the-joker

The joker photo -

The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in publications by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger and Bob Kane, and first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940). The credit for creating the character is disputed, as both Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's design, but acknowledged Finger's writing contribution. Intended to be killed off during his initial appearance, the Joker was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman.
Throughout his comic book appearances, the Joker is portrayed as a highly intelligent, master criminal. Originally introduced as a psychopath with a warped and sadistic sense of humor, the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to the regulation of the Comics Code Authority, before being returned to his darker, homicidal roots in the early 1970s. As Batman's nemesis, Joker has been a part of many of the defining stories of that character, including the paralysis of Batman's ally Batgirl, and the murder of Jason Todd, Batman's ward and the second Robin. The Joker has been given a variety of origin stories throughout his seven decades in publication, but the most common has him falling into a tank of chemical waste, which bleaches his skin white, turns his hair green and his lips bright red, with the resulting disfigurement driving him insane. Presented as the complete antithesis to Batman's character, the Joker has been repeatedly analyzed by critics as the perfect adversary for the superhero.
One of the most iconic and recognized characters in popular culture, the Joker has been repeatedly identified as one of, if not the greatest comic book villain, and one of the most popular fictional characters. The Joker's prevalence has seen him adapted into a variety of merchandise, such as clothing and collectable items, real-world structures such as theme park attractions, and references in an array of media.
The Joker has appeared as an adversary for Batman across a wide spectrum of media in both live-action and animated incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series where he is portrayed by Cesar Romero, and in film by Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008), for which Ledger posthumously earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Mark Hamill, Brent Spiner and Michael Emerson, among many others, have voiced the character in animation.