I grew up withBatman: The Animated Seriesand it was there that I first met theJoker—transforming him into one of my all-time favorite characters. Sure, he was a villain, but he was also pure chaos and fun—captivating with his wild, unpredictable personality. It’s that version of the Joker I’m desperately begging DC to bring back because, frankly, I’m so over the gore-fueled, nihilistic Joker that relies on shock value.
…the Joker has become boring—a word that should never describe him.
While I respect those who enjoy a death and destruction-focused Joker, this version of the character has pushed me to avoid any storylines or comics where he’s in the spotlight. The constant reliance on gore and theJoker’s obsession with doing the most twisted thingpossible in every moment has completely stripped him of his charm.
It feels like he’s lost touch with his essence—the Joker was always about chaos and unpredictability, loving pranks as much as crime. To be blunt,I miss the Joker who was a jokester first and a killer second, someone whose wild energy made him thrilling, not just terrifying.
Today’s Joker Is All About Shock Value & Killing–He Used To Be So Much More
DC Has Committed the Greatest Joker Sin: Making Him Predictable
While I’m a huge fan of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker, which offered a nihilistic and anarchistic take on the character, I prefer to keep that version confined to Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight Trilogy. I’m all for reimagining characters in bold, new ways, butjust because an experimental take is successful doesn’t mean it should become the default—especially for a character with a long-established persona, particularly in the realm of comics. Unfortunately, the death-loving, anarchistic, nihilistic Joker has now become the norm, when it should remain the rare exception.
The problem with this direction in comics is that it has made the Joker entirely predictable in his love for chaos. No longer do fans wonder if he’ll pull off a clever gag or chase a nonsensical goal—now they know exactly what to expect: carnage. By turning the Joker into a morally black character,DC has removed the element of surprise, and that’s the greatest disservice they could do to him. The Joker’s unpredictable, chaotic nature is the heart of who he is. Simply put, the Joker has become boring—a word that should never describe him.
The Joker is One of DC’s Living Legends, But Face It - He is the Definition of Overrated
Joker has been a staple in Batman’s rogue gallery for decades, but plenty of other villains are more interesting and underutilized in comparison.
Peak Joker Is Unpredictable, Wacky, and Unapologetically Funny
I Miss the Days of Joker Trying to Patent Smiling Fish
My favorite version of the Joker is when he’s more of a nuisance than a true threat. One of my all-timefavorite Joker moments comes fromDetective Comics#475 (1978), written by Steve Englehart and illustrated by Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin. In this issue, theJoker infects the fish in Gotham Harbor with his Joker toxin, then tries to file a"copyright"on the fishin order to earn a share of the profits from fish sales across America. This story was also adapted inBatman: The Animated Seriesepisode"The Laughing Fish,“bringing this absurdly ridiculous tale to life with Mark Hamill’s Joker.
Another prime example of the Joker at his whimsical best appears inBatman: The Long Halloween#3 by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. In this issue,the Joker channels his inner Grinch by stealing a family’s Christmas, tying them up, and swiping their presents. What makes this even better is that he doesn’t kill the family or leave them with lasting psychological trauma—he simply invades their home and makes off with their gifts. Both of these moments show the Joker going on bizarre side quests just to entertain himself, being a nuisance more than a true terror. It’s this playful, nonsensical version of the character that I absolutely love.
DC Needs to Ditch Edgy Joker & Bring Back His Signature Wacky Chaos
Comic Page from Jeph Loeb’sBatman: The Long Halloween#3 (1996) – Art by Tim Sale
Gotham has no shortage of truly despicable villains, many of whom thrive on death and sadism—meaning there’s no reason for the Joker to fill a role that was never meant for him.Characters like Professor Pygand Black Mask already embody the kind of brutality that’s been increasingly pushed onto the Joker, and if DC feels the need for even more depravity, they can always create a new villain to fill that void. Instead, DC should take theJokerback to his roots, making him stand out from Batman’s other rogues by reinstating his prankster persona—one driven by chaos and whimsy rather than pure sadism.
