EXTRACTS: Brian Bolland (illustrators special issue) © 2019 Book Palace Books (144 PAGES in Full edition)

62 our long transatlantic phone conversations, was great fun. PR: ‘The Killing Joke’ was a very different project in terms of tone—it looks like it was a lot of fun—how did it come about? BB: After Camelot DC gave me a nice little bonus and Rachel and I took ourselves off on an expedition to China. On my return I rang up Dick Giordano, top gun at DC (I’m always vague about people’s exact job titles), and said: “What should I do next?” Dick said: “Anything you want, Brian.” I thought about it for a while and said I’d like to do a Batman graphic novel and I’d like my friend Alan Moore to write it. Alan and Dave Gibbons had recently caused a sensation with their maxi-series Watchmen . Alan and I had been threatening to do something together for years thanks to our connections with 2000AD and Titan Books in the UK. Alan agreed to come on board and asked me what sort of thing I had in mind. I said I’d like it to be principally about the Joker with Batman as a secondary character. ABOVE & RIGHT. Pages from Brian's next substantial project with DC. Scripted by Alan Moore who, during the writing process, had a major falling out with the powers that be at DC. However, despite all, he completed the script and Brian's panel breakdowns (an art in themselves) as well as his skills as the premier exponent of 'comics-noire' ensured that this would be regarded as one of the high points in the entire Batman back catalogue. FACING PAGE: 'The Killing Joke' cover image. Note the German and Polish for 'The Joker' on the lens! Text continued from page 56 Batman © 1935-2019 DC Comics Imaged by Heritage Auctions (HA.com)