Major Spoilers Podcast #539: The Killing Joke

Published: Sept. 18, 2013, 4:43 a.m.

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This week on the Major Spoilers Podcast: The Killing Joke. No, really. We haven\'t done this book before. Also, the Champions, The Legend of Korra, and The Shadow! But no Zach\\u2026

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Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers VIP. It will help ensure The Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future!

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NEWS\\n
\\n Ant-Man moves from November, 2015 to July 31, 2015 \\n
\\nLINK

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REVIEWS\\n
\\nSTEPHEN\\n
THE SHADOW ANNUAL 2013\\n
Ande Parks (w)\\n
Bilquis Evely (a)\\n
Colton Worley (c)\\n
FC \\u2022 40 pages \\u2022 $4.99 \\u2022 Teen+\\n
Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane travel to Las Vegas. The Shadow has heard rumors of an unspeakable evil brewing in the nearby desert\\u2026 one with a link to his own bloody past. A heartbreaking tale of loss, betrayal, and vengeance, set against the neon of Sin City.

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[rating:3.5/5]

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MATTHEW\\n
CHAMPIONS #59\\u2028
Publisher: Heroic Publishing\\n
If you\'re the savage TIGRESS, when the direct approach doesn\'t work, you try something more subtle. There\'s information about the sinister Serpent that the Tigress wants, she know the crime-lord of Los Angeles has it, and one way or another she\'s going to get it. It\'s the Tigress "Versus the Invincible Thugmaster" in an all-new adventure by Dennis Mallonee and Oski Ya\\xf1ez, featuring a special guest appearance by SKYLARK SMITH!

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Also in this issue, for the first time in color, SPARKPLUG stars in the classic adventure, "Blood Relations," by Lou Mougin, Henry Martinez, and Rob Lansley

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[rating:2.5/5]

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RODRIGO\\n
Legend of Korra Book 2\\u2028
Episode 01\\u2028
Six months after the end of Book One: Air, Korra has mastered airbending, Mako works as a policeman and is up for a promotion as detective, Bolin fares poorly in pro-bending with the new "Fire Ferrets", and Asami tries to keep Future Industries afloat by venturing to the south to plan business with Varrick. With Tenzin, the friends visit Korra\'s and Tenzin\'s family in the Southern Water Tribe. After Korra\'s uncle and tribal chief Unalaq easily repels an angry spirit\'s attack, Korra chooses him instead of Tenzin as her spiritual teacher. \\n
Episode 02\\u2028
Korra, Mako, Bolin, Korra\'s father Tonraq, her new teacher Unalaq and his children Desna and Eska travel to the South Pole, where Korra opens a portal to the spirit world to release the Southern Lights. Learning that her father was banished from the Northern Water Tribe for causing a spirit rampage, and was, with Tenzin, responsible for her seclusion in her youth, she orders him to leave her. Returning from the pole, Korra\'s party witnesses an invasion of the South by Northern Water Tribe troops. Meanwhile, Tenzin and his family arrive at the Southern Air Temple, where Jinora is drawn to the statues of Aang and an unidentified ancient Avatar.

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[rating:4/5]

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Major Spoilers Poll of the Week\\n
Smart kids. Love \\u2018em or hate \\u2018em, there\\u2019s something about the precocious little tykes that continues to attract the imaginations and minds of creators around the world. But which kid genius is the most brilliant? Who could outsmart whom?

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Discussion: \\n
THE KILLING JOKE\\n
Batman: The Killing Joke is a one-shot superhero graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland. Published by DC Comics in 1988, it has remained in print since then, and has also been reprinted as part of the trade paperback DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore.\\n
The plot revolves around the Joker\'s attempt to drive Gotham City Police CommissionerJames Gordon insane, and is intercut with the villain\'s flashbacks to his life before his disfigurement and criminal life.

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The story\'s effects on the mainstream Batman continuity included the shooting and paralysisof Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) by the Joker, an event that laid the groundwork for her to develop the identity of Oracle, an expert computer hacker and a vital source of information for Batman and other superheroes

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Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com

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Call the Major Spoilers Hotline at (785) 727-1939.

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A big Thank You goes out to everyone who downloads, subscribes, listens, and supports this show. We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to our ramblings each week. Tell your friends about the podcast, get them to subscribe and, be sure to visit the Major Spoilers site and forums.

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