Joker character biography why his wife died. Joker: A Brief History of the Character

Joker - Character History

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

Joker (character)

Art by Alex Ross
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance: Batman #1 (April 25, 1940)
Created
Bill Finger
Bob Kane
Jerry Robinson

Capabilities

• Criminal mastermind
• Experienced chemist
• Uses military-grade props and toxins

The Joker is a fictional supervillain created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson who first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman (April 25, 1940) published by DC Comics. The rights to create the Joker are disputed; Kane and Robinson took credit for the Joker's design, acknowledging the contributions of Finger's writing. Although the Joker was planned to be destroyed during his initial appearance, he was spared editorial intervention by allowing the character to endure as the arch-enemy of the superhero Batman.

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. The character's popularity has seen him appear on a variety of merchandise, such as clothing and collectibles, inspire real-life structures (such as landmarks theme park), and referenced in many media. The Joker has been adapted to serve as Batman's adversary in live-action film, animated, and video game incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series (played by Cesar Romero) and in Jack Nicholson's film The Batman (1989), Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight (2008) , and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad (2016). Mark Hamill, Troy Baker and others provided the character's voice.

Creation and development

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

1940 sketch of Jerry Robinson's character (left behind) The Joker. (correct) Actor Conrad Veidt in character as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs (1928). Veidt's grinning visage inspired the Joker's design.

Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson are credited with creating the Joker, but their accounts of the character's concept differ, each providing his own version of events. Finger, Kane, and Robinson's versions acknowledge that Finger produced actor Conrad Veidt's portrayal of the character as Gwynplaine (a man with a disfigured face, giving him an endless grin) in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs as the inspiration for the Joker's appearance, and Robinson produced the play's sketch Joker cards (right).

Robinson claimed that it was his 1940 map sketch that served as the character's concept, and which Finger associated Veidt's image. Kane hired 17-year-old Robinson as an assistant in 1939, after he saw Robinson wearing a white jacket decorated with his own illustrations. Starting out as a letterer and background inker, Robinson quickly became the primary artist for the newly created Batman comic book series. In a 1975 interview in Amazing World DC Comics Robinson said he wanted a supreme arch-villain who could test Batman, but not the typical crime lord or gangster, designed to be easy to locate.

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 devilishly sinister-but-buffoonish villain. Robinson was intrigued by villains; his studies at Columbia University taught him that some characters are made up of contradictions, leading to the Joker's sense of humor. He said the name came first, accompanied by an image of a deck playing card he often had on hand: "I wanted someone visually exciting.

I wanted someone who would leave a lasting impression, would be quirky, would be memorable like the Hunchback of Notre Dame or any of the other villains who had unique physical attributes. “He told Finger about his concept over the phone, later providing character sketches and images of what would become his iconic Joker playing card design. Finger thought the concept was incomplete, ensuring Veidt's image with a terrible, permanent mouth-hole grin.

Kane countered that Robinson's sketch was produced only after Finger had already shown the Gwynplaine image to Kane, and that it was only used as a card design owned by the Joker in his early appearances. Finger said he was also inspired by an image at Steeplechase Park in Coney Island, which resembled a Joker head he sketched and later shared with future publishing director Carmine Infantino. In a 1994 interview with journalist Frank Lowes, Kane stated his position:

Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Bill was a writer. Jerry Robinson came to me with a Joker playing card. 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 photo of Conrad Veidt and showed it to me and said, 'Here's the Joker.' Jerry Robinson had absolutely nothing to do with him, but he will always say that he created him until he dies. He brought in the playing card that we used for several problems for him Joker] to use as his playing card.

Robinson credited himself, Thumb and Kane to create the Joker. He said he created the character as Batman's unlikely nemesis when additional stories were quickly needed for Batman # and he received history credit in a college course:

At that first meeting when I showed them the Joker sketch, Bill said it reminded him of Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs. This was the first mention of him... Bob himself can acknowledge him, we all played a role in him. The concept was mine. Bill completed that first script from my outline of the person and what should happen in the first story. He wrote the script for it, so he really was a co-creator, and Bob and I did the visuals, so Bob was too.

Although Kane adamantly refused to share credit for many of his characters (and denied Robinson's claim until Kane's death), many comic historians credit Robinson with creating the Joker and Thumb with character development. By 201 Thumb, Kane and Robinson had died, leaving the story unresolved.

Golden age

The Joker debuted in Batman #1 (1940) as the first villain of the same name, shortly after Batman's debut in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). The Joker originally appeared as a ruthless serial killer, modeled after the Joker playing card with a bleak grin, who killed his victims with "Joker Venom": a toxin that left their faces smiling in a grotesque manner. the character was intended to be killed off in his second appearance in Batman No. by being stabbed in the heart. Finger wanted the Joker to die due to his concern that recurring villains would make Batman seem unsuitable, but was overruled by then-editor Whitney Ellsworth; a hastily drawn panel, indicating that the Joker was still alive, was added to the comedian. The Joker went on to appear in nine of the first twelve Batman issues.

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

The character's regular appearances quickly established him as the archenemy of the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin; he killed dozens of people, and even derailed a train. By issue #13, Kane's work on the syndicated Batman strip left him with little time for comics; artist Dick Sprang took over his duties, and editor Jack Schiff collaborated with Finger on the stories. At the same time, DC Comics found it easier to sell his stories to children without the more mature pulp elements that spawned many superhero comics. During this period, the first changes to the Joker began to appear, portraying him more as the Joker than a threat; when he kidnaps Robin, Batman pays the ransom by check, implying that the Joker cannot exchange it for money without being arrested. Comics writer Mark Waid suggests that the 1942 story "The Joker's Walk, The Last Mile" was the starting point for the character's transformation into a goofier incarnation, a period that Grant Morrison believed would last the next thirty years.

The 1942 cover of Detective Comics #69, known as "Double Gun" (with the Joker emerging from a genie's lamp, aiming two guns at Batman and Robin), is considered one of the largest Golden Age superhero comic covers and the only depiction of the character using a traditional weapon . Robinson said other modern villains used guns, and the creative team wanted the Joker - as Batman's adversary - to be more resourceful.

Silver Age

The Joker was one of several popular villains continuing to appear regularly in Batman comics from the Golden Age into the Silver Age, as the series continued during the rise in popularity of mystery and romance comics. In 1951, Thumb wrote an origin story for the Joker in Detective Comics #168, which introduced the feature of him formerly being the criminal Red Hood and his acquiring a physical defect the result of a fall into a chemical vat.

By 1954, the Comics Code Authority was established in response to increasing public disapproval of comic book content. The backlash was inspired by Frederick Wertham, who hypothesized that the media (especially comic books) were responsible for an increase in juvenile delinquency, violence, and homosexuality, especially among young men. Parents banned their children from reading comics, and there were several mass arson attacks. The Comics Code banned gore, innuendo and excessive violence, stripping Batman of his menace and transforming the Joker into a stupid, thieving trickster without his original homicidal tendencies.

The character appeared less frequently after 1964, when Julius Schwartz (who disliked the Joker) became editor of Batman comics. The character risked becoming a vague indicator of a previous era until this goofy version of the Joker character was adapted into the 1966 television series Batman, in which he was played by Cesar Romero. The popularity of the show led Schwartz to keep the comics in the same vein. While the show's popularity has waned, however, so have those of the Batman comics. After the series ended in 1968, increased public visibility did not stop the comedian's sales decline; Publishing director Carmine Infantino decided to turn things around, moving the stories away from school-friendly adventures. The Silver Age introduced several of the Joker's defining character traits: lethal joy horns, acid-squirting flowers, trick guns, and stupid, elaborate crimes.

Bronze Age

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

Cover of Batman #251 (September 1973), featuring "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge", which returned the Joker to his murderous roots. Art by Neal Adams.

In 1973, after disappearing for four years, the Joker was revived (and revised) by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams. Beginning with Batman #251's "Five-Path Revenge of the Joker", the character returns to his roots as an impulsive, homicidal maniac who matches wits with Batman. This story started a trend in which the Joker was used, sparingly, as the central character. O'Neill said his idea was to "just take it back to where it started. I went to the DC library and read some early stories. I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Thumb were after." O'Neill'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'Neill in 1974 as Arkham Asylum) instead of prison. Adams altered the Joker's appearance, giving him a larger-than-average figure, elongating his jaw, and making him taller and leaner.

DC Comics was a hotbed of experimentation during the 1970s, and in 1975 the character became the first villain to show how main character in the comic book series, Joker. the series followed the character's interactions with other supervillains, and the first issue was written by O'Neill. The stories balanced between emphasizing the Joker's criminality and making him a likable protagonist that readers could root for. Although he killed thugs and civilians, he never fought Batman.

This made the Joker a series in which the villainy of the character prevailed over rival villains instead of a fight between good and evil, as the Comics Code Authority mandated punishment for the villains, each issue ending with the Joker being arrested, limiting the scope of each story. The series never found an audience, and Joker was canceled after nine issues (despite advertising a "next issue" for an appearance by the Justice League). The complete series became difficult to obtain over time, often commanding high prices from collectors. In 2013, DC Comics republished the series as a graphic novel.

When Genette Kahn became DC editor in 1976, she rebuilt the company's struggling titles; During her tenure, the Joker would become one of DC's most popular characters. While O'Neill and Adams' work were critically acclaimed, writer Steve Englehart and penciller Marshall Rogers ran an eight-issue run in Detective Comics #471-476 (August 1977 - April 1978) have defined the Joker for decades to come with stories emphasizing the character's madness.

In "The Laughing Fish", the Joker disfigures a fish with a mouth-hole grin reminiscent of his own (anticipating copyright protection) and is unable to understand that copyrighting a natural resource is legally impossible. Englehart and Rogers' work on the series influenced the 1989 film Batman and were adapted into 1992's Batman: The Animated Series. Rogers elaborated on Adams' character design, featuring the Joker with a fedora and trench coat. Englehart outlined how he understood the character, saying that the Joker "was this very crazy, scary character. I really wanted to go back to the idea of ​​Batman fighting mad killers at 3:00 under full moon like clouds destroyed."

Our time

In the years following the end of the 1966 television series, Batman's sales continued to decline and the title was almost cancelled. Although the 1970s re-established the Joker as Batman's mad, lethal adversary, it was during the 1980s that the Batman series began to turn around and the Joker achieved recognition as part of the "medieval" era of comics: mature tales of death and destruction. The change was ridiculed for moving away from tame superheroes (and villains), but comic audiences were no longer primarily children.

Months after Crisis on Infinite Earths began the era, killing off Silver Age icons such as the Flash and Supergirl and undoing decades of continuity, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (1986) re-imagined Batman as an older retired hero and the Joker as a lipstick-wearing celebrity who cannot function without his adversary. The late 1980s saw the Joker exert a significant influence on Batman and his supporting cast. In the 1988–89 story arc "A Death in the Family", the Joker kills Batman's sidekick (the second Robin, Jason Todd). Todd was unpopular with fans; rather than changing his character, DC decided to let them vote on his fate, and the 28-vote plurality had the Joker beat Todd to death with a crowbar.

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

This story changed the Batman universe: instead of killing anonymous witnesses, the Joker killed a major character in Batman fiction; this had a lasting effect on future stories. Written at the height of tensions between the United States and Iran, the story's conclusion had Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini appoint the Joker as his country's ambassador to the United Nations (allowing him to temporarily escape justice).

Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's 1988 graphic novel The Deadly Joke expands on the Joker's origins, describing the character as a failed comedian who takes on the identity of Red Hood to support his pregnant wife. Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke takes place in the mainstream continuity . the novel has been described by critics as one of the most big stories The Joker is ever written, influencing later comic stories (including then-Batgirl Barbara Gordon's forced retirement after she is paralyzed by the Joker) and films such as 1989's Batman and 2008's Grant Morrison's 1989 Dark Knight. Arkham Asylum: Serious House on a Serious Earth explores the psychosis of Batman, the Joker and other rogues in the eponymous medium.

The 1992 animated series introduced a female sidekick to the Joker: Harley Quinn, a psychiatrist who falls in love with—and ends up in an abusive relationship with—the Joker, becoming his supervillain accomplice. The character was popular, and was adapted into comics as the Joker's romantic interest in 1999. That same year, Alan Grant and Norm Breifogle's comic Anarky came to the conclusion with the discovery that the titular character was the Joker's son. Breifogle conceived the idea as a means to expand on Anarky's characterization, but O'Neill (by then editor for the Batman series of books) was opposed to it, and only allowed it to be written under protest, and with the promise that the discovery would eventually be revealed wrong. However, the Anarky series was canceled before a retraction could be published.

The Joker's first major storyline in The New 52, ​​DC Comics' 2011 reboot of the story continuity, was 2012's "Death of the Family" by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capallo. The story arc explores the symbiotic relationship between the Joker and Batman, and sees the villain destroy the trust between Batman and his adopted family. Capallo's Joker design replaced his traditional outfit with a pragmatic, dirty, and tousled appearance to convey that the character was on a mission; his face (surgically removed in 2011's Detective Comics #1) was reattached with belts, wires and hooks, and he was outfitted with a mechanic's jumpsuit. The Joker's face was restored in Snyder and Capallo's Endgame (2014), the final chapter to Death of the Family.

Biography of the Joker character DC comics

The Joker has undergone many revisions since its 1940 debut. The most common interpretation of the character is that he disguises himself as the criminal Red Hood and is being pursued by Batman. The Joker falls into a vat of chemicals that bleaches his skin, dyes his hair green and his lips red, and drives him insane. The reasons why the Joker was disguised as Red Hood and his identity before his transformation have varied over time.

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

The character was introduced in Batman #1 (1940), in which he announces that he will kill three of Gotham's prominent citizens (including Mayor Henry Claridge). Although the police protect Claridge, the Joker poisons him before making his announcement, and Claridge dies with a terrible grin on his face; Batman ultimately defeats him, putting him in prison. The Joker commits bizarre, brutal crimes for reasons that, in Batman's words, "make sense to him." Detective Comics #168 (1951) introduced the Joker's first origin story as Red Hood: a criminal who, during his final heist, disappears after jumping into a vat of chemicals to escape Batman. His resulting acquisition of a physical defect led him to take the name "Joker", from a playing card it is believed he came to remind. the Silver Age transformation of the Joker into an object of ridicule was established in 1952's "The Joker's Millions".

In this story, the Joker is obsessed with maintaining his illusion of wealth and celebrity as a criminal folk hero, afraid to let the citizens of Gotham know that he is poor and has been cheated out of his fortune. The 1970s redefined the character as a murderous psychopath. "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" has the Joker taking violent revenge on the former gang members who betrayed him; "The Laughing Fish" has the character chemically add his face to Gotham's fish (hoping to profit from the copyright) by killing bureaucrats who stand in his way.

Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) was based on the 1951 origin story of the Joker, portraying him as a failed comedian who is pressured into committing a crime as Red Hood in order to support his pregnant wife. Batman's intervention causes him to jump into a chemical vat, which disfigures him. This, combined with the trauma of his wife's earlier accidental death, causes him to go crazy and become the Joker. However, Joker says that this story may not be true and prefers his past to be a "varied choice." In this graphic novel, the Joker shoots and paralyzes Barbara Gordon and tortures her father, Commissioner James Gordon, to prove that it only takes one bad day to lead. normal person crazy.

After Batman rescues Gordon and subdues the Joker, he offers to rehabilitate his old foe and end their rivalry. Although the Joker refuses, he shows his gratitude by sharing a prank with Batman. After the self-mutilation of Barbara's character, she became a more important character in the DC Universe: Oracle, a data miner informant and superhero who has her revenge on Birds of Prey by destroying the Joker's teeth and ruining his smile.

In the 1988 story "A Death in the Family", the Joker hits Jason Todd with a crowbar and leaves him to die in an explosion. Todd's death haunts Batman, and for the first time he considers killing the Joker. The Joker temporarily escapes justice when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini appoints him Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, giving him diplomatic immunity. However, when he attempts to poison the UN membership, he is defeated by Batman and Superman.

In the 1999 No Man's Land storyline, the Joker kills Commissioner Gordon's second wife, Sarah, as she shields a group of babies. He taunts Gordon, who shoots him in the kneecap. The Joker, lamenting that he may never walk again, dies laughing when he realizes that the Commissioner was taking revenge for Barbara's paralysis. This story also introduced the Joker's girlfriend, Harley Quinn.

The 2000s began with the crossover story "Emperor Joker", in which the Joker steals the reality-altering power of Mister Mxyzptlk and remakes the universe in his image (torturing and killing Batman daily before reviving him). When the supervillain then tries to destroy the universe, his reluctance to eliminate Batman causes him to lose control and Superman defeats him. Broken by his experience, the events of Batman's death are transferred to Superman by the Specter so he can heal mentally.

In "Joker's Last Laugh" (2001), doctors at Arkham Asylum convince the character that he is dying in an attempt to rehabilitate him. Instead, the Joker (between an army of "Jokerized" supervillains) begins the final crime spree. Believing Robin (Tim Drake) to have been killed in the chaos, Dick Grayson beats the Joker to death (although Batman revives his opponent to keep Grayson from being the killer) and the character succeeds in getting a member of the Bat-Family to break their rule against murder .

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

In "Under the Hood" (2005), a revived Todd attempts to force Batman to avenge his death by killing the Joker. Batman refuses, claiming that if he allows himself to kill the Joker, he will not be able to stop killing other criminals. The Joker kills Alexander Luthor in Infinite Crisis (2005) to expel him from secret society Super Villains, which considers him too unpredictable for membership. In Morrison's Batman and Son (2006), a deranged cop who impersonates Batman shoots the Joker in the face, scratching and maiming him. The supervillain returns in Clown at Midnight (2007) as a brutal, mysterious force who awakens and attempts to kill Harley Quinn to prove to Batman that he has become more than human. The 2008 story forms the arc "Batman R.I.P." "

The Joker is recruited by the Black Glove to destroy Batman, but betrays the group, killing its members one by one. After Batman's near-death experience in "Final Crisis" (2008), Grayson investigates a series of murders (which leads him to the Joker in disguise). The Joker is arrested and then Robin Damian Wayne hits him with a crowbar, finding something similar to Todd's murder. As 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 newly returned Batman.

In DC's New 52, ​​the 2011 reboot of his post-Flashpoint titles, the Joker has his face cut off. He disappears for a year, returning to launch an attack on Batman's extended family in "Death of the Family", so he and Batman can be the best hero and villain they can be. At the end of the storyline, the Joker falls off a cliff into a dark abyss. The Joker returns in the 2014 "Endgame" storyline, in which he brainwashes the Justice League into attacking Batman, believing that he betrayed their relationship. The story implies That the Joker is immortal - having existed for centuries in Gotham as the cause of tragedy after exposure to a substance the Joker calls 'dionesium' - and is able to recover from mortal wounds. "Endgame" restores the Joker's face, and also reveals that he knows Batman's secret identity. the story ends with the clinical deaths of Batman and the Joker at each other's hands.

Origin of the Joker

“They gave a lot of the origin of the Joker, how he turned out. It doesn't seem to matter - as he does now. I never intended to explain his appearance. We discussed it and BillFinger and I never wanted to change it at the time. I thought - and he agreed - that this removed some of the essential mystery."

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

Although many backstories have been given, a definitive one has not yet been established for the Joker. An unreliable narrator, the character is ambiguous about who he was before and how he became the Joker: "Sometimes I remember him one way, sometimes another...if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be a varied choice!" "The Joker's origin story appeared in Detective Comics #168 (February 1951), nearly a decade after the character's debut. Here, the character is a lab worker who becomes Red Hood (a masked criminal) to steal a million dollars from his employer and retire. He ends up in a vat of chemical waste when his robbery is thwarted by Batman, who appears with bleached white skin, red lips, green hair and a permanent grin.

This story was the basis for the most often cited origin story, Moore's one-shot The Killing Joke. The Joker quits his job as a Lab assistant, becoming a stand-up comedian to support his pregnant wife. Unsuccessful, he agrees to help the bandits with the robbery and dons the Red Hood. The robbery gets confused; the comedian jumps into a chemical vat to escape Batman, emerging disfigured. This, combined with more early death The accident of his wife and unborn child drives the comedian insane and he becomes the Joker.

This version has been cited in many stories, including Batman: The Man Who Laughs (in which Batman deduces that Red Hood survived his fall and became the Joker), Batman #450 (in which the Joker dons Red Hood to aid his recovery from the events in Deaths in the Family, but finds the experience too traumatic), and “Death of the Family.” Other stories have elaborated on this origin;" Pushback" explains that the Joker's wife was killed by a corrupt cop working for mobsters, and "Payback" gives the Joker's name as "Jack".

However, the Joker's unreliable memory allowed writers to develop a different origin for the character. "Case Study", Paul DiniAlex Rossitorie - describes the Joker as a sadistic gangster who creates the Red Hood identity to continue thrill petty crime. He has his fateful first meeting with Batman, which leads to him acquiring a physical defect. It is suggested that the Joker be sane, and feign insanity to avoid death penalty. In Batman Confidential (#7–12), the character, Jack, is a talented criminal who is bored with his job. He encounters (and becomes obsessed with) Batman during a robbery, embarking on a crime spree to get his attention.

After Jack injures Batman's girlfriend, Jack scars Batman's face with a permanent grin and betrays him to a group of bandits who torture him in a chemical plant. Jack escapes, but ends up in an empty vat as gunfire punctures the chemical tanks above him. A flood of chemicals (used in antipsychotic medication) changes his appearance and completes his transformation. The superhero Atom sees the Joker's memory of burning his parents alive (after they find him killing animals) in The Brave and the Bold #3, and Snyder's Zero Year (2013) suggests that the pre-mutilated Joker was the criminal mastermind leading the gang Red Hoods.

The Joker has stated many origins, including being the child of an abusive father who broke his nose and a long-lived buffoon Egyptian pharaoh. As Batman says, "Like any other comedian, he uses whatever material will work."

Alternate versions of the Joker

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

Many alternate universes in DC Comics publications allow writers to introduce variations on the Joker in which the character's origins, behavior and morals differ from the mainstream setting. The Dark Knight Returns depicts the final battle between an aged Batman and the Joker; others depict the aftermath of the Joker's death at the hands of many characters, including Superman. Still others describe distant futures in which the Joker is a computer virus or a hero trying to defeat the era's tyrannical Batman. In some stories, the Joker is someone else entirely; "Flashpoint" features Batman's mother Martha Wayne as the Joker in response to her son's murder, and in Superman: Bullets Flying Lex Luthor becomes the Joker in a world where Superman is Batman.

Characteristics

Known as Batman's greatest enemy, the Joker is known by many nicknames, including the Clown Prince of Crime, the Jester of Genocide, the Harlequin of Hatred and the Ace of Dodgers. During the development of the DC Universe, interpretations and versions of the Joker have taken two forms. The original, dominant image is that of an extreme psychopath, with a genius-level intellect and a warped, sadistic sense of humor. Another version, popular in comics from the late 940s to the 960s and in the 960s television series, is the eccentric, harmless Joker and thief.

Like other long-lasting characters, the Joker's character and cultural interpretations have changed over time, however, unlike other characters who may have to accommodate or ignore previous versions to make sense, more than any other comic book character, the Joker thrives on his changeable and contradictory personalities. The Joker is typically seen wearing a purple suit with a long tail, padded shoulder jacket, ribbon tie, gloves, striped pants and spats on sharp pointe shoes (sometimes with a wide-brimmed hat). This appearance is such a fundamental aspect of the character that when the 2004 Batman animated series placed the Joker in a straitjacket, it quickly redesigned him into his familiar suit.

The Joker is obsessed with Batman, the pair representing the yang of the opposition against the dark and light force; although it is the Joker who represents humor and color and Batman who lives in the dark. Murder, theft and terrorism, there is no crime outside of the Joker, and his exploits are a theatrical performance that are funny to him alone. Spectacle is more important than success to the Joker, and if it's not exciting, it's boring. Although the Joker demands indifference to everything, he secretly craves Batman's attention and validation.

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

The character was described as having killed over 2,000 people in Joker: The Devil's Advocate (996). Despite this body count, he is always found not guilty due to insanity and sent to Arkham Asylum, avoiding the death penalty. Many of the Joker's actions attempt to force Batman to kill; if the most organized and self-governing of people can kill, anyone is capable of becoming a monster like the Joker. The villain shows no instinct for self-preservation and is willing to die to prove his point. The Joker is "the personification of an irrational number" and represents "everything that Batman stands against."

Individuality

Joker co-creator Jerry Robinson in 2008; he conceived of the Joker as an exotic, resilient arch-villain who could repeatedly challenge Batman.

The Joker's main characteristic is his apparent insanity, although he is not described as having a specific psychological disorder. Like a psychopath, he lacks empathy, conscience and concern for right and wrong. In Serious House on Serious Earth, the Joker is described as being capable of processing non-sensory information only by adapting to it. This allows him to create a new personality every day (depending on what would benefit him) and explains why in different times he is a mischievous clown or a psychopathic killer. In "Clown at Midnight" (Batman #663, 2007), the Joker enters a meditative state where he evaluates his previous self to consciously create a new personality, effectively changing himself for his needs.

The Deadly Joke (in which the Joker is an unreliable narrator) explains the roots of his madness as "one bad day": losing his wife and unborn child and being disfigured by chemicals, finding something similar to Batman's origins in the loss of his parents. He tries (and fails) to prove that anyone can become like him after one bad day by tormenting Commissioner Gordon, physically and psychologically. Batman offers to rehabilitate his opponent; The Joker apologetically shrinks away, believing that it is too late for him to be saved.

Other interpretations show that the Joker is fully aware of how his actions affect others and that his madness is simply an act. Comics scholar Peter Coogan describes the Joker as attempting to bend reality to fit himself, superimposing his face on his victims (and fish) in an attempt to make the world understandable, creating a twisted parody of himself. Englehart's "The Laughing Fish" demonstrates the illogical nature of the character: trying to copyright the fish that bear his face, and not understanding why threatening the copyright clerk cannot achieve the desired result.

The Joker is alternatively depicted as sexual and asexual. In Dark Knight Returns and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth, the Joker seduces Batman; it's questionable whether their relationship has homoerotic overtones or if the Joker is simply trying to control his nemesis. Frank Miller has interpreted the character as being fixated on death and uninterested in sexual relationships, while Robinson believes the Joker is capable of romantic relationships. His relationship with Harley Quinn is offensively paradoxical; although the Joker keeps her on his side, he inadvertently harms her (such as by throwing her window without seeing if she survives). Harley loves him, but the Joker does not reciprocate her feelings, reproaching her for distracting him from other plans.

Joker DC comics – Character history – Joker DC comics

"Snyder's Death of the Family" depicts the Joker as loving Batman, although not in a traditionally romantic way. The Joker believes that Batman didn't kill him because he makes Batman better, and he loves the villain for that. Batman comic book writer Peter Tomasi agreed, saying that the Joker's main goal is to make Batman the best he can be. The Joker and Batman represent opposites: the extroverted Joker wears bright clothes and embraces chaos, while the introverted, monochromatic Batman represents order and discipline. The Joker is often portrayed as defining his existence through his conflict with Batman.

In "Move 994 Normal", the villain tries to lead a normal life after Batman's (apparent) death, only to become his old self again when Batman reappears; in "Emperor Joker", the apparently all-powerful Joker cannot destroy Batman without canceling himself. Since the Joker is simply "The Joker", he believes that Batman is "Batman" (with or without the costume) and has no interest in what is behind Batman's mask, ignoring opportunities to learn Batman's secret identity. Given the opportunity to kill Batman , villain hesitation; he believes that without their performance, victory is meaningless. the character has no desire for typical criminal goals like money or power; his crime is designed only to continue his game with Batman.

The Joker is portrayed as having no fear; when fellow supervillain Scarecrow doses him with fear toxin in Knightfall (993), the Joker simply laughs and says, "Boo!" the villain was temporarily rendered normal by several means, including telepathic manipulation by Martian Manhunter and being revived in the restoration of life by Lazarus Pete (an experience typically causing temporary insanity in the subject). During these moments, the Joker is depicted as expressing remorse for his actions; however, during a medically induced period of partial sanity in Batman: Cacophony he tells his opponent: “I don't hate you 'cause I'm crazy. I'm crazy 'cause I hate you" and confirms that he will only stop killing when Batman is dead.

Joker Skills and Abilities

The Joker has no innate superhuman abilities. He commits crimes with a variety of military themed props such as a razor-tipped card playing deck, marble spins, Jack in the Box with nasty surprises and a cigar explosion capable of leveling a building. The flower in his lapel sprays acid, and his hand often holds a lethal joy buzzer, conducting a million volts of electricity, although both points were introduced in 952 as harmless joke points. However, his chemical genius provides his most famous weapon: the Joker's venom, liquid or gaseous a toxin that sends its targets into fits of uncontrollable laughter; higher doses can result in paralysis, coma or death, leaving its victim with a ghoulish, distressed grin at the mouth.

The Joker has used poison since his debut; only he knows the formula and is shown to be gifted enough to produce the toxin from common household chemicals. Another version of the poison (used in "The Joker's Last Laugh") causes its victims to resemble the Joker, susceptible to his orders. The villain is immune to the poison and most poisons; in Batman #663 (2007), Morrison writes that, being "an avid consumer of his own chemical experiments, the Joker's immunity to poison concoctions that could kill another person instantly was developed over years of ad hoc abuse. »

The character's arsenal is inspired by his nemesis' weaponry, such as batarangs. In "The Joker's Utility Belt" (952), he emulated Batman's utility belt with non-lethal items such as Mexican jumping beans and sneeze powder. In 942 "Joker Follows Example" the villain built his versions of the Batplane and Batmobile, Jokergyro and Jokermobile (the latter with big face Joker on his hood) and created the Joker signal so that criminals could call him for their robberies. The Jokermobile lasted for several decades, evolving with the Batmobile. His technical genius is not limited by practicality, allowing him to hijack Gotham's television radio waves to release threats, transform buildings into death traps, go on a gas offensive on the city, and the rain poisoned the glass shards on its citizens from the airship.

The Joker is portrayed as skilled in melee combat from his initial appearances, when he defeats Batman in a sword fight (almost killing him), and others when he overwhelms Batman but refuses to kill him. He is talented with firearms, although even his weapons are theatrical; his long-barreled revolver often fires a flag reading "Strike" and a second trigger pull starts the flag to pierce his target. Although formidable in battle, the Joker's greatest asset is his mind.

Most people in the CIS countries know this character only from the film “Batman” (1989), where he was brilliantly embodied by Jack Nicholson. Many believe that the supervillain clown outshone everyone, including the main character, and found himself at the center of Tim Burton's sci-fi blockbuster thanks to the amazing performance of the three-time Oscar winner; some even accused the actor of “stealing the picture” and “pulling the blanket over himself.” In fact, that's not the trick - it's the character's character itself. It has always been this way - or almost always.
No matter what modern cultural scientists say, the mass culture of the 20th and (already) 21st centuries provides many more opportunities for myth-making than at any other time. Now, more than ever, a mythological hero, an archetypal embodiment of Evil or Good, can exist in a hundred different forms (in films, television series, cartoons, computer games etc.), which complement and reject, correspond and contradict each other, but nevertheless create in the mass consciousness a single - at the same time one-dimensional and multifaceted, artificial and living, impossible and reliable - truly mythological image. This creation, existing in the imagination of its authors and consumers, is projected in a special way onto each era, into each type of art and each author’s concept, becoming a reflection of the ideas and trends of the time.
The purpose (let me call it that) of the study posted on this site is to illustrate the development of one character popular culture for more than six decades, rather than simply listing the “exploits” of a villain who never existed. I just want to first warn the faint of heart: HE IS NOT EXACTLY THE SWEET MAN THAT NICHOLSON PICTURED ON THE SCREEN.

Note: the following description concerns primarily the Joker in the comic book source and in a number of points (this will be mentioned separately) contradicts the plot and interpretation of the character in Tim Burton's film.

Name: The Joker. Real name unknown.
Also known as: Jack Napier, Jason Reapan, Johnny Trape, Joseph Kerr, Tromp Mercury, Johnny Jape, Slappy, Red Hood, Mr. Genesius, Sir Reginald Harlequin, J. Columbine, H. A. Laughlin, etc., etc.
Place of residence: Gotham City. Spends most of his time in psychiatric hospital for criminals "Arkham".
Occupation: Career criminal.
Weight: 86 kg.
Height: 189 cm.
Eyes: Green.
Hair: Green.
External signs: White skin; ruby lips, forever stretched into a wide smile; long nose, elongated chin.
Voice: Tenor (when not screaming at a high pitch). He knows how to perfectly manipulate his voice, putting his victims into an almost hypnotic state or scaring them to death.

Age: Somewhere from 35 to 45 years. Like all comic characters, he does not age. One American fan scoured all the comics to find out the Joker's date of birth, and in the end, in some roundabout way, found out that it was around the end of February 1955. (Ha-ha. In comics, the Joker has been active since 1940. Problem!) The guy was incredibly happy, since he himself was born on February 20th.

Sexual orientation: Hetero. Claims that he was married and that his wife died in an accident. He sincerely rejoices when he has to deal with female opponents (which does not prevent him from treating them with no less cruelty than everyone else). He is partial to some of the inhabitants of Arkham, which, as a rule, terrifies them. Since the 90s, his constant girlfriend is Harley Quinn, a former Arkham psychiatrist who sacrificed her career and sanity for the Joker and became his obedient slave (more about her in the review of the animated “Jokeriad”). He periodically throws her out of the window, but otherwise they have an almost perfect relationship.

Favorite clothes: Purple suit and hat, yellow vest, yellow or green shirt, white gloves.
Favorite food: Fish.
Favorite animal: Hyena.

Weapon: A poison that makes victims laugh until they die and leaves a creepy smile on their faces (exists in countless forms). A flower on the lapel of a jacket that sprays acid, as well as police badges with the same “secret”. Razor sharp playing cards. A 500-volt electric shock on the hand is a surprise for anyone foolish enough to shake the Joker's hand (he once knocked out Mr. Freeze this way); sometimes instead of an electric shock on the arm there is a needle with poison. Fake and at the same time deadly pistols. Small balls that, when exploding, form a smoke screen. All kinds of bombs (usually with his trademark - a smile). Canes that shoot rockets and other killer toys.

Story: ...One terrible night, a gang of criminals, led by a man in a red cap, entered the Ace Chemical Processing Inc. factory to rob a card company that was located in the same building. Within minutes they were discovered and confronted by the police and a mysterious vigilante in a bat suit. All the bandits, except Red Hood, died from police bullets. The leader was able to find a way out of the hopeless situation: jumping over the railing, he jumped into a vat of chemicals, flew through sewers and found himself in the river where Ace Chemical dumped its toxic waste. The criminal successfully escaped from pursuit and, having climbed ashore, took off his cap. It turned out that swimming in the poisoned liquid had left its traces: a nightmarish clown stared at the unfortunate man from the reflection in the river. face. Chalk white skin, hair the color of artificial grass and ruby ​​lips stretched into a creepy toothy smile - that's what the unlucky robber saw. And from that moment he disappeared... his personality dissolved into madness.
NO ONE knows who this man was before this day. NOBODY, not even himself - in his inflamed brain the true and the imaginary, truth and lies, reality and fantasy were mixed. Was he a cold-blooded thug or an ordinary loser who risked breaking the law to get money for his family? One thing is certain: something bad happened before his visit to Ace Chemical, and the physical transformation became only the last straw. (This in no way justifies what that person THEN did.)
The silence of the night was broken by insane laughter: the disfigured criminal appreciated the joke that fate played on him. And I decided to joke back. “I look like an evil clown... Clown? Not a clown, but... JOKER!!!” And the reborn got down to business.
Very soon the newspapers called him nothing less than the Clown Prince of Crime. Acting with stunning ingenuity and ruthlessness, the madman gained a reputation as the most dangerous creature in the city of Gotham. Robberies, mass murder, nuclear terrorism, alliances with other supervillains, as well as (brief) world domination and a near-end of the world are just some of the Joker's deeds. He even managed (I'm not kidding) to serve as the UN ambassador for Iran and serve time in a Soviet concentration camp.
The Joker commits his crimes in a special style. Making the phrase “die of laughter” a reality became his life's goal. He loves to turn his atrocities into sinister performances, accompanying absurdly cruel actions with buffoonery and clowning. His criminal plans are carefully thought out, but at the same time leave room for improvisation and include many different escape options.

Batman: What do you want from the city?
Joker: I want a new bike... I want to go to Florida... I want...
Scene from the film script "Batman" Tim Burton, not included in the film itself.

Crime target: Potentially everything and everyone. The Joker trusts no one and treats victims, enemies, allies, helpers and those who simply “passed by” with equal cruelty. He is a “wild card” in any human deck, an outcast in any company, not controlled by anyone and not subject to any influence. Those who consider him an ally tend to die first. Those who hire him for “dirty work” must be prepared for unpredictable results. His assistants had better keep their mouths shut (“Learn not to ask stupid questions,” says the Joker, throwing one of his subordinates under the wheels of a passing car to the rest of the gang in one of the comics). Decent people...

Decent people have no place in this city. They are better off living somewhere else.
Joker in "Batman" Tim Burton.

The maniacal jester also has a circle of favorite victims. First of all, of course, Batman is the superhero of Gotham, the mysterious night avenger, the protector of the innocent. It was from him that the Red Hood ran away, jumping into chemical waste. But we're talking about not about trivial revenge. In most of his comic and screen “incarnations,” the evil harlequin does not consider Batman to be the culprit of his misfortunes; he thinks that fate struck him by chance, and strikes back in exactly the same way - at random. But competing in cunning with the Man-Bat quickly became the very essence of the criminal clown's existence. He needs a worthy opponent on whom he can play deadly tricks, and constant defeats only stimulate him. The Joker always says that he will kill the Bat, that he hates the Knight of the Night, etc., but in reality everything is much more complicated - without an opponent, his life will lose meaning, because there will be no one to “play” with him.

Joker: Haven't you figured out why I haven't killed you yet?
Batman: No.
Joker: I've been meaning to tell you for a long time... eh-he-he-he-he... I LET you win. This is the game, you know? I make a mess, you catch me... If you win, there's another round, but if I win... BOOM! KAPUTT! Game over. And who needs it?
From the comic “Batman: Gotham Adventures. No. 1”.

That is why the Joker, although he had many opportunities to put an end to the Black Avenger forever, always delayed the execution until the last moment or gave his enemy a chance to escape. And he never took the chance to find out true personality mysterious opponent. However, according to many fans, he recognized her a long time ago - it just doesn’t matter to him.

One of the inhabitants of “Arkham”: I say, let’s take off his mask. I want to see his real face.
Joker: Oh, don't be so predictable, for God's sake! THIS is his true face.
From the comic “Asylum “Arkham”.

Next on the list are the Bat's allies. They are the ones in the greatest danger - the Joker only needs them as a way to hurt Batman. Then - policemen, lawyers, politicians - everyone who personifies law and order so hated by him (the more famous, the better - the mayor or the police commissioner, for example). Finally, the doctors treating the Joker in the Gotham psychiatric hospital “Arkham” - after another escape, he sometimes visits his doctors to communicate at home (of course, with a fatal outcome).

Causes and purposes of crimes: There is no reason as such. Everything the Joker does is for his own pleasure, experiencing psychotic ecstasy from his sociopathic deeds. His main goal is to prove to everyone that he is both the greatest comedian and the greatest criminal of all time. The Clown Prince of the Underworld is sure that he can achieve this in only one way - by defeating the Bat, and always with the help of some witty trick (a banal shot in the heart is not suitable in any case!). Of course, in many stories the villain pursues mercantile goals, but still money is not the main thing for him. He can rob a bank, and the next day buy 20 thousand “jacks in a box” for, to put it mildly, an obscure reason.

Powers: The Joker has no superhuman abilities, no international criminal empire, no millions in a Swiss bank, not even very developed muscles. And yet, in the DCU (DC Universe - a universe that exists in the imagination of thousands of authors and artists working for the DC comics company), he is the most terrible and dangerous psychopath, striking fear into the hearts of much more powerful and physically strong villains. The Joker likes to say that his strength is madness, and this is true. He is ready to do anything in order to achieve his goals and realize his plans; dangers and even death do not frighten him (at least in many stories), although the instinct of self-preservation always kicks in at the right moment, saving the psycho from imminent death. His madness manifests itself in an uncontrollably frivolous attitude towards life and reality: he ridicules everything in his path and, having ridiculed it, destroys it. Therefore, he is ready to laugh at both mortal danger and a formidable opponent. Some comics directly state that the Joker is not very aware of what is going on both around him and in his own head (in films, this point is usually not emphasized).

Dr. Ruth Adams, psychiatrist at Arkham: The Joker is a special case. Some of us feel that he is beyond treatment. In fact, we're not even sure if he can be called insane... We're starting to think it's some kind of neurological disorder like Torett's syndrome. It is possible that what we are actually seeing here is a kind of super-sanity, a brilliant new modification of human thinking, more suitable for urban life in the late twentieth century. Unlike you and me, the Joker seems to have no control over the information he receives from his senses from the world around him. He can deal with this chaotic clutter at the entrance only by going with the flow. So on some days he is a mischievous clown, on others he is a psychopathic killer... He reinvents himself every day. He considers himself the lord of chaos, and the world around us- theater of the absurd.
Batman: Tell that to his victims.
From the comic “Asylum “Arkham”.

However, without really delving into the essence of what is happening, the sinister jester navigates a dangerous situation much better than healthy people and knows how to turn the tide of a fight with a seemingly predetermined outcome: his sick brain always suggests unexpected and witty solutions. He has no equal in his ability to find the weak points of his opponents and use their own weapons against them. Finally, the Clown Prince of Crime never cared about such nonsense as the fairness of the fight.
Madness gives him a number of other abilities. As you know, the physical strength of crazy people increases due to the adrenaline reaction of the body. Joker never studied martial arts and hand-to-hand combat and in a fight he has nothing special to boast about, but sometimes insane rage gives him the strength to rush at the enemy like an animal and fight on equal terms even with Batman, an expert in all possible martial arts. In addition, the permanent phase shift has endowed the killer jester with an unusually mobile nervous system: no psychotropic, intoxicating, etc. drugs have any effect on him (though they are often then affect the doctors who give them), as well as the “fear gas” invented by a mad scientist named Scarecrow, and the botanical charms of the villainess Poison Ivy.
Over the years of his criminal life, the Joker has acquired a number of practical skills: he is a good shooter (his favorite tactic is to shoot at every living thing indiscriminately), has a good command of bladed weapons, is well versed in explosives and toxic substances, not to mention various cunning tricks and dastardly tricks, often demonstrates undoubted acting talent and mastery of disguise, and is an expert in all kinds of torture and sadistic methods of brainwashing. But still, his main weapon is ingenuity, unprincipledness and... madness.

Survival: Almost superhuman. He was shot, drowned, blown up, burned, electric current was passed through him, and still he survived.

Relations with the underworld: As already said, complex. He has no friends or permanent accomplices, because he denies any laws and rules - including those of the criminal world. The Joker has repeatedly joined forces with other supervillains (Penguin, Scarecrow, Lex Luthor, Carnage); every time it all ended in mutual betrayal and fight. However, his eerie aura and nightmarish reputation inspire respectful fear and almost reverence among most criminals, and his power within the walls of Arkham is limitless. The Joker has never lacked help, as he pays well and his plans always work (until the Bat interferes). As a rule, a maniac clown takes into his team two or three strong and stupid thugs who do not ask unnecessary questions and do not think about what they are doing. But, unlike most crime bosses, he loves to do all the dirty work himself.
The Joker is a member of the Unjust Gang, a secret society of supervillains led by Lex Luthor. He is also a member of the Council of Nero (that is the name of the Devil in the DCU), was one of his five lieutenants; however, he later teamed up with Luthor to steal the power of the ruler of hell.

Current state: Healthy, cheerful, crazy, energetic and ready for action.

JOKER
THE ART OF BEING FREE

Most often, when we hear the word “joker”, the first thing in our minds is an association with the game of the same name.no card, or, more in a broad sense, with a card game.However, the very idea of ​​the “joker” is much more complex and does not lie on the green cloth of the playing table, but goes back to the teachingsmedieval alchemists and magicians.

However, first things first.

APPEARANCE and ORIGIN

Indeed, in most decks consisting of 54 cards, there is one special one, which is called the “joker”. Traditionally, it depicts a court jester. The joker is used in different ways in different card games. In some, it is the defining card that contains the whole meaning of the game, in others, the joker is simply not involved. In general, the joker is most often used instead of any card when composing the desired combination, or as the “strongest” card,capable of “beating” any other.

It is curious that the origin of the word “joker” has nothing to do with the English “joker” (joker), as many people think. It is believed that it appeared due to a mispronunciation of the name of the German game Juker (juker). It was in this game that at the end of the 19th century the joker appeared, which designated the highest trump card.

According to another version, the origin of the joker is connected with French maps Tarot, in which such a card has a long history. However, no one can claim that the Fool from the Tarot is the prototype of the joker, since the classic Tarot deck arose in the Middle Ages, and the appearance of the joker, by historical standards, occurred relatively recently. At the same time, we can confidently talk about borrowing a visual image.

One way or another, the history of the joker is confusing and ambiguous, so we’ll leave this question to researchers who may someday establish the truth. Here we just want to talk about the “joker”, its symbolism and meanings.

SYMBOLICS AND MEANING

It seems most logical to interpret the concept of “joker”, based on the meaning of the corresponding card from the Tarot deck, the images in which have a complex interpretation from the point of view of astrology, occultism and alchemy, therefore traditionally the Tarot is associated with “secret knowledge” and is considered mystical.

The card, called the Fool, is considered one of the most difficult in the Tarot. Like the joker, it depicts a man dressed as a jester. It is worth noting here that, as is known, court jesters were smart, insightful and comprehensively gifted people.

Under the pretext of jokes and entertainment, they were allowed with impunity to say and do things that could entail extremely severe punishment even for the highest nobility. Therefore, the jester had to be able at any moment to take on the image that would allow him to tell the truth, remain unharmed, and often achieve his goal.goals.

Like the Fool from the Tarot deck, the joker is a combination of opposites; it carries both white and black, truth and lies, good and evil. Thanks to his receptivity to everything new, he learns and accepts the world around him with an open mind. His goal is to receive joy and pleasure from life, and to accumulate experience “playfully.”

Another side of the symbolism of the joker lies in its connection with the principle of original and constant movement. He is enterprising and trusts instinct, inquisitive and open-minded. To experience everything for yourself is one of the basic principles of its existence. And therefore, the joker is free to choose the direction himself, go anywhere and do whatever he wants, because all his actions are subordinated to a single hidden plan

The Joker is walking along a road that he cannot turn off - fate itself is leading him along it. And you need to continue on your way, relying on your intuition, luck and patronage Higher powers. The divine genius guiding him is capable of creating and destroying the Universe with the hands of a joker, and the absolute freedom of this formation and its potential contain all existing possibilities.

JOKERS AND JOKERS: LITERATURE, HISTORY, CINEMATOGRAPHY

First of all, we can recall the jester from Shakespeare's King Lear. S.Ya. wrote beautifully about him. Marshak, who translated the songs of the royal jester: “The philosophical, ethical and even political content of the jester’s songs is almost always disguised, hidden in a riddle, in a proverb, in a joke, as if simple-minded and childish. Essentially, the most adult character in the tragedy is precisely the jester, who sees the background of all relationships and soberly evaluates them.”

At the royal court of Ivan the Terrible there was a whole staff of buffoons, often recruited from Moscow boyars and serving an indispensable attribute at almost daily feasts. Moscow during the time of Ivan IV was well acquainted with the tough temper of the sovereign. The royal jester put his head on the line every day. According to Karamzin, for fun one day the Terrible poured a bowl of hot cabbage soup on his jester Osip’s head, and when he tried to run away, he plunged a knife into his back.

Medieval Europe. Having seized the English throne, Rodrik orders the death of all the relatives of the previous king. But by a lucky chance, one baby of royal blood manages to escape. Supporters of the deposed king rally around the boy and protect their only heir. One of them, a fair singer, poses as a new jester at the royal court and helps justice and order prevail.

IN modern culture The Joker is widely known as the hero of the film adaptation of the Batman comic book "The Dark Knight". In this film, the Joker is the personification of evil and the sworn enemy of the main character. "The Dark Knight" entered the list of 250 best films throughout history on the world's largest movie database and website, the Internet Movie Database, and Heath Ledger, who played the Joker, won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

To summarize, we can say that the Joker is an expressive symbol of healthy optimism and creative approach to any situation. He is a master of Aesopian language and a desperate fighter for justice and truth, which in no way conflicts with his expressed instinct of self-preservation. The Joker contains and combines seemingly contradictory properties, which only confirms the versatility of his nature.

Excellent mastery of the endless variety of innate and developed qualities and skills, as well as extensive knowledge in various fields, given his position at the lowest level of the hierarchical ladder, endows him with special symbolic significance, indicating great human capabilities and success in all your endeavors.

In this article from “The Joker from A to Z”, I will try to create a complete picture, describing the history and character of the main villain and Batman’s most sworn enemy - the Joker.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Name: The Joker. Real name unknown.

Also known as: Jack Napier, Jason Reipen, Johnny Trape, Joseph Kerr, Tromp Mercury, Johnny Jape, Slappy, Red Hood, Mr. Genesius, Sir Reginald Harlequin, J. Columbine, H. A. Loughlin, etc., etc.

Place of residence: Gotham city. He spends most of his time in the Arkham psychiatric hospital for criminals.

Occupation: Professional criminal.

Weight: 86 kg.

Height: 189 cm.

Eyes: Green.

Hair: Green.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

External signs: White skin; ruby lips, forever stretched into a wide smile; long nose, elongated chin.

Sexual orientation: Hetero. Claims that he was married and that his wife died in an accident. He sincerely rejoices when he has to deal with female opponents (which does not prevent him from treating them with no less cruelty than everyone else). He is partial to some of the inhabitants of Arkham, which, as a rule, terrifies them. Since the 90s, his constant girlfriend is Harley Quinn, a former Arkham psychiatrist who sacrificed her career and sanity for the Joker and became his obedient slave. He periodically throws her out of the window, but otherwise they have an almost perfect relationship.

Favorite clothes: Purple suit and hat, yellow vest, yellow or green shirt, white gloves.

Favorite food: Fish.

Favorite animal: Hyena.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Story: One terrible night, a gang of criminals, led by a man in a red cap, entered the Ace Chemical Processing Inc. factory to rob a card company that was located in the same building. Within minutes they were discovered and confronted by the police and a mysterious vigilante in a bat suit. All the bandits, except Red Hood, died from police bullets. The leader was able to find a way out of the hopeless situation: jumping over the railing, he jumped into a vat of chemicals, flew through sewers and found himself in the river where Ace Chemical dumped its toxic waste. The criminal successfully escaped from pursuit and, having climbed ashore, took off his cap. It turned out that swimming in the poisoned liquid had left its traces: from the reflection in the river, a nightmarish clown face stared at the unfortunate man. Chalk white skin, hair the color of artificial grass and ruby ​​lips stretched into a creepy toothy smile - that's what the unlucky robber saw. And from that moment he disappeared... his personality dissolved into madness.

NO ONE knows who this man was before this day. NOBODY, not even himself - in his inflamed brain the true and the imaginary, truth and lies, reality and fantasy were mixed. Was he a cold-blooded thug or an ordinary loser who risked breaking the law to get money for his family? One thing is certain: something bad happened before his visit to Ace Chemical, and the physical transformation was only the last straw for him. (This in no way justifies what that person THEN did.)

The silence of the night was broken by insane laughter: the disfigured criminal appreciated the joke that fate played on him. And I decided to joke back. “I look like an evil clown... Clown? Not a clown, but... JOKER!!!” And the reborn got down to business.

Very soon the newspapers called him nothing less than the Clown Prince of Crime. Operating with incredible ingenuity and ruthlessness, the madman has gained a reputation as the most dangerous creature in Gotham City. Robberies, mass murder, nuclear terrorism, alliances with other supervillains, as well as (brief) world domination and a near-end of the world are just some of the Joker's deeds. He even managed (I'm not kidding) to serve as the UN ambassador for Iran and serve time in a Soviet concentration camp.

The Joker commits his crimes in a special style. Making the phrase “die of laughter” a reality became his life's goal. He loves to turn his atrocities into sinister performances, accompanying absurdly cruel actions with buffoonery and clowning. His criminal plans are carefully thought out, but at the same time leave room for improvisation and include many different escape options.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Batman: What do you want from the city?

Joker: I want a new bike... I want to go to Florida... I want...

A scene from Tim Burton's Batman script that was not included in the film itself.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

1989 film version: Jack Napier right hand mafia, always carries with him his lucky deck, and his favorite purple suit. But suddenly the mafia decides to get rid of him (Jack liked the leader’s girlfriend), and sets the police on him. Location of Axis Chemicals. Then, of course, Batman appears. And it's his fault that Jack falls into acid. his face becomes disfigured, his skin takes on a shade of blue. Doesn't even help plastic surgery. They tried to do everything in their power, but alas, now our Jack is doomed to wear a malicious smile on his face. When Jack looked at himself in the mirror after the operation, he lost all sanity. Now he has nothing to lose. Essentially, Jack died and, like a phoenix, was reborn from the ashes as a psychopathic killer. Oh yes... New life - new “business cards” (you have to maintain your image =)), and this is, of course, the Joker card. The weapon certainly looked like a clown prop. And before us appears the same Joker we know today.

Target of crimes: Potentially anyone and everyone. The Joker trusts no one and treats victims, enemies, allies, helpers and those who simply “passed by” with equal cruelty. He is a “wild card” in any human deck, an outcast in any company, not controlled by anyone and not subject to any influence. Those who consider him an ally tend to die first. Those who hire him for “dirty work” must be prepared for unpredictable results. His assistants had better keep their mouths shut (“Learn not to ask stupid questions,” says the Joker, throwing one of his subordinates under the wheels of a passing car to the rest of the gang in one of the comics). Decent people...

Decent people have no place in this city. They are better off living somewhere else.

The Joker in Tim Burton's Batman.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

The maniacal jester also has a circle of favorite victims. First of all, of course, Batman is the superhero of Gotham, the mysterious night avenger, the protector of the innocent. It was from him that the Red Hood ran away, jumping into chemical waste. But this is not about trivial revenge. In most of his comic and screen “incarnations,” the evil harlequin does not consider Batman to be the culprit of his misfortunes; he thinks that fate struck him by chance, and strikes back in exactly the same way - at random. But competing in cunning with the Man-Bat quickly became the very essence of the criminal clown's existence. He needs a worthy opponent on whom he can play deadly tricks, and constant defeats only stimulate him. The Joker always says that he will kill the Bat, that he hates the Knight of the Night, etc., but in reality everything is much more complicated - without an opponent, his life will lose meaning, because there will be no one to “play” with him.

Joker: Haven't you figured out why I haven't killed you yet?

Batman: No.

Joker: I've been meaning to tell you for a long time... eh-he-he-he-he... I LET you win. This is the game, you know? I make a mess, you catch me... If you win, I go back to Arkham, run away, and it all starts again. But if I win... BOOM! KAPUTT! Game over! And who needs it?

That is why the Joker, although he had many opportunities to put an end to the Black Avenger forever, always delayed the execution until the last moment or gave his enemy a chance to escape. And he never took the chance to find out the true identity of the mysterious opponent. However, according to many fans, he recognized her a long time ago - it just doesn’t matter to him.

One of the inhabitants of “Arkham”: I say, let’s take off his mask. I want to see his real face.

Joker: Oh, don't be so predictable, for God's sake! THIS is his true face.

From the comic book “Asylum “Arkham”.

Next on the list are the Bat's allies. They are the ones in the greatest danger - the Joker only needs them as a way to hurt Batman. Then - policemen, lawyers, politicians - everyone who personifies law and order so hated by him (the more famous, the better - the mayor or the police commissioner, for example). Finally, the doctors treating the Joker in the Gotham psychiatric hospital “Arkham” - after another escape, he sometimes visits his doctors to communicate at home (of course, with a fatal outcome).

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Causes and purposes of crimes: There is no reason as such. Everything the Joker does is for his own pleasure, experiencing psychotic ecstasy from his sociopathic deeds. His main goal is to prove to everyone that he is both the greatest comedian and the greatest criminal of all time. The Clown Prince of the Underworld is sure that he can achieve this in only one way - by defeating the Bat, and always with the help of some witty trick (a banal shot in the heart will not do in any case!). Of course, in many stories the villain pursues mercantile goals, but still money is not the main thing for him. He can rob a bank, and the next day buy 20 thousand “jacks in a box” for, to put it mildly, an obscure reason.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Strengths: The Joker has no superhuman abilities, no international criminal empire, no millions in a Swiss bank, not even very developed muscles. And yet, in the DCU (DC Universe - a universe that exists in the imagination of thousands of authors and artists working for the DC comics company), he is the most terrible and dangerous psychopath, striking fear into the hearts of much more powerful and physically strong villains. The Joker likes to say that his strength is madness, and this is true. He is ready to do anything in order to achieve his goals and realize his plans; dangers and even death do not frighten him (at least in many stories), although the instinct of self-preservation always kicks in at the right moment, saving the psycho from imminent death. His madness manifests itself in an uncontrollably frivolous attitude towards life and reality: he ridicules everything in his path and, having ridiculed it, destroys it. Therefore, he is ready to laugh at both mortal danger and a formidable opponent. Some comics directly state that the Joker is not very aware of what is going on both around him and in his own head (in films, this point is usually not emphasized).

Dr. Ruth Adams, psychiatrist at Arkham: The Joker is a special case. Some of us feel that he is beyond treatment. In fact, we're not even sure if he can be called insane... We're starting to think it's some kind of neurological disorder like Torett's syndrome. It is possible that what we are actually seeing here is a kind of super-sanity, a brilliant new modification of human thinking, more suitable for urban life in the late twentieth century. Unlike you and me, the Joker seems to have no control over the information he receives from his senses from the world around him. He can deal with this chaotic clutter at the entrance only by going with the flow. So on some days he is a mischievous clown, on others he is a psychopathic killer... He reinvents himself every day. He considers himself the ruler of chaos, and the world around him as a theater of the absurd.

Batman: Tell that to his victims.

From the comic book “Asylum “Arkham”.

However, without really delving into the essence of what is happening, the sinister jester navigates a dangerous situation much better than healthy people and knows how to turn the tide of a fight with a seemingly predetermined outcome: his sick brain always suggests unexpected and witty solutions. He has no equal in his ability to find the weak points of his opponents and use their own weapons against them. Finally, the Clown Prince of Crime never cared about such nonsense as the fairness of the fight.

Madness gives him a number of other abilities. As you know, the physical strength of crazy people increases due to the adrenaline reaction of the body. The Joker has never studied martial arts or hand-to-hand combat and in a fight he has nothing special to boast about, but sometimes his insane rage gives him the strength to rush at the enemy like an animal and fight on equal terms even with Batman, an expert in all possible martial arts. In addition, the permanent phase shift has endowed the killer jester with an unusually mobile nervous system: he is not affected by any psychotropic, intoxicating, etc. drugs (although they often later act on the doctors who give them), as well as “fear gas” ”, invented by a mad scientist named Scarecrow, and the botanical charms of the villainess Poison Ivy.

Over the years of his criminal life, the Joker has acquired a number of practical skills: he is a good shooter (his favorite tactic is to shoot at every living thing indiscriminately), has a good command of bladed weapons, is well versed in explosives and toxic substances, not to mention various cunning tricks and dastardly tricks, often demonstrates undoubted acting talent and mastery of disguise, and is an expert in all kinds of torture and sadistic methods of brainwashing. But still, his main weapon is ingenuity, unprincipledness and... madness.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Survival: Almost superhuman. He was shot, drowned, blown up, burned, electric current was passed through him, and still he survived.

Relationships with the underworld: As already mentioned, complex. He has no friends or permanent accomplices, because he denies any laws and rules - including those of the criminal world. The Joker has repeatedly joined forces with other supervillains (Penguin, Scarecrow, Lex Luthor, Carnage); every time it all ended in mutual betrayal and fight. However, his eerie aura and nightmarish reputation inspire respectful fear and almost reverence among most criminals, and his power within the walls of Arkham is limitless. The Joker has never lacked help, as he pays well and his plans always work (until the Bat interferes). As a rule, a maniac clown takes into his team two or three strong and stupid thugs who do not ask unnecessary questions and do not think about what they are doing. But, unlike most crime bosses, he loves to do all the dirty work himself.

The Joker is a member of the Unjust Gang, a secret society of supervillains led by Lex Luthor. He is also a member of the Council of Nero (that is the name of the Devil in the DCU), was one of his five lieutenants; however, he later teamed up with Luthor to steal the power of the ruler of hell.

Current status: Healthy, cheerful, crazy, energetic and ready for action.

Joe also appeared in the film industry:

Batman (film, 1966) (film and TV series) - Cesar Romero

Batman (1989) - Jack Nicholson

Batman: Dead End (2003 film) - Andrew Koenig

The Dark Knight (2008) - Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger was the ultimate Joker. It was he who revealed his entire character. But the Joker played a cruel joke on him. On January 22, 2008, Heath Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment. Probable causes of death are suicide or drug overdose. Many believe his death is the Joker's fault. What exactly the role of the Joker influenced the psyche of Heath himself. Even Jack Nicholson believes it. Before filming The Dark Knight, Heath met with Nicholson to share his experience. The first thing Jack said was: “Don’t mess with the Joker, he won’t bring you any good.” Who knows, maybe the Joker tried this...

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Well, let's start from the beginning. The Joker's first appearance in a movie was the TV series of the 60s, where he was slightly changed in terms of appearance: now he has light green hair, combed into a ball, and instead of a frozen smile, the corners of his mouth were lengthened with lipstick. His suit was made dark pink, and his gloves were purple. In the series, the Joker is more of a clown than a villain. In addition, he acts very weakly here, only following the Penguin's instructions. After this Joker for a long time was only in cartoons and comics.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

In 1989, the Joker returned in Tim Burton's Batman, played by Jack Nicholson. Here he gets a name - Jack Napier, the former right hand of crime boss Carl Grissom. Jack falls into acid... I already wrote further) There is no Robin in this film, and Batman remembers that the Joker killed Bruce Wayne's parents when Bruce was still a little boy (by the way, this is interesting... imagine: little Bruce... well, approximately how old was he when they killed him parents? And approximately how old was Joe in those years? Well, let’s say about 25 years old. Now Bruce is 25-30, then Joe’s approximate age is 45-50... but this is based on the film of 1989). The traditional appearance was preserved: green hair, white face, red lips, expensive purple suit, purple gloves and a constant smile. They did their best with a smile: Jack Nicholson had artificial make-up applied to the corners of his lips and cheeks, “frozen in a smile.” At the end of the film, he was killed by Batman, although the Joker was given much more time than Batman. In the story, Harley Quinn was killed by the Joker himself (although she was denied a jester costume and a nickname, but let's hope that Harley will show herself in the next Batman).

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

In 2003, another film appeared, this time an amateur low-budget one, BUT Andrew Koenig (who plays the Joker) impressed many and is considered something between the images of Ledger and Nicholson. The Joker's appearance is reminiscent of the Nolan film, but the Joker here has brown hair instead of green. The character of the Joker in this film is a little crazy and dies at the end.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

And finally, The Dark Knight. Here the Joker has no name (in addition, he leaves no evidence, and his past cannot be found out). The appearance is traditional, but distorted: the Joker has light green curly hair, black outlines around his eyes (taken from the comics), a dirty purple suit, dark purple gloves and a white face. The permanent smile became 2 scars carved in the mouth. Throughout the film, the Joker gives two versions of their appearance: his father's bullying and an unhappy family life, but the true reason is never revealed. The stories are accompanied by the phrase “Why are you so serious?” (originally “Why so serious?”), which became the signature to the film. Falling into waste is abandoned here - the Joker's white face here is sloppily applied makeup, which is wiped off several times during the course of the film. The knife is the favorite weapon of the new Joker: in his opinion: “knives provide the closest contact with the victim.” Also distinguishing features of this villain are dynamite and gasoline. The Joker does not die at the end, making the film a prequel.

Hit himself, having locked himself in the living room for a month, came up with the image of the Joker. He didn't want his Joker to be like Jack Nicholson's Joker. Heath's Joker is selfish, with his unsurpassed facial expressions, with an eternal smile in the form of scars, with the wonderful intonations of a psychopath. In this film, Joker shows all the morality of society. Not Batman, who protects the citizens of the city, but the Joker. Heath Ledger's Joker provides us with the meaning and philosophy of people like Harvey Dent as well as society. The Joker plunges the city into chaos and plays his subtle game.

The character of the Joker in this version was greatly influenced by the Batman comic book episodes entitled "The Long Halloween", "The Killing Joke", and "The Man Who Laughs". The character's 1940s co-creator, Jerry Robinson, was hired as a consultant, as was his colleague Bob Kane for Batman (1989).

Grim Joe

The Joker's makeup consists of three parts - special super-strong silicone pads, which are secured with special cosmetics. Two of them are attached to the cheeks, and the third is under the lower jaw. Lip makeup is done using special lipstick and silicone products that can give the face the effect of a stretched mouth. This combination, in combination with makeup, allows you to get the effect of a mouth torn from ear to ear and a post-traumatic keloid scar on the lower lip and right cheek, in order to further frighten the actor’s face, and also give the image some external deformities. In addition, a special makeup was also applied to the face, making it possible to give the face an extremely pale tint, and therefore Heath’s hero looks like a living dead man. All the makeup, not counting the makeup, was applied carelessly and sloppily, so that the viewer would no longer have any doubts that this is a real psycho. Heath Ledger's daily makeup took just under an hour.

The tragic death of Heath Ledger raised two pressing questions during the film's release: whether to show the recently deceased Heath Ledger as a disfigured Joker speaking his catchphrase, and whether to cut the scene where the Joker plays dead from the final cut. This situation was resolved on the basis that Heath Ledger worked very hard on this role and in any case would have been proud and happy about it.

Well, we're done with the films.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

The following image of the Joker is shown in the recently released game Batman: Arkham Asylum. The Joker is one of Batman's opponents and the game's bosses. Delivered by Batman to Arkham. As it turned out, it was a carefully planned plan to try to kill Batman, but as it turned out, it was not ideal. He starts a riot and seizes power in the hospital. He constantly appears, leaving both audio messages and video messages. He is Batman's main opponent. In one of the meetings, he turns two of his assistants into monsters using a mutagen called "Titan" (in last meeting and himself). The PlayStation 3 version of the game has the ability to play as the Joker (I hope to appear on PC). The appearance of the Joker in the game was most influenced by the Batman movie, comic books and the animated series. The Joker was voiced by actor Mark Hamill (everyone's favorite Jedi also voices the warden in the game Darksiders), who managed to become familiar with this character while working on the animated series about Batman.

Joker "from A to Z"

Joker "from A to Z"

Joe is also in the game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. Its ending states that after the separation of the worlds, the Joker became much stronger. He took over Gotham City and declared himself mayor. Now he will start the tournament " Mortal Kombat"in Gotham City, whose participants will fight to the death for the amusement of the Joker. In the end, the winner of the tournament will fight the Joker himself.

In addition to Batman, the Joker has been a member of other universes. In the full-length cartoon The Batman/Superman Movie, he became Lex Luthor's partner. Batman was also there, as Superman's ally and Lois Lane's new love interest.

The Joker was also in one of the Scooby-Doo series. There was also Penguin Man, who he teamed up with. Batman and Robin were there too, as new friends of the Mystery Inc.

movies:

Batman (1966)- arrested. During a scuffle on a submarine, he was thrown overboard by Robin and then handed over to the coast guard along with the other criminals.

Batman (1989)- dead. He tried to escape by helicopter, but Bats attached a stone gargoyle to his leg. I couldn’t resist, fell and died.

Dark Knight- arrested. Saved by Batman from falling from a skyscraper - hooked up to a cable on which he was hanging until the special forces arrived.

Oh Suicide Squad- free and alive and well, although he was considered dead in a helicopter crash. On the second attempt, he saved his girlfriend Quinn by breaking into the prison where she was being held.

cartoons:

"Batman Adventures"(1968-1969) - in the last episode stole a precious crown, but then got stuck in his own plastic, was caught and sent to prison.

"New Scooby-Doo Cases"" ( 1972) - inIn the last episode, the Joker and the Penguin are neutralized by a healthy inflatable Batman. The pierced and deflated Batman covered both of them, after which the couple was grabbed by the real Bats and Robin.

(1977) - in the last episode, a jet car with the Joker and the others was crushed by a giant mechanical clown with its paws, then Robin threw a net over them. Everyone was sent back to Earth and put behind bars.

"Super Team: Galactic Guardians" (1985) - Ace-Joker is exposed by Batman, and after he fails the mission, a disappointed Darkseid himself turns the Joker over to the heroes.

"Batman"(1992-1995) - in the last episode he stole the prize cup and tried to fly away on a large inflatable clown. Accidentally pierced the clown with a knife, got his head stuck in the goblet and ended up falling down from it. He was picked up by Batman's pants and lowered to the ground straight into the hands of the police.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm(1993) - the final fight between the Joker and Bats ends in a draw, after which the Phantasm grabs the beaten Joker and disappears with him in a puff of smoke.

"The New Adventures of Batman"(1997-1999) - in the last episode, after a fight with Batman on the roof of a moving train, the Joker was thrown off and fell into a factory chimney. However, he survived and soon sent a letter to Arkham for Harley.

Batman and Superman(1997) - The Joker could not kill Superman, but he took an advanced plane from Luther and flew on it to destroy the city. During a fight with Bats, the Joker accidentally scattered his pocket grenades, the plane exploded and crashed into the sea along with him. But the Joker's body was not found.

"Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker"(2000) - the new Joker turned out to be a clone - Tim Drake, and this Drake was the killer of the original Joker. The point was in the microchip that the Joker managed to implant in Drake, after which he eventually turned into his complete copy. The chip was destroyed by an electric discharge, the Joker disappeared, Drake was saved, the satellite flew into outer space.

"Justice League"(2002-2003) - in the last episode the Joker's bombs were defused, the second part of the plan also failed - the Joker lost control over the telepath Ace, and she drove him into a coma.

"Shock Discharge"(2002) - The Joker crashed his firetruck into a wall, after which he was knocked out by a charge of electricity.

"Batman"(2004-2008) - the robbery in the last episode failed, the Joker harbored a grudge against his double-gunners and eventually gassed them right under the noses of Bats and the police. Having carried out this sabotage, he disappeared with Harley in an ice cream van.

Batman vs Dracula(2005) - The Joker is caught by Batman while attempting to rob a blood bank. After examining the Joker's blood, Bats found a cure for vampirism, cured the Joker with it, and sent him back to Arkham.

"Robot Chicken"(2009-2014) - in the last episode, the Joker is sentenced to death for 2391 murders and brutally executed in the electric chair. And in the last special issue, he was accidentally killed by Harley Quinn with her sledgehammer.

"Batman: The Brave and the Bold"(2009-2011) - in the last one more or less plot story (prologue to Crisis 22,300 Miles Above Earth ) The Joker was knocked out by an ordinary comedian hired to entertain the Joker's guests.

Batman: Under the Red Hood(2010) - Red Hood turns out to be Jason Todd (the second Robin), 5 years ago killed by the Joker and subsequently revived by Ra" with AlGhul. Todd catches the Joker and invites Batman to kill him. Batman refuses, and the Hood decides to blow up the hut with all three. After the explosion Batman finds the Joker laughing under the rubble, and the clown is sent back to Arkham.

"Young Justice"(2011) - Members of the Injustice League surrendered, the Joker refused to surrender and was punched in the face by Batman.

The Dark Knight Rises(2012-2013) - deceased. Batman deprived the Joker of his right eye and broke his neck. True, he turned it only partially, and the Joker “twisted” it himself, i.e. in a way he committed suicide. The Joker's corpse then spontaneously ignited and burned.

LEGO Batman: DC Superheroes Unite(2013) - the giant Joker robot is turned off by destroying its power source, the Joker and Lex Luthor are arrested.

Batman: Assault on Arkham(2014) - a riot in a mental hospital is suppressed, the Joker bomb is defused by Batman. The Joker himself is beaten by Deadshot and thrown from a skyscraper in a broken helicopter. The helicopter exploded, but the Joker's body was not found.

DC Superfriends(2014) - during the internal squabbles of the Joker and Lex Luthor (well, and their teleportation gun), both merged into one, essentially becoming a kind of new Two-Face. Caught(s), neutralized(s).

Batman Unlimited: Chaos(2015) - the Joker virus is disabled by Batman, the Joker robot is blown up. He himself tried to escape by flying out of Gotham in a jet suit, but the suit was damaged by Cyborg, and the Joker crashed into the sea. He swam away from the city, thereby avoiding capture, unlike his arrested accomplices.

Batman: The Killing Joke(2016) - the plan to drive the commissioner crazy failed, but the Joker, in some way, reconciled with Batman.

Batman: Return of the Caped Knights(2016) - tried to escape by running through the circus, but was caught by the clown cops there.

LEGO DC Superheroes: Justice League - Gotham City Breakout(2016) - neutralized by Superman, returned to Arkham.

Batman vs Two-Face(2017) - knocked out by Bats and once again arrested by the police.

Justice League: Action(2016-2018) - at the time of the last episode, he was captured and neutralized by Shazam (aka Captain Marvel).

The LEGO Movie: Batman(2017) - suddenly realized the obvious fact that after the destruction of Gotham City he would have nowhere to continue fighting Batman. Therefore, he changed his mind about destroying the city and, together with Bats, put together Lego Gotham, which was falling apart, back.

Batman Ninja(2018) - Leaked Batman's final sword duel, transported from the Japanese Middle Ages back to Gotham and turned over to the police.

series:

Batman(1966-1968) - in the last episode, due to a malfunction of his flying saucer, the Joker was forced to land, and on the ground, Batman and Robin knocked him down and handed him over to the police.