Related
With one of the greatest rivalries in comic book history , the never - terminate war betweenBatmanandJokerhas long defined the city of Gotham . take in their first encounter back inBatman#1 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger , the sworn enemies have kept DC reader coming back for more ever since . With eight decades ' worth of writer and artists leaving their own unequaled marks on the characters , there ’s a variety of great comics that explore different aspects of the hero sandwich and villain .
Together , Batman and Joker have shared some of the most entertaining and thrilling comics from DC , with some stories even seeing the duo team up . With the wedge defend moral order and the baddie embodying sinister bedlam , they form the perfect contrast between good and wickedness , something that has made them genuinely iconic . Through their competition , the very essence of what makes a good superhero comedian has been search , delivering several generations of readers non - give up fun .
10Batman: Europa(2016)
Brian Azzarello, Matteo Casali, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Diego Latorre and Jim Lee
Batman : Europafollows Batman and Joker in an unlikely alliance after the revelation that they ’ve both been infected with the same mysterious virus . ineffective to find a cure , the Dark Detective and his clown pardner determine off for Europe , chasing down cue that will discover the culprit behind their infection . act a sick secret plan of cat and shiner set up by the brainiac , the duo change of location across Europe , from Prague to Paris .
Batman : Europaremains one of the good squad - ups between the rivals , one that explores Batman ’s practicality , but also his hatred for his scourge . Revealing an improbable villain behind the scheme , the miniseries highlight the detective acquisition of the poor boy , while also showing readers the tension between the characters .
9"A Death in the Family" (1988)
Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo
During the Batman story arc " A Death in the Family , " Joker kidnaps the second Robin , Jason Todd , viciously beating him almost to death with a crowbar , leaving an explosion to eat up the job . Upon finding the physical structure of his new cellblock , Batman swears vengeance , act on the Joker all the way to the United Nations , where Superman tries to stop him from crossing the line .
" A Death In the Family " is more than just the execution of Jason Todd , with much of the floor dedicated to Batman ’s quest for justice – and the blurry line between justice and vengeance . With the flaky twist of Joker becoming Iran ’s diplomatist to the UN , the Caped Crusader is forced to cypher with international law as he judge to fetch down his foeman once and for all .
Despite a report for defective strip , the 1990s were kind to DC . In fact , some of the publishing house ’s best books stem from comics ' weirdest X
8"Endgame" (2014)
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
During Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo ’s time on Batman , the war between Joker and The Dark Knight reached a simmering stop in the " Endgame " history . Beginning with the hero forced to fend off an attack from a Jokerized Justice League , he comes face - to - case with the Clown Prince of Crime , who menace Gotham itself . Things escalate when the villain drive down the city ’s streets in a tank , and culminates in a battle to the destruction .
" Endgame " see the most brute fight to appointment between Batman and Joker , with the pair almost pass away for upright from their injuries result from the fighting . In fact , the trauma to Bruce Wayne was so uttermost that he forget ever being Batman , force Jim Gordon to step into a GCPD motorized Batsuit to struggle criminal offence .
7Batman: The Killing Joke(1988)
Alan Moore and Brian Bolland
Alan Moore and Brian Bolland ’s iconic vivid novelBatman : The Killing Jokefollows Joker in his plan to psychologically break Batman . At the same sentence , Moore explores the origins of the killer goofball , explicate that he was once a conk out comic who , in his despair to furnish for his kinfolk , took a job for some mobster . In the present tense , he targets the Gordons to use as props in his macabre biz against the bomber .
The Killing Jokeis , despite its controversial nature for some fans , one of the most significant Batman / Joker comics in history , particularly due to it provide what most readers view as the definitive Joker descent . For readers who want to go through the comedian that made DC ’s Dark Detective so grim , this is the berth to go .
6Batman: Three Jokers(2020)
Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok
A subsequence toThe Killing Joke , Three Jokersexplores the melodic theme thatBatman has really been fighting against three dissimilar Jokers for year . Each version of the scoundrel , the Comedian , the Criminal and the Clown , correspond a different depiction of the case , from a dark and tragic one to a methodical one to the campy , eccentric version . As member of the Bat - Family confront their unsound Jokers , notably Jason Todd ’s confrontation with the clown who defeat him , the story builds to a harrowing finale .
Three Jokerstakes several idea that had been bear on on or speculated on by readers and brings them to fruition , delivering the ultimate Bat - Family vs Joker level . Illustrated by Jason Fabok , it ’s one of the best - looking Black Label funnies , and delivers an equivocal ending , entrust lecturer wanting more .
DC boasts one of the good creation in comics , thanks to its heroes and scoundrel . The latter have starred in a series of excellent comics .
5Batman & The Joker: Deadly Duo(2023)
Marc Silvestri
Marc Silvestri ’s long - wait take on The Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime , Batman & The Joker : Deadly Duofollows the reluctant squad - up of hero and villain to save Jim Gordon and Harley Quinn from a mysterious new scoundrel . storm to take on a ghoulish army of monstrous Joker clones , the improbable mate contend their way to the villain – only to come face - to - face with the consequences of their warfare .
Deadly Duoexplores the impact that Batman and Joker ’s devastating war has on those catch in the crossfire , while also touching on the twisted irony of them being impel into a partnership . With a horror - theme plot matched by Silvestri ’s brilliant artwork , the write up is one of the best thing DC has published in age .
4Batman: White Knight(2017)
Sean Gordon Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth
In 2017 , Sean Gordon Murphy set off his " MurphyVerse " withWhite Knight , a miniseries that follows Joker ’s return to saneness after Batman force - feeds him a fistful of antipsychotic pills . Having revert to his ordinary personality of Jack Napier , the reformed reprehensible launches a bid for public position , run away on the military issue of bringing The Dark Knight to justice . However , as the taradiddle continues , the chaotic head of the Joker begins to resurface , threaten Napier ’s legacy .
White Knightis a fun inversionof the Batman / Joker dynamic , assigning legitimacy to the villain and disgorge Bruce Wayne as the story ’s rogue , brainsick outlaw . While this version of Bruce is n’t evil , the story shows how , when the dust settle down , it would be leisurely to change by reversal the table on his method of vigilantism .
3"Joker’s Five-Way Revenge" (1973)
Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams
Throughout the Silver Age , the Joker became a more campy , laughable villain in personal credit line with his TV appearance , and he became more obscure than ever . InBatman#251 , the orca clown was re - established as the formidable crook his Golden Age creators intend . The story follows the clown as he elude from captivity . When he learns that one of his quondam associates ratted him out to the police force , he set about murdering all five of his X - henchmen , ensuring he gets the veracious man .
" Joker ’s Five - Way Revenge " assist set the musical note of the feud between Batman and Joker for a contemporaries , and even point that Bruce Wayne has a common sense of humor about his bad enemies . The narrative is a definitive biz of cat and mouse , with The Dark Knight crusade to keep Joker from committing his slaying , culminating in a great final fight .
There are many superhero families in DC Comics , but I think the most interesting of them is the Batfamily . Batman is obviously DC ’s most popular submarine ; however , there are many exciting theatrical role within the Batfamily . Among my favorites are Barbara Gordon , who delivers many playfulness and excited moment as Batgirl and Oracle ; Damian Wayne , the youngest Robin and the grumpiest of them all ; and Jason Todd , aka Red Hood , the edgier role of the bunch , though there is a heart hidden down there . That said , Dick Grayson , aka Nightwing , is the Batfamily ’s good leader , brother , and overall type .
2The Dark Knight Returns(1986)
Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley
The Dark Knight Returnstakes property in an radical - tearing succeeding Gotham , where the Mutant crime gang keeps the city in a nation of fear . see how bad thing have gotten , an older Bruce Wayne step out of retirement to fetch down the mob – but , in the process , touch off the return of Joker from a catatonic - like state . After defeating the gang ’s drawing card , The Dark Knight takes on the Clown Prince of Crime after he commits the aggregate murder of a late dark hearing .
Though not primarily a Batman vs. Joker tarradiddle , the third return , which primarily deals with their family relationship , at long last brings their long - running war to an destruction . The story also delivers a key insight into how Bruce perceive his culpability in his enemy ’s crimes , stating that he believes he has " murdered " inexperienced person by letting the clown know . To get one last laugh , the villain breaks his own neck opening , leaving the Caped Crusader on the hook for his death .
1Batman: The Man Who Laughs(2005)
Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke
In their originative graphic novelBatman : The Man Who Laughs , Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke reimagine and explore the first get together of Batman and Joker . The story follow the poor boy as he look into a slew of murders of Gotham ’s elite , leading back to the Clown Prince of Crime . In the process , the Caped Crusader delves into the origins of his newfangled foe , tying back to the events ofThe Killing Joke .
As great as their first meeting was all the room back inBatman#1,Brubaker and Mahnke ’s retelling of the floor works as the determinate starting item for their bitter rivalry in modern times . The story stand out as one ofBatman ’s serious detective account , and show just how outstanding a threatJokeris to Gotham City .
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor . ab initio preface as a remorseless sequent sea wolf , the character evolved over time , often oscillating between a practical joker and a murderous maniac . His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history , defined by their mutual fixation . Over the decades , the Joker has become an enduring ikon of chaos and madness , embodying the antithesis of Batman ’s order and justice .
