The Joker has been a spooky character for a long time, but his latest appearance has really rattled me unlike any other time!
THE JOKER AS AN OPPONENT
As a long-time Batman fan, I’ve seen the Dark Knight go against the “Clown Prince of Crime” many times. I’m fascinated by the people who call themselves fans of the Joker. I get a little nervous around cosplayers who look a little too closely to the Joker, so I tend to avoid contact with them.
The Joker is literally the polar opposite of Batman. Batman is a “dark avenger” who is NOT a funny guy. He works to maintain safety for the innocent and justice for the victims of crime. He’s an agent of order despite his shadowy appearance. All that is serious business to him!
On the other hand, the Joker is an agent of chaos. At his best, the Joker should be truly funny, making us laugh even though we know he’s there to kill as many as he can. Otherwise, he’s just pathetic.
When The Dark Knight movie premiered, I wrote a review where I compared the battle between the two in that film to struggles between Thor the Thunder God (Batman) and Loki the Trickster (Joker). Anyone who got between the two was in serious danger! They were two forces of nature clashing against each other, two opposites that couldn’t survive in the same location!
The sad thing is that the Joker has often been portrayed as a corny maître ‘d with an awful skin rash. His silly laugh didn’t inspire terror… it made me cringe because it was NOT scary. Even the excellent Batman: The Animated Series often showed Joker as someone who didn’t threaten most people (including children) in any real way.
Going back to The Dark Knight, that was one of the very rare times in my life as a Bat-fan when I was truly scared by the Joker. He simply was like a human hurricane, destroying everyone and everything in his path. He told people multiple versions of his origin story (which many fans never picked up on), which also scared me. I truly miss Heath Ledger because he really made the character formidable and SCARY!
I think the reason this split personality often reigns over the Joker is because comics are commonly thought to be a place where younger children frequent. Therefore, he has to be watered down so the playground is safe for the kiddies.
That always drives me crazy! Granted, the Joker is Batman’s most famous foe, but to shred him into someone who just giggles and is easily overcome greatly reduces the villain. If Batman is in an animated series that will be seen by younger viewers, I would recommend that you use another bad guy that you don’t have to seriously restrain.
‘ONE OPERATION JOKER’ #1‘
In early September, the lady who runs the comics shop I frequent asked if I wanted to buy an anime book that featured Batman and the Joker. I had reservations because anime (if it is the genuine article) makes you read backwards (from the American perspective). You must read right to left instead of left to right. I find that difficult to do at times. Also, the art is black and white instead of full color, and I am more into that format if I’m in the right mood.
I was intrigued by the description, though: “The symbol of justice, Batman, and his archenemy, the Joker… These two have fought with Gotham City as their stage time after time, but one fateful night, an unforeseen accident transforms Batman into a baby! To validate his evil, the Joker needs to crush justice—but how, with his eternal rival gone? It’s then the Joker is hit with inspiration: he will raise the baby to become the super-heroic champion of justice, Batman, all over again! And so the curtain rises on this DC Comics-approved, heinously evil baby-raising comedy!”
Wait, Batman becomes a baby? And the Joker will raise him? I have to admit—that was a story I never thought I’d ever read!
So, I bought the book, then dove into it, reversing my usual reading techniques so I could follow the story.
And it spooked me! In fact, it continues to spook me to this day! The Joker trying to really raise a hero? He’s legitimately working on child care and education for the Bat-baby?
I really thought it would be revealed later on that this baby was NOT Batman, and the Joker has been spending all his time trying to train someone else to be a Dark Knight. But given how anime works, it sure doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case!
‘DADDY’ JOKER
I mean, when the Joker is trying to injure people with pencils or kill innocents in the worst way, yes, that gets to me. But for some reason, the Joker trying to be a legit “father” to a baby Batman? THAT I find super-spooky!
If the Joker wasn’t being serious about all this, I’d get it. But the fact that he IS serious and really trying to raise the child to be Batman… yikes!
Then he’s also recruiting Harley Quinn and other henchpeople into all this, and the fact that he’s doing a civil job at it just sends a chill up and down my spine! Ewwwwww!
And this was all only taking place in the first volume! I’m worried what will take place in future books (there will be at least two more)!
So, this book is the perfect Halloween time comic for me. I freak out every time I even think about it!
What do you think? Is it scarier when a villain actually tries to be good? Or is that to be respected instead? How long can Joker continue to try and raise a young Batman before he gives up and decides to go all “Joker” on the young boy? Whatever your opinions, be sure to share them in the space below!
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Wayne Hall creates the Wayne's Comics Podcast. He’s interviewed Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, John Layman, Kyle Higgins, Phil Hester, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, David Petersen, Christos Gage, Mike Grell, and Matt Kindt. On this site each week, he writes his "Comics Portal" column (general comics comments and previews) and reviews comics.