I could not contain my opinion any longer, nor was I sure where to share my opinion, so I am creating a thread here on it.
What do people think about the cover of Joker Bronze Age Omnibus?
I dislike it because instead of the “branded” colored-themed, Age-specific cover designs, this cover went in its own direction. Since it’s art, it’s open to interpretation, but when I see the cover design, where Joker is holding a playing card and gun, with spotlights in the background, it seems to appear as Joker is not an evil person, or his villainy is accepted. I have a hard time looking at the cover, and not thinking that mayhem and anarchy are being “condoned” on the cover.
I hope if there is a reprint, the cover art goes back to the format that was originally intended, and follows the same design as the rest of the Bronze Age Omnibuses.
I think you might be reading too much into it. It’s a creepy clown with soulless eyes holding a gun – that’s not going to look heroic to literally 99% of the human (and possibly small animal) population.
Also, I don’t know how they could further sell his villainy without getting controversial and considered exploitive, much like the Batgirl cover from a couple of years back.
I don’t have a problem with the cover per se, but I have wondered if the glorification of villains is a problem. I’m still trying to figure it out, but it strikes me as a little strange to give your kids sneakers, shirts, and backpacks glorifying a mass murdering sociopath. If Hitler were a cartoon character, would you want your kid to wear his sneakers? The other part of me thinks I’m overthinking it and that even kids get these characters aren’t role models.
@BatWatch – I get what you’re saying, but I think a big difference between Joker and Hitler is that Joker (and a lot of villains who get shirt treatments like Thanos or Venom) is a fictional character, none of the atrocities he’s done on the printed page or big/small screen ever happened in real life.
There’s nothing to read on a cover, so I am not reading too much into it. But, with the orange background, I initially thought Gotham was on fire. While upon further inspection, I see that it is spotlights, and with Vroom showing the picture, I see a very tiny Batman, I still think that the original design would have shown more neutralism. Taking more space, and being the first of the main Bronze Age Omnibuses to receive a new look, my opinion is that DC is showing Joker’s appeal. I may be wrong, but that’s why it’s an opinion- not fact.
Oh yeah, reality vs fiction is a giant distinction, but again if Hitler were a fictional character from a hugely popular movie series called World War II, would you want your kid to have a Hitler backpack? It’s kind of weird, right?
