Key Collector Comics
Joker
View Key Issues

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
First Appearance:
Batman #1
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
1 2 › »

Clicking on the eBay link and making a purchase may result in this site earning a commission from the eBay Partner Network.

Batman #1
DC ⋅ 1940
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (7)
Batman #1
 
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

Detective Comics #40
DC ⋅ 1940
View Details
Detective Comics #40
 
Low
$4.5k
Mid
$13.2k
High
$44.5k

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)
Batman #2
 
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

Detective Comics #45
DC ⋅ 1940
View Details
Detective Comics #45
 
Low
$425
Mid
$1.6k
High
$5.7k

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
View Details
Detective Comics #62
 
Low
$1k
Mid
$3k
High
$10k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Batman #11
DC ⋅ 1942
View Details
Batman #11
 
Low
$1.8k
Mid
$6k
High
$18k

Key Facts

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

Detective Comics #64
DC ⋅ 1942
View Details
Detective Comics #64
 
Low
$380
Mid
$1.1k
High
$4.7k

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
View Details
Detective Comics #69
 
Low
$5.4k
Mid
$10.8k
High
$31k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #71
DC ⋅ 1942
View Details
Detective Comics #71
 
Low
$1.2k
Mid
$4k
High
$12k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #76
DC ⋅ 1943
View Details
Detective Comics #76
 
Low
$310
Mid
$950
High
$3.8k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #85
DC ⋅ 1944
View Details
Detective Comics #85
 
Low
$480
Mid
$1.4k
High
$4.8k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Batman #23
DC ⋅ 1944
View Details
Batman #23
 
Low
$350
Mid
$1.1k
High
$3.5k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang

Detective Comics #91
DC ⋅ 1944
View Details
Detective Comics #91
 
Low
$500
Mid
$1.5k
High
$5k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Batman #25
DC ⋅ 1944
View Details
Batman #25
 
Low
$450
Mid
$1.4k
High
$4.5k

Key Facts

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

Detective Comics #102
DC ⋅ 1945
View Details
Detective Comics #102
 
Low
$350
Mid
$1.1k
High
$3.5k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #109
DC ⋅ 1946
View Details
Detective Comics #109
 
Low
$250
Mid
$775
High
$2.7k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jack and Ray Burnley featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #114
DC ⋅ 1946
View Details
Detective Comics #114
 
Low
$615
Mid
$1.6k
High
$5.3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Batman #37
DC ⋅ 1946
View Details
Batman #37
 
Low
$650
Mid
$1.9k
High
$6.5k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jerry Robinson featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #118
DC ⋅ 1946
View Details
Detective Comics #118
 
Low
$260
Mid
$900
High
$3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Batman #40
DC ⋅ 1947
View Details
Batman #40
 
Low
$400
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jack Burnley featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #124
DC ⋅ 1947
View Details
Detective Comics #124
 
Low
$210
Mid
$625
High
$2.3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Bob Kane featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #128
DC ⋅ 1947
View Details
Detective Comics #128
 
Low
$300
Mid
$1k
High
$3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Batman #44
DC ⋅ 1947
View Details
Batman #44
 
Low
$1k
Mid
$3k
High
$10k

Key Facts

Cover art by Jim Mooney featuring the Joker

Batman #52
DC ⋅ 1949
View Details
Batman #52
 
Low
$610
Mid
$1.9k
High
$6.3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Jokermobile

Batman #55
DC ⋅ 1949
View Details
Batman #55
 
Low
$300
Mid
$1k
High
$3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #168
DC ⋅ 1951
View Details
Detective Comics #168
 
Low
$5.8k
Mid
$16.5k
High
$54k

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

Batman #66
DC ⋅ 1951
View Details
Batman #66
 
Low
$620
Mid
$1.8k
High
$6.2k

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

Detective Comics #180
DC ⋅ 1952
View Details
Detective Comics #180
 
Low
$230
Mid
$820
High
$2.3k

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

Batman #73
DC ⋅ 1952
View Details
Batman #73
 
Low
$680
Mid
$1.9k
High
$6.8k

Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang

Detective Comics #193
DC ⋅ 1953
View Details
Detective Comics #193
 
Low
$140
Mid
$425
High
$1.5k

Key Facts

Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Joker

World's Finest Comics #88
DC ⋅ 1957
View Details
World's Finest Comics #88
 
Low
$80
Mid
$200
High
$800

Key Facts

Team-up of Joker and Lex Luthor

Batman #136
DC ⋅ 1960
View Details
Batman #136
 
Low
$95
Mid
$280
High
$950

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff featuring the Joker

Batman #148
DC ⋅ 1962
View Details
Batman #148
 
Low
$25
Mid
$75
High
$400

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Batman Annual #3
DC ⋅ 1962
View Details
Batman Annual #3
 
Low
$20
Mid
$65
High
$330

Key Facts

Reprints of Batman's 'Most Fantastic Foes'

Batman #159
DC ⋅ 1963
View Details
Batman #159
 
Low
$20
Mid
$60
High
$310

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Batman #163
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1964
View Details
Batman #163
 
Values Coming Soon

Key Facts

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

Batman #186
DC ⋅ 1966
View Details
Batman #186
 
Low
$25
Mid
$90
High
$250

Key Facts

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

Batman #251
DC ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (9)
Batman #251
 
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

Joker, The #1
DC ⋅ 1975
View Details
Joker, The #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$160

Key Facts

First solo titled Joker series

Joker, The #8
DC ⋅ 1976
View Details
Joker, The #8
 
Low
$4
Mid
$12
High
$40

Key Facts

First meeting of Joker and Scarecrow

Batman #294
DC ⋅ 1977
View Details
Batman #294
 
Low
$2
Mid
$7
High
$20

Key Facts

Cover art featuring the Joker

Detective Comics #475
DC ⋅ 1978
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Detective Comics #475
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

Iconic story titled 'The Laughing Fish'

Detective Comics #476
DC ⋅ 1978
View Details
Detective Comics #476
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$55

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
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

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)
Batman: The Killing Joke #1
 
Price Trend
Low
$5
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

Batman #426
DC ⋅ 1988
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Batman #426
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$18

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 1

Batman #427
DC ⋅ 1989
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Batman #427
 
Low
$2
Mid
$5
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

Batman #428
DC ⋅ 1989
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Batman #428
 
Low
$4
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

View more (2)

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)
Batman #429
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$10

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
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$5

Key Facts

Cover art by Brian Bolland featuring the Joker

1 2 › »

Adjust Your Filters To See More Comics!

By default Key Collector searches for Standard Cover Key Issues.

Adjust the "Variants" and/or "Non-Key Issues" search filters above for additional content:

  • Variant Covers ([[totalVariants]])
  • Non-Key Issues ([[totalNonKeys]])

At Key Collector, our primary focus is on unearthing those rare Standard Cover Key Issues for you. However, the world of comic collectibles is vast and varied. We want to make sure you have the tools to explore it all!