DC Just Adapted Its Most Famous Batman Comic Again A Decade After Its Controversial 2016 Movie

DC has recently released another adaptation of one of the most famous Batman comics of all time - which is made all the more interesting by the controversial results of the previous attempt to adapt the story into a movie 10 years ago. Batman's history contains some of the most important comic tales of all time, thanks to the hero's prominence and the many talented creators who've helped craft his escapades.

While this means there's a wealth of iconic and stellar Batman comics primed for adaptations, it also means there's a roster of comics that have to be handled especially carefully when they are reimagined, since viewers will be more aware of the source material being utilized. As such, while it's not surprising DC have adapted the biggest Batman comic story of all time again, it's notable that this rendition is quite different in some senses to the more tumultuous 2016 movie adaptation of the same narrative.

The Killing Joke Has Been Adapted Once More Thanks To DC High Volume

When it comes to Batman comics, The Killing Joke has stood the test of time in terms of remaining one of the most famous stories featuring the Dark Knight and his most notorious nemesis. Naturally, this has meant that The Killing Joke has inspired a range of DC releases over the years, including some direct adaptations - as is the case with the most recent efforts to reimagine this story once more.

DC's High Volume series - which adapts notable comic releases from the annals of DC's past, and reimagines them in audio podcast format, complete with using some of these stories' panels or visuals to underline specific moments - released the second and final chapter of its adaptation of The Killing Joke onto YouTube on January 7, 2026, roughly a week after the first chapter debuted on the platform.

With talents like DC voice actor Jason Spisak returning to the franchise to voice Batman here - and Troy Baker returning to voice the Joker, after having previously played the character in the likes of Batman Unlimited, Batman: Assault on Arkham, and both parts of the adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween - it's no surprise that High Volume's rendition of The Killing Joke is one that adapts the source material well.

Why DC High Volume's The Killing Joke Adaptation Is Better Than The 2016 Movie

Years before DC High Volume had even begun, The Killing Joke was adapted into a full animated Batman movie, though these efforts resulted in a release that was even more controversial than the original comic itself, which has long seen criticism for using the torture and subsequent paralyzation of Barbara Gordon as a plot device intended to add drama to the stories of her father and Batman without delving into what this means for Barbara herself.

The 2016 adaptation of The Killing Joke made this matter even more complex by adding in a romance between Batman and Barbara Gordon, which drew fan ire both because Barbara is conventionally in a relationship with Batman's first adoptive son, Richard Grayson, in the comics, and because it could be seen to further pigeonhole her into a damsel in distress romantic interest role given the later events of the story.

Ultimately, DC High Volume more straightforwardly adapting the Batman comic without adding in a questionable and unnecessary romance avoids the added problems Batman: The Killing Joke created for viewers, making it arguably the preferable adaptation of the two despite having less in the way of visual elements.