The Origin of the Joker

[boltmonster]

JointPics_20190516_053813.jpg

What do you consider the origin of the Joker you know?

These four are mine.

[Vakanai]

JointPics_20190516_053813.jpg

What do you consider the origin of the Joker you know?

These four are mine.

What are the two stories on the right?

My personal favorite origin is the Red Hood portion of Zero Year, frankly I consider that an underappreciated classic. If the Joker has a start, that is it. I do love The Killing Joke however even if it isn't my preferred Joker origin, and The Man Who Laughs is a great first non-Red Hood appearance.

I'm also eagerly anticipating the upcoming Joker movie in October, it looks like it will be quite the impressive film!

[jb681131]

JointPics_20190516_053813.jpg

What do you consider the origin of the Joker you know?

These four are mine.

They are not really origin stories. The Joker's true origin is unknown.

If I had to pick a favorit Joker story, I'd go with Brian Azzarello' s graphic novel Joker.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

The Killing Joke is all that's needed.

[Vakanai]

The Killing Joke is all that's needed.

Maybe all that's needed, but certainly not all you can do. I like having different takes and stories, some of them are really good.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Maybe all that's needed, but certainly not all you can do. I like having different takes and stories, some of them are really good.

I'm not discouraging anyone from reading, I've read many, I just consider The Killing Joke to be definitive Joker origin.

[MarkRodriguez09]

IDK... I mean the movie looks ok but not a fan of the Party City clown look. Hope the movie ends with the acid bath. As horrible as Jared Leto's Hot Topic Joker was at least they got that part right.

As for my origin of choice, Killing Joke of course.

[jb681131]

The Killing Joke is all that's needed.

As for my origin of choice, Killing Joke of course.

Question, what to you find so great in this Story ?
Because I find it very dull and overated.

Is it because it's by Alan Moore that people sayd it was excellently awsome. Then everyone suggested it to everyone saying it's the best. Then you believed it's the best. Even if it isn't the best you still thing it's the best ?

The Man Who Laughs for exemple is way better. But because it's not by Alan Moore, I thing very few people have read it and can't compare something of quality against Moore's story.

[godisawesome]

To be honest, I've never been a fan fo the idea of Joker having a sympathetic backstory myself, and I'm cool on The Killing Joke overall: its a great Joker monologue in a so-so story where the biggest event was glossed over and only redeemed by John Ostrander later.

However, I understand the appeal of Joker being a victimized innocent gone bad in a tragic manner.

So I guess my preferred Joker Origin combines a bunch of Zero Year's ideas with a "wild card" element. Think of it this way:

- The Red Hood Gang does the Axis Chemicals attack like in Zero Year, but there's 3 missing gang members who could all be the guy who ends up in the Red Hood boss's outfit and jumping into the chemicals when confronted by Batman. They are:

1. One poor blackmailed schmuck, like in The Killing Joke, so you can imagine tragedy if that's your thing.

2. The Red Hood boss leader, so if you want the arch-criminal to already be an arch criminal, you can get that. Think more like the "Sonny" story that Paul Dini went with in Batman: Black and White plus Streets of Gotham as well as Snyder's ideas.

3. A simple, petty crook with a gun. This would be the option for the person who maybe wants the Joker to begin as a Joe Chill parallel, and thus as the ultimate "nobody to nightmare."

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Question, what to you find so great in this Story ?
Because I find it very dull and overated.

Is it because it's by Alan Moore that people sayd it was excellently awsome. Then everyone suggested it to everyone saying it's the best. Then you believed it's the best. Even if it isn't the best you still thing it's the best ?

The Man Who Laughs for exemple is way better. But because it's not by Alan Moore, I thing very few people have read it and can't compare something of quality against Moore's story.

I thought the pre-Joker was a sharp contrast to the Joker and I really liked that aspect of the story.

[maninthemacintosh1606]

Killing Joke is definitely overrated, mainly for the reasons Alan Moore himself says it is not really that great. But the 'we are the same' motif has become kind of central to the Joker now so it is kind of definitive in the way it stages that - only, as Moore himself says, it really isn't as profound or meaningful as people make it out to be? The joke at the end is good though like.

[exile001]

Question, what to you find so great in this Story ?
Because I find it very dull and overated.

Is it because it's by Alan Moore that people sayd it was excellently awsome. Then everyone suggested it to everyone saying it's the best. Then you believed it's the best. Even if it isn't the best you still thing it's the best ?

The Man Who Laughs for exemple is way better. But because it's not by Alan Moore, I thing very few people have read it and can't compare something of quality against Moore's story.

*Has a strong plot
*Tells a concise, layered story, perfectly tying up page one to the final panel
*Actual insight into the Batman/Joker relationship
*Gives depth to the Batman/Joker relationship. Before, Joker was the greatest villain because he showed up the most. This and TDKR really fleshed it out into something deeper (though in very different ways).
*Gives the Joker some MUCH needed depth
*Gives Joker significant moments to re-emphasize his threat level (both taking out Batgirl and kidnapping/torturing Gordon)
*Easily the best Brian Bolland art I've ever seen

If you find it dull, at such a short page count with so much happening, then I don't know what to tell you. I'll leave it there.

The man who laughs is a tired re-tread of a story that had already been retold many times that adds nothing new, other than gratuitous high kill count and Doug Mahnke's sublime art. And I say this as someone who believes Ed Brubaker is one of comics' finest writers.

[jb681131]

*Has a strong plot
*Tells a concise, layered story, perfectly tying up page one to the final panel
*Actual insight into the Batman/Joker relationship
*Gives depth to the Batman/Joker relationship. Before, Joker was the greatest villain because he showed up the most. This and TDKR really fleshed it out into something deeper (though in very different ways).
*Gives the Joker some MUCH needed depth
*Gives Joker significant moments to re-emphasize his threat level (both taking out Batgirl and kidnapping/torturing Gordon)
*Easily the best Brian Bolland art I've ever seen

If you find it dull, at such a short page count with so much happening, then I don't know what to tell you. I'll leave it there.

The man who laughs is a tired re-tread of a story that had already been retold many times that adds nothing new, other than gratuitous high kill count and Doug Mahnke's sublime art. And I say this as someone who believes Ed Brubaker is one of comics' finest writers.

Did you know that even Alan Moore find his Joker story not so great. He only did it because a friend asked him to do a Batman story.
I'm glad you liked the story. But I don't see the Depth of any realation, I just see a crazy man that once again shows he's got hatred torwards Batman.
Yes Bolland made an effort because it's Alan Moore, and it's a one-shot.

Have you read Joker by Brian Azzarllo, here you have a real look into Joker mind. And unpredictable crazy man.