Joker (comics)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"The Joker" redirects here. For other uses, see Joker (disambiguation).
The Joker

The Joker on the cover of Batman: The Man Who Laughs.
Art by Doug Mahnke
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Batman #1 (Spring 1940)[1]
Created by
In-story information
Team affiliations
Notable aliases Red Hood[2]
Abilities
  • Genius-level intelligence
  • Expert chemist and engineer
  • Skilled in hand-to-hand combat

The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in publications by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger and Bob Kane, and first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940). The credit for creating the character is disputed, as both Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's design, but acknowledged Finger's writing contribution. Intended to be killed off during his initial appearance, the Joker was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman.

Throughout his comic book appearances, the Joker is portrayed as a highly intelligent, master criminal. Originally introduced as a psychopath with a warped and sadistic sense of humor, the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to the regulation of the Comics Code Authority, before being returned to his darker, homicidal roots in the early 1970s. As Batman's nemesis, Joker has been a part of many of the defining stories of that character, including the paralysis of Batman's ally Batgirl, and the murder of Jason Todd, Batman's ward and the second Robin. The Joker has been given a variety of origin stories throughout his seven decades in publication, but the most common has him falling into a tank of chemical waste, which bleaches his skin white, turns his hair green and his lips bright red, with the resulting disfigurement driving him insane. Presented as the complete antithesis to Batman's character, the Joker has been repeatedly analyzed by critics as the perfect adversary for the superhero.

One of the most iconic and recognized characters in popular culture, the Joker has been repeatedly identified as one of, if not the greatest comic book villain, and one of the most popular fictional characters. The Joker's prevalence has seen him adapted into a variety of merchandise, such as clothing and collectable items, real-world structures such as theme park attractions, and references in an array of media.

The Joker has appeared as an adversary for Batman across a wide spectrum of media in both live-action and animated incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series where he is portrayed by Cesar Romero, and in film by Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008), for which Ledger posthumously earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Mark Hamill, Brent Spiner and Michael Emerson, among many others, have voiced the character in animation.

Publication history

Creation

Jerry Robinson's 1940 concept sketch of the Joker.

Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger and Bob Kane are generally considered to be responsible for creating the Joker, but much like his arch-enemy Batman, the character's origins are disputed, with each man providing their own version of his conception and their role therein. Accepted elements of the characters inspiration include a photo of actor Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs (1928) seen by Finger, and a Joker playing card provided by Robinson. Individually, Finger would state that he also found inspiration from an image he saw at Steeplechase Park on Coney Island, and Robinson cited a sketch he had made in 1940 as the source of the Joker's design. Although Kane adamantly refused to share credit over many of his characters and would refuse to credit Robinson's involvement up until Kane's death, many comic historians credit give credit to Robinson as the Joker's creator, with development by Finger.[3][4][5] In a 1994 interview, Kane said:

Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Bill was the writer. Jerry Robinson came to me with a playing card of the Joker. That's the way I sum it up. [The Joker] looks like Conrad Veidt — you know, the actor in The Man Who Laughs, [the 1928 movie based on the novel] by Victor Hugo. [...] Bill Finger had a book with a photograph of Conrad Veidt and showed it to me and said, 'Here's the Joker'. Jerry Robinson had absolutely nothing to do with it, but he'll always say he created it till he dies. He brought in a playing card, which we used for a couple of issues for him [the Joker] to use as his playing card.[6]

Robinson however credits himself, Finger and Kane for playing a role in the Joker's creation. Robinson countered that he created the Joker to be Batman's larger-than-life nemesis when extra stories needed to be written quickly for Batman #1, and that he received credit for the story in a college course.[7] Robinson said:

In that first meeting when I showed them that sketch of the Joker, Bill said it reminded him of Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs. That was the first mention of it...He can be credited and Bob himself, we all played a role in it. The concept was mine. Bill finished that first script from my outline of the persona and what should happen in the first story. He wrote the script of that, so he really was co-creator, and Bob and I did the visuals, so Bob was also.[8]

Robinson was only 17 years old when he was hired as an assistant by Kane in 1939. Kane had noticed Robinson wearing a white jacket decorated with his own illustrations.[5][9] Starting as a letterer and background inker, Robinson quickly became the primary artist on the newly created Batman comic book series. In a 1984 interview on creating the Joker, Robinson said that he wanted a supreme arch-villain who could test Batman, but was not another typical crime lord or gangster. Robinson wanted a character who was more exotic and enduring, to serve as a continuing source of conflict for Batman in the vein of Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, and thus designed a diabolically sinister but clownish villain.[10] Robinson found villains more interesting characters and his studies at Columbia University had taught him that some characters are built on their contradictions which led him to give the Joker a sense of humor. Robinson said that the name came first, followed by the image of the playing card from a deck he often had at hand.[11] He said "I wanted somebody visually exciting. I wanted somebody that would make an indelible impression, would be bizarre, would be memorable like the Hunchback of Notre Dame or any other villains that had unique physical characters."[12] Robinson told Finger of his concept by phone, before later providing sketches of the character accompanied by images of what would become his iconic Joker playing card design. Finger thought the concept was not yet complete, providing the aforementioned image of Conrad Veidt bearing a ghastly, permanent rictus grin. An interview from the same time period saw Kane dispute Robinson's story, but because Finger had given credit to Robinson, historians generally accept Robinson's version of events.[10] By 2011, Robinson, Finger, and Kane had died, leaving the complete story unresolved.[4][10][13]

Golden Age

From the Joker's debut in Batman #1 (Spring 1940)

The Joker debuted in Batman #1 (1940) as Batman's first villain, a handful of months after Batman's own debut in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). The Joker's initial appearance depicted him as a remorseless serial killer with a mirthless grin, and an appearance modelled after a Joker playing card, who killed his victims with "Joker Venom"—a toxin that left their faces stretched with a smile.[14] The character was to be killed in his second appearance in Batman #1 after being stabbed in the heart. Finger wanted the Joker to die, as he was concerned that allowing recurring villains would make Batman appear inept, but he was overruled by then-editor Whitney Ellsworth who suggested that the character be spared. A hastily-drawn panel, demonstrating that the Joker was still alive, was subsequently added to the comic.[15][16][17] The Joker went on to appear in nine of Batman's first twelve issues.[18]

The Joker's frequent appearances quickly defined him as the archenemy of the dynamic duo Batman and Robin, with his murderous persona continuing to claim lives and even derail a train. By issue #13, Kane's work on the Batman syndicated newspaper strip left him little time for the comic book, leaving artist Dick Sprang to take over his duties, and editor Jack Schiff to collaborate on stories with Finger. It was during this era that the first signs of change in the Joker began to appear, with the character kidnapping and ransoming Robin, only to be thwarted when the ransom is paid with a personal check, preventing him from claiming his money without being arrested. Around the same time, DC Comics had found it was easier to market their stories to kids without the darker elements that had originated the characters.[19] The 1942 cover of Detective Comics #69, known as "Double Guns" (as it depicts the Joker emerging from a genie lamp, wielding two guns at Batman and Robin) is considered one of the greatest superhero comic covers of the Golden Age. Ironically, this was the only image to show the character using traditional guns. Robinson said that other common villains of the time used guns, and the creative team wanted the Joker to be more resourceful, in order to be a worthy adversary for Batman.[11]

Silver Age

The Joker was one of the few popular villains who continued making regular appearances in Batman comics from the Golden Age into the Silver Age, as Batman comics continued publication through the rise of mystery and romance comics. In 1951, Finger wrote an origin story for the Joker in Detective Comics #168 which introduced the concept of him formerly being the criminal Red Hood, and his disfigurement being the result of falling into a chemical vat.[20] The 1954 enactment of the Comics Code Authority banned gore, innuendo and excessive violence, stripping Batman of his menace, and transformed the Joker into a goofy, thieving trickster, with none of the homicidal tendencies featured in his original incarnation.[16][21] The use of the character lessened somewhat by the mid-sixties, when Julius Schwartz took over editorship of the Batman comics in 1964, and the character remained largely absent throughout the decade.[16][22] This version of the character was adapted into the 1966 television series Batman.[16] The campy show's popularity saw Schwartz instructed to keep the comics of a similar tone, but as the show's success waned so too did Batman series. Once the series had ended in 1968, Schwartz was free to begin reversing the trend.[22][23] The Silver Age introduced defining character traits like the use of acid-squirting flowers, trick guns, and the committing of goofy, elaborate crimes.[24]

Bronze Age

The cover to Batman #251 (Sept. 1973) featuring the story "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" which returned the Joker to his crazed murderer roots. Art by Neal Adams.

In 1973, after a four-year disappearance,[24] the character was revived and profoundly revised in Batman stories by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams. Beginning in Batman #251, with "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge", the Joker returns to his roots as a homicidal maniac who murders people on a whim, while enjoying battles of wits with Batman.[25][26][27] The story began a trend where the Joker was used more sparingly as a central character.[28] O'Neil said his idea was "simply to take it back to where it started. I went to the DC library and read some of the early stories. I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Finger were after."[29][30] O'Neil's 1973 run introduced the concept of Joker's legally defined insanity, that resulted in the Joker being sent to Arkham Asylum (then Arkham Hospital) following its creation in 1974, instead of prison.[31] Adams also modified the character's appearance, changing his more average body type to look taller and leaner, with an extended jaw.[32]

The 1970s were a testbed of experimentation at DC, leading to the Joker becoming the first villain to headline as the star of his own ongoing comic book series, The Joker, in 1975.[33] The series followed the character's interactions with other supervillains, and the first issue was written by O'Neil.[34] Stories forged a balance between promoting the Joker's characteristic criminality and making him a likable protagonist that readers could support. He murdered thugs and random civilians, but he never fought Batman, preventing The Joker from becoming about good triumphing over evil, but a scenario where Joker's brand of villainy won out over rival expressions of the same.[35] Because the Comics Code Authority mandated that villains receive punishment, each issue ended with the Joker apprehended; this limited the scope of stories that could be told and, combined with the series never finding an audience, The Joker was cancelled after only 9 issues, despite a "next issue" advert promoting an appearance by the Justice League.[34][36][35]

When Jenette Kahn became DC editor in 1976, she redeveloped the company's many struggling titles, and under her tenure the Joker would become one of DC's most terrifying characters.[35] Writer Steve Englehart and penciler Marshall Rogers, in an acclaimed eight-issue run in Detective Comics #471-476 (Aug. 1977 - April 1978), which went on to influence the 1989 movie Batman and be adapted for the 1990s animated series,[30][31] added elements deepening the severity of the Joker's insanity. In their story "The Laughing Fish", the Joker is brazen enough to disfigure fish with a rictus grin, then expects to be granted a federal trademark on them, only to start killing bureaucrats who try to explain that obtaining such a claim on a natural resource is legally impossible.[31][37][38][39] Rogers also expanded on Adams' character design, adding a fedora and trench coat to the Joker's wardrobe.[32] Discussing his Joker, Englehart said "He was this very crazy, scary character. I really wanted to get back to the idea of Batman fighting insane murderers at 3 a.m. under the full moon, as the clouds scuttled by."[16]

Modern Age

Years after the end of the 1966 television series, sales of Batman continued to dwindle and teetered on the edge of cancellation. It was in the 1980s that the series started to turn around and the Joker was allowed to come into his own as part of the "Dark Age" of comics, an era of mature tales depicting death and destruction. The move was derided for moving away from the tamer superheroes and villains, but comic audiences were no longer largely children.[40] Only a few months after Crisis on Infinite Earths launched the era by rebooting DC Comics characters, killing off Silver Age icons like the Flash and Supergirl and undoing decades of continuity, Frank Miller's prestige format The Dark Knight Returns (1986), reimagined Batman as an older, retired hero, and the Joker as a lipstick-wearing celebrity who is catatonic without his foe.[41][32][42][43][44] The late 1980s saw the Joker have a large impact on Batman and his supporting cast. In the 1988-89 story arc "A Death in the Family", the Joker murdered Batman's sidekick, the second Robin (Jason Todd). Fans had never accepted Todd, and rather than modify his character, DC opted to let them vote on his fate at the Joker's hands; a 28 vote margin saw the Joker beat Todd to death with a crowbar. The story altered the Batman universe, Joker was no longer a killer of anonymous bystanders, he was responsible for the death of a character core to the Batman fiction, which had a lasting effect on future stories.[45][46]

The 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland expanded on the Joker's origins, defining the character as a failed comedian who donned the Red Hood identity to help support his pregnant wife.[20] Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke took place within mainstream continuity.[47] The story is cited as one of the greatest Joker stories ever written, and had a significant influence on later comic stories, including the forced retirement of then-Batgirl Barbara Gordon following her paralysis at Joker's hands, and films like Batman (1989) and The Dark Knight (2008).[48][49] Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (1989) explores the psychoses of the Joker, Batman and his other rogues while trapped in the eponymous facility.[50][51]

In 1999, the Joker was given a romantic interest in the form of Harley Quinn, a psychologist who falls for—and ends up in an abusive relationship with—the Joker, becoming his supervillain accomplice.[52] Following the 2011 reboot of DC Comics' story continuity, the Joker appeared in his first major storyline "Death of the Family" (2012) by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo, which explores the dependent relationship between Joker and Batman, and causes a separation between Batman and his adopted family.[18][53]

Fictional character biography

The character of Joker has undergone many revisions over his seven decades in publication. The generally accepted and consistent aspect of the character is that while disguised as the criminal Red Hood, he fell into a vat of chemicals while being pursued by Batman, and that these chemicals bleached his skin white, dyed his hair green and his lips ruby red, driving him insane. The context for wearing the Red Hood costume and who he was before his chemical bath have changed over time.[16]

The Joker is introduced in Batman #1 (1940), where he publicly announces that he will kill three of Gotham's prominent citizens, including the mayor, Henry Claridge. The police provide protection for Claridge but the Joker had poisoned him before making his announcement, and Claridge dies stricken with a perpetual grin on his face, as Joker's first public victim. The Joker attempts to poison Robin with the same deadly Joker Venom, but Batman defeats Joker and sends him to prison.[54] From his debut, the Joker has committed crimes both whimsical and brutal, all with a logic and reasoning that, in Batman's words, "make sense to him alone."[55] Detective Comics #168 (1951) introduced the Joker's earliest origin story, casting him as the Red Hood, a criminal who, during his final heist, vanished after leaping into a vat of chemicals to escape Batman. The resulting disfigurement led him to take the name Joker from the playing card he now resembled.[20] The Joker's Silver Age transformation into a figure of fun was established in 1952's "The Joker's Millions", in which the Joker is obsessed with maintaining the illusion of wealth and celebrity status as a criminal folk hero, afraid to let Gotham's citizens know that he is penniless and was tricked out of his fortune.[56] The 1970s redefined the character as a murderous psychopath. "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" follows the Joker taking violent revenge on the former gang members who betrayed him,[28] and "The Laughing Fish" sees Joker chemically add his visage to Gotham's fish in hopes of profiting from the copyright, and killing bureaucrats who deny his copyright request.

The Joker goes insane after emerging from the canal of chemical-waste that bleaches his skin white, dyes his hair green and his lips ruby red, in Batman: The Killing Joke (1988)

The 1980s saw the Joker target Batman's family, including beating then-Robin Jason Todd to death, shooting and paralysing then-Batgirl Barbara Gordon, and torturing her father Commissioner Gordon in an attempt to prove that it only takes one bad day to turn any man into a psychopath.[47] Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) explores a possible origin for the Joker, portraying him as a failed comedian pressured into committing crime as the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife. Batman's interference causes him to leap into a chemical vat that disfigures his skin and, combined with the trauma of his wife's earlier accidental death, the man goes insane, creating the Joker. He remarks that this story may not be true, preferring his past to be "multiple choice". Batman offers to rehabilitate his old foe and end their rivalry. Joker refuses, but shows his appreciation by sharing a joke with Batman.[57] The Joker's maiming of Barbara ultimately turned her into a more important character in the DC Universe as Oracle, a data gatherer and informant for superheroes, although she eventually took her revenge in Birds of Prey by shattering his teeth, destroying his smile.[47] Todd's death is detailed in the 1988 story "A Death in the Family". Todd's death haunted Batman, and for the first time made him consider killing the Joker.[45]

During the 1999 "No Man's Land" storyline, the Joker murders Commissioner Gordon's second wife, Sarah as she shields a group of infants.[58]He proceeds to taunt Gordon, provoking the commissioner to shoot him in the kneecap. The Joker laments that he may never walk again, and then collapses with laughter as he realizes that the Commissioner has avenged Barbara's paralysis.[59] The story also introduced the Joker's girlfriend Harley Quinn.[52]

The 2000s launched with the crossover story "Emperor Joker", in which the Joker steals Mister Mxyzptlk's reality-altering power and remaking the universe in his own image. Joker tortures and kills Batman daily before resurrecting him. The Joker attempts to destroy the universe but is unwilling to erase Batman from existence, causing him to lose control and allow Superman, Mxyzptlk and the Spectre to defeat him. Batman is left broken by his experience and Superman erases Batman's memories so that he can go on.[60] "Joker's Last Laugh" (2001) sees the Joker convinced of his own impending death in an attempt to shock rehabilitate him. Instead the Joker, flanked by an army of "Jokerized" supervillains, launches his final crime spree. Believing that Robin has been killed in the chaos, Dick Grayson beats Joker to death. Batman resuscitates his foe to keep Grayson from becoming a murderer.[61]

"Under the Hood" (2005) resurrects Todd who attempts to force Batman to avenge his death by killing the Joker. Joker finds the conflict between the pair more rewarding than Todd's death.[62] The Joker kills Alexander Luthor in Infinite Crisis (2005) for excluding him from the Secret Society of Super Villains, who considered Joker too unpredictable.[63] Morrison's "Batman & Son" (2006) removed Joker from stories after the character was shot in the face by a deranged police officer impersonating Batman, and left scarred and disabled. Joker returned in "The Clown at Midnight" (2007) as a cruel and unknowable force who awakens from his post-injury catatonia and tries to kill Harley to prove to Batman that he had become more than human.[64] The 2008 story arc "Batman R.I.P." sees Joker recruited into the Black Glove's plans to destroy Batman. He plays along conscious that Batman will survive their attempt.[65][66] Following Batman's apparent death in "Final Crisis" (2008), Grayson investigates a series of murders which lead him to a disguised Joker.[67] After the Joker is arrested, then-Robin Damian Wayne beats him with a crowbar; Joker realizes this Robin is Batman's son, noting their physical resemblance.[68] Joker escapes and launches an attack on the Black Glove. Guided to a climatic confrontation, Grayson and Damian are aided against Joker and the Black Glove by the return of Batman: and the Joker is captured.

In the 2010s, DC's The New 52, a 2011 relaunch of their titles, sees the Joker have his own face cut off.[69] He disappears for a year, returning to launch an attack on Batman's entire extended family in "Death of the Family" so that he and Batman can be "the best hero and villain they can be". The conclusion of the storyline sees the Joker fall off a cliff into a dark abyss.[70]

Other versions

Main article: Alternative versions of Joker

A multitude of alternate universes exist in DC Comics' publications that have allowed writers to introduce variations on the Joker where the character's origins, behavior, and morality differ from the mainstream setting.[71] Titles like The Dark Knight Returns are able to depict the final battle between an aged Batman and Joker,[42] while others portray the aftermath of the Joker's death at the hands of various characters, including Superman.[72][73] Others still portray distant futures where the latest incarnation of the Joker is a hero attempting to take down that era's tyrannical Batman, or where the Joker exists as a computer virus.[74] In some stories the Joker is someone else entirely, such as "Flashpoint" in which Batman's mother Martha Wayne becomes the Joker in response to her son's murder,[75] or Superman: Speeding Bullets in which Lex Luthor becomes the Joker in a world where Superman becomes Batman.[76]

Characterization

The Joker has been referred to as the Clown Prince of Crime (or Chaos), the Harlequin of Hate (Havoc), and the Ace of Knaves. Throughout the evolution of the DC Universe, interpretations and incarnations of the Joker have taken two forms. The original and currently dominant image is of an extreme psychopath[77] possessing genius intelligence and a warped, sadistic sense of humor.[78][79] The other interpretation of the character, popular in the late 1940s through 1960s comic books as well as the 1960s television series, is that of an eccentric but harmless prankster and thief. The Joker is typically depicted in a purple suit with a long-tailed, padded-shoulder jacket, string tie, a pair of gloves, striped pants, and spats covering pointed-toe shoes. This outfit is sometimes accompanied by a wide-brimmed hat. This look is such a fundamental aspect of the character that, when the 2004 animated series The Batman costumed the Joker in a straitjacket, it quickly redesigned him to feature his familiar suit.[80]

In the graphic novel The Joker: Devil's Advocate, the Joker is reported to have killed well over 2,000 people. Despite having murdered enough people to get the death penalty thousands of times over, he is always found not guilty by reason of insanity.[81][82] The Joker is renowned as Batman's greatest enemy.[83] His unpredictable, homicidal nature makes him one of the most feared supervillains in the DC Universe; in the Villains United and Infinite Crisis mini-series, the members of the villains' Secret Society refuse to induct the Joker for this reason. In the mini-series Underworld Unleashed, the Trickster remarks, "When super-villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories."[84] All of Gotham's villains feel threatened by the Joker, and depending on the circumstances he is as likely to fight with his rivals for control of the city, as he is to team up with them for more entertaining outcomes.[85]

Despite this—and his tendency to kill his subordinates on a whim—the Joker has no difficulty employing henchmen with his seemingly infinite cash supply, and they are too afraid of their employer to refuse his requests for them to wear red clown noses or to laugh at the Joker's jokes.[86] The Joker is sometimes shown to keep hyenas as pets; this trait was introduced in the 1977 animated series The New Adventures of Batman.[86]

Personality

The Joker's main characteristic is his apparent insanity, although he is not described as fitting any particular psychological disorder. He displays a lack of conscience and empathy, and no concern over right and wrong demonstrating extreme psychopathy. In A Serious House on Serious Earth, Joker is described as only being capable of processing sensory information from the outside world by simply adapting to it, causing him to create a new personality every day depending on what would benefit him most, explaining why he is sometimes a mischievous clown and at others a psychopathic killer.[87] The Killing Joke, in which Joker serves as an unreliable narrator, depicts the root of his insanity as having "one bad day", in this case losing his wife and unborn child, and being disfigured by chemicals, although he is unsure if this is what really happened. He tries and fails to prove that anyone can become like him after one bad day, by psychologically and physically torturing Commissioner Gordon.[24] Batman offers to rehabilitate his foe, but the Joker apologizes that he cannot accept the offer, believing it is too late for him to be saved.[88] Other interpretations show him as fully aware of how his actions affect others and his insanity is merely an act.[89] Comics scholar Peter Coogan describes the Joker as trying to reshape reality to fit himself by imposing his visage on his victims, and even fish, in an attempt to make the world comprehensible by creating a twisted parody of himself. Englehart's "The Laughing Fish" shows the characters illogical nature, attempting to copyright fish that bear his face, and not understanding why threatening the copyright clerk cannot produce the desired result.[90][31]

Joker is alternatively depicted as a sexual and asexual being. In The Dark Knight Returns and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, Joker openly flirts with Batman, leaving open to interpretation whether their relationship contains homoerotic undertones, or if Joker is simply attempting to manipulate his nemesis. Frank Miller interpreted the character as fixated on death and not interested in a sexual relationship, while Robinson believes that Joker is capable of having a girlfriend.[91] His abusive romantic relationship with Harley Quinn is the subject of debate. Although Joker keeps her at his side, he frequently causes her physical harm, even throwing her out of a window without checking to see if she survived afterwards. While Harley is in love with (and presumably sexually attracted to) him, the Joker does not return her feelings, chiding her for distracting him from other plans.[92]

Snyder's "Death of the Family" presents Joker as being in love with Batman, though not in a traditional romantic way. The Joker believes he makes Batman better, and that Batman loves him for it, justifying why Batman has not killed him.[53][93] The Joker and Batman represent complete opposites: the extroverted Joker wearing colorful garb and embraces chaos, while the introverted Batman wears monochrome colors and represents order and discipline. The Joker is often represented as defining his existence by his conflict with Batman. In "Going Sane" (1994), Joker attempts to lead a normal life following Batman's apparent death, only to instantly become the Joker again when Batman reappears, and in "Emperor Joker", an omnipotent Joker attempts to erase Batman from existence, but is unable to do so without undoing himself. Much like the Joker wears no mask and simply is the Joker, he believes Batman is Batman with or without the costume, and repeatedly ignores attempts to learn his true identity as he has no interest in what lies behind Batman's mask.[94][95] Similarly, when given the opportunity to kill Batman, Joker opts not to, believing that without their game, winning is pointless.[96] The Joker has no desire for typical criminal goals like money or power, and his acts are designed only to continue his game with Batman.[69]

Knightfall (1993) sees the supervillain Scarecrow use his fear gas to expose Joker's fears but it has no effect on him. In Morrison's JLA, the Martian Manhunter uses his telepathic powers to reorganize the Joker's mind and create momentary sanity. In those few moments, the Joker expresses regret for his many crimes and pleads for a chance at redemption. However, during Batman: Cacophony, the Joker is again rendered sane when he is dosed with mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in a prison hospital, after being critically wounded by Onomatopoeia. During a relatively civil conversation with Batman, he expresses regret for the loss that motivated Batman to fight against preventable death, but informs the Dark Knight "I don't hate you 'cause I'm crazy. I'm crazy 'cause I hate you". He then states that he will only stop hurting and killing people when Batman is dead. In Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #145, the Joker becomes sane when Batman put him in one of Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus Pits after being shot, a reversal of the insanity which comes after experiencing such rejuvenation. However, the sanity is only temporary, and soon the Joker is reverted to his "normal" self.[97]

Skills and equipment

The Joker has no inherent superhuman abilities.[98] Instead, he commits crimes with a variety of weaponized thematic props such as a deck of razor-tipped playing cards, rolling marbles, Jacks-in-the-box that contain unpleasant surprises, and exploding cigars capable of detonating with enough force to level a building. The flower in his lapel sprays potent acid, and his hand often contains a lethal joy buzzer that emits a million volts of electricity.[99] His most notable weapon however, is Joker Venom, a toxin delivered in liquid or gaseous forms that sends its targets into fits of uncontrollable laughter, while more potent doses can lead to paralysis, coma, or death, and leaves the victim with a ghoulish and pained rictus grin. The Joker has employed venom since his debut, and only he knows the formula. He is shown to be gifted enough with chemistry to produce the toxin from typical household chemicals. Another version of the venom used in "Joker's Last Laugh", transforms the victims' appearance to resemble the Joker, and makes them susceptible to his orders.[54][100][80] The Joker is immune to most poisons as well as venom; in Batman #663 (2007), Morrison writes that "being an avid consumer of his products, the Joker's immunity to poisons has been built up over years of dedicated abuse".[101][80]

The Joker's arsenal is inspired by his nemesis' own thematic weaponry like batarangs. In "The Joker's Utility Belt" (1952), he replicated Batman's utility belt, stocked with particularly non-lethal items like Mexican jumping beans and sneezing powder.[99] Furthering his imitation of Batman's gear, in 1942's "The Joker Follows Suit", the Joker built the antitheses of Batman's Batplane and Batmobile: the Jokergyro and Jokermobile, the latter decorated with an oversized Joker face on its hood. He also created a Joker signal that criminals could use to summon him for their heists.[102] The Jokermobile lasted for several decades, going through variations alongside the Batmobile. His technical genius is not limited by practicality, allowing him to transform buildings into deathtraps, launch a gas attack on the city, or rain down poisoned glass shards on it's citizens from an airship.[86]

Joker is portrayed as physically skilled in melee combat. From his initial appearances where he equals Batman, defeating him in a swordfight and nearly killing him, and others where he completely overwhelms Batman but chooses not to kill him.[103] He is also talented with firearms, although even his guns are theatrical-his long-barreled revolver often releases a flag bearing the onomatopoeiac message "Bang", with a second pull of the trigger launching the flag like a harpoon, skewering the target.[99] Although he is a formidable fighter, Joker's best asset is his mind.[74] He is shown to be highly intelligent and skilled in the fields of chemistry and engineering, as well an expert with explosives. From his first appearance onward, he has been consistently portrayed as capable of hijacking broadcasts—usually news programs—of both the television and radio varieties. The Joker has been shown kidnapping a computer genius, and admitting that he does not know much about computers, although later writers have portrayed him as very computer literate.[citation needed]

Various origins

"They’ve given many origins of the Joker, how he came to be. That doesn’t seem to matter—just how he is now. I never intended to give a reason for his appearance. We discussed that and Bill [Finger] and I never wanted to change it at that time. I thought—and he agreed—that it takes away some of the essential mystery."

– The Joker's creator Jerry Robinson[104]

Though many have been related, a definitive back-story has never been established for the Joker in the comics, and his real name has never been confirmed. He himself is confused as to who he was before, and how he became the Joker; as he says in The Killing Joke, "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another... if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!"[105][106] The earliest origin account appeared in Detective Comics #168 (February 1951), in which the Joker is depicted as a lab worker who becomes the Red Hood to steal $1 million from his employers and then retire. He falls into a vat of chemical waste after his heist is thwarted by Batman, emerging with bleached white skin, red lips, green hair and a persistent grin.[107][108]

The Joker, before his accident, with his pregnant wife in Batman: The Killing Joke. Art by Brian Bolland.

Alan Moore revisited this story in The Killing Joke, depicting the most widely cited origin story. The story shows Joker as a chemical lab assistant with a pregnant wife, who quits his job to become a stand-up comedian, only to fail miserably. He agrees to help some mobsters commit a robbery and is forced to wear the pill-shaped Red Hood to pass any blame for other Red Hood related crimes onto him. The heist goes wrong and the comedian leaps into a chemical vat when confronted by Batman. After he surfaces in a nearby reservoir and removes the hood, the chemicals are shown to have given him bleached chalk-white skin, ruby-red lips, and bright green hair. Coupled with the earlier accidental death of his wife and unborn child, the comedian goes insane and becomes the Joker. This version of events has been referenced in many stories since, including Batman: The Man Who Laughs when Batman deduces that Red Hood survived his fall and became the Joker, Batman #450 when Joker dons a Red Hood costume to aid his recovery after the events of A Death in the Family only to find the experience too traumatic, and "Death of the Family".[57][105][108] Other stories have expanded on The Killing Joke origin, such as "Pushback" (Batman: Gotham Knights #50-55), where the Riddler recounts that the Joker's wife was kidnapped and murdered by a corrupt cop working for the mobsters in order to coerce the comedian into performing the crime.[108] "Payback" shows pictures of the pre-disfigurement Joker — identified as "Jack" — with his wife.[109]

The Paul Dini-Alex Ross story "Case Study" proposes a different origin, suggesting that Joker was a sadistic gangster who worked his way up Gotham's criminal food chain until he was the leader of a powerful mob. Still seeking the thrills that dirty work allowed, he created the Red Hood identity for himself so that he could commit small-time crimes. Eventually, he has his fateful first meeting with Batman, resulting in his disfigurement. It is implied that Joker remains sane, and pretends to be insane in order to evade the death penalty. Unfortunately, the written report found explaining this theory is discovered to have been written by Dr. Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn, which invalidates any credibility it could have in court.

The second arc of Batman Confidential (#7-12) re-imagines the Joker as a gifted criminal named Jack, who has grown bored with his work. Jack becomes obsessed with Batman after the Dark Knight breaks up one of his crimes, and embarks upon a brutal crime wave to get his attention. When Jack wounds Bruce Wayne's girlfriend during a robbery, an enraged Batman scars his face with a batarang, resulting in a permanent grin. Jack escapes and Batman gives Jack's information to mobsters, who torture Jack in a chemical plant. Jack escapes, but falls into an empty vat as wild gunfire punctures the chemical tanks above him, and the resultant flood of chemicals used in anti-psychotic medication alters his appearance, completing his transformation into the Joker.[110]

In The Brave and the Bold issue #31, the Atom assists in an operation on the Joker's brain, and sees the flashes of the villain committing various brutal crimes before his disfigurement: savagely beating a bully, burning his parents alive after they find him killing pets, and joining a gang and needlessly murdering a shopkeeper.[111]

Although many Joker origins conform to the notion of his physical transformation being the result of chemical bleaching, some portrayals suggest that his red lips are purely the result of wearing lipstick. Others have inconsistently depicted the Joker's trademark smile as resulting from some form of additional disfigurement. Most comic portrayals, however, default to depicting the Joker as unscarred and fully capable of not smiling, should the mood take him.[110][112][113][114]

Cultural impact

The Joker is considered one of the most iconic and recognizable fictional characters in pop culture, arguably of similarly renown to his nemesis Batman.[115][116][117] In 2006, the Joker was listed at number 1 on Wizard magazine's 100 Greatest Villains of All Time.[118] In 2008, Wizard's list of the 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time placed Joker at number 5,[119] and at number 8 on Empire's list of the 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters (the highest ranked villain on both lists).[120] In 2009, Joker ranked at number 2 on IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains.[121] In 2013, Complex and WhatCulture named Joker the greatest comic book villain of all time, and IGN listed him as the top DC Comics villain.[98][115][122]

TV Guide included Caesar Romero's interpretation of the character in a 2013 list of the "60 nastiest villains of all time",[123] he was listed at number 45 on the villains list as part of the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains,[124] and his portrayal in The Dark Knight positioned him at number 3 on Empire magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters.[125] The character has inspired theme park attractions like The Joker's Jinx rollercoaster in Maryland, and appeared as a character in story-based rides like Batman Adventure – The Ride and The Dark Knight Coaster.[126][127][128][129]

The Jokermobile was a popular toy; a Corgi die-cast metal replica saw success in the 1950s while in the 1970s, a Joker-styled, Flower power-era Volkswagen microbus was released by Mego.[86]

In other media

Main article: Joker in other media
The many faces of the Joker: (from left to right) Cesar Romero in 1973, Jack Nicholson in 1976, Mark Hamill in 2010 and Heath Ledger in 2006. Romero played the Joker in the 1960s Batman TV series, Nicholson played the character in Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman, Hamill voiced the Joker in animation and video games for two decades, and Ledger won an Academy Award for his interpretation of the character in The Dark Knight 2008.

The Joker has appeared in various media aside from comic books, including television series and several films in both animated and live-action forms. The earliest adaptation of the character was in the 1966 television series Batman where he is portrayed as a cackling prankster by Cesar Romero, reflecting the character's contemporary comic counterpart.[130] In the following years, the character made a variety of appearances in animated form including 1968's The Adventures of Batman (voiced by Larry Storch),[131] 1977's The New Adventures of Batman (voiced by Lennie Weinrib),[132] and 1985's The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (voiced by Frank Welker).[133][134] The darker version of the Joker made his big screen debut in 1989's Batman portrayed by Jack Nicholson. The film went on to earn over $400 million at the worldwide box office. The role was considered to overshadow Batman's own, and would become a defining performance in Nicholson's filmography.[135] The film's success lead to 1992's television series Batman: The Animated Series. Voiced by actor Mark Hamill, the Joker and show retained the darker tone of the comics with stories acceptable for young children.[136][137] Hamill's Joker is considered one of the defining portrayals of the character and in the following years he would voice the character in spin off movies like Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000), video games such as Batman: Vengeance (2001), and related series like Superman: The Animated Series (1996), Static Shock (2000), and Justice League (2001), as well as action figures, toys, and amusement park voice overs.[138][139][140][141] A heavily redesigned Joker (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) appeared in 2004's The Batman. Richardson was the first African-American to portray the character.[142][143]

Following the successful 2005 Batman film reboot Batman Begins directed by Christopher Nolan that ended with a teaser for the Joker's involvement in a sequel, the character would return to the big screen in 2008's The Dark Knight where he is portrayed by Heath Ledger as an avatar of anarchy and chaos.[144][145] While Batman Begins took a worldwide total of $370 million,[146] The Dark Knight went on to earn over $1 billion, becoming the highest grossing film of that year, and setting several records at the time including highest grossing midnight opening, opening day, and opening weekend.[147][148] Ledger posthumously won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, the first time any superhero film had won an Academy Award for acting.[149][150] From the late 2010s, the Joker featured in a variety of animated projects such as 2009's Batman: The Brave and the Bold (voiced by Jeff Bennett),[151] 2011's Young Justice (voiced by Brent Spiner),[152] and comic book story adaptations including Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) where he is voiced by John DiMaggio. In 2012, actor Michael Emerson provided the character's voice in the two-part animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns.[153][154]

The Joker has also been featured in several video games. Hamill returned to voice the character in the critically acclaimed 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum, its equally acclaimed 2011 sequel Batman: Arkham City and the multiplayer game DC Universe Online.[155] After two decades portraying the character, Hamill retired from the role following Arkham City, and was replaced by voice actor Troy Baker in the 2013 sequel Batman: Arkham Origins.[138][156][157] Richard Epcar voiced the Joker in the fighting game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008), and would reprise the role in the 2013 follow-up Injustice: Gods Among Us.[158][159] The character has also appeared in Lego Batman: The Videogame (2008), and Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012) and its animated adaptation (voiced in both by Christopher Corey Smith).[160][161]

See also

References

  1. ^ Newsstand on-sale date April 25, 1940 per: "The first ad for Batman #1". DC Comics. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2006. 
  2. ^ Bill Finger (w), Lew Sayre Schwartz, Win Mortimer (p), George Roussos (i). "The Man Behind the Red Hood" Detective Comics 168 (February 1951), Detective Comics
  3. ^ O'Neal, Sean (December 8, 2011). "R.I.P. Jerry Robinson, creator of the Joker". The A.V. Club. The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  4. ^ a b Seifert, Mark (August 12, 2013). ""He Made Batman, No One Else. Kane Had Nothing To Do With It. Bill Did It All" – Carmine Infantino On Bill Finger". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  5. ^ a b "Jerry Robinson". The Daily Telegraph. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  6. ^ Kane in Lovece, Frank (17 May 1994). "Web Exclusives — Bob Kane interview". Frank Lovece (official site of Entertainment Weekly writer). Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved 2010-12-29. 
  7. ^ "Meet the Joker's Maker, Jerry Robinson" (interview)". Rocket Llama World Headquarters. Retrieved July 21, 2009. 
  8. ^ "The Joker's Maker Tackles The Man Who Laughs" (interview)". Rocket Llama World Headquarters. Retrieved August 5, 2009. 
  9. ^ "Cartoonist who drew Batman's arch enemy The Joker dies aged 89". Daily Mail. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2011. 
  10. ^ a b c "R.I.P. Jerry Robinson…". Ain't It Cool News. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  11. ^ a b "Holy Toledo that's expensive: 'Rarest' Superman and Batman covers set to go on sale for £1MILLION". Daily Mail. November 9, 2010. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
  12. ^ Anders, Charlie Jane (August 12, 2011). "R.I.P. Jerry Robinson, Creator of Batman's Nemesis, the Joker". io9. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
  13. ^ Gustines, George Gene (October 4, 2010). "The Joker in the Deck: Birth of a Supervillain". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
  14. ^ Manning 2011, p. 21.
  15. ^ Batman From the 30s to the 70s, Bonanza Books, 1970
  16. ^ a b c d e f Cohen, Alex (July 16, 2008). "The Joker: Torn Between Goof And Evil". NPR. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  17. ^ Gallagher, Simon (September 1, 2013). "10 Terrible Mistakes That Almost Ruined Batman For Everyone". What Culture. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  18. ^ a b Boucher, Geoff (August 1, 2012). "The Joker returns to ‘Batman’ pages, building on 72-year history". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  19. ^ Manning 2011, p. 24, 27.
  20. ^ a b c "The Origins Of! The Joker". Cracked. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  21. ^ Manning 2011, p. 171.
  22. ^ a b Macek III, J.C. (February 26, 2013). "Spotlight on The Dark Knight: 'The Smile on the Bat'". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  23. ^ Manning 2011, p. 173.
  24. ^ a b c Parker, John (November 7, 2011). "THE EVOLUTION OF THE JOKER: STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS". Comics Alliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  25. ^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. "After decades as an irritating prankster, Batman's greatest enemy re-established himself as a homicidal harlequin in this issue...this classic tale by writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams introduced a dynamic that remains to this day: the Joker's dependence on Batman as his only worthy opponent." 
  26. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Manning, Matthew K. (2009). The Batman Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the Batcave. Running Press. p. 161 and 163. ISBN 0-7624-3663-8. "In 1973, O'Neil alongside frequent collaborator Neal Adams forged the landmark 'The Joker's Five-Way Revenge' in Batman #251, in which the Clown Prince of Crime returned to his murderous ways, killing his victims with his trademark Joker Venom and taking much delight from their sufferings." 
  27. ^ Reinhart, Mark S. (October 4, 2006). "The Joker's 5 Way Revenge". Batman on Film. Retrieved May 3, 2008. 
  28. ^ a b Patrick, Seb (July 15, 2008). "10 Essential Joker Stories". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  29. ^ Pearson, Roberta E.; Uricchio, William (1991). "Notes from the Batcave: An Interview with Dennis O'Neil.". The Many Lives of the Batman: Critical Approaches to a Superhero and His Media. Routledge: London. p. 18. ISBN 0-85170-276-7. 
  30. ^ a b "Batman Artist Rogers is Dead". Sci Fi. March 28, 2007. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2008. "Even though their Batman run was only six issues, the three laid the foundation for later Batman comics. Their stories include the classic 'Laughing Fish' (in which the Joker's face appeared on fish); they were adapted for Batman: The Animated Series in the 1990s. Earlier drafts of the 1989 Batman film with Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight were based heavily on their work" 
  31. ^ a b c d "Joker Panel Interview: Steve Englehart on The Laughing Fish". The Ongoing Adventures of Rocket Llama. August 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
  32. ^ a b c Phillips, Daniel (December 8, 2008). "Why So Serious?: The Many Looks of Joker (Page 2)". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  33. ^ Manning 2011, p. 176.
  34. ^ a b Sims, Chris (September 12, 2013). "BIZARRO BACK ISSUES: THE JOKER’S SOLO SERIES (1975)". Comics Alliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  35. ^ a b c Manning 2011, p. 177.
  36. ^ Duncan Smith 2013, p. 380.
  37. ^ Waters, Cullen (June 19, 2007). "Detective Comics #475 (The Laughing Fish) and #476 (The Sign of the Joker)". The Writer Journal of Cullen M. M. Waters. Retrieved May 3, 2008. 
  38. ^ Phillips, Daniel (January 18, 2008). "Rogue's Gallery: The Joker". IGN. j2 Global. p. 2. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2013. "[T]he Joker decides to brand every fish product in Gotham with his trademark grin, going so far as to blackmail and murder copyright officials until he's compensated for his hideous innovation." 
  39. ^ Greenberger and Manning, p. 163: "In this fondly remembered tale that was later adapted into an episode of the 1990s cartoon Batman: The Animated Series, the Joker poisoned the harbors of Gotham so that the fish would all bear his signature grin, a look the Joker then tried to trademark in order to collect royalties."
  40. ^ Manning 2011, p. 182.
  41. ^ Manning 2011, p. 183.
  42. ^ a b "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns". Cracked. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  43. ^ Strike, Joe. "Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight' brought Batman back to life". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  44. ^ Esposito, Joey (July 9, 2012). "Scott Snyder Talks About the Joker's Brutal Return". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  45. ^ a b Goldstein, Hilary (June 9, 2005). "Batman: A Death in the Family Review". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  46. ^ Manning 2011, p. 108.
  47. ^ a b c Manning 2011, p. 188.
  48. ^ Patrick, Seb (April 28, 2008). "Batman: The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition review". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  49. ^ Goldstein, Hilary (May 24, 2005). "Batman: The Killing Joke Review". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  50. ^ Serafino, Jason (August 22, 2011). "The 25 Best DC Comics Of All Time". Complex. Complex Media. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. 
  51. ^ Serafino, Jason (July 17, 2012). "The 25 Best DC Comics Of All Time". Complex. Complex Media. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. 
  52. ^ a b Goldstein, Hilary (May 24, 2005). "Batman: Harley Quinn Review". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2013. 
  53. ^ a b Renaud, Jeffrey (February 14, 2013). "SCOTT SNYDER PLAYS JOKER IN 'DEATH OF THE FAMILY'". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. 
  54. ^ a b Kroner, Brian (December 21, 2012). "Geek’S 20 Greatest Joker Moments Ever, Part II". Geek Exchange. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013. 
  55. ^ Ramey, Bill (March 11, 2007). "Comic Review: Batman #1, Part 2". Batman on Film. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2008. 
  56. ^ Manning 2011, p. 27.
  57. ^ a b "The Killing Joke". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2008. 
  58. ^ Bricken, Rob (September 11, 2009). "The Joker's 10 Craziest Kills". Topless Robot. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014. 
  59. ^ "No Man's Land (comics)". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2008. 
  60. ^ Loeb, Jeph, DeMatteis, J.M., Schultz, Mark, Kelly, Joe (w), McGuiness, Ed, Miller, Mike, Mahnke, Doug, Kano (p), Smith, Cam, Marzan, Jose, Nguyen, Tom, McCrea, John, Alquiza, Marlo, Durrurthy, Armando, various others (i). Superman: Emperor Joker vSuperman #160-161, Adventures of Superman #582-583, Action Comics 769-770, Superman: The Man of Steel 104-105, and Emperor Joker.,: 224/f (January 2007), DC Comics, 9781401211936
  61. ^ "Joker: Last Laugh (comics)". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2008. 
  62. ^ Batman: Under The Hood 635-641: 176 (November 2005), DC Comics, 9781401207564
  63. ^ Johns, Geoff (w), Jimenez, Phil, Pérez, George, Reis, Ivan, Bennet, Joe (p), Lanning, Andy, Pérez, George, Reis, Ivan Ordway, Jerry, Parsons, Sean, Thibert, Art (i). "Infinite Crisis #7" Infinite Crisis #7 7: 31/6-7 (June 2006), DC Comics
  64. ^ Manning 2011, p. 195.
  65. ^ Morrison, Grant (w). Batman 681 (November 2008), DC Comics
  66. ^ Johns, Geoff and Morrison, Grant (w). DC Universe Zero 1 (April 2008), DC Comics
  67. ^ Morrison, Grant (w). Batman and Robin 12 (May 2010), DC Comics
  68. ^ Morrison, Grant (w). Batman and Robin 13 (July 2010), DC Comics
  69. ^ a b Kroner, Brian (December 21, 2012). "Geek’S 20 Greatest Joker Moments Ever, Part I". Geek Exchange. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013. 
  70. ^ Snyder, Scott (w). "Death of the Family" Batman 13 (September 2011), DC Comics
  71. ^ Anders, Charlie Jane (25 February 2008). "The Multiverse Is Strictly Business, Says DC Comics Czar". io9. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
  72. ^ Kroner, Brian (April 1, 2013). "GEEK’S 20 GREATEST JOKER MOMENTS EVER, PART III". Geek Exchange. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013. 
  73. ^ Narcisse, Evan (August 2, 2013). "In This Week’s Injustice Comic, Superman Does the One Thing Batman Never Would". Kotaku. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013. 
  74. ^ a b Manning 2011, p. 38.
  75. ^ Narcisse, Iann (August 3, 2011). "Review: Batman: Knight of Vengeance #3". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013. 
  76. ^ Basore, Greggoru (November 21, 2012). "The 5 Worst and 5 Best Elseworld Origin Stories with Superman". Topless Robot. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on November 16, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013. 
  77. ^ Langley 2013, p. 130.
  78. ^ Lewis, Paul (2006). Cracking Up: American Humor in a Time of Conflict. University of Chicago Press. pp. 31–34. ISBN 0-226-47699-5. 
  79. ^ Sabin, Roger (1996). Comics, Comix and Graphic Novels. Phaidon. p. 61. ISBN 0-7148-3008-9. 
  80. ^ a b c Manning 2011, p. 69.
  81. ^ Goldstein, Hilary (May 24, 2005). "The Joker: Devil's Advocate". IGN. Retrieved May 3, 2008. 
  82. ^ Langley 2013, p. 162-163.
  83. ^ "IGN: Joker Biography". IGN. Retrieved May 18, 2008. 
  84. ^ Anders, Lou (2008). "Two of a Kind". Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City. BenBella Books. p. 29. ISBN 9781935251316. "By 2007, the Joker was indisputably one of the most dangerous and insane villains in DC's entire universe. This is evidenced in the 1995 three-issue Underworld Unleashed, in which Flash-nemesis the Trickster said, 'When super-villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories.'" 
  85. ^ Manning 2011, p. 83.
  86. ^ a b c d Manning 2011, p. 75.
  87. ^ Langley 2013, pp. 180-181.
  88. ^ Hughes, Joseph (August 19, 2013). "SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT THE END OF ‘THE KILLING JOKE’? [OPINION]". Comics Alliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013. 
  89. ^ Manning 2011, p. 37.
  90. ^ Langley 2013, pp. 183-184.
  91. ^ Duncan Smith 2013, p. 379.
  92. ^ Langley 2013, pp. 177-180.
  93. ^ Sims, Chris (November 29, 2012). "SCOTT SNYDER ON ‘DEATH OF THE FAMILY’: ‘IT’S A LOVE LETTER TO BATMAN FROM THE JOKER’ [INTERVIEW]". Comics Alliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013. 
  94. ^ Manning 2011, pp. 37-38.
  95. ^ Kroner, Brian (December 21, 2012). "Geek’S 20 Greatest Joker Moments Ever, Part III". Geek Exchange. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013. 
  96. ^ Manning, p. 105.
  97. ^ Dixon, Chuck (w), Aparo, Jim, Cebollero, John (a). Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 145: 32 (September 2001), DC Comics
  98. ^ a b "100 Greatest Comic Book Villains Of All Time". What Culture. October 6, 2013. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  99. ^ a b c Manning 2011, p. 70.
  100. ^ Carmona, Justin Jude. "Top 10 Weapons In Comics". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  101. ^ Morrison, Grant (w), Van Fleet, John (a). "The Clown at Midnight" Batman #663 663: 22 (April 2007), DC Comics
  102. ^ Manning 2011, pp. 70,75.
  103. ^ Manning 2011, p. 24, 37-38, 105.
  104. ^ Langley 2013, p. 180.
  105. ^ a b Moore, Alan (w), Bolland, Brian (a). The Killing Joke (1988), DC Comics, 1401209270
  106. ^ Patrick, Seb (December 13, 2013). "The Joker: The Nature of Batman's Greatest Foe". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013. 
  107. ^ Hunt, Matt. "How the Joker works". Howstuffworks. Retrieved May 2, 2008. 
  108. ^ a b c Quicksilver, Chris (October 23, 2013). "Chemicals & Chaos: The Joker’s (Many) Bizarre Origins". What Culture. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2013. 
  109. ^ Devin Grayson, Scott Beatty, A.J. Lieberman (w), Dale Eaglesham, Paul Ryan, Roger Robinson, Al Barrionuevo (p), John Floyd (i). Batman: Gotham Knights v50-55, 74 (March 2000 - April 2006), DC Comics
  110. ^ a b Diggle, Andy, Green, Michael, Tony Bedard (w), Portacio, Whilce, Friend, Richard, Cowan, Denys, Morales, Rags (a). Batman Confidential: Lovers & Madmen (#7-12) (2006 – present), DC Comics
  111. ^ "The Brave and the Bold #31 review". 
  112. ^ Morrison, Grant (w). Batman 663 (April 2007), DC Comics
  113. ^ Phillips, Daniel (December 14, 2007). "Why So Serious? - The Many Faces of Joker". IGN. Retrieved May 2, 2008. "Sure, the basics have always been there: The Joker's maniacal grin, his green hair, red lips and purple suit." 
  114. ^ Miller, Frank (w), Miller, Frank (a). ""Hunt the Dark Knight"" Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #3 (May 1986), DC Comics
  115. ^ a b Serafino, Jason (September 8, 2013). "The 25 Greatest Comic Book Villains of All Time". Complex. Complex Media. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. 
  116. ^ Boucher, Geoff (May 6, 2009). "‘Joker’ creator Jerry Robinson reflects on Gotham and the golden age". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  117. ^ Phillips, Daniel (December 8, 2008). "Why So Serious?: The Many Looks of Joker". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  118. ^ "Top 100 Greatest Villains". Wizard 1 (177). July 2006. 
  119. ^ "THE 200 GREATEST COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS OF ALL TIME". Wizarduniverse.com. May 23, 2008. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. 
  120. ^ "The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters". Empire. 2008. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013. 
  121. ^ Phillips, Daniel (2009). "Top 100 Comic Book Villains - Number 2: The Joker". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014. 
  122. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (November 22, 2013). "The Top 25 Villains of DC Comics". IGN. J2 Global. Archived from the original on January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014. 
  123. ^ Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". TV Guide. pp. 14 - 15.
  124. ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains". American Film Institute. June 2003. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2014. 
  125. ^ "The 100 Greatest Movie Characters - The Joker". Empire. 2009. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013. 
  126. ^ Levine, Arthur. "Six Flags America". About.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013. 
  127. ^ "Joker's Jinx - Six Flags America (Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013. 
  128. ^ "Dark Knight - Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, New Jersey, USA)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013. 
  129. ^ Beiting, Adrian (December 8, 2009). "The 10 Greatest Theme Park Rides Based on Nerdy Properties". Topless Robot. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013. 
  130. ^ "A brief history of the Joker". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  131. ^ "Batman and The Joker : Through the Years". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  132. ^ Jean-Jacques, Kethlene. "Lennie Weinrib: Joker Through the Years". Celebuzz. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  133. ^ Fritz, Steve (April 7, 2009). "Animated Shorts - Actor Lends Voice to the Joker Legacy". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  134. ^ "The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985 – 1986)". DC Comics.com. DC Comics. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  135. ^ "A brief history of the Joker". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  136. ^ "Top 10 Comic to TV Adaptations". IGN. June 21, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  137. ^ "A brief history of the Joker". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  138. ^ a b Sims, Chris (October 19, 2011). "MARK HAMILL RETIRES FROM HIS ROLE AS THE JOKER AFTER 19 YEARS". Comics Alliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  139. ^ Sava, Oliver (April 18, 2011). "Mask Of The Phantasm". The A.V. Club. The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  140. ^ Reilly, Jim (October 20, 2011). "Mark Hamill Retires From Joker Role". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2013. 
  141. ^ Manning 2011, p. 17.
  142. ^ Jean-Jacques, Kethlene. "Kevin Michael Richardson: Joker Through the Years". Celebuzz. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  143. ^ Mason, Chris (September 12, 2004). "The Batman - The Review!". SuperHeroHype. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  144. ^ Jolin, Dan. "The Making Of The Joker". Empire. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  145. ^ Mendelson, Scott (October 3, 2013). "'Cloudy 2', 'Batman Begins', And 5 More Hits That Survived "Disappointing" Debuts". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013. 
  146. ^ "Batman Begins". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013. 
  147. ^ Mendelson, Scott (September 17, 2013). "How 'The Dark Knight' Proved Irrelevance Of Box Office Rank". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013. 
  148. ^ McClintock, Pamela (September 2, 2012). "Box Office Milestone: 'Dark Knight Rises' Crosses $1 Billion Worldwide". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013. 
  149. ^ Acuna, Kirsten (August 23, 2013). "Everyone Was Also Furious With The Initial Casting Of Heath Ledger As The Joker". Business Insider. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  150. ^ "'Slumdog Millionaire' fulfills its Oscar destiny". Today. February 23, 2009. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013. 
  151. ^ Jean-Jacques, Kethlene. "Jeff Bennett: Joker Through the Years". Celebuzz. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. 
  152. ^ Harris, Will (June 22, 2012). "Brent Spiner on playing Conan O’Brien, Data on Star Trek, and Brent Spiner". The A.V. Club. The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2013. 
  153. ^ Melrose, Kevin (September 4, 2012). "MICHAEL EMERSON TAKES ON THE JOKER IN 'BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS'". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013. 
  154. ^ Wilkins, Alasdair (August 1, 2010). "Under the Red Hood cuts through Batman's baggage to reveal the dark side of his legacy". io9. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
  155. ^ Armitage, Hugh (May 18, 2012). "Mark Hamill returns as Joker in 'DC Universe Online'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013. 
  156. ^ Keane, Sean (October 14, 2013). "New York Comic Con 2013: The Electrocutioner takes on the Dark Knight in 'Batman: Arkham Origins'". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2013. 
  157. ^ Rosenberg, Adam (October 15, 2013). "'ARKHAM ORIGINS' STARS TALK THE FIRST MEETING OF BATMAN AND THE JOKER". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2013. 
  158. ^ Thompson, Michael (November 18, 2008). "Review: Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on December 8, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013. 
  159. ^ Nye Griffiths, Daniel (April 22, 2013). "Injustice: Gods Among Us - Review". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 8, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013. 
  160. ^ Watts, Steve (February 18, 2008). "Joker, Harley Quinn In LEGO Batman Screenshots". Shacknews. GameFly. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013. 
  161. ^ "Anime USA Welcomes Voice Actor, Christopher Corey Smith". Anime News Network. July 22, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013. 
Books

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Joker
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joker (comics).
Creators
Batman
family
Shared codenames
Character names
Supporting
characters
Adversaries
Locations
Equipment
Vehicles
Miscellanea
In other media
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joker_(comics)&oldid=594895686"