Briefly: Anyone who has read 1988’s Batman: The Killing Joke has been eagerly anticipating this sure-to-be-a-gem’s release, and it’s damned clear after this first trailer that this could be one of the very best animated features that DC has ever developed.

A lot of fans were also worried that the company wouldn’t take the source material seriously enough, leading to an adaptation that fell flat or felt inauthentic.

It’s pretty clear from this first trailer (well, and the R rating) that DC is doing its very, very best with The Killing Joke, and every single frame seen and word spoken in the below video is incredibly authentic to the original comic book.

Of course, we’ve got Kevin Conroy returning as Batman, and Mark Hamill as The Joker. It couldn’t get better than this.

Watch the trailer below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the adaptation. Batman: The Killing Joke is set for release this Summer, and will premiere during July’s San Diego Comic Con!

https://youtu.be/SnTSqgJPVl8

The Killing Joke–by Brian Bolland, Alan Moore, and John Higgins–stands as not only one of the greatest Batman comics ever made, but as one of the best graphic novels ever written. It gave fans a look at the origins of the Joker, set up the events leading to the death of Jason Todd, and witnessed (perhaps the most vivid memory for those who read it back in 1988) the Joker’s brutal attack on Barbara Gordon. Now, 28 years after its release, The Killing Joke is getting its own animated feature scheduled for release this summer–and we have a look at the first official trailer!

Fans will be elated to know that Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are reprising their roles as Batman and The Joker for this film, and for those attending the San Diego Comic-Con, Batman: The Killing Joke will make its world-wide debut at the convention!

Check out the trailer and let us know what you think in the comments below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDj4zGFf4F8&feature=iv&src_vid=U3JevEGn9mE&annotation_id=annotation_1037806289