Top 5 Must-Read Joker Stories

Last year was Batman’s 75th Anniversary, and 2015 is Joker’s turn. Created for Batman #1, in 1940 the Joker was modeled after Conrad Veidt in the film The Man Who Laughs. 

The dark, terrifying character was originally meant to be a stand-alone villain, never making out of his first appearance alive. 75 years later, he’s one of the most enduring characters in comic history.

He’s been around a long time, but thankfully isn’t one of those characters (Wolverine) who is constantly over-used throughout the years. When he shows up, he’s a big deal, and rightfully so.

Here are our top 5 essential Joker stories to kick off his anniversary. You really want to understand the Joker? Read these:

"Batman vs. The Joker (Batman #1, 1940)His first appearance. In this story the Joker has no giant mallet, no gun that shoots an extending boxing glove. It’s dark, bleak and genuinely scary for its time. He was a spree killer with no over-the-top gadgets or gimmicks…other than his ironic, ghoulish appearance. It took decades to get back to this portrayal of the villain."

"Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (1989)One of Grant Morrison’s earliest and most iconic forays into Batman’s universe, Arkham Asylum set the tone for the next 2 decades of Batman storytelling. It used the asylum as a backdrop to deconstruct not only our notions of Batman’s greatest villains, but also to bring out the twisted gothic tone of his entire universe. Joker’s morbid sense of humor is brought to the forefront of the tale, reinforced by the gloriously abstract art of Dave McKean (Sandman)."

"Slayride (Detective Comics #826, 2007)A fantastic standalone story by Batman: The Animated Series scribe (and creator of Harley Quinn) Paul Dini. This was when DC was using the title Batman as a venue for continuing arcs and Detective Comics as a series of episodic crime stories. I wish it was still like that.In this issue, Joker kidnaps Robin and goes on killing spree, mowing people down in a car. ‘Kind of funny, us running into each other this way, huh? You’ll never believe it, but I couldn’t have planned this. Not in a million years. I just happened to be out, enjoying the holiday atmosphere when I saw you with those thugs on your tail. So I thought, “Hey, the kid’s in trouble. Why not cut him a break?” I mean, we never do this — just hang out. We’re always trying to, I don’t know… is “destroy each other” too melodramatic?’, said the Joker. Robin then precedes to call the villain out for not really being insane, but someone who wants people to think so. It’s a pretty big slap to Joker’s ego and a brilliant piece of storytelling."

"A Death in the Family (Batman #426-428, 1988-89)I don’t find this story as nuanced or compelling as our #1 story, but this arc has ramifications for decades to follow. In it, midst a general dislike for Jason Todd’s Robin, DC followed through on its ‘should-he-live-or-die’ polls it gathered from readers. The audience spoke, and in a narrow margin it was decided that Robin #2 would bite the dust at the hands of the Joker. In a sobering and gruesome scene, Todd is murdered by the villain, beaten to death with a crowbar. It’s not talked about much, but there’s also some subtle implications that Robin may have been sexually assaulted as well. A dark Joker story indeed."

"The Killing Joke (1988)The greatest of all Batman/Joker tales, IMO. The great Alan Moore (Watchmen) was the first writer to really delve into what makes the Joker tick, giving us an alleged origin story for the first time in comics. In it, he’s down on his luck, desperate to provide for his family and used as a pawn by criminals. One bad day, he maintains, is all it takes to turn a good person into someone like the Joker. To prove it, he shoots Barbara Gordon in the stomach to make her barren, incidentally severing her spine, then kidnaps Jim Gordon, all in an attempt to manufacture a new villain. All just to make a point. It’s dark, it’s gritty, it’s superbly crafted and stands alone at the top of what makes the Joker who and what he is.More from OpinionX-Men: 6 reasons why Marvel’s mutants are the best superhero teamWWE: 6 superstars who should Jade Cargill feud with first (and one she shouldn’t)Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17 review – Thunderclap, Part 2Spider-Man: Miles and Peter team-up for their first ongoing seriesLoki season 2: All 6 episodes ranked from worst to bestWe want to hear from you! As always leave us your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!Want more Batman? Download the Fansided.com app for more Batman news! Don’t forget to like Caped Crusades on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!Really love Batman? Caped Crusades is always looking for volunteer writers! Leave us a comment, email meatcapedcrusades@gmail.com, or apply on Fansided.com!"