Celebrating 77 Years Of The Joker: 10 Of His Best Moments

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." The Laughing Fish No one really knows the reasons for Joker's crimes. Sometimes, you wonder if he even knows what he's doing himself. However, one time, he committed a crime that bordered on absolute genius. Basically, he poisoned the river of Gotham and turned the fish into grotesque reflections of him. Now, this wasn't to kill people, which is his normal modus operandi. No, he did this in order to copyright the fish and collect a percentage of the sales. When a copyright clerk told him he can't really do that, Joker spent the rest of his time trying to kill him as revenge. Typical. This story was so popular and successful that it received the animated treatment on an episode of Batman: The Animated Series, and is constantly cited as one of the best of the series. "The Laughing Fish" might not be the worst or craziest thing that the green-haired psychopath has ever done, but it's certainly one of the funniest. Killing Jason Todd Leading up to Batman #428, the Joker had done many things to irk and annoy the Caped Crusader over the years. However, nothing could've prepared Batman for his most sinister act yet: killing Jason Todd, the second Robin, in shocking and gruesome fashion. This was a true turning point for the character, as it showed how despicable and nefarious he could truly be despite his smile and ha-has. It's easily the pivotal moment that elevated him to the pantheon of great villains. Sure, Jason was a whiny sod and we did technically vote for his death, but man, Mr. J was unrelentingly brutal here. Furthermore, if you're looking for the one event that solidified the Joker as the Dark Knight's greatest foe, look no further. To this day, Batman still feels responsibility for Jason's murder, even more so than his parents'. This one hit hard, and it was all the clown's doing. Making Batman Laugh When you think of Batman, you don't associate him with humor or good times. In fact, he's probably the sort of guy who ends up patting the dog at the party and driving all his drunk friends home. That said, the Joker did make him laugh with one of his stupidest jokes, ever. In the finale of The Killing Joke, after all the havoc that the Clown Prince of Crime has caused to Bats, Jim, and Barbara, he tells his arch-rival a silly joke. Once he's done with the punch line, he giggles to himself about it - and surprisingly, so does Batman. What happens afterwards is still a debate to many, as some believe the Dark Knight finally broke his steadfast rule and ended his foe. However, this isn't the point here. What does matter is that the Joker turned Batman's frown upside down with his comedy. Breaking His Own Neck Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns introduces us to an older, grizzlier Bruce Wayne. When he returns to being Batman, though, the Joker quickly awakens from his catatonic state, ready for some more fun with Batsy. Like clockwork, Batman chases after his nemesis and tracks him down at a country fair. The old Bat pummels the hell out of the clown, leaving him brutalized and paralyzed. But he still refuses to break his one rule. In a final moment of revenge, the Joker breaks his own neck to incriminate his rival for murder. Wow. To him, it's always been a game that he refuses to lose. Batman is his favorite playmate, and he always pushes the Dark Knight to break his self-imposed rule. He cheated here, obviously, but he got the final laugh. It's diabolical, yet somewhat brilliant. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's graphic novel, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, isn't the easiest read around. The art style and narrative flow are daunting at times, but if you stick with it, you'll uncover one of the greatest Joker tales ever. As the inmates take over Arkham, good ol' Mr. J takes the lead, taunting and provoking the Dark Knight to stop them. It's a story filled with mind-altering twists and turns that'll take you to the depths of insanity and leave you cold and shivering. At the end of it, you'll put it down and certainly need a nap to recover. In more recent times, the graphic novel has served as an inspiration for the popular video game Arkham Asylum - which is also worth checking out if you haven't done so already. It's a crazy affair, but when it comes to the Joker, are you even surprised by this? Martha Wayne In one of DC's many alternate universes, Flashpoint, Bruce Wayne is the one who's killed while his parents survive the infamous shooting. Thomas Wayne goes on to become the Batman of his Earth, while Martha transforms into the Flashpoint's Joker. Unlike the original Joker, her motivations are pretty clear: she's lashing out at the world for losing her son and her husband for failing to save him. It gives a unique perspective and clarity to the character that we don't normally see. In a way, we can actually sympathize with her for her loss. What this storyline did prove is one thing: there's no Batman without Joker and vice versa. They need each other to coexist and are doomed to do this same dance until one of them dies. You Ever Dance With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight? Tim Burton's Batman contained quite a few Joker gems courtesy of Jack Nicholson. Yet, his exchange with Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne in Vicki Vale's apartment should be recognized as a national cinema treasure. When Bruce smashed the vase and screams, "you wanna get nuts? C'mon, let's get nuts," and the Joker replied with, "you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?", you probably wondered what the heck he was talking about. Well, guess what? He didn't know, either. He openly admitted he always asked his prey that because he likes the sound of it. That, my friends, is pure Joker right there. There's no reason for what he does except that he just likes doing it. Heck, if you still have doubts about his insanity, check out his dance to Prince's "Partyman" as he trashes the Gotham City Art Museum. It's a lunatic's treat. Let's Put A Smile On That Face Raise your hand if you were one of the people who thought Heath Ledger was going to suck as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Well, let's just say, he made us all eat our words and then some. Ledger's performance wasn't just good; it was Oscar-winning good. There are so many quotable lines to pick out from the film, but ultimately, "let's put a smile on that face" has to rank as the most memorable. The reason is simply because it perfectly encapsulates a critical facet of his character: violence. While "why so serious?" is another often-quoted line, there's something far more sinister in hearing him say he's going to mutilate someone's face. The Clown Prince of Crime is one sick puppy, and this line speaks volumes of what he's capable of doing. Combined with Ledger's brilliant delivery, it stands as one of the greatest movie moments of the past decade. Peeling Off His Face Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Death of the Family arc might just be the quintessential Joker story. No other tale has terrified, intrigued, and brought as much chaos as this one did back in 2012. Another thing it did really well is it gave us the scariest version of the clown yet. Prior to this storyline, the Joker got himself captured by Batman and sent to Arkham Asylum so that he could meet with the Dollmaker and get his face surgically removed. What's even creepier though is that he then pinned it to the wall to symbolize his rebirth. Yes, guys and girls, Mr. J peeled off his own face just because he could. If that wasn't weird enough, he later wore it as a mask, while murdering and causing all sorts of trouble in Gotham City. As shocking as it is to think of him removing his face, I don't think there's one single person surprised by it. Hands down, this self-mutilation remains the most deranged thing he's ever done to himself. Joker And Harley Waltz Yeah, sure, Suicide Squad had its (numerous) faults and blunders, but it did provide us with an iconic scene: Joker and Harley in their Sunday best as they waltzed in a wonderful tribute to the legendary Alex Ross cover. While it was more fan service than an actual advancement of the plot (if there even was one in the first place), it made longtime fans geek out for that second or two. Not only did we get to see Harley in her traditional jester outfit, but her beau looked rather spiffy in his dashing attire as well. With most of his stupid tattoos covered up, Jared Leto's Joker was the epitome of panache in black and white, evoking memories of the well-dressed villain of years past. It sort of makes you wonder why this getup wasn't the inspiration for the whole film, rather than his Lil Wayne couture… Nonetheless, Suicide Squad did give us this classic moment, and for that, we should be forever grateful. Tell us, which is your favorite Joker moment of the past 77 years? Did we leave out any special ones? As always, please let us know in the comments section below.