Anyone that has read Batman knows of Joker to some degree. As known to many, he is the arch-nemesis of the Dark Knight and his ultimate enemy. His status as his most well-known oponent and obstacle comes from the Joker's complete obssession with the Caped Crusader, developed along the years as a vital part of the character. In turn, Batman too became partially obsessed with the capture and containment of Joker over his numerous appearances. In his first appearance in Batman #1 he was a straightforward homicidal maniac with the appearance of a joker card. In that same issue, he taunts the Gotham police department by declaring he will kill 3 of the city's most prominent citizens, which he achives with the installing of his signature and modus operandi, the killing of people with a venom that leaves a grin in their faces. The story is retold in the graphic novel The man who laughs in a different fashion, and not involving Robin.
During the golden age of Batman, he would constantly get caught by Batman and Robin, only to escape again and wreack more avoc. In his following appearances in the continuity of the Batman silver age, he lost many of his defining characteristics and was reduced to a goofy villain that was more of a nuisance than a public danger. Much of the character's essence was lost then, but was recovered in 1973 by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams, who gave back the character all of its murderous attitude and psychopath behavior in Batman issue #251. This together with the issues A death in the family and The killing joke redefined the character to become the modern Joker we know today.
Why I consider the Joker the Batman's greatest enemy and anthesis, is simply because he is the one who has inflincted the most suffering, pain and more deeply affected Batman psychologically amongst all of his foes. He repetedly attempts to coarce the bat into killing, and tries to make him go insane. His devious plans never gave Batman a chance to rest, and he has in occasions, attacked his friends just in order to provoke him, shooting Barbara Gordon, then Batgirl, and paralyzing her from the wait down and beating comissioner Gordon in The killing joke, and killing the second Robin in A death in the family.
The Joker's origins are a very debated aspect of his character, and while there are multiple versions, the persisting detail is that he went insane after falling in a chemicals vat and gaining his clown-like appearance. He has appeared in almost every media related to Batman, from Batman: The animated series to The Dark Knight.
Waht reawakened my fascination with the Joker, was precisely his appearance in Batman: Arkham Asylum for PS3 and XBOX 360, where he is wonderfully represented.
As for closing remarks, i'd like to add that what is most intricate about the character is that no one knows wheather the Joker is truly insane or not. His constant maddening plans only make sense to him, and he does not want anyone to understand why. Many explanations are given for his behavior, from a mental disorder to psychological torture he might have endured. He has hidden his true face well, while never letting anyone even suspect what lurks in his mind. From my point of view, the Joker is a troubled soul who finds confort in absolute mayhem. Maybe he originally had another objective but lost sight of it with time, maybe not, but now all he cares for is satisfying his crazy desires and "amuse" himself. Maybe we'll never know why he is like he is, but that's part of him.
What do you think of him?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
religion by an unhealthy passion of anime and manga. Well, otakus don't blow up towers, so they're a bit different."
No comments:
Post a Comment