So, expectations lead to disappointment. I've learned that lesson before. Why do I keep being surprised when I'm totally jazzed about something and then it isn't as great as I wanted it to be? 
 Funny thing, this book is pretty okay. I think I would have been impressed, incredibly impressed, if I'd read this in the late 80's when it came out. This is the book that shows Batgirl getting shot by the Joker, and eventually paralyzed as a result. But I didn't, I read it yesterday. And since I read it yesterday, if feels like this is well trodden territory. 
 Hmmm.... when I put it like that, it sorta makes this seem like it's my own fault for not liking it more. 
 But the thing is, this is pretty good (the three stars, according to goodreads, means I "liked it," which is undeniably true. It's just that I didn't really like it). 
 So what's a fella to do? I could give it the obligatory 4 or 5 stars, the way I should, probably, given it's historical context. It came out around the time, maybe a bit after, Frank Miller's Dark Knight story I read a few months ago. I gave that one a single star bump because I forgave it for being made at the time it was made. 
 So what gives? Well, one... it tell's the Joker's origin story, more or less. I'm not the biggest Batfan in the world, I've seen the movies, the shows, I even watch Gotham on TV. But I've never read the comics... actually, I had an oversized edition of the death of Robin around here somewhere. And I seem to recall owning a single issue of Detective Comics when I was a kid. 
 But aside from that, it's only been recently that I've bothered to give Bats a go. 
 And knowing all that about my past. I read this and think, why are they giving the Joker an origin story? That's blasphemy. I think the notes at the end of the book mention that one of the contributors thought it was a huge mistake too, and implied they've retconned that into being a lie that the Joker has told about his past because that's just what he does. 
 But at the time, it was meant to be a look into his origin... actually, now that I think of it, the Tim Burton Batman film shows the Joker's origin too, doesn't it? Haven't seen that in a while either. But I seem to recall him falling into that vat of acid and holding the mirror up to his face later and all that... so I guess this was at a time when they thought everyone needed an origin story, even the Joker, who I think of more like an eternal trickster god that exists only to torment Batman, as opposed to a real person with a past. 
 So that Joker origin thing removes a star. 
 Then there is the fact that this is really short. Again, before, I guess, longer story arcs were really a thing. I mean, I'd just mentioned the Frank Miller story, which predates this one, so I'm obviously full of shit, but whatever, it was too short. More length, by itself, isn't better, but it does give an opportunity for more subtext in the story. Everything about seems to be that single layer of story, not as much under the surface as I'd like... I blame the length for that, too much was fit into too few panels. 
 That said, the art was incredible. This edition had modern coloring added, which is fine by me. It was gorgeous. There were notes in the book about the artists original vision and all that, and how this is the way he always wanted it. All that is fine, although the Lucas tinkering with Star Wars thing to make it more like his 'original vision' has sort of burned me out on that as an argument for tinkering with already complete works. But since I've never seen the original, and it isn't precious to me... well, I didn't care. 
 In all, it was enjoyable. Not great, although I'm not putting this within it's historical context either. But I'm probably the only person in the world as steeped in comic book lore as I am that has had so little exposure to Batman. So it makes me a bit funny that way, I guess. 
 *Edit* - I forgot to mention that this has the iconic moment at the end where ----- spoiler ----- Batman supposedly snaps the Joker's neck. I read it, and I don't believe for a moment that was what was supposed to be happening. I still think whasthername from the Inhumans book I read a few months ago was definitely giving a BJ to her husband's brother, so I'm all up for conspiracy theories here... but not this time.