If you were to conduct an unofficial poll amongst avid comic book readers as to whom their most popular character is, chances are that the name Joker will crop up very often. The Joker is one of the most popular characters who populate DC comics’ Gotham City, where he battles his nemesis Batman.

In the beginning, the Joker was just one of the various villains who Batman had to fight against. He was unusual in that there were no superpowers attributed to him, and he was able to deal out death and destruction because of his phenomenal intelligence. Joker is shown as being an expert in chemical engineering and weapons design. Another thing that makes Joker unique in the world of comic book crime is that he is absolutely insane. As a matter of fact, he is a regular at the Arkham Asylum and Batman is unable to find a way to keep him in there for long stretches.

Although the story of Joker’s origins changes from time to time, what is known about him is that he was a criminal to fell into a vat of toxic liquid. He emerged from it with his life intact, but with a badly disfigured face. However, the main effect of this poisonous substance was to make him totally insane.

Joker has managed to make the transition from just another comic book villain to a cultural icon, which is not a small accomplishment, given that there is no dearth of villains with interesting stories. One of the possible reasons for Joker’s immense popularity could be that people, while transfixed by his murderous actions, are not clear about what his exact motivations are. There are times that Joker seems to be completely evil, but on the other hand there are times when his humanity, albeit troubled, can be glimpsed. Whichever way you look at it, his character is one of the most deep and complex ones to be found in comics, either on screen or in print.

This dichotomy can be seen very clearly in Batman films, and this has contributed to the zooming popularity of the films and of Joker. The decision of the movie makers to cast iconic actors to play this role could also have something to do with this. Jack Nicholson has managed a very creditable portrayal on Joker in 1989’s Batman film which won him many accolades from critics and audiences alike. The character of Joker got a complete overhaul when Heath Ledger got to play the role in the Dark Knight which released in 2008. He played Joker as a complete homicidal maniac without a shred of pity or human emotions, which was a departure from previous portrayals but was responsible for the movie’s stupendous success at the box office. His portrayal of Joker has been termed a masterpiece by critics.

There has been no looking back for Joker after the success of this movie. Heath Ledger’s premature death at 28, even before the film was released, helped to seal Joker’s iconic status in popular culture.

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Category: Entertainment
Keywords: Joker, batman, Gotham City, comic book, Heath Ledger