With a body count to rival those of planet destroyers and galactic rulers, the Joker is one of DC’s most prolific villains. But what makes him so deadly?
From a failed comedian to a psychopathic gangster to the clown prince of crime, there are many ways to interpret this iconic character.
Background
Joker is an incredibly complicated character with a long and varied background. His early appearances saw him often cheat death, falling off cliffs or getting caught in burning buildings only to be chemically revived. His most notable early kills saw him slaughtering nearly three dozen people, quite a feat for a villain who didn’t use giant robots or mutant monsters to get his work done.
Bill Finger’s most popular origin story for the character was published in 1951, revealing that the Joker fell into a vat of acid as he was being subdued by Batman, resulting in his disfiguring green hair, corpse-white skin and unnerving permanent grin. The Joker would go on to become a psychopathic mobster and a costumed criminal mastermind obsessed with out-doing Batman, whom he considers a threat to his reputation as Gotham’s greatest clown and joker.
The Joker is an extremely ruthless and sadistic criminal who has on and off alliances with other major Gotham City villains such as Two-Face, Penguin and Catwoman. He also has a habit of escaping Arkham Asylum in order to cause more chaos. He’s also been shown to have a moderate skill in hand-to-hand combat. In one instance, the Joker infects some inmates at a prison called “The Slab” with Joker venom so that they can kill their captors and escape, ensuring his legacy as the world’s most famous murderer.
Personality
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind who possesses a sadistic sense of humor and enjoys corrupting people for his own amusement. He is one of the few villains that can rival Batman in terms of his brutality, ruthlessness, and maniacal behavior. In fact, the Joker is often considered to be more dangerous than other Gotham City criminals like Two-Face and Poison Ivy.
He also seems to be highly intelligent and is well-versed in the fields of chemistry, genetics, nuclear engineering, and computer science. In his first appearances in the 1940s, the Joker often cheated death through seemingly impossible means (falling off a cliff, being burned alive in an electric chair, etc.) before being revived by henchmen.
One of the most significant changes to the character was when he was introduced alongside his sidekick, Harley Quinn. Quinn, a clinical psychiatrist who works at Arkham Asylum, falls hopelessly in love with the Joker and is always happy to serve as his sidekick, dressing him in a skintight harlequin suit. Their relationship resembles an abusive domestic partnership, with the Joker often insulting, hurting, or even trying to kill Quinn — and she still remains undaunted in her loyalty.
In the story Emperor Joker, the Joker steals Mister Mxyzptlk?s reality-altering powers and becomes a nigh-omnipotent being. However, despite torturing and killing Batman night after night, the Joker cannot erase him from existence. Essentially, the Joker defines himself by his opposition to Batman and sees the world through that lens.
History
As one of the most iconic villains in all of comics, The Joker is an incredibly complex character to bring to the big screen. He has a rich history that spans more than 75 years, and the lore surrounding him could fill a library. It has been difficult to find the right balance of bringing him to life on screen. Previous adaptations, like Heath Ledger’s iconic take on the character in the Dark Knight Trilogy and Jared Leto’s performance in Suicide Squad, have leaned too heavily into either dark or comedic tones, making the Joker less intimidating than he should be.
Throughout his history, the Joker has killed more than three dozen people. He is one of the most prolific killers in DC history despite never having access to giant robots, mutant monsters or space lasers (he only ever killed his victim using a crowbar). In his first dozen adventures the Joker also escaped capture more than a few times and suffered multiple apparent deaths, including falling off a cliff, burning alive and being electrocuted in the electric chair.
Despite all this, the Joker remains a terrifying villain. He is the embodiment of chaos, and his psychopathic personality creates havoc everywhere he goes. He can change from goofy prankster to mass murderer in a split second, and his unpredictability makes him a dangerous foe for Batman.
Integration
There’s no doubt that the Joker is one of the most recognizable comic book villains ever. He has been portrayed on the big and small screen by such diverse actors as Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, and Cameron Monaghan. Each actor brought something different to the role and created a character that left an impression. The challenge now is for the new actor to find a way to make their Joker stand out, but also fit into the broader world of DC characters and stories.
That’s no easy feat. The Clown Prince of Crime represents chaos and madness, while Batman is all about justice and order. That’s what makes the two such a powerful and fascinating adversary. The Joker can go from goofy prankster to mass murderer at the drop of a hat, and it’s that unpredictability that draws people in.
In fact, the Joker’s storied history could fill a book all on its own. Throughout the years, there have been many attempts to define the character, and each has added to the rich tapestry of lore that surrounds him.