Comic books as a source of research: a socio-historical analysis about the graphic novel “Batman: the killing joke”

Abstract

This paper proposes a discussion about the use of comic books (comics) as sources of socio-historical research. This debate will promote an analysis of some aspects of the creation of the graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore as a reference point. The creation and its aesthetic and even a reflection on some main characters of the plot exposed in this comic will allow a more detailed observation of the existing significance in his narrative, and its importance as a documentary source. To this end, an investigation will be carried out on sequential art through a study in scientific fields of history, with Chartier and semiotics, with Barthes, in order to demonstrate how visual and “non-visual” aspects (writing) are interconnected in the construction of different ways.