A biography about the joker from batman

Supervillain in the DC Universe

"The Joker" redirects here. For other characters called Joker or other uses of "The Joker", see Joker.

Comics character

The Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, the character first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman on April 25, 1940. Credit for the Joker's creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for his design while acknowledging Finger's writing contribution. Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance, he was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman.

In the DC Universe, the Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind and the antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance. He was introduced as a psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor but became a comical prankster in the late 1950s in response to regulation by the Comics Code Authority, before returning to his darker roots during the early 1970s. The Joker has been part of defining Batman stories, including the murder of Jason Todd—the second Robin and Batman's ward—in "A Death in the Family" (1988) and the paralysis of Barbara Gordon—the first Batgirl—in The Killing Joke (1988). Unlike many comic book characters, the Joker does not have a definitive origin story, but various possible ones have been developed. The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white, turns his hair green and lips red, and leaves him with a rictus grin; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane.

The Joker possesses no superhuman abilities, instead using his expertise in chemical engineering to develop poisonous or lethal concoctions and thematic weaponry, including razor-tipped playing cards, deadly joy buzzers, and acid-spraying lapel flowers. The Joker sometimes

Fictional character in the 2008 film The Dark Knight

Fictional character

The Joker is a character portrayed by Heath Ledger and the main antagonist in Christopher Nolan's 2008 superhero film The Dark Knight. Based on the DC Comicssupervillainof the same name, he is depicted as a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped, sadistic sense of humor who defines himself by his conflict with the vigilante Batman. In the film, the Joker tests how far Batman will go to save Gotham City from descending into chaos by targeting the Caped Crusader's allies, including police lieutenant James Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent.

Ledger's portrayal of the Joker as an avatar of anarchy and chaos was specifically influenced by the graphic novels Batman: The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. He wears the character's traditional purple and green color palette, while his disfigured clown-like appearance is the result of smeared makeup that covers the facial scars of a Glasgow smile (rather than bleached white skin from falling into a tank of chemical waste, like in the source material). Paintings by Francis Bacon, the character of Alex in Anthony Burgess' novel A Clockwork Orange and Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of the same name, and various punk rock musicians served as additional inspirations for Ledger's performance.

Although Ledger's casting as the Joker was initially controversial, it is now widely considered to be his finest performance; Ledger himself regarded it as his most enjoyable. When the film was released in July 2008, six months after Ledger died from an accidental prescription drug overdose, his performance as the Joker received widespread acclaim and earned numerous posthumous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Ledger's Joker is often listed as one of the greatest and most iconic villains in film and popular culture and has become one of the most n

With Joaquin Phoenix playing Batman's nemesis in Joker, fans were treated to the latest screen interpretation of the cackling psychopath from a long line of acclaimed actors that includes Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto.

The standalone movie underscores the notion that, with the possible exception of Superman's Lex Luthor, the Joker is the most famous arch-villain spawned from the comic book universe. It's easy to get why: With the threat of unpredictable chaos lurking behind that teeth-baring smile, the Clown Prince of Crime is far more unnerving than your run-of-the-mill baddie who wants to take over the planet.

Conrad Veidt inspired the creation of the Joker

The Joker was brought to life by the artistic team of Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson for the Batman No. 1 comic book in April 1940. While his origins are a source of debate, it is agreed that the villain was inspired by the look and performance of a forgotten film star, Germany's Conrad Veidt, in a 1928 film adaptation of Victor Hugo'sThe Man Who Laughs.

As he recalled in a 2009 Comic-Con interview, Robinson joined forces with Kane and Finger shortly after Batman's debut in Detective Comics No. 27, issued in May 1939, and began musing on the idea of a nemesis for the masked crime fighter.

Then a student at Columbia University, Robinson drew from his literature studies to create the ideal villain. First, he knew that all great heroes had an opponent that really put them to the test, whether it was Professor Moriarty to Sherlock Holmes, or Goliath to David.

He also wanted someone with defining physical characteristics, à la the Hunchback of Notre Dame. And finally, he felt it was crucial the antagonist had "an attribute that was some contradiction in terms," thinking a bad guy with a sense of humor would pro