[92], "They've given many origins of the Joker, how he came to be. He was more angular, his beady eyes got even more beady and reversed in color;his needle nose got even more needle-like, and he lost the red lips. Introduced as a psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor, the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to regulation by the Comics Code Authority, before returning to his darker roots during the early 1970s. Not as far as I can recall, he once served as the Iranian ambassador to the UN though which gave him diplomatic immunity. This Joker, however, is hyper-focused on the destruction of a civil society. The Joker has been characterized as psychopathic/sociopathic paramour to Harley Quinn in many mediums. [37] The series followed the character's interactions with other supervillains, and the first issue was written by O'Neil. The Joker, lamenting that he may never walk again, collapses with laughter when he realizes that the commissioner has avenged Barbara's paralysis. The Joker sports green hair, pale white skin, bright red lips and almost too many teeth, modeled on actor Conrad Veight in the filmThe Man Who Laughs. The Joker, Clown Prince of Crime, is Batman's arch-nemesis. Contents 1 History 1.1 Origins 1.2 Endeavors 1.3 Other schemes [19], The character inspired theme-park roller coasters (The Joker's Jinx,[202][203] The Joker in Mexico and California,[204][205] and The Joker Chaos Coaster),[206] and featured in story-based rides such as Justice League: Battle for Metropolis. [42] Detective Comics #168 (1951) introduced the Joker's first origin story as the former Red Hood: a masked criminal who, during his final heist, vanished after leaping into a vat of chemicals to escape Batman. [9] In a 1994 interview with journalist Frank Lovece, Kane stated his position: Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Despite being a drifter of sorts, Joker is surprisingly well-dressed. He has appeared with this hair in multiple MV's , which included "War of Hormone" and "Danger" music videos. Director Christopher Nolan Writers Jonathan Nolan (screenplay) Christopher Nolan (screenplay) David S. Goyer (story) Stars Christian Bale [171], Ryan Litsey described the Joker as an example of a "Nietzschean Superman," arguing that a fundamental aspect of Friedrich Nietzsche's Superman, the "will to power," is exemplified in all of the Joker's actions, providing a master morality to Batman's slave morality. [138] In 1942's "The Joker Follows Suit", the villain built his versions of the Batplane and Batmobile, the Jokergyro and Jokermobile (the latter with a large Joker face on its hood), and created a Joker-signal with which criminals could summon him for their heists. Although the film was controversial for its violence and portrayal of mental illness, Phoenix's performance received widespread acclaim. [2][3][4][9] By 2011, Finger, Kane, and Robinson had died, leaving the story unresolved. I remember these two guys who made a bet, one of them would paint his hair green while the other would make it purple. The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white and turns his hair green and lips bright red; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane. Like other portrayals of the Joker, Ledger's is homicidal, hostile, and unhinged. I'll probably have to bleach it. [167] The Joker rejects most authority, but retains his own, using his actions to coerce and consolidate power in himself and convert the masses to his own way of thinking, while eliminating any that oppose him. [102] The Dark Knight Returns depicts the final battle between an aged Batman and Joker; others portray the aftermath of the Joker's death at the hands of a number of characters, including Superman. ", Jerry Robinson, the Joker's creator[93], Although a number of backstories have been given, a definitive one has never been established for the Joker. But while the movie gets some things right, it also gets a lot wrong, according to psychiatry professor Dr Ziv Cohen. [2] The Comics Code banned gore, innuendo and excessive violence, stripping Batman of his menace and transforming the Joker into a goofy, thieving trickster without his original homicidal tendencies. He can be credited and Bob himself, we all played a role in it. [122][189][190], In 2006, the Joker was number one on Wizard magazine's "100 Greatest Villains of All Time. The Joker possesses no superhuman abilities, instead using his expertise in chemical engineering to develop poisonous or lethal concoctions and thematic weaponry, including razor-tipped playing cards, deadly joy buzzers, and acid-spraying lapel flowers. Although they have a friendly partnership in 1950's World's Finest Comics #88, later unions emphasized their mutual hostility and clashing egos. "[195] Complex, CollegeHumor, and WhatCulture named the Joker the greatest comic book villain of all time[183][137][196] while IGN listed him the top DC Comics villain in 2013,[197] and Newsarama as the greatest Batman villain. The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008) was a departure from long-established tradition. [74] Broken by his experience, Batman's experiences of death are transferred to Superman by the Spectre so he can heal mentally. He tried but lost the war, and I never blamed him." A glint pushed through the waterworks. During this period, the first changes in the Joker began to appear, portraying him as a wacky but harmless prankster; in one story, the Joker kidnaps Robin and Batman pays the ransom by check, meaning that the Joker cannot cash it without being arrested. Although he has the look of a clown, he dresses like a dandy in formal wear, in his signature villain colors of purple and green. No, he'd retire to Kansas and stay in a funk for the next twenty years while the next generation of superheroes finds a new idol in an unstable sociopath with a staff that fires purple lightning.. [21] Comic book writer Mark Waid suggests that the 1942 story "The Joker Walks the Last Mile" was the beginning point for the character's transformation into a more goofy incarnation, a period that Grant Morrison considered to have lasted the following 30 years. He has a slash of red on his mouth -- which has been slashed in a "Glasgow smile" nearly ear-to-ear. Heath Ledger's Joker And Some Disturbing Truths We all remember Heath Ledger's Joker performance in the 2008 movie The Dark Knight. He said he created the character as Batman's larger-than-life nemesis when extra stories were quickly needed for Batman #1, and he received credit for the story in a college course:[12], 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. [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. [188] The character has been the focus of ethical discussion on the desirability of Batman (who adheres to an unbreakable code forbidding killing) saving lives by murdering the Joker (a relentless dealer of death). As a long-time comics fan and one-time aspiring artist, Kelvin Childs is happy to be a contributing writer for CBR. [2] Kane hired the 17-year-old Robinson as an assistant in 1939, after he saw Robinson in a white jacket decorated with his own illustrations. Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson are credited with creating the Joker, but their accounts of the character's conception differ, each providing his own version of events. In this story, the Joker is obsessed with maintaining his illusion of wealth and celebrity as a criminal folk hero, afraid to let Gotham's citizens know that he is penniless and was tricked out of his fortune. But in this film, The Joker has normal Caucasian skin tone, and plainly wears white clown makeup only on his face and hands. "[101], A number of alternate universes in DC Comics publications allow writers to introduce variations on the Joker, in which the character's origins, behavior, and morality differ from the mainstream setting. Finger's, Kane's, and Robinson's versions acknowledge that Finger produced an image of actor Conrad Veidt in character as Gwynplaine (a man whose mouth is disfigured into a perpetual grin) in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs as an inspiration for the Joker's appearance, and Robinson produced a sketch of a joker playing card. ", "Scott Snyder On 'Death of the Family': 'It'S A Love Letter To Batman From The Joker' [Interview]", "100 Greatest Comic Book Villains of All Time", "40 Greatest Joker Moments 39: Peer review", "Bizarro Back Issues: The Strange Saga Of The Joker'S Daughter (1976)", "Ask Chris #173: The Trouble with the Joker's Girlfriend Harley Quinn", "5 'Justice League' Stories Fit For Film", "Justice League of America Vol. [65][89], During the "Darkseid War" (20152016) storyline, Batman uses Metron's Mobius Chair to find out the Joker's real name; the chair's answer leaves Batman in disbelief. The 1960s Batman TV series gave us a Joker who was modeled on the merry prankster from the 1950s comics, not the cunning killer he was in the 1940s or the sociopathic spree killer he would become in the 1980s and later. [80] The Joker is arrested, and then-Robin Damian Wayne beats him with a crowbar, paralleling Todd's murder. Ever since "The Man Behind the Red Hood" in Detective Comics (Volume 1) #168 (February 1951), we knew The Joker had pale white skin because of a chemical bath he took escaping from Batman. He writes stories about comic books, movies and TV shows that are chock-full of behind-the-scenes lore and stuff you didn't know about your favorite characters, programs and films. [28] The Silver Age introduced several of the Joker's defining character traits: lethal joy buzzers, acid-squirting flowers, trick guns, and goofy, elaborate crimes. But in Season 4, The Joker was redesigned. "[208] The phrase "We live in a society" is commonly associated with the Joker in memes; it garnered particular notoriety after a trailer for the film Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) featured Joker saying the line. [79][31] In the 2008 story arc "Batman R.I.P." Joker. Drawn with a purple jacket, green hair, a white face and a permanent rictus grin, the Joker went on to change subtly over the decades - getting realistic (the Gotham Central series), old (. In "The Joker's Utility Belt" (1952), he mimicked Batman's utility belt with non-lethal items, such as Mexican jumping beans and sneezing powder. [235] In comic book adaptations, the character has been voiced by John DiMaggio in 2010's Batman: Under the Red Hood and 2020's Batman: Death in the Family, and by Michael Emerson in 2012's two-parter The Dark Knight Returns. 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. [52], Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke expands on the Joker's origins, describing the character as a failed comedian who adopts the identity of the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife. In the DC Universe: Rebirth (2016) one-shot, Batman informs Hal Jordan that the chair told him there were three individual Jokers, not just one. He wanted an exotic, enduring character as an ongoing source of conflict for Batman (similar to the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty), designing a diabolically sinister, but clownish, villain. Heath Ledger. Futaba is the one with orange hair. [2][27] After the TV series ended in 1969, the increase in public visibility had not stopped the comic's sales decline; editorial director Carmine Infantino resolved to turn things around, moving stories away from child-friendly adventures. "[34] O'Neil's 1973 run introduced the idea of the Joker being legally insane, to explain why the character is sent to Arkham Asylum (introduced by O'Neil in 1974 as Arkham Hospital) instead of to prison. This story altered the Batman universe: instead of killing anonymous bystanders, the Joker murdered a core character; this had a lasting effect on future stories. Currently filming, director Todd Phillips released a clip on Instagram featuring Phoenix in ordinary garb, as projections of the villain he will become flash over him -- ending with him in Joker guise. The futuristic vision of Batman in Batman Beyond naturally called for a futuristic version of The Joker. DC Super Friends Joker (Lloyd Floyd) Warner Bros. On one hand, Lloyd Floyd's take on the Joker scores a lot of points just by happening in a cartoon in 2015 and not just being someone doing . [99] Snyder's "Zero Year" (2013) suggests that the pre-disfigured Joker was a criminal mastermind leading a gang of Red Hoods. [74][103] Still others describe distant futures in which the Joker is a computer virus or a hero trying to defeat the era's tyrannical Batman. Nor is he wearing the character's signature purple suit (although Jason Momoa did wear one to the premiere).. He brought in a playing card, which we used for a couple of issues for him [the Joker] to use as his playing card. [165] In Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, the Joker serves as Batman's trickster guide through the hero's own psyche, testing him in various ways before ultimately offering to cede his rule of the Asylum to Batman. Jerry Robinson, creator of the Joker", "The Joker: The Nature of Batman's Greatest Foe", "R.I.P. Plus, green is way too bold for me to maintain past a day. "[132] The villain has been temporarily rendered sane by several means, including telepathic manipulation by the Martian Manhunter[71] and being resurrected in a Lazarus Pit (an experience typically inducing temporary insanity in the subject). 1 notes, "Him not white like us -- and not laugh like Earth Joker!" Voiced by Mark Hamill, the Joker retained the darker tone of the comics in stories acceptable for young children. Action Crime Drama When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice. [30][138] However, his chemical genius provides his most-notable weapon: Joker venom, a liquid or gaseous toxin that sends its targets into fits of uncontrollable laughter; higher doses can lead to paralysis, coma or death, leaving its victim with a ghoulish, pained rictus grin. Generally speaking, superheroes utilize at least one primary color in their costume and/or design. [158][159], Since the Bronze Age of Comics, the Joker has been interpreted as an archetypal trickster, displaying talents for cunning intelligence, social engineering, pranks, theatricality, and idiomatic humor. But Romero famously did not shave his mustache. I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Finger were after. did the joker ever have purple hair did the joker ever have purple hair. The Joker has been adapted in live-action, animated, and video game incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series played by Cesar Romero and in films by Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008), Jared Leto in the DC Extended Universe (2016present), and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019present); Ledger and Phoenix each earned an Academy Award for their portrayals. I'm crazy 'cause I hate you," and confirms that he will only stop killing when Batman is dead. Batman arrives to stop the robbery, provoking the terrified comedian into jumping into a vat of chemicals, which dyes his skin chalk-white, his hair green, and his lips bright red. The story is notable for the Joker taking on a (relative) god and the ease with which Superman defeats himit took only 17 pages. Canny as ever, he cons his psychiatrist into believing he is sane. Bill Finger had a book with a photograph of Conrad Veidt and showed it to me and said, 'Here's the Joker.' [71] Other interpretations show that the Joker is fully aware of how his actions affect others and that his insanity as merely an act. [137] He commits crimes with a variety of weaponized thematic props such as a deck of razor-tipped playing cards, rolling marbles, jack-in-the-boxes with unpleasant surprises and exploding cigars capable of leveling a building. Although he murdered thugs and civilians, he never fought Batman; this made The Joker a series in which the character's villainy prevailed over rival villains, instead of a struggle between good and evil. This appearance is such a fundamental aspect of the character that when the 2004 animated series The Batman placed the Joker in a straitjacket, it quickly redesigned him in his familiar suit. [246][245][247] Barry Keoghan makes a cameo appearance as the Joker in Matt Reeves' film The Batman (2022), where he is credited as "Unseen Arkham Prisoner". [87][100], The Joker has claimed a number of origins, including being the child of an abusive father who broke his nose, and the long-lived jester of an Egyptian pharaoh. A complete psychopath with no moral compass whatsoever, the Joker, whose real name and identity remain completely unknown, is characterized by his chalk-white skin, green hair and a permanent rictus grin stretched across his face. It's the story of a troubled working-class man who crumbles under the. The Harley Quinn & The Joker: Sound Mind actress knew the Welshman as far back as 2017 when he coiffed her then platinum-blonde bob for her cover story in Net-a-Porter's The Edit. When hunky, twenty-year-old heart-throb Heath Ledger first came to the attention of the public in 1999, it was all too easy to tag him as a "pretty boy" and an actor of little depth. Instead, the Joker (flanked by an army of "Jokerized" supervillains) launches a final crime spree. [39] Because the Comics Code Authority mandated punishment for villains, each issue ended with the Joker being apprehended, limiting the scope of each story. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, and first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman on April 25, 1940. Credit for the Joker's creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's design while acknowledging Finger's writing contribution. She and the Joker formed a strong bond, which ultimately became a codependent, unhealthy relationship. Harley loves him, but the Joker does not reciprocate her feelings, chiding her for distracting him from other plans. In Batman: The Animated Series, the two met when Dr. Harleen Quinzel was sent to Arkham Asylum to interview the Joker, leading to her transformation into the psychotic sidekick. [3] Finger said that he was also inspired by the Steeplechase Face, an image in Steeplechase Park at Coney Island that resembled a Joker's head, which he sketched and later shared with future editorial director Carmine Infantino. He has a slash of red on his mouth -- which has been slashed in a "Glasgow smile" nearly ear-to-ear. And to top it off, he frequently sported a straitjacket. The new Detective Comics #1 (November 2011) has Batman on the trail of The Joker, who wantonly strikes one more time. [2][3], Robinson stated that it was his 1940 card sketch that served as the character's concept, and Finger associated that image with Veidt in the film. Whether you know him as the "Latin from Manhattan" or the clown prince of crime, C It is suggested that the Joker is sane, and researches his crimes to look like the work of a sick mind in order to avoid the death penalty. [154][155] The Joker is sometimes shown to keep spotted hyenas as pets; this trait was introduced in the 1977 animated series The New Adventures of Batman. In "To Laugh and Die in Metropolis" (1987) the character kidnaps Lois Lane, distracting Superman with a nuclear weapon. [184], Since 20122013, the Joker has inspired a large number of internet memes, often focused on the character's portrayal in films (see below). [122] The Joker is the "personification of the irrational," and represents "everything Batman [opposes]. Perspectives From Five Famous Philosophers", "The 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time", "Top 100 Comic Book Villains Number 2: The Joker", "Comics' Greatest Supervillain? Board Messages. The Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. [33] O'Neil said his idea was "simply to take it back to where it started. [119] The character has no desire for typical criminal goals like money or power; his criminality is designed only to continue his game with Batman. But at one time or another, including in one or more possible futures or in alternate dimensions, the Harlequin of Hate has sported somewhat different looks. [74][131] Given the opportunity to kill Batman, the villain demurs; he believes that without their game, winning is pointless. "Glad the Joker and the other worst of the Rogues are gone, though. Evil incarnate. [39], Although his chief obsession is Batman, the character has occasionally ventured outside Gotham City to fight Batman's superhero allies. One of the most iconic characters in popular culture, the Joker has been listed among the greatest comic book villains and fictional characters ever created. [175] The Joker has no defined origin story that requires him to question how he came to be, as like the Superman he does not regret or assess the past and only moves forward. Fox: You're messing with me, aren't you. [117] Comics scholar Peter Coogan describes the Joker as trying to reshape reality to fit himself by imposing his face on his victims (and fish) in an attempt to make the world comprehensible by creating a twisted parody of himself. [84], The Joker is portrayed as having no fear; when fellow supervillain Scarecrow doses him with fear toxin in Knightfall (1993), the Joker merely laughs and says "Boo! Little did the young man know that he was going to get his wish, and so would the rest of Gotham. [56] The man who will become the Joker quits his job as a lab assistant in order to fulfill his dream of being a stand-up comedian, only to fail miserably. Joker's full appearance. [107], The Joker's popularity (and his role as Batman's enemy) has involved the character in most Batman-related media, from television to video games. With some difficulty -- as the Gotham Police are after him, seeing him as an an enemy and not an ally -- Batman deliversThe Joker to Arkham Asylum. The miniseries ends with the revelation that Batman knows the Joker's true identity. Englehart's "The Laughing Fish" demonstrates the character's illogical nature: trying to copyright fish that bear his face, and not understanding why threatening the copyright clerk cannot produce the desired result. [66] This led to a second ongoing Joker series, beginning in March 2021 with Tynion writing and Guillem March providing art. He had a new villain. Merry prankster. when have you ever known me to keep quiet on decisions I disagree with. Indeed, Bizarro Joker is a depressed, tearful mess, saying,"Since The Joker is mad, me only sane person on this whole square world!". [124] In "The Clown at Midnight" (Batman #663 (April 2007)), the Joker enters a meditative state where he evaluates his previous selves to consciously create a new personality, effectively modifying himself for his needs. Sometimes the creators try too hard to be different, with lousy results. [227][228] While Batman Begins earned a worldwide total of $370million;[229] The Dark Knight earned over $1billion and was the highest-grossing film of the year, setting several contemporary box-office records (including highest-grossing midnight opening, opening day and opening weekend). The character was popular, and was adapted into the comics as the Joker's romantic interest in 1999. He tries (and fails) to prove that anyone can become like him after one bad day by torturing Commissioner Gordon, physically and psychologically. Other essentials include the iconic blonde hair bow on a wig with bangs ($4; amazon.com ), fingerless gloves, a leather corset, a silver v-shaped collar necklace ($17; amazon.com ), and anything . "[17], Years after the end of the 1966 television series, sales of Batman continued to fall and the title was nearly cancelled. [60] In the same year, Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle's comic book Anarky concluded with the revelation that the titular character was the Joker's son. If you aren't aware of this meme - or have just come to accept you probably aren't deep enough into the internet to get it - don't worry, that's the . [25][53] Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke takes place in mainstream continuity. [182][211][212] The Joker then appeared in the animated television series The Adventures of Batman (1968, voiced by Larry Storch),[213] The New Adventures of Batman (1977, voiced by Lennie Weinrib)[214] and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985, voiced by Frank Welker). Of all the atrocities he's ever committed, the Joker is probably best known for paralyzing Barbara Gordon. [77][78] In Morrison's "Batman and Son" (2006), a deranged police officer who impersonates Batman shoots the Joker in the face, scarring and disabling him. Similarly, Nicholson's Joker design from his grotesque, carved-in smile to eye-watering purple and orange outfits have influenced every incarnation that followed. 2) #1) was reattached with belts, wires, and hooks, and he was outfitted with mechanics overalls. When the Joker escapes, he attacks the Black Glove, burying its leader Simon Hurt alive after the supervillain considers him a failure as an opponent; the Joker is then defeated by the recently returned Batman. After Jack injures Batman's girlfriend, Batman scars Jack's face with a permanent grin and betrays him to a group of mobsters, who torture him in a chemical plant. "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" has the Joker taking violent revenge on the former gang members who betrayed him,[33] while "The Laughing Fish" portrays him chemically disfiguring fish so they will share his trademark grin, hoping to profit from a copyright, and killing bureaucrats who stand in his way. [73], The 2000s began with the crossover story "Emperor Joker", in which the Joker steals Mister Mxyzptlk's reality-altering power and remakes the universe in his image (torturing and killing Batman daily, before resurrecting him). "Happy Birthday Harry!" Joker said as he blew into his . The original, dominant image is that of a psychopath[112] with genius-level intelligence and a warped, sadistic sense of humor. [5][9][15], The Joker debuted in Batman #1 (April 1940) as the eponymous character's first villain, about a year after Batman's debut in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). [106], Renowned as Batman's greatest enemy,[107][108][109][110] the Joker is known by a number of nicknames, including the Clown Prince of Crime, the Harlequin of Hate, the Ace of Knaves, and the Jester of Genocide. Typically, the "we live in a society" meme is connected to the Joker, either featuring the character himself or editing other people to look like the green-haired, red-lipped man.. 17. When I arrived he was holding a playing card. In the film Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker (2000), the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, faces off against a Joker who hasn't been around in 35 years. "[156] In 1995, the Joker fought his third major DC hero: Wonder Woman, who drew on the Greek god of trickery to temper the Joker's humor and shatter his confidence. The Joker sometimes works with other Gotham City supervillains, such as the Penguin and Two-Face, and groups like the Injustice Gang and Injustice League, but these relationships often collapse due to the Joker's desire for unbridled chaos. [143] In 2015, The Joker: A Serious Study of the Clown Prince of Crime became the first academic book to be published about a supervillain. The Elseworlds graphic novel Superman: Speeding Bullets(1993) had an intriguing premise: What if the rocket that brought baby Kal-El from Krypton to Earth landed outside Gotham City and was found by Thomas and Martha Wayne? Blues and reds are tonally subdued, too. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and town markets, and the discipline continues into the modern day, where jesters perform at . But in every panel The Joker appears in, his face is full of gleeful menace. The story arc explores the symbiotic relationship between the Joker and Batman, and sees the villain shatter the trust between Batman and his adopted family. [236][237], The television series Gotham (20142019) explores the mythology of the Joker through twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, played by Cameron Monaghan. ", Rucka, Greg, Grayson, Devin(w),Scott, Damion, Eaglesham, Dale(p),Parsons, Sean, Buscema, Sal, Hunter, Rob(i),Rambo, Pamela(col). This version gave us a new version of the Jeering Jester of Crime, one that fairly screamed "This Is NOT Your Father's Joker!" Too hard to be genius-level intelligence and a warped, sadistic sense of humor can... [ 122 ] the Joker. smile '' nearly ear-to-ear Joker in 2008. Aren & # x27 ; s arch-nemesis and then-Robin Damian Wayne beats with... Gave him diplomatic immunity where it started popular, and I never blamed &! 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