My Thoughts on: The Joker

If you don't know who the Joker is then you have been cut off from all forms of pop culture for that last 70 years (which is quite a feat.) He is the self proclaimed "Clown Prince of Crime" and was originally created as a one shot character who premiered in Batman #1 and to be killed off in the second issue. Since his creation the Joker has become one of the most recognizable villains of all time. However I am not really going to talk about the comic book Joker (Because I don't know him to well) I am going to talk about the Joker that we have seen in movies and on tv.

I will discuss the Joker's televised appearances from the beguiling with the Batman tv show (You have to love Adam West.) all the way to the newest Joker from "Under the Red Hood". Then I will talk about the Joker in the 1966 Batman the Movie, 1989's Batman movie, and the Dark Knight in 2008. So lets put a big smile on our faces and get ready for the insanity that is the Joker.

So lets start off with the more comical incarnation of the Joker with "Batman" the 1960's live action TV show. Now in this show the Joker is played by Cesar Romero. Now a lot of people my age don't like the series because its so "Hammy" and "Cheesy" (You know food like) however I do. I liked the different tone of this Batman show compared to the Darker stories we see now. However were are talking about the Joker here not the show. The Joker is played as more of the clown then anything else. The comic part of him shown through more then his insanity. He isn't as dark as normal and for some reason they had Romero put his make up over his mustache. Now this version of the Joker also appeared in Batman the Movie which saw the Joker teaming up with Cat Women, Penguin, and the Riddler but sadly I don't remember to much about this movie so I am going to move on to our next Joker.

In 1968 Filmation had its own shot lived Batman series only lasting one year. In this series the Joker was voiced by Larry Storch. Now the only problem is I never saw this series so I don't know anything about it or about the Joker in it. However I can comment about something from 1972 that made my young brain explode with awesomeness. The New Scooby-Doo Movies yes I am talking about a cross over between Batman and Scooby-Doo. I loved Scooby-Doo as a kid and at that time I also loved Batman so to see both of them together was amazing. In this the Joker and Penguin are running a muck and its up to Batman and Scooby to stop them. Not much else I can say because I haven't seen this since I was a kid I will move on.

It is now time for "Batman" in 1989 and I just want to say I love this movie. The Joker is played by Jack Nicholson (on of my favorite actors.) He is amazing he plays the Joker so well going more for the more insane and dark version of the character. The Joker in this movie is the one who does what he wants and is going to have fun while doing it. From killing someone with a joy buzzer (ok its unrealistic but its freaking awesome) to using his Joker Gas/Chemicals. I just have to say Jack plays insanity well and he really shows it here. the climax of the movie with the Joker forcing Vicky Vale into dancing with him as Batman fights his henchmen. The part right at the end where he tricked Batman and Vicky causing them to fall and hang on a ledge he pulls the fake hand joke and dances on the ledge. Even the Joker's death here is cool there is a gargoyle now hanging by his foot which will cause him to fall to his death. When they look at his body they find a constantly playing recorded laugh. I just love this movie in some aspects even more then the Dark Knight but I will get to that later.

We are now brought to my favorite version of Batman and the Joker. I am talking about the 1992 Batman the Animated Series that brings us the Greatest Joker ever (Yes I mean that to.) Mark Hamill who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies is voicing the Joker and he is amazing at it. Mark Hamill seems to take all of the aspects of the Joker and put into one package. He is dark, insane, and funny he is not afraid to kill but wants to leave the victim with a smile on their face. He shows his awesomeness by effectively breaking out of Arkham Asylum just because he wants to. Im not kidding he easily broke out because he saw someone ripping off his image. He has hatched schemes like making Joker Fish, using his toxin on fish giving them his face. He then tries to get it patented and going on a rampage once the patent office says you can't patent fish. The Joker gets his own female side kick Harley Quinn who was an origional character for this show who actually went on to her own comic.

Mark Hamill has his own era for the Joker continuing with The New Batman Adventures which ran from 1997 to 1999. This gives the Joker as well as most of the other villains a design change which I really don't like. I posted pictures of both versions of the Joker below the first one is from the Batman The Animated Series and the other from the New Batman Adventures.
However even though the Joker's look changed his character did not. He is still insane dark and funny. This show is two years after the first show and the Joker is broke. Yes he is broke until he comes into some money spending it like crazy until learning that most of it is fake money. Hamill has stared in episodes of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited as well as in a movie for Batman Beyond. Hamill has also voiced the character for Batman: Arkham Asylum. In which the Joker takes over Arkham and Batman needs to stop him. He has also played the Joker in Batman sketches on the show Robot Chicken. Sadly the Hamill era of the Joker will end with the sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum. So I will also move on to the next incarnation of the Joker.

In 2008 two more versions of the Joker came out however the first one I will talk about will be the Joker from "The Batman" cartoon that aired on kids WB. Now I have to say I liked this show it gave different twists to established characters. The Joker in this show was voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson (Who also voiced Jolee Bindo in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic as well as many other characters.) Now is he as good as Mark Hamill's Joker? Well no but is he really good. The Joker in this show is very much insane and sadistic. He is first seen wearing a Purple and Yellow straight jacket finger less gloves and no shoes. He is more flexible and a better fighter then his other visions actually seeming to know the Monkey style of Kung Fu. He would use kicks jumps and even using his feet like hands. This version of the Joker will actually torture people. He captured a detective and used his "Joker Putty" which changed the detective into the villain Clay Face (Who I will discuss next time.) I liked this character a lot he separated himself from the other incarnations while keeping things the same.

So this brings us to the Dark Knight and the best live action Joker ever. This is Heath Ledger's version of the Joker. Ledger combines parts of the other Joker''s as well as keeping his version origional. The only thing about his version is I did not see the "Clown" in this Joker besides his appearance. This Joker is dark, twisted, violent, and an anarchist. He was just screwing with things not really trying to get anything power just to screw with people. He did do somethings in a funny way like dressing up as a female nurse in order to get in the Hospital. Now Ledger's Joker is probably the most famous or most recognizable now a days. Now his Joker is better then Jack's but I think I like the 1989 Batman movie a little better then this one. Don't get me wrong the movie is amazing. Its just to long with to much dialog but the worst part of the newer Batman movies is Christian Bale. I know everyone says this but I hate that voice even worse he uses it in Terminator Salvation and even Adrien Brody used it in the Preditors movie and it just pisses me off. So thats all I have on Dark Knight I know its the epic Batman movie that made a large amount of money. Ledger even won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor even though it was sadly after he died.

Now there are two more versions of the Joker in animation one of witch I will not mention because the show sucks and I can't stand the sound of the Joker's voice (HE HAS A BRITISH ACCENT ITS NOT RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) However I will talk about the newest Joker voice who I hope takes over after Hamill is done. The new Joker is voiced by John DiMaggio (Futurama's Bender, Marcus Fenix, Mr. Barkin, Jugernaught in the X-Men Legend games, as well as Schnitzel.) So hey he is a busy man when it comes to voice acting. Now he can add the Joker to his credit in the movie "Under the Red Hood". I really like John as the Joker the voice just sounds right I can even hear Mark Hamill and Heath Ledger's version in his character. This Joker is insane, sadistic, treacherous, and funny. He does all of these things and does it well. Even though Hamill is the best John comes in second. His appearance is much darker and the opening of the movie starts with him beating Robin (the Jason Todd version) to death with a crow bar. Asking him which hurts more as he beats him. This is a great introduction for John's version of the Joker. He is dark stylish and isn't afraid to do things how ever he wants to do things. If you haven't seen this movie watch it. The movie is dark well written and just awesome.

So those are my thoughts on the Joker. He is hands down one of the best fictional villains in history. He is also my favorite character out of the DC universe. He has a way to scare the crap out of you as well as keep you entertained. All of the different Jokers are both origional as well as simular to the rest and I just love him. I hope to see the Joker on screen for a very long time.