I AIN'T NO JOKE

Heath Ledger did not take this photo.

My nerd rating jumped up 50 points when I bought the original print of "The Killing Joke." I just couldn't help myself, even after reading it reprinted in the best of Alan Moore series. I just craved the embossed cover—that genuine authenticity that made the 1988 classic. All that went out the window though as soon as I forked over my beer money for the week. Watching the the 6 minute scene from "The Dark Knight" in IMAX the next day made it all worth it. So technically, my nerd rating went up 66 points, $50 for the comic + 16 for the flick = one big smile.