Why so serious? It’s Comic Round-Up! Today we have a very special topic to talk about, the Joker movie. I say this is a special topic, because I happen to find it extremely interesting. Mainly because we will be learning about Joker’s supposed origin story. The thing is, technically, no one really knows the Joker’s origin, not even the Joker himself! It is also said that Joker might also deliberately invent certain origin stories based on whom he’s talking to, so he can better manipulate them. I mean, he’s freaking psycho! There is no way what’s going on in his mind and memory can be held accountable. The Joker has undergone many revisions since his 1940 debut, but the most common interpretation of the character is that he is disguised as the criminal Red Hood, and pursued by Batman. The Joker falls into a vat of chemicals which bleaches his skin, colors his hair green and his lips red, and drives him insane. The reasons why the Joker was disguised as the Red Hood, and his identity before his transformation have changed over time.
Strangely enough, even the three people who have said to be the creators of the Joker, (Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson) don’t even have their origin story straight of how they created the Joker! To sum it up, Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker’s design while acknowledging Finger’s writing contribution. Robinson claimed that it was his 1940 card sketch that served as the character’s concept. 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 belonging to the Joker in his early appearances.
One thing is for certain, the Joker’s first appearance was in the comic book Batman Issue #1 April 25th, 1940 by DC Comics and was actually planned to be killed off during this first appearance, but was spared by editorial intervention. He was Batman’s first villain in this comic series which came out one year after Batman’s debut in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939).
Since then, the Joker has been adapted to serve as Batman’s adversary in live-action, animated, and video game incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series played by Cesar Romero and in films by Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008) and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019). Mark Hamill, Troy Baker and others have provided the character’s voice.
So about this upcoming movie…
It’s already getting a lot of flack due to the portrayal of the Joker. A lot of reviewers are not happy with fans empathizing with and glorifying a character who ultimately terrorizes society because it did not accept him. Reviewers are saying, this might not be the kind of message audiences want or need to hear in 2019. In the current climate, a story that explains why a misunderstood white man would be spurred to violence feels not just well-tread in the news cycle, but even dangerous for its potential to inspire violence. This movie also happened to premier the same mont that two mass shootings took place in the space of 24 hours.
On the other side of the card, despite these concerns, this movie has already gained a lot of positive reviews and earned the top prize at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
If you want a little extra reading on the Joker, here are my very bias top 3 favorite Joker comics!
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE (1988)
one of the most controversial Batman stories ever told, and it’s all thanks to the writing talents of Alan Moore’s use of the Joker. In the book, the Joker decides to prove that a single bad day can turn a man from good into a villain. This story bridges the already narrow gap between sanity and insanity by using the Joker as an instrument towards the latter. It’s easily one of the best Batman stories ever told, but more than that, it’s one of the greatest Joker stories of all time.
BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (2005)
In some ways, this is a retelling of a classic story, but in another way, it’s really a reshaping of that classic origin story as told in a more modern setting. The first appearance of the Joker is certainly an amazing read, but bringing classic characters into the 21st-Century is often done best by revamps like this one, which makes it a must-read for anyone who calls themselves a fan of the Joker.
ARKHAM ASYLUM: A SERIOUS HOUSE ON SERIOUS EARTH (1989)
As Batman must explore the depths of Arkham Asylum, he also must face his own inner demons. This story pits the Dark Knight against his deadliest foes, which of course, includes the Joker. The graphic novel was one of the first to really dive into what made Arkham Asylum so important within the Caped Crusader’s world and is a great read for anyone who considers themselves a fan of the Dark Knight and his most dangerous enemy.
So what do you think about this movie? Will you be seeing it? Who has been your favorite Joker so far? What are your favorite Joker related comics? Let us know in the comments!
Spot on with this write-up!