History ComicBook / EmperorJoker

It's an average day in Metropolis: ComicBook/{{Superman}} breaks out of [[BedlamHouse Arkham]] [[CardboardPrison Asylum]], overseen by [[Characters/GreenLantern1941 Solomon Grundy]], [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]] is [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor the richest, vilest, and]] [[BaldOfEvil baldest woman]] in (and owner of) the city, and Bizarro #1 is the city's most beloved (and destructive) hero.

...sorry, what?

** The resolution of the plot resembles how Batman dealt with the Joker when he was given similar power by Marvel's Shaper of Worlds. (ComicBook/TheHulk was not amused by Joker's take on reality.)

* SpiritualSuccessor: The story recalls the first ''Batman''/''[[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]]'' CrossOver, when the Shaper of Worlds gave the Joker reality-warping powers. That story ended with Batman TalkingTheMonsterToDeath just as Superman did in this story.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Superman accuses the Joker of being [[spoiler: ultimately unable to kill Batman because he's too dependant on the Dark Knight for his identity and meaning: "It's his world. You just live in it."]] This works within the Joker's psychosis, but it also works on a meta-level: [[spoiler: the Joker is ultimately just the antagonist to Batman, around whom the story functions; without Batman, there's no Batman story, and thus no point in Joker.]]

** [[spoiler:Because of what the Joker put Batman through when he killed him over and over again, Superman has to take Batman's memories onto himself for Batman to move on]].
** [[spoiler:On all humanity in general,]] though Batman notes there have been too many reports of "[[AllJustADream dreams, nightmares, and somnambulistic activities]]" for it be to be a coincidence.

** Grundy uses the red Phone from the 60's Batman show to summon Bizarro.

** During his final confrontation with Superman, one of the Joker's lines to say he's finished with [[spoiler:deleting Batman]] is "He's in the cornfield", referencing the famous ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "It's a Good Life", featuring a reality-warping six-year-old who wishes away things that make him mad "to the cornfield".

* SpoilerTitle: The first half of the story was marked ''Superman: Arkham'' to hide that the Joker usurped Mxyzptlk's powers. (Though, honestly, it wasn't much of a spoiler, since "Arkham" and the weirdness that was going on made it quite clear this was a Joker plot.

''Emperor Joker'' first appeared in the main ''Superman'' publications appearing throughout the latter half of the year 2000, with contributions by several writers and artists.

* AbortedArc: Ignition’s origin and why the Joker cannot read his mind are never revealed, despite receiving a great amount of attention.

** [[spoiler:On all humanity in general,]] though Batman notes there have been too many reports of “[[AllJustADream dreams, nightmares, and somnambulistic activities]]” for it be to be a coincidence.

** The Joker tells Superman, "Never rub another man’s rhubarb" when Superman goes after Lois. This is the Joker’s [[BondOneLiner post-mortem line]] to Bruce Wayne in the [[Film/Batman1989 1989 movie]] after shooting Bruce for being in Vicki Vale’s apartment.
** Jason Todd's decayed corpse has a sign saying "Why didn’t anyone call in to save me?", referencing the popular vote over whether to kill or save Jason Todd in ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily''. Also counts as BreakingTheFourthWall.

* TheStarscream: Lex seems to have ambitions to be this, but Joker kills him (twice) before Lex has the opportunity to do anything. Though Enigma's failed coup shows any attempt to overthrow Joker would’ve been pointless anyway.

* FoeRomanceSubtext: Implied heavily: in Joker's warped reality, Lois Lane takes Luthor's place as the owner of a financial empire, as well as Lex's baldness and green/purple color scheme. Both Lane and Superman are still very attracted to each other. [[FoeYay They even have a big kiss with Lois wearing Lex's battle suit]].
* FoeYay: Invoked. Superman gets The Joker to have his VillainousBreakdown by pointing out he can't get rid of Batman -- he ''needs'' him too much.

-->'''Joker:''' Sure, I can be difficult—I eat crackers in bed, and I never put the cap back on the rat poison, and occasionally [[DomesticAbuse I’ll snap your neck to prove a point]]...

-->'''Batman:''' I can't close my '''''eyes''''', Clark. I can't close my eyes because I '''''see''''' it. All of it. I can't close my eyes, because I see '''''him''''' ... and it ... and me ... '''''pieces''''' and parts ...\\
'''Spectre:''' Each death cry, each horror resonates within him. Dark vibrations ... merciless as the Joker's attentions. And they have broken him. The man you know ... is lost. Only pain remains.

It's an average day in Metropolis: Franchise/{{Superman}} breaks out of [[BedlamHouse Arkham]] [[CardboardPrison Asylum]], overseen by [[Characters/GreenLantern1941 Solomon Grundy]], ComicBook/LoisLane is [[ComicBook/LexLuthor the richest, vilest, and]] [[BaldOfEvil baldest woman]] in (and owner of) the city, and Bizarro #1 is the city's most beloved (and destructive) hero.

Well, it turns out that this is what happens when [[GreatGazoo Mr. Mxyzptlk]] accidentally gives most of his power to ComicBook/{{the Joker}}, who creates a mind-bendingly odd world for giggles so that he will be able to kill Franchise/{{Batman}} over and over and over again. Of course, in doing so he's risking tearing the fabric of reality apart at the seams, but when has he ever worried about that?

** During his final confrontation with Superman, one of the Joker's lines to say he's finished with [[spoiler:deleting Batman]] is "He's in the cornfield", referencing the famous ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "It's a Good Life", featuring a reality-warping six-year-old who wishes away things that make him mad "to the cornfield".

It's an average day in Metropolis: Franchise/{{Superman}} breaks out of [[BedlamHouse Arkham]] [[CardboardPrison Asylum]], overseen by [[Characters/GreenLantern1941 Solomon Grundy]], ComicBook/LoisLane is [[ComicBook/LexLuthor the richest, vilest, and]] [[BaldWomen baldest woman]] in (and owner of) the city, and Bizarro #1 is the city's most beloved (and destructive) hero.

* VanityIsFeminine: Before the real reason behind the event's made clear, Lois-as-Lex keeps and rotates a massive collection of wigs.

* SpoilerTitle: The first half of the story was marked ''Superman: Arkham'' to hide that the Joker usurped Mxyzptlk's powers.

* DealWithTheDevil: Satanus claims he is the only way to get rid of Joker's RealityWarpingPower. He could do it, but fortunately, another way is found.

* RealityWarpingIsNotAToy

* BatmanGambit: Done by [[TropeNamer Batman himself]]. He lets the Joker know how much Superman cares for Lois, knowing the Joker would send her into [[ShowWithinAShow the Superman sitcom]] to be killed, and that this would only spur Superman on more strongly. This is the only time throughout the story that Batman smiles.

It's an average day in Metropolis: Franchise/{{Superman}} breaks out of [[BedlamHouse Arkham]] [[CardboardPrison Asylum]], overseen by ComicBook/SolomonGrundy, ComicBook/LoisLane is [[ComicBook/LexLuthor the richest, vilest, and]] [[BaldWomen baldest woman]] in (and owner of) the city, and Bizarro #1 is the city's most beloved (and destructive) hero.

* AndIMustScream: The Joker kills Batman in extremely excruciating ways each night, and then resurrects Batman so he can excruciatingly kill him again. And Batman remembers all of the pain of each murder. And he cannot stop the cycle of murder and resurrection.

* StarsAreSouls: Joker turns Harley into a constellation rather than kill her outright. For the Joker, this counts as sentimentality.
* TheStarscream: Lex seems to have ambitions to be this, but Joker kills him (twice) before Lex has the opportunity to do anything. Though Enigma’s failed coup shows any attempt to overthrow Joker would’ve been pointless anyway.

* CallBack: The story recalls the first ''Batman''/''[[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]]'' CrossOver, when the Shaper of Worlds gave the Joker reality-warping powers. That story ended with Batman TalkingTheMonsterToDeath just as Superman did in this story.

Well, it turns out that this is what happens when [[GreatGazoo Mr. Mxyzptlk]] accidentally gives most of his power to ComicBook/TheJoker, who creates a mind-bendingly odd world for giggles so that he will be able to kill Batman over and over and over again. Of course, in doing so he's risking tearing the fabric of reality apart at the seams, but when has he ever worried about that?

* {{Acrofatic}}: The Joker used his reality warping powers to turn ComicBook/TheFlash into a man with SuperSpeed who is also chronically addicted to junk food, thus earning him the nickname The Flab! The fastest fat man alive!
* AdaptationDistillation: ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' loosely adapted this storyline in one episode, with Batman instead of Superman defeating The Joker (and Bat-Mite instead of Mxy). And the many deaths of Batman at the hands of the Joker became less graphic and more comical, off-screen, and LighterAndSofter, but still disturbing for children (in Batman's first death, they even showed him as a [[WingedSoulFliesOffAtDeath winged angel playing a harp and flying off to heaven]]... for a short while anyway).

* BastardUnderstudy: Enigma/Riddler—justified though given the Joker's plans to destroy all reality, including his minions.

* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Satanus is completely unfazed with The Joker's take on him, chiefly because of the IHaveManyNames nature of him. He also proves that he can step away from the Joker's incarnation of him very easily. It's implied he actually enjoys Joker's take of him as a piano playing crooner.

* CallBack: The story recalls the first ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''/''[[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]]'' CrossOver, when The Shaper of Worlds gave ComicBook/TheJoker reality-warping powers. That story ended with Batman TalkingTheMonsterToDeath just as Superman did in this story.

* EnemyMine: {{ComicBook/Darkseid}} of all people tries to do this with the council known as the Quintessence, which includes his mortal enemy Highfather, petitioning them to stay out of his way as he continues to search for the Anti-Life Equation in order to combat the Joker. Unfortunately for Darkseid the Joker had already turned the Quintessence into simpletons, and very soon thereafter Darkseid also falls victim to the Joker's madness.

* FateWorseThanDeath: Satanus invokes the trope as he kicks Superboy and ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' out of Hell after they've been killed - after offering a standard DealWithTheDevil, he gets annoyed with Supergirl's incessant prayer and sends them back to the Joker's world, commenting there weren't many Hells worse than ''that''.
* FishPeople: The Joker uses his godlike powers to turn Aquaman into an actual fish man supervillain who ironically enough hates the ocean and tries to keep everyone out of it.

** The resolution of the plot resembles how Batman dealt with The Joker when he was given similar power by Marvel's Shaper of Worlds. (ComicBook/TheHulk was not amused by Joker's take on reality.)
** The Joker tells Superman, “Never rub another man’s rhubarb,” when Superman goes after Lois. This is the Joker’s [[BondOneLiner post-mortem line]] to Bruce Wayne in the [[Film/Batman1989 1989 movie]] after shooting Bruce for being in Vicki Vale’s apartment.
** Jason Todd's decayed corpse has a sign saying, “Why didn’t anyone call in to save me?” referencing the popular vote over whether to kill or save Jason Todd in ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily''. Also counts as BreakingTheFourthWall.
** Harley Quinn requests to have a town named Harleyburg, to which the Joker asks “Harleyburg? '''Harleyburg?'''”. This reflected a gag in Film/SupermanTheMovie, when Luthor is all perplexed that his minion Otis wants to name a town Otisburg.

* RollingPinOfDoom: Armed by The Joker's StrawFeminist Wonder Woman.

** Satanus' piano-playing incarnation sounds like Comicbook/{{Lucifer}}.

It's an average day in Metropolis: Franchise/{{Superman}} breaks out of [[BedlamHouse Arkham]] [[CardboardPrison Asylum]], overseen by Solomon Grundy, ComicBook/LoisLane is [[ComicBook/LexLuthor the richest, vilest, and]] [[BaldWomen baldest woman]] in (and owner of) the city, and Bizarro #1 is the city's most beloved (and destructive) hero.

* GiantFootOfStomping: At one point after [[WorldGoneMad arch-criminal Superman escapes from Arkham Asylum once again]], he is approached by a beautiful guardian angel who tells him that she'll protect him from Bizarro's clutches. She's [[HopeSpot immediately]] flattened by a [[AttackOfThe50FtWhatever giant mutated]] Jimmy Olson's foot.

** The Joker is ultimately sent to a real prison called Slabside Penitentiary, which takes pride in the fact the no one has ever escaped from it. [[StatusQuoIsGod This didn't last]] as during ''ComicBook/JokersLastLaugh'', after being lied to and told he has terminal cancer, the Joker pulls off a jailbreak, and subsequent stories would see Joker back in Arkham.