The (post-Crisis) Joker Chronology

[Emanresu]

If nothing else, I would leave it out since it seems to contradict the Robin 2 mini. Here, Joker says "it's a shame he has a new brat", but when he meets Tim in the Robin mini, he goes beserk with confusion saying "I killed you!"

[Emanresu]

The Joker Interview has been added between Impulse # 50 and Batman: Arkham Asylum - Tales of Madness # 1

[Emanresu]

The bottom half of my list needs some serious tweaking.

Should I add the entire Hush storyline or just keep it to the one issue? Same question for Under the Red Hood. Is everything in order? I've not read anything really past Last Laugh so...?

[ngroove]

The bottom half of my list needs some serious tweaking.

Should I add the entire Hush storyline or just keep it to the one issue? Same question for Under the Red Hood. Is everything in order? I've not read anything really past Last Laugh so...?

Hush - Joker was in three issues. Batman #613, when he allegedly "shot" Thomas Elliott, final page, Batman #614, Batman's chase and beating of him, claiming innocence, and Batman #615, Harvey Dent's visiting his cell, to essentially "Red Herring" up a possible Hush identity in front of him.

I'd keep it as those issues, as really, I have my Hush memories, as having to pay ten dollars per individual part(s) off the back issue bins, and the story is rather sectionalized anyways, like the Killer Croc chapter, the Poison Ivy chapter, the Scarecrow chapter, the Clayface chapter, ect.

[bat39]

Legends of the DC Universe # 26-27

(Notes - A post-Crisis Joker story that is a direct sequel to the classic pre-Crisis Joker story "The Laughing Fish". Still, "The Laughing Fish" will have to be omitted from this list but if you really want to read it anyway, Detective Comics # 475-476)

Why would "The Laughing Fish" be off the list? To my knowledge, Pre-Crisis Batman stories were still in canon, unless explicitly retconned out. I think Steve Englehart's run would mostly have still been in canon.

(It certainly was in canon in the New 52, since it was referenced by Snyder in Death of the Family.)

[ngroove]

Why would "The Laughing Fish" be off the list? To my knowledge, Pre-Crisis Batman stories were still in canon, unless explicitly retconned out. I think Steve Englehart's run would mostly have still been in canon.

(It certainly was in canon in the New 52, since it was referenced by Snyder in Death of the Family.)

That would be a question on "Overall Picture, what still fits". It's easy to say, whenever Doctor Phosphorus shows up, he came from Detective Comics #469-470. Black Mask, his first battle may still stick as Batman #386-387, Detective Comics #553. Even Penguin, since he never really had a definitive "Year One" encounter against Batman to say otherwise, may still be as back as Detective Comics #58.


But, every era had its own mythology. And every Crisis, Flashpoint, Rebirth, many things start over.

This, the topic, should be New Earth, Post-Crisis Batman, DC Universe, from Man of Steel #1 (July 1986) to all comics, cover dated August 2011. And during that period, Post-Crisis Batman has had LOTS of stories to redefine his past, what he is. And so did Post-Crisis Joker, as his origin was reclarified on "The Killing Joke", first showed a card of clue of his presence at the end of Year One, Batman #407, and many of their rewritten early battles went across Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and Batman: Confidential, along with maxi-series Long Halloween and Dark Victory.

[bat39]

That would be a question on "Overall Picture, what still fits". It's easy to say, whenever Doctor Phosphorus shows up, he came from Detective Comics #469-470. Black Mask, his first battle may still stick as Batman #386-387, Detective Comics #553. Even Penguin, since he never really had a definitive "Year One" encounter against Batman to say otherwise, may still be as back as Detective Comics #58.


But, every era had its own mythology. And every Crisis, Flashpoint, Rebirth, many things start over.

This, the topic, should be New Earth, Post-Crisis Batman, DC Universe, from Man of Steel #1 (July 1986) to all comics, cover dated August 2011. And during that period, Post-Crisis Batman has had LOTS of stories to redefine his past, what he is. And so did Post-Crisis Joker, as his origin was reclarified on "The Killing Joke", first showed a card of clue of his presence at the end of Year One, Batman #407, and many of their rewritten early battles went across Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and Batman: Confidential, along with maxi-series Long Halloween and Dark Victory.

True. But there's nothing suggesting that "The Laughing Fish" wasn't still in canon...especially considering that, as you pointed out, it had a sequel story set in Post-COIE continuity.

The Post-COIE retconning of Batman's past largely concerned his early years - from Year One up until the arrival of Robin and Batgirl. The 70's/early 80's era stories were never explicitly erased from continuity - apart from Jason Todd's origin, which was completely rewritten.

[Emanresu]

Sorry it took so long to get back to this!

After reading Laughing Fish, I decided to add it to the list. Though Batman specifically speaks of Joe Chill in one of these issues, which doesn't make sense in post Crisis history...well it's the Joker so why should it make complete sense? Lol.

Also went ahead and added the pre Crisis Batman 251, "Joker's Five Way Revenge", because it's pretty great and doesn't seem to conflict with anything post Crisis.

I inserted both of these tales after the "Legends" and Year One type appearances, but before his late 80's reign of terror.

What else are we missing?

[bat39]

Sorry it took so long to get back to this!

After reading Laughing Fish, I decided to add it to the list. Though Batman specifically speaks of Joe Chill in one of these issues, which doesn't make sense in post Crisis history...well it's the Joker so why should it make complete sense? Lol.

Also went ahead and added the pre Crisis Batman 251, "Joker's Five Way Revenge", because it's pretty great and doesn't seem to conflict with anything post Crisis.

I inserted both of these tales after the "Legends" and Year One type appearances, but before his late 80's reign of terror.

What else are we missing?

Well...if it helps, after IC, Joe Chill was back in continuity!

[jetengine]

Question for Joker fans.

Now I might be going crazy but I swear pre crisis there was a second joker. A dude who wanted to be a criminal and stole the Jokers gimmick even having surgery. Is this real or is my mind playing tricks ?

[bat39]

Question for Joker fans.

Now I might be going crazy but I swear pre crisis there was a second joker. A dude who wanted to be a criminal and stole the Jokers gimmick even having surgery. Is this real or is my mind playing tricks ?

Could have appeared in a one-shot? The Silver Age was full of crazy stuff.

If the 'three Jokers' thing is true, even in the context of that particular story, then these are the three IMO-

Golden Age/Post COIE Joker: The original Joker. A homicidal maniac who killed his victims with Joker venom, leaving them with smiles on their faces. He's the Joker who crippled Barbara, killed Jason, killed Sarah Essen, and committed a whole host of atrocities.

Silver Age Joker: The prankster and 'clown prince of crime'. More of a bank robber and criminal mastermind than a murderer.

New 52 Joker: Even more deranged and sadistic than the original. The guy who got his own face cut off, who was revived by Dionysium, and who might just be an immortal scourge who's haunted Gotham for centuries.

My guess is that the original went into hiding or was incapacitated at some point, and the more fun clownish copycat took over during the days of "BIFF! BAM! ZAP!" But eventually, the original came back, even darker and more violent than before. And at some point, an even more deranged version, who might have been around behind the scenes all along, showed up.

The idea of a Red Hood Gang even allows for the possibility that all of them have a shared backstory of some sort.

[Genius LeMat]

Re:
Batman # 426-429
Detective Comics # 617
Batman # 450-451

Detective Comics 617 does not go there as the Joker app is a flashback to 3 years earlier, also you omitted 'A lonely Place of Dying' where although technically he doesn't 'appear' he is communicating with Harvey Dent via a radio and should take the place of Detective Comics 617 in the chronology, cheers.

[FBarnhill]

Can we get one for the Riddler?

[PurpleGlovez]

If Kevin Smith's Cacophony and Widening Gyre duology is canon, it likely has to take place at some point in the One Year Later era prior to the start of Morrison's run and Bruce dating Jezebel Jet. Likewise, Detective Comics 821-834 explicitly take place before Morrison's run thanks to an editorial note in 826.

Batman 663 is problematic in the context of larger Countdown to Final Crisis continuity and Joker's participation in the "Injustice League" at this time, due to the presence of Harley Quinn (who was paroled in the earlier Detective issues) and Joker's intense characterization. The 2008 DC Encyclopedia claims the Injustice League affair, and Green Arrow and Black Canary's wedding, take place "months" after Joker becomes the Clown at Midnight, which... is kinda weird but whatever.

The Demon Laughs (Legends of the Dark Knight 142-145) might actually take place between Cataclysm and No Man's Land considering the GCPD building is surrounded by rubble.

[Bad Witch]

Please make a bullet list, it's much much much more readable !

You need to add the greatest Joker of them all, the graphic novel by Brian Azzarello: Joker.

You also missed all the "children stories":

1. Batman Adventures #3 - Joker's Late Night Lunacy
2. Batman Adventures #16 - The Killing Book
3. Batman Adventures #28 - Twelve Days of Madness
4. Batman & Robin Adventures #1 - Two Timer
5. Batman & Robin Adventures #5 - Second Banana
6. Batman & Robin Adventures #17 - But a Dream
7. Batman & Robin Adventures #18 - Joker's Last Laugh
8. Gotham Adventures #1 - With A Price On His Head!
9. Gotham Adventures #10 - Mightier Than The Sword
10. Gotham Adventures #14- Masks of Love: A Harley Quinn Romance
11. Gotham Adventures #31 - Madness and Chaos and All 'cause of Me!
12. Gotham Adventures #37 - Images
13. Gotham Girls #3 - Harlequinade
14. Harley & Ivy #3 - Hooray For Harleywood!
15. Harley and Ivy: Love on the Lam
16. Batman Adventures vol.2 #3 - My Boyfriend's back
17. Batman Adventures vol.2 #17 - A Wedding to Die for

I would also add the stories from Li'l Gotham:

1. Li'l Gotham #1 - Halloween
2. Li'l Gotham #3 - Christmas
3. Li'l Gotham #5 - Valentine's Day
4. Li'l Gotham #6 - Lunar New Year
5. Li'l Gotham #7 - Saint Patrick's Day
6. Li'l Gotham #8 - Easter
7. Li'l Gotham #9 - April Showers
8. Li'l Gotham #16 - Tropical Getaway
9. Li'l Gotham #18 - Labor Day!
10. Li'l Gotham #19 - Ivy in the Fall
11. Li'l Gotham #24 - The Grand Finale

Haha I knew I'd see you almost immediately. This person is the man. I'm fairly certain they're a robot. Easily the most helpful person I've ever encountered on any message board ever. You might not get told enough but you're doing God's work!!!