Arguably the most popular character in all of comic book lore is the Batman. For every great hero there needs to be a great villain, and for Bats, that is the Joker.

Originally created as a darker alternative to Superman, Batman’s popularity has actually come to surpass the Man of Steel over the last seven decades, and one of the biggest reasons why is the quality of villains he faces. None of those villains (or any villains anywhere) are more well-known than the Joker. He is the perfect foil for Batman. Chaos over order, insanity over logic, fear created through unpredictability rather than intimidation. Even the Joker’s vibrant purple suit clashes with Batman’s dark attire and seems to mock the Caped Crusader with its flamboyance. The sickest part of it all though,  is that without Batman, the Joker would cease to be. He is a character so ingrained in the rivalry, that Batman’s absence often increases Joker’s boredom, and he simply stops playing the game. It does give the Dark Knight’s quest a real sense of hopelessness when you consider he might do just as much good by simply hanging it up as it would likely mean his greatest foe would do the same.

Continue reading The Man Who Laughs: The 20 Greatest Joker Moments, Part I →