawn inspiration from. What is your favorite definitive Joker or Batman story?

I’ll tell you, and I say it all the time, I loved “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller. I could shove that in anybody’s hands, it’s like the first thing you’ve got to check out. Actually, my whole Batman cowl design is borrowed from the scene where Batman’s armored up to fight Superman, wired up Gotham City for power and he’s got that flat helmet. I can’t do that because I have to give a little more shape but I just love that look. If I could and get away with it, I’d make Batman’s face just as flat as that: a forehead that goes straight to the nose. There’s just something badass about it! It’s appropriate because he’s the Dark Knight and it’s like a knight’s helmet, just flat with the eyes. That’s one of the very biggest sources that has inspired me and I love it to this day. I just think it’s genius!

 

(Pics courtesy of DC COMICS Blog. Original article can be seen HERE)

Nov 092012
 

The guys at Comicvine and the  BUZZFEED have shared a nice preview of the upcoming BATMAN #14 that continues the “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” storyline. Thanks to “G-Man” Guerrero and BUZZFEED’s Donna Dickens for the preview!!!!

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  Plus: In the backup feature, The Penguin is running out of options as he’s confronted by The Joker!

(Pictures courtesy of BUZZFEED and DC COMICS)

Nov 042012
 

Well, someone at least did.

Ok, this I think this might be one of the best ideas in the whole world.  Joker in the Star Wars Universe.  I would really like to see more of these ideas so please, email me yours to post them.  My email in case you have all forgotten is: Jokerlady@jokeruniverse.com

This one belongs to the classics:

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NOTE:  The original artist has been lost in my Joker archive so if anyone knows the artist’s name, please drop me a note.  I would love to give credit where credit is due.

Oct 232012
 

The LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT digital comics keep surprising fans with the development of interesting and twisted plots.  Though some of the art in the series has not impressed me, the writing on the other hand has been capable of keeping me hooked in the series for twenty issues (when my average is just about ten issues before I call it quits if I don’t like it).  The new story arc starts with issue #19 and involves a violent reaction from Maxie Zeus inspired by a mysterious voice only he seems to see.  As it appears, Maximillian has been part of a new brand of therapy that might have lead to this deadly reaction, and he’s not the only one…

LODK: ISSUE #19

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Joker seems to be hearing the very same voices and you would not believe what they seem to tell him to do… I don’t know what to make of it, after all it is quite a serious and permanent turn on the character, but we will have to wait till next week to find out.  I hope this does not become a trend in comics too…

SPOILERS BELOW, WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK…SPOILERS BELOW, WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK…   

 

LODK ISSUE #20

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Oct 212012
 

btl0-caseWhat I am talking about is the new trading card set from Cryptozoic Brand Trading Cards and Collectibles DC BATMAN: THE LEGEND.  The set, making its debut at the end of the year, brings forth almost 80 years of Batman history by compressing a roster of heroes and villains in a nifty 63 card set.  The card will showcase original art and will be a balance between older and newer comics including the new 52 reboot.

One of the highlights of this card set is the inclussion of a chase set of circus posters tittled CARNIVAL OF CRIMINALS that will feature seven decades of great criminals depicted as a series of circus posters .  Redemption cards for the the Carnival of Villains will be randomly inserted in packs with the actual cards  being oversized 4×6 art cards

But not only Batman and his rogues make up this set.  Batman has had an extensive supporting cast that extend the boundaries of Gotham.  The card set includes depicitions of the likes of Superman, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman and Black Canary among others.

Additional chase cards will include a look at the Batmobile along with an ‘inside view’ of the Batcave. Here is a sneak peek of the BATMAN: THE LENGEND SET.

(Note:  You can preorder the boxed set this month through your Previews distribrutor or comic book shop. It will be available at the end of the year).

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Set includes randomly selected sketch cards too:

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Oct 012012
 

CBR announced to day that artist Greg Capullo will be issuing DIE CUT COVERS for the multititle story arc “Death of the Family” that launches with BATMAN #13  in October 10th.  Here is the CBR report:

When Batman’s arch-nemesis makes his return to the Dark Knight’s world this fall, the Joker will be coming with a horrific new “face mask” made up of his own torn off skin. And to help accentuate the frightening feel of the “Death Of The Family” event that kicks off with October’s “Batman” #13, DC Comics has tapped series artist Greg Capullo to draw a series of special die-cut covers featuring the faces of Batman’s closest allies.

Below, CBR News has an exclusive first look at Capullo’s art for the covers. Capullo’s art graces “Batman,” “Batgirl” and “Catwoman” #13 in October, “Suicide Squad” #14 in November and “Detective Comics,” “Batman & Robin,” “Nightwing,” “Red Hood & The Outlaws” and “Teen Titans” #15 in December.

When he spoke with CBR earlier this month, Capullo called the cover creating process “a bit of a challenge. The die cut itself had to have straight edges. The other challenge was working within the limitation of using only have of a characters face and reusing the same angle for all. Trying to show individual personalities within these confines. I think I pulled it off.”

(Original article by Kiel Phegley. To see full size pics, visit CBR HERE)

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Sep 182012
 

MERRY CHRISTMAS JOKERDOM!!! With all this Goodies, we could call this a very JOKER-CHIRSTMAS!

December’s solicitation for DEATH OF THE FAMILY related storyline and spinoffs continue to hit the charts (Guess the world was ready to  a Joker comeback).  Look  what December has in stores regarding Joker’s return to the spotlight:

BATMAN #15

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  • SCOTT SNYDER (w) Backup story written by SCOTT SNYDER and JAMES TYNION IV Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION Backup story art by JOCK Cover by GREG CAPULLO
  • Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO 1:100 ;  B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
  •  On sale DECEMBER 12 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
  • US Retailers: This issue will ship with four covers. Please see the order form for more information.
  • Synopsis:
    •  The Joker’s attacks have taken their toll on Batman and his allies, and now they have to face the impossible.
    • The final madness of The Joker’s plan revealed here! Why is he more dangerous now than ever before?
    • Plus: In the backup feature, witness The Joker’s confrontation with the Riddler as the horror of The Joker’s plan is revealed.
  • This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.Combo pack edition: $4.99

 

DETECTIVE COMICS #15

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  • JOHN LAYMAN (w),  JASON FABOK (a);  Backup story art by ANDY CLARKE Cover by GREG CAPULLO
  • 1:25 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
  • On sale DECEMBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
  • US Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information. • A
  • “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in Synopsis:
    •  What has The Joker done with The Penguin?
    • Guest-starring Poison Ivy and Clayface!
    • Plus: In the backup story, learn the secret way to make it as a super criminal in Gotham City.
  • This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue. Combo pack edition: $4.99

 

BATMAN AND ROBIN #15

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  • PETER J. TOMASI(w), PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY (a) Cover by GREG CAPULLO
  •  On sale DECEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T. •
  • A “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in! Summary:
    • Damian vs. The Joker!
    •  Has The Joker finally met a Robin as dangerous as he is? Or will The Clown Prince of Crime claim another of Batman’s allies as his victim?

 

BATGIRL #15

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  • GAIL SIMONE (w),   ED BENES  (art and cover)
  • On sale DECEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
  • A “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in Summary
    • With so many funerals planned, The Joker decides it’s time for a wedding!
    • Barbara’s first confrontation with The Joker since he shot her is coming to a horrifying conclusion!

 

CATWOMAN #15

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  • ANN NOCENTI (w) RAFA SANDOVAL and JORDI TARRAGONA (a) Cover by TREVOR McCARTHY
  • On sale DECEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+.
    • Following her standoff against The Joker, Catwoman takes an easy job: stealing Eclipso’s Black Diamond from The Black Room
    • The diamond’s power rises with the full moon…like on the night Catwoman sets out to take it!

 

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #15

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  • SCOTT LOBDELL (w), TIMOTHY GREEN II (a) Cover by GREG CAPULLO
  •  On sale DECEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
  •  “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in Summary:
    •  Red Hood and Red Robin team up against The Joker!
    • Teen Titans vs. The Outlaws!

 

SUICIDE SQUAD #15

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  • ADAM GLASS (w),  FERNANDO DAGNINO (a) Cover by KEN LASHLEY
  • On sale DECEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
  •  “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in Summary:
    • Harley continues her rather unpleasant reunion with The Joker!
    • Has the violent life of the Squad finally claimed Deadshot?

 

TEEN TITANS #15

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  • SCOTT LOBDELL (w)  BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND (a) Cover by GREG CAPULLO
  • 1:25 B&W Variant cover by BRETT BOOTH and MARK IRWIN
  • On sale JANUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
  • Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
  • “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in summary:
    • Red Hood and Red Robin team up against The Joker!
    • Will Arsenal take over the Titans?
    • Guest-starring Batgirl!

 

NIGHTWING #15

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  • KYLE HIGGINS (w),  EDDIE BARROWS and  EVER FERREIRA (a and cover)
  • On sale December 19, 2012; 32 pages
  • “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie in summary:
    •  The Joker strikes Haly’s Circus — and Nightwing can’t stop a devastating murder

 

 

OTHER JOKER RELATED STORIES YOU CAN FIND THIS MONTH:

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #3

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  • STEVE NILES (w); TREVOR HAIRSINE (art and Cover)
  • On sale DECEMBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T •
  • The first time in print for these digital-first adventures! Summary:
    • After The Joker again escapes from Arkham Asylum, Batman begins to seriously question his impact on Gotham City.
    • A surprising delivery from Gordon could change everything!

 

STATUES AND ACTION FIGURES:

BATMAN ARKHAM CITY: HARLEY QUINN STATUE

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  • What’s black and white and red all over? This beautiful new statue based on Arkham City’s Harley Quinn! Harley’s stunning design and edgy new costume is perfectly complimented by the statue’s minimalist color scheme, so order one today before it’s too late!
  • This hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue is packaged in a 4-color box.
  • Statue measures approximately 9.25″ tall.
  • Sculpted by Jack Mathews $124.95 US
  • On sale January, 2012 (Allocations May Occur)

 

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK

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  • The gang’s all here in this special “The Dark Knight Returns” 4-Pack featuring Batman, Robin, Superman, and The Joker! Based on Frank Millers’s now-legendary designs, this is a must-have for fans of Miller’s seminal classic.
  • Action Figures $22.95 US
  •  On Sale January, 2012 (Allocations May Occur)

 

DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS: THE JOKER BUST

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  • Sculpted by Phil Ramirez Shh! The Joker has a secret—and you know it’s the worst kind. Sitting atop a cloud of Joker gas and wearing his classic purple tuxedo, this brand new bust showcases the mischievous mentality of Clown Prince of Crime—so order now, or the joke’s on you!
  • Measuring approximately 6” high x 4” wide x 6.75” deep, his hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue is packaged in a 4-color box.
  • $69.95 US • On Sale January, 2012 (Allocations May Occur)

 

Sep 152012
 

Today I bring to you 2 pieces of Joker art….(in part because I am not posting often enough).  Hope you like them.

First comes this piece from Daniel HDR who is presenting some of his pre-NYCC commissions online in his TUMBLR.  I like the pose, and definitely working on watercolors is not easy task… Lucky person who gets this beauty!!!

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Then the next piece comes from cover artist  Francesco Francavilla.  He posted this on his TWITTER account.  It’s simple, monochromatic, but the drastic contrast of the darks and lights sends an obvious message:  “Look at my throne of dead babies…I am one dangerous clown”  I love the layback pose, obviously inspired by the KILLING JOKE. Always loved that Hawaiian shirt he wore on the graphic novel…

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