Posted by Dan Greenfield on Oct 6, 2019
NEAL ADAMS Reviews JOKER
A JOKER WEEK EXCLUSIVE BONUS: The acclaimed artist explains why you should see the controversial Joaquin Phoenix vehicle… — It’s JOKER WEEK! We’re celebrating comics’ greatest villain since there’s a big ol’ major motion picture out. For the complete index of features, click here. — Dan — We wrapped up JOKER WEEK with a look at why 1973’s seminal Batman #251 by Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams — which has been a centerpiece of the week’s coverage — is evidence that the Bronze Age is the true Golden Age of comics. (Click here.) But in a moment of fortuitous timing, I sat down with Adams at New York Comic Con and he gave me his review of the polarizing Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Todd Phillips — the film whose release inspired me to do JOKER WEEK to begin with. There are a handful of writers and artists who’ve been crucial to the evolution of the Clown Prince of Crime and Adams is among those at the very top of that list — he and O’Neil set the foundation of the Joker we see in modern times. So, as an EXCLUSIVE JOKER WEEK BONUS, here’s his SPOILER-FREE review of a movie that’s become a cultural lightning rod — as told to yours truly. — Dan — By NEAL ADAMS The first half hour you’re going to hate, OK? It’s like a French movie. “What the hell is this?” you’ll think. It’s like, “Oh, Jesus, am I gonna watch two hours of this guy going through crap? And then nothing will happen at the end – because it’s like a French movie?” Which is basically what French movies are like: “Oh, I’m gonna have to experience it with this guy and nothing will happen at the end, it’ll just be screwed up.” But then you’re into it an hour and I’m going, “Well, it’s not quite like a French movie. Because some things are happening but it’s really sad and unfortunate.” And as the movie is progressing, I realize I’ve been interviewed on Joker a bunch of times and the conversation comes down to, really, how come his face is white and his lips are red and his hair is green? And the answer is because he fell into a vat of chocolate. Or chemicals, or whatever it...
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