ABSTRACT
The hyperconsciousness of popular narrative in the eighties is not a matter of popular culture "suddenly" becoming self-reflexive. While Moore "invents" this aspect of the Batman narrative, he also depends heavily on the original comic book version of the Joker's origins as the infamous Red Hood who jumps into a vat of toxic waste. The juxtaposition of different media underscores the inseparability of the action from its codified representation; it acknowledges, very explicitly, the complexity of current popular culture in which the negotiation of the array forms an essential part of the "action" of the narrative for both author and audience. Batman's manipulation of images, on the other hand, operate according to an altogether different dynamic. Like the Joker, Batman is shown watching television a number of times in the film, and like his adversary, he appears to be surrounded by images that he controls for his own purposes.
