As we all know, Joker does not have a set in stone origin story or identity. However, if you had to give him one, how would YOU do it?
Batman
Character » Batman appears in 23537 issues.
Bruce Wayne, who witnessed the murder of his billionaire parents as a child, swore to avenge their deaths. He trained extensively to achieve mental and physical perfection, mastering martial arts, detective skills, and criminal psychology. Costumed as a bat to prey on the fears of criminals, and utilizing a high-tech arsenal, he became the legendary Batman.
Joker's Origin: YOU Make It.
I don't think anybody could top the (pretty much) official storyline of him being dropped in chemicals. I prefer the version from The Killing Joke.
@ImTheDamnBatman said:
As we all know, Joker does not have a set in stone origin story or identity. However, if you had to give him one, how would YOU do it?
I was literally thinking of making this exact same thread just the other day...
@ApeKindaBaked said:
I don't think anybody could top the (pretty much) official storyline of him being dropped in chemicals. I prefer the version from The Killing Joke.
The Red Hood getting dropped in chemicals bit is 100% canon. The thing know one knows is who exactly the Red Hood was. A ruthless crime boss? Or a family man down on his luck? Something else entirely?
Honestly my favorite Joker origin is a fan fiction.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5565921/1/Alone
As the story goes along it literally just gets better and better and better and better.
I don't really care too much, considering how much lying Joker's done about it over the years.
BUT, major points:
1. Joker must be something aside from a street thug (i.e. insane, bleached skin due to chemicals, etc. Not supernatural, just really strange)
2. (more importantly) Must be Batman's fault (i.e. Batman had a hand in making him)
I always liked the theory that "the Joker was a former employee of the Haly Brothers Circus, which was documented to have connections with the mob. It is reasonable to theorize that the Joker is a disgruntled former employee that had bad business with the mob."
Chuck Dixon, for my money, had one of the best ideas for the Joker that'll never see print.
Dixon saw the Joker less as a singular person, than a concept, much like Batman/Ras Al Ghul in the Dark Knight trilogy.
This explains why the Joker's portrayal throughout the ages has varied. It's not the same person, rather than a series of individuals with their own sense of style and crime.
Grant Morrison explained this gap by the Joker's "power" being "hyper sanity" that allows him to adapt to the zeitgeist of the current age.
@ApeKindaBaked said:
I don't think anybody could top the (pretty much) official storyline of him being dropped in chemicals. I prefer the version from The Killing Joke.
Same.
@hoole100 said:
The whole Red Hood/Killing Joke concept is cool and all, but after reading Lovers and Madmen i really gravitated toward that whole joker origin. I find it more frightening in a way really.
I concur. Lovers and Madmen was probably the best story that came out of Batman Confidential. Probably one of the most overlooked/under appreciated Joker stories of the (at least) the last decade.
Honestly I'd prefer Joker's past to be completely unknown and mysterious. He's just one of those characters that are so messed up, you can't imagine how he'd get there. Being dropped in chemicals still doesn't entirely make sense to me (other than his appearance, which could have been done just as well with makeup and dye). And sure the chemicals could account for his insanity but why wouldn't the doctors at Arkham consider the cure? And with these chemicals lying around, why aren't there more Jokers? (I'm not even going to go into what they did to Harley in the new 52) Sure, his background story might satisfy curious minds but I feel it takes away from his creepiness.
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