In 1988, one of the greatest comic book writers of all time penned the origin story of one of the most popular villains of all time in a graphic novel vignette from one of the most popular comic titles of all time.

Winner of the 1989 Eisner Award for “Best Graphic Album,” The Killing Joke was a seminal Batman graphic novel that put forth the origin of the world’s favorite villain the Joker, set as the flashback in one of the most haunting and disturbing stories in comic’s history. And the whole thing was written by Alan Moore, the genius writer of Watchmen responsible for bringing the sophistication and maturity of fine literature to “picture books.”

After decades of being lauded as one of the must-read comics of all time, The Killing Joke is now being made into an animated movie… R-rated and faithful to the book.

The straight-to-DVD animated movie brings together many of the voice actors from the Emmy-award winning Batman: the Animated Series, which earned its place on every official “best cartoons of all time” list. Among the returning actors are Kevin Convoy as Batman and the cult favorite Joker, Star Wars‘s Mark Hamill.

I finally caught my favorite villain! Bats nabs Joker pic.twitter.com/CSL4o6JaHi

— Kevin Conroy (@RealKevinConroy) January 10, 2016

The script was written by comic veteran and Eisner-award winner Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Batman: Gotham Knight), and directed by Emmy-award-winner and go-to man for animated comic series Sam Liu (Batman: Year One, The Batman). At the helm is the kingpin of the DC animated universe, producer Bruce Timm, co-creator of Batman: the Animated Series.

Warner Home Video already confirmed that it will be the first animated DC film to receive an R rating, and the second Batman movie to be R-rated after the special Batman v Superman extended cut. The adult rating will come as no surprise to those that have read the novel; they already know its grisly content pushes the borders and makes even the most steadfast readers squirm.

“From the start of production, we encouraged producer Bruce Timm and our team at Warner Bros. Animation to remain faithful to the original story — regardless of the eventual MPAA rating,” says Warner Bros. Animation president Sam Register. “We felt it was our responsibility to present our core audience — the comics-loving community — with an animated film that authentically represented the tale they know all too well.”

“Faithful to the origin story.” Could there be any sweeter description for the film adaptation of such a beloved comic? Timm has stated earlier that his team needed to “add a lot more story” to turn the 48-page comic into a full-length film, but considering the level of talent on the project, that’s hardly a bad thing.

The Killing Joke movie will make its world debut to the lucky souls at San Diego Comic Con in late July 2016. A digital copy (Digital HD) will be available to buy on July 23, but collectors will have to wait until August 2 to order the DVD or Blu-Ray.

Extra features on the Blu-Ray include:

• Batman: The Killing Joke – Madness Set To Music featurette, a documentary with behind-the-scenes footage that explains the making of the film’s most powerful (and sadistic) scene.
• Many Shades of Joker: The Tale of The Killing Joke featurette, exploring the distinctive artistic style of The Killing Joke.
• Two separate standalone animated Batman episodes: “Old Wounds” from The New Batman Adventures, and “Christmas with The Joker” from Batman: the Animated Series.
• A limited edition Joker figurine (Deluxe Edition only).

The Killing Joke is available now for pre-order in DVD, Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD Combo Pack, and the Deluxe Edition Combo Pack. It’s the perfect cure the next time you’re having a bad day…

Preorder Batman: The Killing Joke Now

Finally, The Killing Joke Movie We Deserve AND Need

Does everything you know about Deadpool come from his cameo in Wolverine: Origins? For shame, fan-boy! Every True Believer knows that’s not the real Deadpool.

With the movie coming out soon (and looking a lot better than Origins), Deadpool’s about to be catapulted up to the upper tier of cinematic superheroes, taking a place next to Batman and Captain America. Everyone’s excited because this is one of the first times a mainstream superhero movie earns its R-rating.

But ask a die-hard comic fan, and they’ll tell you Deadpool’s always been one of the greats. In fact, it was his cult status among comic readers that urged Fox Studios to redo their treatment of the hero and give him his own movie.

And why are people more excited about Deadpool’s film than, say, Aquaman? Here’s a primer of what makes Deadpool great:

• He’s an antihero, which is to say, he kills people.
• He’s hilarious, with witty snaps and pop culture references (and a boyish crush on Bea Arthur).
• He doesn’t always win, and is often a tragic character.
• He breaks the fourth wall constantly, fully aware he’s in a comic. At one friend’s funeral, he even wonders how long before the publishers think of a way to bring him back.
• He’s not Aquaman.

So, now everyone’s talking about the Merc with a Mouth, and you’re worried about losing your nerd status. The names Weasel, Blind Al, and Francis don’t ring a bell… You’ve never put much thought into how a transportation device fits in a belt… You had no idea a bicep could be used as a gun silencer…

Fear not, future Deadpool fan. There’s still time. Here are 4 essential Deadpool comics, collections, and storylines that highlight Deadpool’s career, so you can pretend you were a fan all along.

Deadpool Classic Vol. 1

As a Deadpool fan, I’ll be honest… this collection isn’t his best. It is, however, a historical document. There’s virtually no difference between Deadpool Classic Vol. 1 and the Canterbury Tales.

Here you will read the very first appearances of Deadpool, conceived by Fabian Nicienza and Rob Liefeld in New Mutants #98 (1991). You will blush with embarrassment at the blatant rip-off of DC’s Deathstroke, a.k.a., Slade Wilson (which sounds nothing like Deadpool’s alias Wade Wilson), and wonder what was it about this one-off character that Marvel execs decided to put their faith into.

Like the first season of The Simpsons, there are only a few similarities between Deadpool’s beginning and the greatness he became. But if you want to be a true Deadpool fan, you have to start with the beginning. Luckily, there’s plenty of cameos to keep it interesting: Cable, Juggernaut, Siryn, Banshee, and Sasquatch.

Deadpool by Joe Kelly Omnibus

This is the Deadpool you’ll learn to love. Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness turn the Merc with a Mouth into a character worthy of his own run. These first 33 issues of this own title delve deep into his character, explaining his origins as a mercenary and Weapon X experiment to escape his cancer, and his struggles walking the line between hero and villain.

This run is hilarious, exhilarating, and at times will kick you square in the feels. Personally it’s one of my favorite comic runs ever, but I’m not alone. If this weren’t so epic, Deadpool would have just faded back into early 90s obscurity.

Deadpool by Daniel Way: The Complete Collection: Volume 1

Once Deadpool was cemented as a classic, other writers had the opportunity to have fun with him. One of the most successful of these authors was Daniel Way, who, along with illustrator Steve Dillon, took the hero to new heights by taking him to new lows.

Daniel Way’s run sacrifices the drama of previous runs for a lot more blood, guts, and gags. High points include Deadpool pitted against Wolverine, Super-Skrulls, and Norman Osborn. If you’re looking for pure entertainment, Daniel Way is often credited as being the funniest Deadpool writer — saying a lot for a character known for his humor.

Deadpool Volume 3: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Stepping into a more modern time, Marvel had the genius idea of teaming up writer and comedian Brian Posehn (“Mr. Show,” “New Girl,”) with comic veteran Gerry Duggan, and then teaming that team up with illustrators Scott Koblish and Declan Shalvey. A comic run so awesome, it needed four people to steer it.

The 5-issue series The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly features everything we love about Deadpool — off-color jokes, relentless violence, and the return of his luckless ethos.

But Deadpool’s not alone in this masterpiece. He teams up with none other than Captain American and Wolverine, plus a team of dollar-store, knock-off X-men from North Korea. Sometimes regarded as the best Deadpool story, it’s undoubtedly one of the finest.

4 Essential Deadpool Comics to Prepare for the Movie

What did you do this weekend? We went to the Dark World! Thor: the Dark World is now out, which means it’s time to break out the Old English dictionary and do something nice for our girlfriends so they don’t forget about us in Chris Hemsworth’s shadow.

And to help get us in the spirit, Comedy Central put out this laugh-out-loud TV spot featuring Tom Hiddleston’s masterful characterization of the god of mischief… having a chat with a group of children to find out the truth, once and for all, if Thor or Loki is a better superhero.

Thor or Loki: Kids Know Who’s A Better Superhero.