Joker

Joker

Creation & Design

The Joker was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, inspired by a playing card design and the character from the 1928 film 'The Man Who Laughs'.

Early Years

Initially portrayed as a remorseless killer, the Joker's character evolved into a more complex figure, embodying chaos and anarchy.

Character Development

Over the decades, the Joker has transformed from a simple villain to a complex character representing chaos, insanity, and the darker aspects of humanity.

Cultural Reception

The Joker is widely regarded as one of the greatest comic book villains of all time, receiving critical acclaim for his portrayal in various media.

Character Details

Real Name:

Unknown

Aliases:

Clown Prince of Crime, Harlequin of Hate, The Ace of Knaves

Species:

Human

Gender:

Male

Affiliations:

Injustice Gang, Suicide Squad, Legion of Doom

Abilities:

Genius-level intellect, Expert chemist, Master of disguise, Unpredictable behavior

Equipment:

Joker venom, Acme products, Various weapons

Weight:

190lbs

Height:

6' 3"

Eye Color:

Green

Hair Color:

Green

Non-Key Issues

1 2 › »

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Batman #1

DC ⋅ 1940

View Details ⋅ View Variants (7)

Low

$72k

Mid

$205k

High

$1.5M

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker

1st appearance of the Cat, Selina Kyle, later becomes Catwoman

Debut of the first Batplane which has multiple designs from one issue to the next including Batman #3 and Batman #4

💰 Batman #1 sold for over one million dollars 3x with a record-high in 9.4 for $2,220,000

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker

1st appearance of the Cat, Selina Kyle, later becomes Catwoman

Debut of the first Batplane which has multiple designs from one issue to the next including Batman #3 and Batman #4

💰 Batman #1 sold for over one million dollars 3x with a record-high in 9.4 for $2,220,000

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Clayface, Basil Karlo

1st cover appearance of the Joker in Detective Comics

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Clayface, Basil Karlo

1st cover appearance of the Joker in Detective Comics

Batman #2

DC ⋅ 1940

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Low

$5k

Mid

$15k

High

$50k

Key Facts

2nd appearance of the Joker

2nd appearance of Catwoman, Selina Kyle and first time she is referred to as Cat Woman, used interchangeably with The Cat

Key Facts

2nd appearance of the Joker

2nd appearance of Catwoman, Selina Kyle and first time she is referred to as Cat Woman, used interchangeably with The Cat

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker in a Detective Comics story, previously appeared on the cover of Detective Comics #40

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker in a Detective Comics story, previously appeared on the cover of Detective Comics #40

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Batman #11

DC ⋅ 1942

View Details

Price Trend

Low

$3k

Mid

$10k

High

$30k

Key Facts

3rd overall cover appearance of the Joker, first cover appearance in the Batman title

Key Facts

3rd overall cover appearance of the Joker, first cover appearance in the Batman title

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Boy Commandos

This issue marked the beginning transformation of The Joker from a homicidal maniac into a goofy character. This persisted until Batman #251 when Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revived the Joker after a four year absence, reintroducing his homicidal side

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Boy Commandos

This issue marked the beginning transformation of The Joker from a homicidal maniac into a goofy character. This persisted until Batman #251 when Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revived the Joker after a four year absence, reintroducing his homicidal side

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

First time two major Batman villains team-up - Joker and Penguin

Key Facts

First time two major Batman villains team-up - Joker and Penguin

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jack and Ray Burnley featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jack and Ray Burnley featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jack Burnley featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jack Burnley featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Bob Kane featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Bob Kane featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jim Mooney featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jim Mooney featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Jokermobile

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Jokermobile

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Origin of the Joker, formerly a crook named the Red Hood who pulled a heist that led him through a vat of chemicals that caused his clown-like appearance

Key Facts

Origin of the Joker, formerly a crook named the Red Hood who pulled a heist that led him through a vat of chemicals that caused his clown-like appearance

Key Facts

Cover art by Bob Kane featuring the Joker

Joker repeatedly uses the word 'boner' throughout this story, panels that often show up on social media posts

Key Facts

Cover art by Bob Kane featuring the Joker

Joker repeatedly uses the word 'boner' throughout this story, panels that often show up on social media posts

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Team-up of Joker and Lex Luthor

Key Facts

Team-up of Joker and Lex Luthor

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Key Facts

Reprints of Batman's 'Most Fantastic Foes'

Key Facts

Reprints of Batman's 'Most Fantastic Foes'

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Key Facts

1st appearance of Gaggy the Clown, the Joker's sidekick

Key Facts

1st appearance of Gaggy the Clown, the Joker's sidekick

Batman #251

DC ⋅ 1973

View Details ⋅ View Variants (9)

Low

$200

Mid

$800

High

$2k

Key Facts

Iconic cover art by Neal Adams

Issue credited for revitalizing the Joker as a homicidal villain instead of a comical villain

Key Facts

Iconic cover art by Neal Adams

Issue credited for revitalizing the Joker as a homicidal villain instead of a comical villain

Key Facts

First solo titled Joker series

Key Facts

First solo titled Joker series

Key Facts

First meeting of Joker and Scarecrow

Key Facts

First meeting of Joker and Scarecrow

Key Facts

Cover art featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #475

DC ⋅ 1978

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Low

Mid

$15

High

$50

Key Facts

Iconic story titled 'The Laughing Fish'

Key Facts

Iconic story titled 'The Laughing Fish'

Key Facts

Classic story titled "The Sign of the Joker"

Key Facts

Classic story titled "The Sign of the Joker"

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #3

DC ⋅ 1986

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #3

DC ⋅ 1986

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Low

Mid

High

$20

Key Facts

Death of the Joker, alternate reality

1st cover appearance of Robin, Carrie Kelley

Key Facts

Death of the Joker, alternate reality

1st cover appearance of Robin, Carrie Kelley

Batman: The Killing Joke #1

DC ⋅ 1988

View Details ⋅ View Variants (11)

Low

Mid

$15

High

$50

Key Facts

The Joker shoots and paralyzes Barbara Gordon, she later becomes Oracle

First printing: neon green text and $3.50 cover price

Key Facts

The Joker shoots and paralyzes Barbara Gordon, she later becomes Oracle

First printing: neon green text and $3.50 cover price

Batman #426

DC ⋅ 1988

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Low

Mid

High

$18

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 1

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 1

Batman #427

DC ⋅ 1989

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Low

Mid

High

$15

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 2

After the Joker badly beats Jason Todd with a crowbar, an explosion finishes him off but the fate of Robin was not decided until phone lines were opened to fans after this issue went on sale to determine the fate of Jason Todd

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 2

After the Joker badly beats Jason Todd with a crowbar, an explosion finishes him off but the fate of Robin was not decided until phone lines were opened to fans after this issue went on sale to determine the fate of Jason Todd

Batman #428

DC ⋅ 1989

View Details ⋅ View Variants (3)

Low

Mid

$12

High

$40

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 3

Death of Robin, Jason Todd, killed by the Joker

Batman #427 ended on a cliffhanger that placed Jason Todd in the blast zone of an exploding warehouse

DC set up a poll for readers to cast their vote of whether Jason Todd should survive the blast by calling one phone number, or die by calling another

10,614 phone calls were made with Todd's death having been decided by only 72 votes more than the opposite outcome where he would've survived

DC had prepared both scenarios to go to print (tap cover and swipe to view unpublished pages)

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 3

Death of Robin, Jason Todd, killed by the Joker

Batman #427 ended on a cliffhanger that placed Jason Todd in the blast zone of an exploding warehouse

DC set up a poll for readers to cast their vote of whether Jason Todd should survive the blast by calling one phone number, or die by calling another

10,614 phone calls were made with Todd's death having been decided by only 72 votes more than the opposite outcome where he would've survived

DC had prepared both scenarios to go to print (tap cover and swipe to view unpublished pages)

Batman #429

DC ⋅ 1989

View Details ⋅ View Variants (1)

Low

Mid

High

$10

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 4

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 4

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #50

DC ⋅ 1993

View Details

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #50

DC ⋅ 1993

View Details

Low

Mid

High

Key Facts

Cover art by Brian Bolland featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Brian Bolland featuring the Joker

	Publisher	Low	Mid	High
Batman #1	DC	$72k	$205k	$1.5M
Detective Comics #40	DC	$4.5k	$13.2k	$44.5k
Batman #2	DC	$5k	$15k	$50k
Detective Comics #45	DC	$425	$1.6k	$5.7k
Detective Comics #62	DC	$1k	$3k	$10k
Batman #11	DC	$3k	$10k	$30k
Detective Comics #64	DC	$380	$1.1k	$4.7k
Detective Comics #69	DC	$5.4k	$10.8k	$31k
Detective Comics #71	DC	$1.2k	$4k	$12k
Detective Comics #76	DC	$310	$950	$3.8k
Detective Comics #85	DC	$480	$1.4k	$4.8k
Batman #23	DC	$350	$1.1k	$3.5k
Detective Comics #91	DC	$500	$1.5k	$5k
Batman #25	DC	$450	$1.4k	$4.5k
Detective Comics #102	DC	$350	$1.1k	$3.5k
Detective Comics #109	DC	$250	$775	$2.7k
Detective Comics #114	DC	$615	$1.6k	$5.3k
Batman #37	DC	$650	$1.9k	$6.5k
Detective Comics #118	DC	$260	$900	$3k
Batman #40	DC	$400	$1.2k	$4k
Detective Comics #124	DC	$210	$625	$2.3k
Detective Comics #128	DC	$300	$1k	$3k
Batman #44	DC	$1k	$3k	$10k
Batman #52	DC	$610	$1.9k	$6.3k
Batman #55	DC	$300	$1k	$3k
Detective Comics #168	DC	$5.8k	$16.5k	$54k
Batman #66	DC	$620	$1.8k	$6.2k
Detective Comics #180	DC	$230	$820	$2.3k
Batman #73	DC	$680	$1.9k	$6.8k
Detective Comics #193	DC	$140	$425	$1.5k
World's Finest Comics #88	DC	$80	$200	$800
Batman #136	DC	$95	$280	$950
Batman #148	DC	$25	$75	$400
Batman Annual #3	DC	$20	$65	$330
Batman #159	DC	$0	$0	$0
Batman #163	DC	$0	$0	$0
Batman #186	DC	$25	$90	$250
Batman #251	DC	$200	$800	$2k
Joker, The #1	DC	$18	$55	$160
Joker, The #8	DC	$4	$12	$40
Batman #294	DC	$2	$7	$20
Detective Comics #475	DC	$5	$15	$50
Detective Comics #476	DC	$5	$15	$55
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #3	DC	$2	$8	$20
Batman: The Killing Joke #1	DC	$5	$15	$50
Batman #426	DC	$2	$8	$18
Batman #427	DC	$2	$5	$15
Batman #428	DC	$4	$12	$40
Batman #429	DC	$1	$2	$10
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #50	DC	$1	$2	$5

1 2 › »

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Creation & Design

Early Years

Character Development

Cultural Reception

Character Details

Batman #1

DC ⋅ 1940

Batman #1

DC ⋅ 1940

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker

1st appearance of the Cat, Selina Kyle, later becomes Catwoman

Debut of the first Batplane which has multiple designs from one issue to the next including Batman #3 and Batman #4

💰 Batman #1 sold for over one million dollars 3x with a record-high in 9.4 for $2,220,000

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker

1st appearance of the Cat, Selina Kyle, later becomes Catwoman

Debut of the first Batplane which has multiple designs from one issue to the next including Batman #3 and Batman #4

💰 Batman #1 sold for over one million dollars 3x with a record-high in 9.4 for $2,220,000

Detective Comics #40

DC ⋅ 1940

Detective Comics #40

DC ⋅ 1940

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Clayface, Basil Karlo

1st cover appearance of the Joker in Detective Comics

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Clayface, Basil Karlo

1st cover appearance of the Joker in Detective Comics

Batman #2

DC ⋅ 1940

Batman #2

DC ⋅ 1940

Key Facts

2nd appearance of the Joker

2nd appearance of Catwoman, Selina Kyle and first time she is referred to as Cat Woman, used interchangeably with The Cat

Key Facts

2nd appearance of the Joker

2nd appearance of Catwoman, Selina Kyle and first time she is referred to as Cat Woman, used interchangeably with The Cat

Detective Comics #45

DC ⋅ 1940

Detective Comics #45

DC ⋅ 1940

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker in a Detective Comics story, previously appeared on the cover of Detective Comics #40

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Joker in a Detective Comics story, previously appeared on the cover of Detective Comics #40

Detective Comics #62

DC ⋅ 1942

Detective Comics #62

DC ⋅ 1942

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Batman #11

DC ⋅ 1942

Batman #11

DC ⋅ 1942

Key Facts

3rd overall cover appearance of the Joker, first cover appearance in the Batman title

Key Facts

3rd overall cover appearance of the Joker, first cover appearance in the Batman title

Detective Comics #64

DC ⋅ 1942

Detective Comics #64

DC ⋅ 1942

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Boy Commandos

This issue marked the beginning transformation of The Joker from a homicidal maniac into a goofy character. This persisted until Batman #251 when Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revived the Joker after a four year absence, reintroducing his homicidal side

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Boy Commandos

This issue marked the beginning transformation of The Joker from a homicidal maniac into a goofy character. This persisted until Batman #251 when Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revived the Joker after a four year absence, reintroducing his homicidal side

Detective Comics #69

DC ⋅ 1942

Detective Comics #69

DC ⋅ 1942

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker