Everyone loves a clown and nothing proves that better than the classic Batman foe, theJoker. Since he debuted nearly a century ago, the Dark Knight’s nemesis has carved out a place in comic book history as one of thebest comic book villainsever created.
But what is it about the Clown Prince of Crime? What gave him that je ne sais quoi that helped him find meteoric success? The character has, after all, had a number of wildly different interpretations. But for all his changes, there’s some quality about him that makes him such a fascinating comic book character.
The Joker’s Unpredictability is What Helps Him Thrive
From Pranks to Kills, Fans Never Know What to Expect
When one looks at thehistory of the Joker, fans can see just how much the character has changed over the years. When he made his first appearance inBatman #1in 1940, he was introduced as a cold-blooded killer. He still had his demented sense of humor and used his trademark Joker venom, but he was a lot more methodical and out only to cause harm. He hadn’t yet developed his twisted ‘relationship’ with Batman, but many of the core elements of the villain fans loved were there and would stay there in his appearances in the Golden Age.
But things changed during the Silver Age thanks to Frederick Wertham and his book,Seduction of the Innocent. With the creation ofthe Comics Code Authority, violence and murder were seriously toned down in comic books across the board. But by then, the Joker was a huge part of the Batman mythos. So, instead of chucking him out altogether,the Joker was reinvented from a menacing killer into a mischievous prankster. The Joker’s darker persona remained subdued throughout the ‘60s (especially with the rise in popularity of the Adam WestBatmantelevision show), but the ‘70s would bring it back.
…it wasn’t uncommon to see stories where the Joker leaned into both sides and started to thrive with unpredictability…
Batman #251infamously brought the Joker back to his former glory, allowing him to be the murderous rogue he previously was. From the Bronze Age on, creators began to experiment with the Joker, who had been through so many stages and reinventions. Some creators leaned into his darker side to tell haunting, twisted tales, while other writers would portray the Joker as extremely over-the-top, even silly. Andit wasn’t uncommon to see stories where the Joker leaned into both sides and started to thrive with unpredictability, making him an even more engaging villain than he previously was.
Joker Can’t (And Shouldn’t) Lean Too Far Into One Side Or Another
The Villain Excels When Readers Don’t Know What to Expect from Him
The Joker obviously isn’t the only villain who’s been re-invented over the years. Poison Ivy, for example, started out as a plant-themed burglar before evolving into one of the most powerful eco-warrior characters in the DC Universe. But the difference with the Joker is that he affords writers a weird kind of freedom. He went from being a serial killer to a largely harmless trickster and then back to a killer again. Pair that with his complete madness, andthe Joker has a malleability that most other characters simply don’t have.
…the Joker is at his best when no one knows what he’s going to do.
When a writer uses the Joker in a story, he can be whatever he needs to suit the story. If the creative team wants a more comical tale, go with the more smooth-talking comical Harlequin of Hate, who pays his taxes because he fears the IRS. If the creators want a devious villain,make the Joker more sinister being who kills not because it’s funny, but because he likes to kill. Heck, take elements of both and make something new and twisted and weird, like Grant Morrison and Dave McKean did inArkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.
As eye-rolling as it may sound, the Joker is a wild card who can be anything at any given moment. He should be used in a way where readers don’t know what to expect, the kind of presence who could perform a card trick at one minute, then use their razor-sharp edges to slash a throat or two. Sure, everyone probably has their favorite Joker story or characterization, but overall,the Joker is at his best when no one knows what he’s going to do.
Readers Should Never Know What to Expect from the Joker
He’s Always Great When He Hits Fans With Something Unexpected
The best kind of storytelling is the kind that leaves readers guessing. And with the Joker, he could just as easily kill someone as he could give them directions to the nearest bus stop. Readers want to be surprised when engaging with a story and no character is better suited at that than the Clown Prince of Crime. He’s been a lot of things over the years and, with his unpredictable nature, fans never know whichJokerthey’re going to get, and his stories are so much better for it.
