Make The Joker gay again

[Lexie_Squirrel]

The Joker is a comic book character with almost 80 years history, half of which he was portrayed as homosexual - for instance, in such significant graphic novels as Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns or Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. Neal Adams claimed that The Joker was and always had been homosexual. This opinion was shared by other comic books authors and artists for decades. That is why it’s so important to me and other queer readers to return his homosexuality.

The Joker repeatedly confessed his feelings to Batman and showed an interest in other men. Also there was Joker’s unnamed boyfriend in the graphic novel Devil’s Advocate. The Joker has many feminine traits - he uses lipstick, paints his nails, wears high heels and sometimes does crossdressing. We realize that some of these things is stereotypical, but it gives a very clear picture. Over the years, there were plenty of other queer moments in comics, cartoons and video games (especially in Batman: Arkham series).

However, in the late nineties someone decided to erase Joker’s homosexuality and introduced Harley Quinn as his girlfriend (by the way, Harley was made up for the Batman: The Animated Series to replace the Joker in one scene, in which he was supposed to jump from the cake in drag). In the mass consciousness Harley became his only love interest, although in canonical comics there is no evidence that there are romantic or sexual feelings from the Joker’s part. His enforced relationship with Harley Quinn looks like an attempt to retconned his homosexuality and turn him in acceptable straight man.

DC Comics already has a great cast of queer characters - heroes (Batwoman or Midnighter), as well as villains (Harley Quinn or Poison Ivy). Maybe some people don’t want to see the “terrible villain” as part of the LGBT community. But on the other hand, in Gotham series The Penguin became gay without any problem, and he is morally no better than the Joker. It’s not homophobic to have a queer villain. So why not let the Clown Prince of Crime "out of the closet"? DC Rebirth is an excellent reason to bring the Joker back to his roots.

We ask DC Comics to restore The Joker’s homosexuality in comics and other media. No one’s sexual identity should be changed, even it’s only a fictional character. Because sometimes fictional characters is something real people hold onto.

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Please, SIGN THE PETITION.

[Ulrich]

Just don't make Batman/Bruce Wayne the Joker's boyfriend. It doesn't make sense for Bruce to reciprocate love for someone who's killed Jason (who Bruce adopted and attempted to care for), injured and humiliated the Gordans, killed countless people, and attempts to injure/humiliate Bruce in general.

Unless the above hasn't happened in-universe, then I see no reason to not head in that direction.

[millernumber1]

Why can't he be bisexual?

[JBatmanFan05]

I personally view Joker as asexual, so I don't agree. And no, DKR nor Morrison or anything made anything terribly clear about Joker or his sexuality. And what Neal Adams thought doesn't control. Joker is too trollish to be sure about what is really going on with him.

I staunchly defend Joker always being very mysterious (I don't even want him as clearly asexual, as I see him). I hate Harley, so I'm fine with getting her out of Joker's picture. But except for Joker wearing that Red Hood in his past, I don't think we should know like anything more about him in any concrete way.

Make Joker Ambiguous Again (though I think he's ambiguous enough right now, OP doesn't)

[WhiteQueenEmmaFrost]

I thought he was always supposed to be like Clyde....gay undertones to his fixation on another man (Batman)

[millernumber1]

I should also say, since I'm firmly on the "Joker should be dead" side, I don't really care who he has sex with, as long as it doesn't happen at all.

[yohyoi]

I sometimes see the Joker as ambiguously gay. Since Batman is a symbol of masculinity especially in modern times (I'm The Goddamn Batman!), it's natural for the Joker to be something that makes these guys who wishes they are Batman to feel scared and disgust to. It's add to the stomach churning factor of seeing the Joker and his obsession to Batman. It's a demented form of homosexual love only a true crazy clown can do. It's like the Joker is wooing Batman by trying to push off the edge and join him in the homosexual crazy hole.

It's also kinda homophobic because it might seem to indirectly points that LGBT people are evil and opposite to Batman's heterosexual masculinity. All in all, it's a very complicated subject. It worked well in The Lego Batman Movie because it is played on as a joke and everything has a '60s Batman feel. If used in a more serious setting, there will be more complains.

But, yeah, one of the most important thing about the Joker is his obsession with Batman.

[Nite-Wing]

Ummm Joker has had girlfriends before Harley
I mean off the top of my head you have flame dupree(there was never any pretense to claim he was gay in the 70s or 80s) and then you obviously have the fact that he was married with a kid before he was joker.
He was never "supposed" to be homosexual
He was always supposed to make Batman uncomfortable and operate as his opposite
I suppose the subtext there is that Batman on some level is a very sexually repressed individual

[Frontier]

The Joker's always obsessed with Batman but how far the subtext goes (and it's also always there) depends a lot on the writer.

It's the same thing with his relationship with Harley. Sometimes he could care less for her, other times he seems genuinely fond of her, even if it doesn't stop his abuse.

I think of The Joker more as a pansexual who's interested in whatever strikes his mood at the time.

[adrikito]

His obsession with Batman make me believe that he is a little gay, while harley suffers for him..

[SicariiDC]

The Joker's always obsessed with Batman but how far the subtext goes (and it's also always there) depends a lot on the writer.

It's the same thing with his relationship with Harley. Sometimes he could care less for her, other times he seems genuinely fond of her, even if it doesn't stop his abuse.

I think of The Joker more as a pansexual who's interested in whatever strikes his mood at the time.

This. Also I think it should be ambiguous

[dietrich]

Just don't make Batman/Bruce Wayne the Joker's boyfriend. It doesn't make sense for Bruce to reciprocate love for someone who's killed Jason (who Bruce adopted and attempted to care for), injured and humiliated the Gordans, killed countless people, and attempts to injure/humiliate Bruce in general.

Unless the above hasn't happened in-universe, then I see no reason to not head in that direction.

That ship sailed long ago mate.

I believe that Joker should remain ambiguous.

[Starter Set]

Couldn't care less for being honest. Women, men, table, the joker loves what the joker wants.

[Ulrich]

That ship sailed long ago mate.

Like what happens in the Lego Batman movie?

[protege]

The Joker is a comic book character with almost 80 years history, half of which he was portrayed as homosexual - for instance, in such significant graphic novels as Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns or Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. Neal Adams claimed that The Joker was and always had been homosexual. This opinion was shared by other comic books authors and artists for decades. That is why it’s so important to me and other queer readers to return his homosexuality.

The Joker repeatedly confessed his feelings to Batman and showed an interest in other men. Also there was Joker’s unnamed boyfriend in the graphic novel Devil’s Advocate. The Joker has many feminine traits - he uses lipstick, paints his nails, wears high heels and sometimes does crossdressing. We realize that some of these things is stereotypical, but it gives a very clear picture. Over the years, there were plenty of other queer moments in comics, cartoons and video games (especially in Batman: Arkham series).

However, in the late nineties someone decided to erase Joker’s homosexuality and introduced Harley Quinn as his girlfriend (by the way, Harley was made up for the Batman: The Animated Series to replace the Joker in one scene, in which he was supposed to jump from the cake in drag). In the mass consciousness Harley became his only love interest, although in canonical comics there is no evidence that there are romantic or sexual feelings from the Joker’s part. His enforced relationship with Harley Quinn looks like an attempt to retconned his homosexuality and turn him in acceptable straight man.

DC Comics already has a great cast of queer characters - heroes (Batwoman or Midnighter), as well as villains (Harley Quinn or Poison Ivy). Maybe some people don’t want to see the “terrible villain” as part of the LGBT community. But on the other hand, in Gotham series The Penguin became gay without any problem, and he is morally no better than the Joker. It’s not homophobic to have a queer villain. So why not let the Clown Prince of Crime "out of the closet"? DC Rebirth is an excellent reason to bring the Joker back to his roots.

We ask DC Comics to restore The Joker’s homosexuality in comics and other media. No one’s sexual identity should be changed, even it’s only a fictional character. Because sometimes fictional characters is something real people hold onto.

---

Please, SIGN THE PETITION.

I absolutely despise the joker- he's a homicidal mass murderer. I can't imagine any benefit in making him gay.