3 Is The Magic Number.

You know a graphic novel is good when you own it three times. That how many copies of The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland I now own. Ok the third copy is only on pre-order but still. I read the killing joke years ago while in school and it had a big effect on me, so when I saw a copy (which may have been second hand) I bought it. It was a comic I read a lot until it was time to leave and go to college in Swindon. I took a pile of comics with me but left Killing Joke behind, as I didn’t want to loose my only copy. When I got to Swindon I found out they had there own comic shop and while looking around saw a new, recent copy and decided it would be good to have a new glossy copy for over there to read. Fast forward several years to a couple of nights ago when I was looking up prices of Graphic Novels on Play.com when to my utter surprise I saw they were re-issue a new version this month. I think what makes this copy different is that Bolland was never happy with the John Higgins colouring and this version will be coloured by Bolland… I think. It’s a bit hard to tell without a copy in front of me, as I can only go on what’s been written. Plus they say there a bonus Batman Black and white strip but knowing my luck it’ll be the one he did for Batman Black and white in 1996 that I already got. Still I’m looking forward to the end of the month when it’s out.

You ever notice how Graphic Novels are becoming more like DVD’s now with all there special extras you get. Some people don’t like all those extra features you get on DVD’s now but I love them. If I buy a DVD and it doesn’t have a documentary that’s longer then the film its self and audio commentary from everyone from the director to the director’s mum I feel a little cheated. Same with Graphic Novels now. How hard is it to throw in a few extras like Foreword, Afterword, Interview, Cover Gallery and maybe some sketches? I guess they release them (DVD’s\Graphic Novels) with no extras so they can release them a few years later packed with new extra features so you have to buy the bloody thing again. Just look at Blade Runner. How many different cuts and special edition of that film is they’re going around? Christ that not as bad as when they started re-issuing those new digital Star Wars movie’s with the shitty CGI Jabba and so on. How long until they start putting out digitally re-mastered graphic novels? Yikes they’re a thought and not a pretty one.

Nothing sums up this statement better then a drawing of a Robot giving a man a bath. Taken from my short Sci-Fi story I’m working on.