The Joker | |
Aliases: | Joker |
Continuity: | DC Universe Earth-Two |
Notability: | Antagonist |
Type: | Criminal |
Gender: | Male |
Race: | Human |
Location: | Gotham City |
Status: | Excised from continuity |
First: | Batman #1 |
The Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime. The Harlequin of Hate. He is a man of many names and even greater mystery. His true identity is unknown, but his reputation is known across the country. He is the greatest threat the Batman has ever face. An unrepentant psychotic killer, the Joker creates chaos for the sake of chaos. He cares little for money or power, and seeks only to sew discord and madness everywhere he goes. It is believed that the man who would one day become the Joker was a failed comedian, who was bribed into committing a robbery under the guise of the Red Hood. On the night of the crime, the Red Hood had an encounter with Batman. During the fight, the Red Hood fell from a catwalk into a vat of chemicals. His body was flushed out a drainage pipe into the river, but when he emerged, he was shocked to find that the chemicals had turned his skin white, his hair green and his face contorted into a bizarre jester's grin. Driven irrevocably mad, this man abandoned the Red Hood identity and became the Joker.
Overview[]
The Joker was a thief and a murderer who operated in the area of Gotham City. He was distinguished from other such criminals by his bizarre appearance, which included green hair, pale white skin, rouge lips and a large, gaping smile.
Biography[]
Early capers[]

The Joker plots his next caper.
The Joker's first major victim of note was a millionaire named Henry Claridge. He issued a radio broadcast declaring that he would murder Claridge at the stroke of midnight and steal his fabled prized diamond. The Gotham City Police Department gave him in-house protection, but as the clock struck midnight, Claridge fell over dead - a ghoulish grin etched across his face - the telltale sign of the Joker's infamous venom.
The Joker's next victim was Jay Wilde, who also received a death threat, and died in his home in similar fashion to that of Claridge. In both cases, the Joker stole a highly coveted gemstone from each of the men.
A rival crime boss named Brute Nelson was frustrated that the Joker beat him to both of these robberies, so he put the word out on the street that he was gunning for the Joker. Word also reached the ears of the costumed crime-fighter, the Batman.

The Joker's first encounter with Batman.
The Joker took the bait and broke into Brute's home in the suburbs. Brute was prepared for him however. What he was not prepared for however, was the arrival of the Batman. Batman dove down the staircase, slamming into Brute. He then began fighting Brute's henchmen, who had been waiting in hiding for the Joker. During the confusion, the Joker took the opportunity to shoot Brute in the chest, killing him before escaping out a window.
His next victim was Judge Drake, who once sent the Joker to prison. The Joker issued a public threat over the radio, announcing that he would kill the judge at exactly 10:00 pm. Judge Drake ordered in-house protection courtesy of the Gotham City Police Department. The Joker ambushed the police chief and trussed him up in the cellar. He then disguised himself as the chief and played a game of cards with the judge. At the stroke of 10:00, the Joker revealed himself to Drake and the judge fell over dead, having already been injected with the Joker's poison.
Outside of the judge's house, the Joker came upon Batman's youthful sidekick, Robin, sneaking around. He clubbed him over the back of the head and brought him back to his hideout. He was about to inject him with venom when the Batman came crashing through the window. He punched the Joker, sending him toppling into the table with the chemicals on it. As the chemicals sent up a cloud of gas, the Joker managed to escape.

Robin kicks the Joker.
That same evening, the Joker sought to steal the Cleopatra necklace from the penthouse of Otto Drexel. Batman and Robin arrived in time to prevent the break-in. The Joker emptied his gun into Batman, but Batman survived due to his bullet-proof vest. The Joker then tried to leap off the penthouse balcony onto the scaffolding of an adjacent construction site. Robin was waiting for him however, and kicked him off the edge of the scaffolding, seemingly to his doom. The Batman caught him though and left his unconscious body outside the steps of Gotham City Police Headquarters. [1]
Equipment[]
Abilities[]
- Toxic immunity: The Joker is immune to the effects of his own Joker venom.
Skills[]
- Chemistry: The Joker has some knowledge of chemistry. At least enough to develop his own trademark venom, which causes instant death. It also contorts the facial muscles of the victim, giving them a gruesome jester smile.
- Toxicology: A sub-application of chemistry, the Joker employs this knowledge when creating various poisons and knock-out gases.
- Disguise: The art of disguise is but one of the Joker's many accomplishments. He first demonstrated this by disguising himself as a a police chief in order to get into Judge Drake's home.
Body Count[]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Joker was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane.
Appearances[]
- Batman 1 (1st appearance)