Today is a special day for DC Comics. April 25, 2017 marks the 77th anniversary of the Joker‘s first appearance in Batman #1 in 1940. Closing in on 80 years, this iconic villain has terrorized and terrified the citizens of Gotham, as he’s become a huge and cherished part of popular culture. Show his image to any person around the world and they’re certain to know exactly who he is.
Throughout the years, we’ve seen different variations of the popular character, from Cesar Romero’s goofy prankster, to Heath Ledger’s anarchic psychopath, to even Jared Leto’s tattooed gangster. Nonetheless, no era of Batman has ever been truly complete without the addition of the Clown Prince of Crime in the universe as well (Rebirth, you better hurry up because you’re slacking at the moment).
Since it’s his special day, we’ve decided to look back at the character’s history and pick out 10 of his best moments. Undoubtedly, there are many others to cite, but these are the ones that really stood out for us.
So, to quote the late Heath Ledger’s turn as the infamous clown in The Dark Knight, “here we go.”
