The Joker: Stories to Check Out
Batman’s iconic villain and one of the greatest villains of all time (according to several top 100 lists). With Joker: Folie à Deux arriving in less than a week, check out some Joker stories.
Immediately recognizable, the Joker is the embodiment of chaos and anarchy. The Clown Prince of Crime has evolved over the 80 years since his first appearance, which is great for us because it means a huge selection of great stories. Here are five stories for you to check out:
A Death in the Family
A pivotal Joker story from the 80s written by Jim Starlin with art by Jim Aparo. Infamous for its bold and controversial narrative choice. No spoilers here, although it might be obvious from the titles. The actions of the Joker in relation to the second Robin, Jason Todd, shocked readers.
The Joker's brutal beating of Jason with a crowbar is one of the darkest moments in Batman's history. At least until the later Death of the Family. Some of that is even darker. This story highlights the Joker's sadistic nature and demonstrates his unique ability to inflict profound personal pain on Batman, making their rivalry deeply personal.
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
A Grant Morrison story illustrated by Dave McKean is going to be a very different version of the Joker, Batman, Gotham, Arkham Asylum and even the idea of a story. It’s a twisted tale with visuals that are fully deserving of the grandiose title, graphic novel.
The Joker is the embodiment of chaos within the twisted halls of Gotham’s most notorious psychiatric hospital. After taking over Arkham Asylum, the Joker plays psychological games with Batman, forcing him to confront his own sanity and the thin line that separates him from the inmates he captures.
This story is as much a psychological exploration of Batman as it is of the Joker. It portrays the Joker as a master manipulator, capable of twisting the minds of even the strongest individuals. Morrison’s narrative, combined with McKean’s haunting artwork, creates a surreal and disturbing atmosphere that reflects the Joker’s unpredictable and terrifying nature.
A Death of the Family
The change of title is slight and a clear callback to the Death in the Family story. Unlike the four issue Death in the Family involving Batman and the second Robin (Jason Todd), Death of the Family involves a 23 issue story that includes tie-in to seven different Batman titles and involves every Bat family.
If that wasn’t extreme enough, the Joker takes his horrifying approach to a whole new level and pushes himself to the limits with a gruesome new appears. It’s the same Joker complex and smile, but a little more detached. If you are looking to an epic Joker story involving all the Bat family favourites, this is one to read.
Endgame
A team up of Scott Snyder writing the story and art by Greg Capullo make Endgame a distinctive addition to the Joker story line up. After the events of Death of the Family, the Joker returns to Gotham with a new, more sinister plan: to end his rivalry with Batman once and for all by unleashing a deadly new strain of the Joker toxin across the city, causing chaos and turning its citizens into insane versions of himself.
The story takes the Joker's obsession with Batman to a new level, exploring the notion that the Joker views their relationship as a twisted kind of love. The narrative culminates in an epic death match between Batman and the Joker beneath Gotham. The stakes are high on this one and make way for significant change in both Batman and the Joker.
The War of Jokes and Riddles
Tom King delivers an early years Batman story that sets the Joker and the Riddler against one another to take control of Gotham. The worse possible Joker situation has occurred, he’s lost his laugh. He checked under the couch, not there. So he starts a war.
The story is an exploration of the Joker’s psyche, illustrating how his identity is intrinsically linked to Batman’s presence in Gotham. The narrative also shows Batman caught in the middle of this deadly feud, revealing the lengths he must go to in order to restore order. The Joker’s portrayal here is both frightening and tragic, emphasizing his need for chaos and the destructive path he is willing to take to achieve it.
The Joker’s Enduring Legacy
The Joker remains one of the most compelling characters in comic book history because he embodies the ultimate unpredictability and moral ambiguity. The Joker is an immediately recognizable character, but we have many stories that add another layer to his and reveal him to be worthy of his place as one of the greatest villains of all time.
The Joker is a force of nature and a criminal mastermind who continues to challenge Batman — and readers — to consider the very nature of madness and morality. The Joker is consistent, but also evolves and adapts, remaining a constant and ever-present threat in Gotham City. As long as there is a Batman, there will be a Joker, forever locked in a battle that reflects the darkest aspects of the human condition. Through his most notable stories, the Joker proves that he is not just Batman’s greatest foe but also one of the most enduring characters in all of fiction.
For Joker stories to read right now, try Death in the Family an 80s classic in a digestible volume, or the longer Death of the Family (be warned it will take some time), if you want unusual, try Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum, there is the War of Jokes and Riddles and then there is Endgame, it’s a good after Death of the Family read, but also readable on it’s own.
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The Killing Joke needs to be on this list.