Joker (The Batman)

"All it takes is one, rotten day, to transform a normal man into a monster... well, in my case, a rotten day and a chemical bath."

- Joker on his origins.

The Joker is the main antagonist of the cartoon show The Batman.

He was voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, who also played Lester Krinklesac in The Cleveland Show, and Captain Gantu in the Lilo & Stitch franchise by Disney.

The Joker
In this series he is only referred to as simply "Joker" and never as "the Joker" - he had wild green hair, red eyes, dark red lips and a milky blue tongue. He was born by falling into a vat of chemicals, which bleached his skin, dyed his hair and drove him to insanity. In his first few appearances his costume consists of a purple sleeved straitjacket, blue pants, fingerless gloves and bare feet. Later in the series, he regressed back the more traditional garb of a purple suit and spats, but still had wild hair and wore no shoes, save one episode (which had mechanical stilts concealed in them). Joker also moves and fights with a monkey-like style, using his feet as dexterously as his hands, and often hangs from the walls and ceilings.

Whilst it can be argued that this version of the Clown Prince of Crime more resembles the colorful, comic relief character featured in the comics of the 1950s and 1960s, he is still a highly dangerous, knowledgeable and cruel character - whilst most of his crimes are silly and prank-like in nature, they can still be legitimately destructive. He treats each of his crimes like an elaborate joke designed to make his victims literally die laughing. Due to his unpredictable nature, bizarre appearance and unnerving instinct for the absurd he has earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous criminals in Gotham.

He believes himself to be inextricably linked to the Batman, and considers him to be his favorite sparring partner and opponent - he says their relationship is "like comedy and tragedy - two sides, same coin". His weapons include his signature Joker venom (called "Joker Gas" in the series), razor sharp playing cards, grenades with Joker smiles on them and a bomb shaped like a Jack-in-the-Box. One of his most famous crimes was creating the supervillain Clayface. Joker captured and tortured detective Ethan Bennet, in order to drive him mad, he exposed Bennet to "Joker putty" a deadly chemical he created which mutated Bennet transforming him into the shape-shifting monster Clayface. As Clayface Bennet would attempt to get revenge on Joker many times. It is possible that this incarnation of the Joker has an origin similar to the Killing Joke, as he mentions having always wanted to make people laugh, in a flashback to his origins he is shown wearing red clothes after emerging from the chemicals suggesting at the very least a red hood origin. It is also hinted that Joker will one day cripple Batgirl as in The Killing Joke, as Barbara Gordon is shown to be confined to a wheelchair in the future. He also maintains a rivalry with the Penguin for the title of Gotham's greatest criminal. In one episode, there's a near almighty version of Joker, Joker 2.0, who is presumably based on Emperor Joker.

This Joker has often switched from a prankster-like clown to be a much darker murdering psychopath and his body count can be arguably ranged from 19 to 30 victims on screen.

The Batman vs. Dracula
Joker serves as a major antagonist in the movie.

At one point Joker got bitten by Dracula and became a vampire. His hair turned white, his eyes turned bluish-white, and his clothes were affected as well. Unlike all the other vampires, however, he retained his individuality and his speech as well as gaining vampiric superhuman strength and speed. Nevertheless he is still incapable of betraying Dracula's resting place. He stays this way until Batman managed to find a cure and revert Joker back to normal. As a side effect, Joker didn't remember anything after his meeting with Penguin outside of Dracula's mausoleum and is sent to Arkham Asylum shortly after being cured.

History
Like his other incarnations past, he fell into a vat of chemicals transforming him into Joker. Though it doesn't say that he was involved in any crimes or fought Batman when he fell in.

At Arkham Asylum, Joker released the inmates and even poisoned one of the workers with Joker Venom, but he was later cured. Joker encountered Batman at the asylum as the Dark Knight was shocked to see him. They fought but Joker escaped, planning to spread his deadly laughing gas all around the city. While on his blimp, he fought Batman and was nearly knocked off the edge, he then landed in the ocean and finally captured by the police.

Later, he escaped Arkham Asylum, and was now wielded with a laser-like gun which could transform people into human-sized playing cards. With this, his new goal was to execute those who "did him wrong". Batman confronted him and saved his captives, finally defeating Joker with his own weapon and sent him back to the asylum.

Joker and his two goons named Punch and Judy, now used a weapon which melted anything. He robbed a bank and escaped the police, finally heading to a Statue which he melted. The Detectives and Batman fought him and his goons, but he once again escaped. Batman soon confronted him when he captured Detective Ethan Bennett during his attempt to drive him insane like him by destroying his mind. Joker used a smiling shield to help him fight Batman but Batman knocked him out with a punch. It is later revealed that the gas from his weapon caught Ethan; thus transforming him into Clayface.

Joker now wants to become Batman and transform Batman into himself by infecting him with a special venom which will make him die laughing under 24 hours. Batman did not apprehend his opponents like Batman but used his Joker Venom on them. He infected an old lady, some GCPD officers, the Mayor's wife, a crook and a litterer with it. Batman eventually cured himself and then drove him back to becoming Joker by telling him a joke.

The evil clown escapes once again after being attacked by Clayface and finds Detective Ethan Bennett which he planned to drop from a building to kill. Bennett is then revealed to be Clayface and tries to murder Joker however Batman interferes which allows Joker to escape. The clown is then see committing robberies but he fights Clayface and Batman comes to capture Joker successfully but Clayface escapes.

Joker pirates the airwaves of Gotham in order to broadcast his crimes on TV as entertainment to his audience. Ellen Ying soon has a new partner, Cash Tankison, who Joker captures and has him as his latest "co-star". Joker also gasses both the Mayor and Cash Tankinson with Joker Venom and planned to kill them but Joker was arrested with Batman's help and the hostages were saved.

Professor Hugo Strange creates a device which allows the user to go into a victim's mind. Joker has Yin hostage and refuses to tell anyone where his holding her, so Batman infiltrates Joker's mind with the invention to discover her location. He manages to find out by placing Joker into his mind and rescues her.

Joker, Penguin and Riddler battle control over Gotham. They then do a deal, saying anyone who is able to capture and unmask Batman will be able to control Gotham City. The three are defeated and captured by Batman.

After getting hold on Bane's venom, Joker becomes a raging strongman known as Brawn. However, when Batman fails to stop him, Batgirl must learn to defeat the enhanced Joker and she succeeds.

When a rare Black Siberian is stolen, Batman and Batgirl suspect Catwoman is responsible. However, Joker is the true thief and brings the cats to Kilgore Steed. It is a maze of doom filled with dangerous creatures, so Joker forces them to run for their lives. The three become successful in escaping alive and ultimately defeat the Clown Prince of Crime once again. Joker also ends up betraying Killgore by gassing him with Joker Venom.

With Batman having his sidekick, Joker becomes jealous and wants a sidekick too. So he recruits a school prankster who calls himself "Prank". He and Prank bomb the streets with giant gumballs and Joker orders him to kill Batgirl with it, but he refuses to kill. Joker then attempts to throw him in a Vat of Chemicals in order to give him the courage to kill and create another Joker. Batman and Batgirl though find them and rescue Prank from him. Joker tries to get them into the chemicals with a gun, but Prank knocks him out and it is revealed that it was a false gun.

Joker alongside Punch and Judy head to a factory where he plans to infect every dog in Gotham with Joker Venom. Although Clayface is revealed to be his henchmen and helps Batman capture Joker.

After Harleen Quinzel is fired from her job, Joker recruits her into becoming Harley Quinn. Joker helps her try and get revenge on the people responsible for firing her. In a resulting explosion which knocks out Quinn, Joker escapes and Quinn is captured but she still remains with him.

Like many other criminals, Joker is captured by Rumor and is later taken down by Batman and Robin alongside Harley.

As the Joining invade Earth, Joker and many other criminals help the police in destroying the alien forces.

Joker becomes the Conductor of a Train and uses its lights to manipulate others, making them have tortured and uncontrollable laughter and commit crimes by stealing things and placing it on Joker's ship. Joker plans to escape the city once and for all with many valuables before finally blowing it up with many Dynamite below. The three heroes manage to steal the battery of the detonator to prevent the explosion and defeat him again.

While on a scheme to get rich, one of Joker's henchmen, Marty Slacker, creates a duplicate of Joker by downloading his mind into a computer. Joker 2.0 is then created with WayneTech's nanobots. Joker is turned on by his clone though Joker 2.0 is eventually defeated and Joker alongside his henchmen are apprehended.

Two criminals known as Wrath and Scorn plan to end Batman and Robin by helping criminals. They helped Joker steal money and he alongside Killer Croc, the Ventriloquist and Penguin where told they will help them defeat Batman. Though the two know his secret identity and finally end him while they are in custody, Joker infects them with laughing gas to stop them from talking and claims he will be the only one to end Batman.

Appearances

 * The Bat in the Belfry
 * Topsy Turvy
 * The Rubberface of Comedy
 * The Clayface of Tragedy
 * The Laughing Bat
 * Meltdown
 * JTV
 * Strange Minds
 * Night and the City
 * A Fistful of Felt
 * Brawn
 * The Laughing Cats
 * The Apprentice
 * Clayfaces
 * Two of a Kind
 * Rumors
 * The Joining Part 2
 * Joker Express
 * The Metal Face of Comedy
 * The End of The Batman
 * The Batman vs. Dracula

Equipment

 * Joker Venom: Joker's Venom and Gases will make victims die laughing and with a large Joker-like grin. The Mayor, Cash Tankinson and an unnamed Arkham Asylum worker were cured and saved from this.
 * Joy Buzzer: Joker used a deadly Joy Buzzer which he killed or knocked out victims with.
 * Razor Cards: Regular looking joker cards which is capable of cutting through flesh. Joker used them as shurikens and knives.
 * Boxing Glove Arm: A spring-loaded arm with a Boxing Glove which Joker used to knock out victims with.
 * Custom Explosives: Explosives which are painted in green and purple as well as having Joker's face on it. He used them as grenades.
 * Putty Gun: A gun with specialized liquid which could turn anything or anyone into putty. This transformed Detective Ethan Bennett into Clayface.
 * Card Gun: A gun which can shoot lasers to imprison victims in life-sized playing cards.
 * Jack N' The Box: Jack N' The Boxes can rather launch out Jacks or explode which is capable of destroying bridges.
 * Mallet: A mallet which Joker used in an attempt to kill Batman in anger.
 * Blimp: Joker used two Blimps to fly over Gotham. One was filled with Joker Gas.
 * Smiley Face: A shield which Joker used in combat against Batman.
 * Spinning Wheel: A specialized spinning wheel which Joker used to drive Ethan Bennett insane.
 * Batman's Gadgets: Joker had a Batsuit, Utility Belt, Batarangs and Batropes during his night of impersonating Batman.
 * Spring Shoes: Spring Shoes which Joker used in one of his robberies and his attempt to kill Clayface/Ethan Bennett.
 * Bane's Venom: Joker stole some of Bane's Venom to gain superhuman strength and growth.
 * Gumball Machine: A machine which launched life-sized gumballs which caused police officers to stick to buildings. Joker attempted to kill Batgirl with it by tying her to one of the gumballs and launching it.
 * Shovel: A shovel which Joker used against Batman.
 * Train: A train which Joker used in one of his schemes.
 * Explosive Pie: A pie with a grenade within it.
 * Wrist-Mounted Rocket: A rocket which Joker used in his attempt to steal a weapon capable of destroying structures with loud sounds. As Batman stopped Joker, the rocket accidentally injured a civilian.
 * Ice Cream Van: An Ice Cream Van which Joker used as his personal vehicle.
 * Unidentified Gas: An unidentified gas which Joker used to rather knock out or kill the police officers during one of his kidnappings of the Mayor.
 * Fire Engine: A fire engine which was filled with Joker's deadly gas. Joker used it in an attempt to assassinate the Mayor but Batman stopped him.

Crimes

 * Bat in the Belfry: Joker infected one of Arkham Asylum's workers with Joker Venom and then intended to gas the entire city with it. This failed as Batman had him arrested and disposed of the deadly gases.
 * Topsy Turvy: Joker had various victims captured so he could trap them in giant life-sized playing cards which he could later kill. He also had an old person disguised as him who carried it out and threatened to hurt him if he talked. The victims were saved with Batman defeating Joker again.
 * The Rubberface of Comedy: With a new weapon, Joker broke into and robbed a Bank, changed the face of Gotham's new statue and stole a piece of art which he later used as a shield. He then broke the mind of Detective Ethan Bennett who he later wanted to kill but accidentally turned him into Clayface. He was later defeated by the Dark Knight.
 * The Laughing Bat: Joker mocked the Caped Crusader as he now dressed up as Batman and started punishing "criminals" who committed minor crimes. He attack various people with Joker Venom including a small-time criminal for a one time offense, an old lady for having her red light on while driving, a man for littering and the Mayor's wife for buying too much. He then attempted to attack two young girls for "graffiti" but was stopped. Joker later injected Batman with another version of Joker Venom which will give him 24 hours to live until he dies laughing. But Batman was cured and Joker was turned back to his old way after his defeat.
 * Meltdown: Joker began his robberies and stole many valuables until encountering Ethan Bennett. Joker stole his jacket and sadistically tried to kill him by throwing him off a building. Joker then completely made Bennett go insane and turn to a life of crime. Joker was nearly murdered by him but Batman captured Joker.
 * JTV: Joker pirated the airwaves for everyone to watch his show JTV where he would attempt to make them die laughing. Joker captured the Mayor and Cash Tankinson who he planned to kill for later as well as robbing the bank with many Officers left gassed with Joker Venom. He then attempted to kill his hostages and spread Joker Venom all over the city to cause victims to die laughing. Batman managed to stop the gas, save the hostages and arrest Joker.
 * Strange Minds: Joker kidnapped Detective Ellen Yin and trapped her in a Jack N' The Box which is set to explode and kill her in 8 hours. When Batman and Hugo Strange, Joker tried to completely drive them insane. They managed to locate and save Ellen.

Quotes
"The show must go on."

- The Joker

"Break in at the Gotham Museum of Art. This looks like a job for...the Batman."

"The Batman, what if I hadn't been decent."

"Where?"

"Another voice in my head? The more the merrier!"

"What are you going to do? Lock me in the looney bin? I'm already here!"

"A very thin line separates normality, from insanity... life brings thousands of tiny torments, in all shapes, sizes and flavors..."

"Either I'm crazy or YOU'RE MELTING!"

"But my dear, flunky, you left the meds outside."

"Who you calling tall?"

"Every time I bring my brand of funny to Gotham, the only sound I hear is..."

"The Batman? My biggest fan...Punch, run this out for him, please.""

Trivia

 * This version of the Joker, next to Jack Nicholson's portrayal, is the only one who refers to himself as "Joker" instead of "The Joker".
 * When the character of Gotham's Mayor Grange warned Joker he would not get away with his latest scheme in one episode, he had some experience saying that, as he was played by TV's original Batman, Adam West, who in his time had faced down another Joker.
 * Joker's use of Venom to become a Bane-like powerhouse in this series pre-dated the Arkhamverse Joker doing something similar by 5 or so years.
 * This version of Joker shares a resemblance with his version interpreted by the late Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight: both, having kidnapped a law official (Ethan Bennett in The Batman, Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight) corrupts them into two criminals.

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Joker (The Batman)