The Joker - Tropes A to F / Self Demonstrating

Here's a link to the main page of yours truly!
A-F | G-N | O-Y

Abusive Parents: I might have suffered from this... or not. Honestly, even I can't remember anymore.
Academy Award:
- I've had two fellas win that little golden boy for playing me: the late, great Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and good ol' Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. This makes me the only supervillain (and comic book character in general) to win someone an Oscar and the first guy since Don Mumbles to be played by two guys in winning performances.
- At least WB knows a classy role when they see it. Before Heathy and Joaquin, there was Jackie who won two golden boys before he became me! And whaddya know; in 2016, pretty boy and fellow statue snatcher Jared Leto graced the silver screen with my handsome mug.
- My first solo outing on the big screen in 2019 was up for the grand prize, Best Picture! It didn't win. Oh, well. But hey, it's the most nominated comic book movie in Oscar history! Who needs that pesky Bat-brain?! I can entertain all by myself! Ha ha ha!
Acquired Poison Immunity: Seems I've developed an immunity to the stuff due to all my... recreational use.
Actor Allusion: I pay homage from time to time. May the floss be with you! When that Alex Ross fellow draws me, though, I tend to resemble a certain major movie star.
Actually A Doom Bot: Or actually Clayface — the Joker you see for the majority of Batman: Arkham City, believe it or not, isn't me. The Titan formula I took at the end of Arkham Asylum poisoned me and left me too weak to run my gang, so I had Clayface disguised as me to keep anybody from noticing I was sick, and he was happy to take on "the role of a lifetime". And boy, did he work like a charm! Nobody could tell he was fake till he turned back to his normal form.
Actually Pretty Funny: Sometimes the Bats himself makes a punchline. Sometimes intentional, sometimes not. I do appreciate Irony, so sometimes I find an entire situation hilarious and invoke the Trope verbatim.
- He was going to share the antidote with me, despite all I've done. Hah, that actually was...pretty...funny...
- During the climax of the Last Laugh storyline, I was told that ol' Croc had iced the youngest Bat Brat (the third, I think? Honestly, who can keep track, the Bat goes through Robins like copy paper). Understandably, I was furious, I'M supposed to be the one to kill off Batsy's little family! That is... until I found out Croc ate him! HAH! Robin Tartare! I don't think I could have topped that! Sadly, it turned out to be fake, but it did get Nightwing to beat me to death! Sure, Bats brought me back so his baby bird wouldn't be a murderer but damn it, it still counts!
- At the end of No Man's Land, I killed Sarah Essen-Gordon and decided to present myself to good ol' Jimbo to break his spirit for good and force him to help me out in a Suicide by Cop. Blindingly furious as he was, he instead shot me in the knee. As I was gasping in pain in the snow in a pool of my own blood, I started crying, holding my leg, and how on Earth I was going to walk again... and then I got the joke! Just like Barbie! Good one, commish!
Adaptational Heroism:
- There's one version of me out there that, after spending a decade as a head in a jar in the desert, was more than happy to see Bats for the first time in forever, and opted to be rather chummy with Bats. That version even suggested that Bats make yours truly his new Robin! And it was genuine - I stood by his side the whole time, and he eventually made me his new Robin by attaching my head to a Robin-themed exosuit! Granted, that Batman was a clone of the original, while the original turned out to be the villain of that story.
- In my solo circus act, I started off as some degenerate who wanted to make the world full of happiness and wonders...YUCK! DISGUSTING! Sounds too sappy and not horrible enough to be true! I'd dare even call it...ick... good! EUUUUGH! I can't be sure if I ever actually wanted something like that, you know. Though of course, a few beatdowns, a splash of bad luck and a good buncha psychological traumas later... I knew damn better. Hehehehehahahahaha!
- There was this one really strange day. Gotham was somehow even more of a hellhole. Harley was still my doc and I was a C-Lister at best. And worst of all, there was no Batman. Having nothing better to do (because what am I supposed to do without Bats, in the end?), I put on my Sherlock Holmes cap and started The Case of the Missing Vigilante. And then I found who had dared erase my friend from history: Lex. Ohh, very bad move, baldy. I can tolerate being made to be a clown! The ol' burg always could use a facelift! I kinda missed Harley's old 'do! But you, oh, you, bucko, you! You took my straight man! Back off, boys! This creep is mine! Say hello to the Joker Who Bats!
Adaptational Nice Guy: In Harley's show, after I lost my memories and turned *shudders* normal, I actually came to love the family I settled down with. Not enough to give up being evil when Harley pushed me back into the chemical vat, but enough that I still wanted to keep living with them. I even gave Harley some advice about her relationship with Poison Ivy.
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, my manners aren't an act. I'm a big fan of the Weeper and formed a Villainous Friendship with him.
Adaptation Origin Connection: For those of you who fawn over Batsy and his gaggle of easily disposable sidekicks, let me remind you that if it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be prancing around in those tights.
- First off, I was the one that did in Brucey's parents. Why? Probably because I felt like it, but WHO CARES? They dropped like flies, and one traumatized billionaire later, he wants me dead! Wait a minute... maybe that might have been a slight mistake. On the other hand, if I never bumped off Tommy and Martha, I never would have gotten this gorgeous grin!
- Ever wonder why yours truly hasn't bothered to show up in angst central? That may be due to the fact that I ended up sending a pair of Kanes into the Gotham River, leaving one dead and the other as bonkers as yours truly! (What, and no thank you? Jeesh. You take that tall blonde lady who played Ms. Fishnets on that one show and make her go from the character everyone hates to the reason people stick around to watch Kate mope and you hardly get any credit? How is that fair, I ask?) It finally drove Batsy over the edge enough to do what he should have done ages ago and drive me into the ground! That's right folks! Batsy killed me! And now because of me, Robin Hood, Speedy, and the rest of those folks don't have tall, dark, and brooding going around saving their rears whenever the going gets tough. That and Gotham went downhill much worse than usual, in spite of lacking my dramatic flair to make things more interesting. Or did I really die? Kate's plane might have a different story to tell you. Best not to go peeking into a man's paintings. Curiosity killed the bat, you know...alas, it was old Roman Sionis and some island chick named Safiyah who really did the deed, meaning my entire fate is still up in the air in the old Angstverse, but hey, at least I still played a role in making another Bratwoman! And, as it turns out, yours truly has his own son running around now! Well, I'll be dipped in chocolate! Who would have thought joy buzzing that kid on the bus would have made another me! If I weren't supposedly dead, I'd be so proud!
- In my solo act, My murder of Murray Franklin on live TV inspires a riot in the streets, Which leads to one of my followers gunning down the Waynes in a alleyway. Making me responsible for the Waynes' deaths again! (Albeit indirectly this time) In addition, I may or may not be Little Brucie's older half brother.
Affably Evil: I usually do it as a way to tug with people more but some versions of me qualify as the true deal, such as that Batbrain fanboy from Batman: The Telltale Series or most of my old-school incarnations.
Agent Peacock: I'm lean and mean, like my lipstick, love showing my emotions, and I've killed thousands of people with every new scheme.
The Alcoholic: My father was a drinking man. Hit the bottle almost as hard as he hit me. And sometimes he hit me with the bottle, too. Or maybe I had a perfectly ordinary childhood with loving parents. Who can say?
All Abusers Are Male: Ha, Gotham's ladies have plenty of fight in them. Let me tell you, Harley has a mean right...◊
All of the Other Reindeer: Lexman's got the right idea - makes it a point to invite me to his playdates. I may play the occasional jape on my... er, teammates. I mean, I'm only human! Or so I think, it gets confusing at times. The point is, I can't stand people telling me I can't do something, like, say... joining your new team - even moreso when it denies me fun times with the Bat. Either you endure a little nose tweaking or an ice pick to the brain. As Lex's next-Earth neighbor learned to his detriment.
Alternate Self: Meh. Sure, some other "me"s out there in the great space out yonder have chosen to join the white hats. Honestly I just think it's another form of the eternal dance between me and Bats. Admit it, none of you lummoxes can think of any other reason.
- It's been posited that a Mr. Darwin Halliday may be an incomplete, inchoate version of myself who only got the merest touch of what it feels to be me and was left like a fish out of water, gasping for some way to break his mind to reproduce that wonderful moment I was spat from Ace's sewers and looked at the new me, in the absence of a Batman. Oh, kiddo. You created a masterpiece when you crashed into my brain and looked through my eyes at that key instant, but of course it wasn't ever enough for you, was it? You had to be the masterpiece. More, more, more! I hate needy audiences. All the other mes say thanks for the little kick down into the abyss and the ticket back home... but do try to come up with something more original than just plagiarizing yourself. One and only Joker, patent pending. Accept no substitutions.
Always a Bigger Fish: The Creeper. Never get me near that guy! He's a lunatic! Dumber than a coffin nail, but a lunatic nonetheless! And considering who's telling you this, that's really saying something.
Alternate Company Equivalent: Apparently those guys at Marvel have three alternate versions of yours truly, for those who prefer margarine to butter:
- First is ol' Norman Osborn, who's basically Lex if he were thrown into that vat of chemicals.
- Second is that red gooey psychopath Carnage. He gets the joke of how life is meaningless, but never quite manages to leave murderhobo territory.
- Third is Bullseye with quite the throw fighting a blind daredevil.
Ambiguously Gay: Look, Harley's a great sidekick, but I'm with her because I need all the help i can get. Batsy, on the other hand... Well, look at my lipstick-toting variation on Grant's drug-fueled nightmare trip. On the other hand, I may or may not have had a wife once and sometimes I do show love for dear ol' Harl. Hey, if I can make my past multiple choice, why not my sexuality too?
Ambiguously Human: People can't tell if I’m some demonic Monster Clown or a human since I cheated death more times than you could count.
Amusement Park of Doom: I do love my fun, after all. My hideout in that one movie was an amusement park with the only way to get to my house being a roller coaster ride. Hell, with a little ingenuity and some time and henchmen to kill, anything with a set of rails, like a steel mill, makes a damn fine rollercoaster. Don't tell me you never wanted to ride one surrounded by molten hot iron!
Antagonist in Mourning: I don't usually talk about it, but... remember the time when that little wimp Sid "The Squid" fooled everyone (including himself) into thinking that he'd sent Batsy to the great belfry in the sky? I didn't buy it until Harl, my Mooks and I helped ourselves to some jewelry and Batbrain never showed up. Okay, so I wasn't my usual effervescent self that night — I shed a Single Tear and said "Without Batman, crime has no punchline." (See? I can do drama too!) Then I tried to give Batbutt an appropriate sendoff — as well as that little creep Sid, since NO ONE OFFS BATSO BUT ME, GOT IT?! Of course, Fatbat was just playing possum so Sid would lead him to that grumpy ol' Rupert Thorne. Next thing you know, Sid's in the Iron Bar Hotel, where he's sitting pretty because his fellow cons love that he made me look like a clown, and not in a good way! (And Thorny too, like anyone cares about that pompous blowhard.) So Sid the Stupid got one over on me without even trying! It still burns my bacon when I think about it. And since it's just Blackgate and not Arkham, I don't think I'll get to send him my regards him anytime soon.
Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better: Remember that epic speech Bane made in The Dark Knight Rises where he revealed Harvey Dent for what he really was to Gotham (which, I might remind you was due to my handiwork)? Well, somebody who did a fantastic impression of me made a Joker version of it. Wanna see it?
Applied Phlebotinum: My Surfing Experience & Ability Transferometer & Vigor Reverser. Made me great at catching waves, but Batty Belfry, Robbie the Birdbrain, and Bat-Bimbo didn't like it. What did they find so cool about Skippy-boy that I didn't have, anyway?
Arch-Enemy: Batsy and me provide the page picture for a reason, ya know! Even if as our brick selves, Batsy refused to acknowledge me as his nemesis, something I did not take well!
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: In "Batman: The Dark Prince Charming", my list of things to do includes: get the diamond; kill the Batman; and order sushi.
Ascended Fanboy: Wouldja believe I am one? Weeper is such a hoot! Especially when trying to kill me!
An Asskicking Christmas: If it's Christmastime and I'm around you can be sure there'll be asskicking aplenty! Speaking of asskicking, check out this kick-ass, twisted version of a Christmas carol called "Carol of the Bells" from Batman: Arkham Origins!
- And it gets even better: an unused version of the song!
Attempted Rape:
- At one time in Last Laugh, while still convinced that I had terminal cancer, I thought I wanted to continue a legacy of my own. So I hired my mooks to kidnap my little Harl' and bring her to me, so that I could try and produce an heir by... you know... revving up my Harley before marriage. Unfortunately, Bat-Girl and her friends showed up and rescued her before I could get a chance. Oh well... them's the breaks, I guess.
- And no, honest, I never did it to Barb. Seriously, just ask Alan.
Attention Whore: Oy, why should I be working myself to death with no one to appreciate it? In fact, it turns out that being forgotten is one of my greatest fears!
Ax-Crazy: Why limit myself? Still, always was good with an axe.... As my may-or-may-not-be son Anarky once put it, my psychosis is almost a separate being in its own right.
Back from the Dead:
- Even if you actually manage to see me die! (okay, so I was still technically dead during that second one, but come on, doesn't psychologically torturing your biggest baddest Arch-Enemy from beyond the grave count for anything these days?!)
- All a part of my master plan in "The Joker Walks the Last Mile" (Detective Comics Issue #64, June 1942). My plan was simple: I turned myself in over to the police, pleaded guilty and confessed to all my crimes of murder and robbery, and got sent to the death chamber and fried by the electric chair! (Offscreen, actually.) Immediately after I got declared dead by a coroner, my mooks wasted no time in reclaiming my body from the prison morgue and carrying me to a nearby ambulance and forcing some life serum down my throat within 15 minutes to keep me from slipping off from "Only Mostly Dead" to "all dead". Once I revived, I was living a glorious life by walking away a free man, which meant that I couldn't be punished again for the same crimes! Of course, Batsy and Bird-Boy had to find another way to apprehend me by proof that I committed new robberies I never confessed to in life before my execution! So much for that! You know what they say: "Those who fight and run away will live to fight another day." HOOHOOHOOAHHAHAHAHA!
- Thanks to that Red Mask fellow, every version of me that kicked the bucket is back! And I now exist in the Fleischer-verse, ready to give Supes a bad day.
Badass Bookworm: Gotta keep my brain as sharp as my knives! I'm particularly amused by the fantasies of Ayn Rand who seems to think that we live in a rational, sane universe◊. NOT WHILE I'M AROUND, SISTER!
Badass in a Nice Suit: As that doll Harley will tell you, it's not a killer smile unless you've got a suit to match, even if you're a charmer like me!
Badass in Distress: Would you believe I once rescued the old bat? But hey, what fun would the world be without him around?
Badass in a Nice Suit: This has been one of my trademarks ever since old Bob n' Bill first created me back in the old Detective Comics days. Even though Monkey-Me didn't start wearing one, it didn't take me long to do so.
Badass Longcoat: A little style never hurt anyone.
Badass Normal: Though some would argue that I'm anything but normal. Still, the fact that folk who go toe-to-toe with ol' Supes are scared of me? That's gotta be worth something. Hell, I've got one of the highest bodycounts in the entire DCU, far outdoing almost any superpowered freaks out there, and generally only outdone by those with the power to destroy entire worlds.
Bad Boss: Good help is sooo hard to find these days.... Admittedly, I've had to terminate some of my underlings, but I made sure to send them away with smiles on their faces.
Bad Guys Do the Dirty Work: In one episode of The Batman, I actually saved Batsy's secret identity by taking care of Wrath and Scorn before they could spill the beans. What can I say? I didn't want anyone else being the Bat's end.
The Bad Guy Wins:
- Injustice was a mainstream beep-boop game after all, so of course my insides got splattered merrily across the wall and the good guys triumphed over evil blah blah blah, but they never did manage to completely fix one teeeeeeny-tiny problem: I! BROKE! SUPERMAN! ...Well, one of me and one of him, but there's no denying it - that universe just plain went to hell and no matter which mode you play, Mr. Big Blue Boyscout does not get a happy ending. What's that you say? Redemption? Then I've got a guide to saving a certain Final Fantasy VII character I'd like to sell you... ^note
- I get everything I want in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Ol' Brucey and his emo son are driven even further apart and I'm whammed into the slammer to inevitably run wild yet again in a few months.
- My outing in the The LEGO Batman Movie. I spend the entire movie trying to get Batman to admit I am his greatest enemy, and to save Gotham he finally does and gives me what I wanted in the first place.
This Banana is Armed: Don't think you're safe just cuz I broke out the "Bang!" Flag Gun - I might just pull the trigger again and shoot the flag at ya!
Banana Peel: Just stop on by Dr. Hurt's place. He'll tell you. (FYI? Bring a shovel.)
Bandaged Face: Frequent in the origin. Honestly, it'll scar you for life…
"Bang!" Flag Gun: Gotcha! Ah, that one never gets old... and sometimes I can even kill ya with that! Though there was that one time it wasn't funny at all.
Barefoot Loon: My costume in The Batman? A straitjacket and bare feet. It was a legitimate fashion choice! Well, I did adopt a variation on my trademark purple suit in later appearances, but I still went barefoot. Hey, it was the turn of the millennium. We're all entitled to try new things with our image once in awhile.
Batman Gambit: Ugh, couldn't they give this one a different name? Still, I've been known to pull off some tricks that put even ol' Batsy himself to shame.
Battle Rapping: I once engaged in a contest of rhythmic verse against Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Suffice it to say, I gave him a bigger challenge than even those Loser kids did — especially since that tired hack wasn't used to fighting someone too nuts to be afraid of him!
Being Good Sucks: that's why I’m a villain.
Being Tortured Makes You Evil: I've tried this once or twice. Success rates aren't all that great, but it's always fun to try, and I can think of at least two times it did work for a while, though sadly it didn't stick in either case. This might be what happened to me back in the day to make me like I am... I can't quite recall if that's really how it happened.
Berserk Button:
- Don't you dare laugh at me! I encourage you to laugh with me, never at me.
- And I can make you laugh. I'm the Clown Prince of Gotham! A comic genius! And if you doubt it... I'll PROVE it to you.
- YOU KILLED CAPTAIN CLOWN! Do I look like I have the time or patience to build another one?! Who do I look like?!! Luthor?!!! Oh, how I still miss him.
- And as one Cameron Kaiser found out ^note, don't you dare try to cash in on my image! (That said, I do give him props for doing this just to trick me into destroying his casino for insurance.)
- Likewise, that nasty ol' Mr. G. Carl Francis found out the hard way what happens when you try to snub me of my legal cut of the profits! ^noteSee "The Laughing Fish" Granted, I always planned to expose him to my Joker venom, even if the deal had gone through, but not letting me copyright my fish gave me a good excuse to do it anyway. In the original comic, I even sent him out with a smile.
- And if you feel like you have to explain the joke, then there IS no joke! More on that, later.
- How dare that bald megalomaniac found The Legion of Doom in Justice and not invite ME?! Still, in his defense, it was a Mythology Gag 'bout how I wasn't allowed on Superfriends because of legal mumbo jumbo. Better still, he learns fast, I'll give Lexy that. Never made that mistake again.
  - That said, he can make entirely new ones. If he ever breathes a word about me and Batsy's relationship again, I'm getting the cheese grater. And seriously, the Batman who Talks? Really, Lex? Really? Y'know what? Fine. Stick your tongue into the socket. Don't say I didn't warn you.
- Don't you dare compare me to the Bats! I got more style, more brains! I'm certainly a better dresser!
- If you know what's good for you, don't take away my smile or laughter. This ended up happening one time when that womanizing pirate did... something to me after I tried disciplining Harley in front of him. I didn't like it.
- Oh, and DON'T! STEAL! MY! SCHTICK! One of the things that really sets me off is anybody who rips off my act. I would've killed Cameron Kaiser (see above) but even he never had the nerve to claim he was the "true" Joker the way that two-bit hack Curtis Base did. Frankly, Kaiser got off easy after an evening with me. Curtis became part of the solution for the little problem he'd created.
Better than Sex: Honestly, bringing laughter and smiles to everyone is more pleasing than sex. Ain't nobody got time for that!
Beware the Silly Ones: Especially if the silly one in question happens to be me. You try to cross me, and, well... let's just say my joy buzzer is gonna set off the sprinklers.
Big Bad: Usually in adaptations, but not so much in the comics. After all, why let others have all the fun?
Big Badass Rig: If you want to make an impression on the streets of Gotham, size really does matter. It also has plenty of trailer space in case you need to bring along your bazooka. You may call it overkill, I call it defensive driving.
Big, Stupid Doodoo-Head: Okay, so some of my insults can be a bit juvenile, but that's only because it's funny to call Bat-Brain a big 'ol guano-head.
Black Comedy:
- I like my comedy like I like my coffee; big, black, and surrounded by corpses.
- I almost did this with some little tykes after the earthquake, but decided against it. I ended up shooting Jimmy's wife instead. It... wasn't as funny as I was hoping.
Black Eyes of Crazy: Because of some changes done in my next DCAU incarnation, I got these with white irises.
Bloody Murder: According to good ol' Grant, I've spent so much time taking my own baaaaaaad drugs that my blood itself is a lethal venom! As sweet little Damian found out when he tried to get some payback. You see, kiddies, violent revenge just makes things worse, even if it feels good at the time.
Blue-and-Orange Morality: "Right"? "Wrong"? Gee, where do they come up with this stuff? All that's really important is if it's funny!
Blunt "Yes": I can't believe Harley had to be told she was supposed to "Fill the tank, shoot the guy, and drive off". Her words, not mine.
Body Snatcher: Yes. I've even managed to pull this off in my comeback appearance in Batman Beyond. I lost my old body thanks to Tim Drake turning against me. Ungrateful kids; you teach them everything you know and then they turn around and stab you in the back! Or in my case the chest. Fortunately, I had ensured my immortality long before this inconvenience thanks to a little genetics micro chip I had planted on Little J during his time in my care. Unfortunately, my comeback was thwarted thanks to that Bat-Fake old Brucey was grooming.
Bodyguard Babes: I've had a few of these every now and then, let's see...
- There was that topless female Nazi transsexual bodyguard Bruno I had in All Star Batman and Robin and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. (Well, maybe you should read them, she's hard to describe...)
- Harley actually made a pretty good one in Joker (and she was the way I liked her then -- quiet).
Bomb Throwing Anarchist: Oh come on, you can't tell me you're not amused by the odd explosion or two.
Bored with Insanity: Every once in a while I feel like playing the straight man, especially when 'ol Batsy isn't around to fill the role.
Boring Insult: A pet peeve of mine. I put a lot of effort into my work, and then Bat-Fake comes along and tells me I'm not funny. I'll show him. I'LL SHOW THAT IMPUDENT BRAT JUST WHO HE'S TALKING TO! *throws grenades* Sorry, lost my head there for a moment.
Bowdlerise: Can you believe they wouldn't let me shoot those karate guys in the face? Well, not on screen anyway... And it's not just that, but those darned Media Watchdogs wouldn't let me shoot people with a spear gun but with a laughing gas gun in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, all thanks to that shoot out in Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999. (Hey, even I wasn't involved in that Columbine massacre; blame it on the Abusive Parents of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris.) Heck, they even replaced my being Impaled with Extreme Prejudice by the spear gun in the original version with another death scene of mine in the version made for kiddie TV and used on the first DVD version: when I gave little Timmy my laughing gas gun and told him to make ol' Batsy "one of us" with it; instead, the little brat punched me in the face, knocking me into a tank of water near electrical wiring, where I got up and tried to get rid of him but I slipped and accidentally turned on the electrode machine and got zapped like a bug... complete with my horrific death scream! Which, come to think of it, is rather... shocking Nightmare Fuel for kids and more violent compared to my original death scene! Sheesh, who can blame them?
Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: C'mon you didn't think I'd miss out on this comedy goldmine, did ya?
- Take for example this little exchange I had with one of those opera clowns in an issue of Stuporman & Batbrain Magazine:
  Me: Do you juggle?
  Pagliaccio: No.
  Me: Blow balloons?
  Pagliaccio: No.
  Me: Synthesize nerve gas?
  Pagliaccio: No.
  Me: Not much of a clown then, are you? *Thud*
- And here's one part of mine when I thought Bat-Jerk broke his One Rule by killing the muscleman Bane with his bare hands (he didn't, of course, but only temporarily stopped his heart with the Shock Gloves, but still...):
  Me: Well, I'd love to stay and celebrate your victory, but I've got stockings to stuff, mistletoe to hang — and about fifteen skyscrapers to blow up before sunrise. Ciao.
Break the Comedian: Even I have my limits — just like when Anton Arcane went on a warpath! Even I wasn't laughing!
Break the Haughty: I feel like one of my main goals in life is to get Bats to at least giggle. (Well, not that punk, anyway.)
Break Them by Talking:
- Remember that one bit in The Dark Knight? With Harvey Dent and that saucy little nurse's uniform? That was a good one. I turned Gotham's White Knight into a murdering psychopath! And no, of course I wasn't afraid he'd pull the trigger. I'm crazy, remember?
- Okay, so that impudent kid who thought he was a replacement Batsy gave me one in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. There, I admit it. Happy now? He called me unfunny! Who did that snot-nosed brat think he was talking to?!
- After a full year of enjoying my unique brand of hospitality, this eventually got to poor little Jason Todd....but on the bright side, he came out of it surprisingly well adjusted! ....or maybe not. Too bad it didn't take...
- Or how that alternate me made Super-nuts go cuckoo in Injustice: Gods Among Us by tricking him into killing his wife and making Metropolis go kablooey? He turned Metropolis' Man of Steel into a raving maniac like I did to poor ol' Harv! What did I say? All it takes is just one bad day!
Breaking the Fourth Wall: If you're only just figuring it out... well, let's just say you're no Batman.
Breakout Villain: Some meddling by the aforementioned Whitney Ellsworth, way back in 1940, spurred me on my meteoric rise to fame from a two-shot villain to the Big Bad you know and fear with every fiber of your being today. Hey, the fella knew a good idea when he saw it - this was the genius behind Superpup!
Break the Badass: My actions have done this to the toughest of heroes. And of course, if the chips are down low enough and even I stop laughing... It's a sign we're all in trouble...
- YIP PIEE!!!
Break the Cutie: Averted. As rough as I can be on Harley girl, I just brought out her pre-existing crazy! When I torture her it's just to get a few good laughs at her expense.
Bright Is Not Good: What can I say, I'm one of the most colorful characters in all of comics. But I'll kill you and your whole family for fun without a second thought.
Bullying a Dragon: Some of attempts to tangle with the Big Blue Boyscout don't end well. He is hailed as the planet's greatest hero for a reason, lots of reasons actually. On his good days he's as smart as Batsy on top of his powers.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Oh, I got quite the resume - chemical expert, demolitions expert, weapons expert, and just murderous psychosis in general, but as my fans know, I'm actually a very talented clown when I want to be, the kind of comedian *yawn* regular people enjoy, the types who just don't get my A-game material. I don't do it very often though, because it's just so...NORMAL, and who wants that? *blows raspberry*
Cain and Abel: The me on Gotham has a twin brother and naturally someone as quirky as I is the Abel. Wait, what? I thought I was Jerome!? Hang on...am I the good twin? That's...HILARIOUS! Granted, I'm not much better.
Calling Card: Take a wild guess.
Can't Un-Hear It: invoked You've been reading this page in Mark Hamill's or Heath Ledger's or even Jack Nicholson's Joker voice, haven't you? HAVE YOU NO CONSIDERATION FOR THE OTHERS WHO PLAYED ME!!! Oh, who am I kidding, it's not like any one of 'em weren't the best portrayals of little old moi.
Captive Audience: What's the point of killing Batman or one of his sidekicks if nobody's there to see it?
Cardboard Prison: Arkham's a great place to kick back and relax for a while, and it's never too hard to get out and about when I feel like a stroll through the guts of Gotham's gentry. Then again, that time I took over the place, that was glorious.
Card-Carrying Villain: Is it so wrong that I take pride in making a good joke?
Car Fu: Once ran over a woman while reporting it to the police with a tied up Robin in the car. Did I mention this was Christmas time!
The Chains of Commanding: Who the hell wants the responsibility to actually rule the world? Or city. Or country. Or multiverse. I mean, other than using Mxy's mumbo jumbo like the biggest stick ever, you're going to get bogged in every. Single. One. Of the little people's problems. Please. I'm a simple man of simple tastes. There is no greater pleasure than freedom for the clown. Lex or those two mice in the studio really could stand to learn a lesson or two from yours truly. At least doctor pointy nose from across the lot gets the idea!
Character Catchphrase:
- While I'm certainly not cliché enough to use the same material again and again, it seems that classic line from Heathy has become my unofficial motto: "Why so serious?" Hey, if it sticks, it sticks! (Just so long as I get a cut of all that glorious T-shirt revenue...)
- "One Bad Day". That was originally mine, these days everyone in Gotham is saying it.
Characterization Marches On: In my first appearances, the only real quirk I had was an association with a certain playing card — I was just a straight-forward, humorless murderer and thief who merely grinned a lot, rather than the comedy-obsessed and always laughing maniac you all know and love today! And I gotta say, boy howdy have I come a long way! Heck, according to that bald Scot, my ever-changing personality is another facet of my being...ahem...differently sane.
The Chessmaster:
- The DC Rebirth event reveals that there's room for three of me in their new universe! Specifically, that really old one from the Golden Age, the one that Alan Moore made, and that one Jim Starlin had kill Jason, with Batman: Three Jokers confirms it's this trope. Oh, Multiple-Choice Past, you have never let me down! Well... Collective Identity was what ol' Johns intended and even he said it might not be canon — which Zdarsky decided to do, walking back the idea of three versions of me; I'm three personalities in one sexy package!
- To the point that you'd think I'd move onto checkers already.◊
- Literally, too. You're looking at one of the only 2 people (the other being Bane) to ever beat Ra's al Ghul at a game of chess.^note
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: I was last seen busted by a SWAT team after my little "social experiment" failed at the end of The Dark Knight, and didn't even get mentioned in The Dark Knight Rises simply because that damn Heath Ledger punk bit the dust before TDK was even released! Maybe that also has something to do with the Dollmaker ripping my face off (see Put on a Bus for some more on that little incident, my pretties).
Clear Their Name: Wouldn't you know it? I'm on the "their" list, and The Joker: Devil's Advocate revolves around the whole plot: I was arrested, tried, and condemned to die for the poisoned stamps incident that I insisted that I wasn't involved with. I asked the Dork Knight to save my life, hoping that Bat-Head would find the real perpetrator for the poisoned stamps and clear my name. And surprisingly, it worked, just when I was mere seconds away from execution by the electric chair! What a lucky clown I was, just lucky to be alive... in jail again, knowing that at least my name was now in the clear. But still... LUCKY!!!
Cold-Blooded Torture: Hey, everyone needs a hobby! I've actually created a couple of new villains this way. Okay, sometimes I come to regret it, but at least it keeps life interesting!
Cold Ham: Surprised? I love the drama and the spotlight, but while many mes love the wild laughs, sometimes I give subtlety a try. For example, the version of me from that Gotham show. You thought it was Jerome…? HA! NO! Turns out I was his twin brother the whole time! Jerry turned Jerri into me! Soft-spoken sure, but still dramatic.
Collective Identity: This was ol' Geoff's idea when the Mobius Chair revealed to Bats I was three people — though even Geoffy said his explanation might not be canon. Which is exactly what Chippy did: the three "mes" are really three separate personalities in one glorious package!
Combat Pragmatist: A few notable examples include beating unarmed enemies with a crowbar, setting hungry dogs on them, spraying various unhealthy substances in their faces, trying to kick the Dork Knight in the ribs with a knife that came out of my shoe — and who could forget the time when I hopped myself up on Titan? Though I tried to get Batboy a chance there, but he refused.
Combat Sadomasochist: Now, don't look at me like that. You'd be surprised at how good a true expert in pain can make you feel. As I once told Lexy, "pain is my one true love". (Sorry, Harl!)
Comedic Sociopathy: You know you love it. I certainly do!
Complete Monster: I will concede that I'm not very nice. But it seriously just depends on which work I appear in. See my reeeaaaally long list of thrillin' accomplishments and misdeeds. Apparently, you here on this site find me pretty bad — so much so that the only folks you say are worse than me on more occasions are the cardinal vampire and Ol' Scratch themselves! I’m not at all angry — I feel honored! Eeeheeheeheehee!
Complexity Addiction: It's just more fun than just shooting him!
Composite Character:
- In Superman: Speeding Bullets, I used to be Lexy before being thrown at the vat of chemicals. Now isn't there already someone like that?^note
- In the 80's film, I coincidentally happened to be the one who killed Brucey's parents. Listen, I was just a kid when I did that. How was I supposed to know that I made him before he made me? When I said "I made you", Bat-brain's gotta say "You made me". How childish could he get? ...And apparently, he would hit a guy with glasses. Sometimes I just kill myself!
Confusion Fu: In case it hasn't sunk in yet, I'm crazy! No one can ever predict what I'm about to do...sometimes, not even me!
Consulting a Convicted Killer: That version of me over in Battinson's corner of the multiverse once gave his expert opinion on Eddie's little tantrum. Sadly, my incredible Hannibal Lecter impression was cut from the silver screen, but the hacks behind the picture were smart enough to release it as a standalone short.
- Wasn't the first time, either. In Child of Dreams, Bats decided to visit me at Club Arkham, interested in my opinion of the plague of plagiarists hitting Gotham. Wasn't able to help much, but I did pass on a request to kindly kill the kook who bogarted my handsome mug.
Cop Killer: If you're one of "Gotham's Finest" and you see me, skedaddle! If ol' Batsy can barely keep up with me, what chance do you have? If you don't believe me, let's stroll down Memory Lane together...
- Scarecrow and I took out a SWAT team by blowing them up and I blew out Sarah Essen's brains.
- In both The Dark Knight and Batman: Arkham Origins, part of the reason Jimmy takes over as Commissioner is due to me killing Gil Loeb. Regarding the latter's series, the first game also saw several of Arkham's guards slaughtered by my gang or even myself.
- The alternate reality Batgirl seen in Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! hailed from a world where I opted to kill Jimmy instead of crippling Barbara.
- In my intro in Injustice: Gods Among Us, I use a cop I killed as a puppet, and in the main story, I presumably killed the cop whose body I talk to in my chapter.
The Corrupter: Because madness is like gravity, and as you know, all it takes is a little push. Heck, I really made Detective Bennett, Super-freak, Harvey Dent and Birdbrain lose control and go nuts!!
CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable: One time (in Last Laugh) I got beaten to the point of death by Nightwing (because the rumors of little Birdbrain becoming lunch to Killer Croc had pushed Nighty's Berserk Button too far) until my heart stopped beating! Almost gave up the ghost, too! Fortunately, Batsy showed up just in time to resuscitate poor old moi by CPR in order to keep Nighty from stooping down to my level as a murderer. Within a few minutes, I returned to life again! Once again, LUCKY!!!
Crazy Is Cool: When you're as insane as I am, it means you have fewer inhibitions, which means more entertainment for everyone (especially me)!
Crazy-Prepared: You think old Bats always has a contingency plan for each and every occasion? Trust me, I got him beat in that little competition.
Create Your Own Villain:
- In a few incarnations, old Batsy had a hand in my origin. Makes it more delicious wouldn't you say? Sometimes I invert the trope myself by being the one that made poor little Bruce an orphan, such as in my first movie appearance. Heck, I even lampshaded it!
- I suppose I was also responsible for the birth of the Phantasm and the deaths of my old mob gang.
- There was one continuity where I created Clayface (two different Clayfaces, in fact, but only the first one had it out for me).
Creator's Favorite: Turns out ol' Jack Nicholson said I was one of his favorite roles. Jackie boy's always had some great tastes!
Creepy Blue Eyes: I have some lovely blue eyes in one comic with Spider-Man and Carnage.
Creepy High-Pitched Voice: Lots of actors do this kind of voice for me. Hamill for sure, and all those other guys who tried to imitate his performance, ha! Ledger did something similar too, and even Richardson, who had a very deep voice, couldn't resist raising his voice sometimes! Chances are, you still hear some of them in your head. I know I do, hahaha!
Crossover: I've met Spider-Man at least twice, but he didn't remember me the second time,◊ even when I flashed my best winning smile! Maybe there was a little discontinuity involved, maybe it was because our realities were out-of-whack, or maybe the Spider-Man I met wasn't the same one. With all that goes on over there, who knows WHO was under that mask? I was also a Dark Judge for a bit too, but constantly killing the living got boring after a while.
Crosses the Line Twice: I just love jokes like this.
Cry for the Devil: Hey, I never asked for sympathy, and I don't expect it! Still... It's amazing what one bad day can do to a person...
Cute Kitten: "Cute Kitten"?! How should I know? I don't remember Catwoman ever reproducing.
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Are you kidding? Merely selling that flying saucer to NASA would have been so boring! And I wouldn't have sold it to the Soviets, in case you were thinking that. As I told that Red Skull fellow, I'm an American criminal lunatic. In one of the World's Finest stories, I teamed up with the Trope Namer and started a factory that made mechanized men to do jobs that are too dangerous for real people. All just to distract Supes and Bats while Lexy and I robbed something.
Dance Battler: Hey, I might not be a roided-up gorilla like Bat-Breath, but I got my own fighting skills to fall back on. The PlayStation 3-only DLC for Batman: Arkham Asylum shows that I'm mastered in a combination of Capoeira, Drunken Boxing, and lethal novelty toys! In fact, I've been pretty good at it ever since the time that I fought my tormentors in a very graceful way in the Comedy Club à la A Clockwork Orange, complete with somersaulting and leap frog! Well... at least that's what my mind perceived it to be while I was speaking with the Doc who would be dear ol' Harley at Blackgate Prison, anyway.
Dark and Troubled Past: Which one? I've got so many of these that even I can't keep 'em straight!
Darker and Edgier: Since Frankie. Some miss the old me when I was played by Cesar - just ask Eddie in "When Is A Door". He missed me not killing people. Isn't that sweet?
Dartboard of Hate: That poster of Bats was really too good for me — the animated me — to resist! And I was pretty upset in that series...
Deadline News:
- How ol'Jacky Boy's version of me likes to advertise mouthwash that'll give you "hair color so natural, only your undertaker will know for sure!!" HAHAHAHAHAA!!!
- Breaking news, this just grin! Deadly clouds of Joker Toxin spread across six continents! Billions die in horrendous agony! Wife's guts, wife's guts, wife's guts, WIFE'S GUTS!!!.... and now, here's Chuck with the weather. How's it look out there, Chuck?
Deadly Gas: Joker venom's one hell of an audience killer.
Deadly Prank: My modus operandi.
Deadpan Snarker: Maybe, maybe not. You know what I mean? It-it's almost like there are dark forces conspiring against me, twisting me like a puppet on a string... Naaaah!
Dead Sidekick: People tend to focus on that one time I killed one of Batsy's kids. And it didn't even take! How's that for gratitude?
Deal with the Devil: Ah, the nineties. While other villain-y sorts wasted their souls on dumb stuff like arcane power or craploads of green, I put what little I had to good use: a box of Cubans. Oh, ya shoulda seen ol' Neron's face.
Death by Adaptation: Oh please, even when I am "killed", I always manage to return. ALWAYS! Well, except for that one night back in the '80s. And that little incident over at Arkham City. And that time I tried adopting Batman's little bird as one of my own... Oh, wait! Getting Stupid-man to do it wasn't so bad! Let's just move on, shall we? The exceptions that prove the rule, am I right?
Death Dealer: I'm always a card, but sometimes I like using them as throwing weapons too! What better way to show off some style than by slicing a man with razor-sharp metal playing cards? You can always be sure I have an extra one or two up my sleeves, too...
Death Is Cheap: Oh sure, the J-man's been in a few scrapes now and then, but rest assured, they love me too much to let me stay in the big down under.
Death Seeker: Played up moreso in my scene-stealing appearances in The Dark Knight and Batman: Arkham Origins. I'm a horrible, despicable person surrounded by horrible, despicable people I won't hesitate to murder for giggles. Or simply because they're in my way! Or maybe just because it's Tuesday! It's Guano-Man's absolute refusal to give sociopaths like me what we deserve that starts my fixation with him.
Demoted to Dragon: In the show with the action figures I got to be the Big Bad in one season, until I used made a Villain: Exit, Stage Left after my plans were thwarted an ending with the rockhead. I got vaporized after I insulted him, but later he brought me back and turned me into one of his lackies. Not one of my best days, working for the god of tyranny and evil.
Demoted to Extra: Injustice 2. Since the game focuses solely on the Regime universe, and the me over there is dead, my only appearance in the story mode is during a hallucination caused by Scarecrow's fear gas. What a ripoff! It's boycott time, my adoring fans!
Depending on the Artist: Some artists, like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo, give me a long pointed chin, while others, such as Marshall Rogers, gave me a square one. I'm sometimes lean and mean, while other times I'm of average build. Some depict my lovely smile as being stuck on my face, while others have me capable of showing... other emotions. Gotta admit, having the grin cut into my mouth so I can make two expressions at once, that worked out decently enough.
Depending on the Writer: So tell me. Am I a harmless prankster, a homicidal maniac, a hostage to momentary whims, or a chessmaster capable of constructing elaborate plans? All these and more, at various times. (The current official theory is that I'm so mentally unstable my brain turns right over every now and again, and I become insane in a whole new way. That Grant Morrison, what a kidder.)
- My ability to give people the ol' one-two also flip-flops between authors. In some cases Batsy takes me down in one punch, while other authors write me as being able to kick Grayson's rear into next Tuesday without breaking a sweat! Gotta give Scott Snyder props for that.
Depraved Bisexual: Now why should I limit myself? Of course, there was that one time I made poison lipstick; that one took the trope and RAN with it. Who did the writer for that one think I am, Poison Ivy?
Depraved Dentist: Make sure to to keep your teeth clean, kids; I have a drill, and I know how to use it maliciously!
Despair Event Horizon: You ever have a bad day? I mean... a really bad day?! Ha. Aha. AHAHA. AHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!
Diabolical Mastermind: No joke. Just because I'm kooky doesn't mean I'm not a genius.
Didn't Think This Through: Okay, so I made a mistake the first time I dealt with that flying do-gooder when I thought hiding hostages in lead coffins would make it hard for him to find them in time, because, you know, he can't see through lead. All it did was make it EASIER for him to find them, since they stood out more. At least Lexy saw it coming...
Didn't We Use This Joke Already?: Sadly, a joke is never as funny the second time, so I try not to repeat myself. Believe it or not, I came close to telling old Bats one I'm sure everyone remembers in Batman: Arkham Asylum, but I caught myself:
Me: There were these two guys in a lunatic asylum... Oh hell, you've heard that one before, haven't you?
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: I don't know how Lex has such a hard time with that boring, blue-suited boy scout when he has so much more money and kryptonite than me. But you don't need much of the latter to put Supes in his place, right, Batsy?
Die Laughing: I try not to repeat myself, but sometimes there's just no substitute for the old tried-and-true Joker Venom to put a smile on people's faces for the rest of their lives.
Disguised in Drag: Hey, if you had my figure, wouldn't you be looking opportunities to flaunt it in a slinky dress? And you gotta admit, I make one dead sexy nurse!
Disney Villain Death: Heck, I've probably subverted this one as many times as Ol' Walt's boys played it straight.
Disproportionate Retribution: People keep saying I go into this, but I don't know why. A henchman who refuses to fork over the money he owes me when he loses a twenty-dollar bet on the World Series should be clubbed to death with a bunch of bananas (Note to self: takes too long. Use plantains instead). Anyone who would dare deny me first prize in a comedy competition just because I never actually entered it deserve to be mind controlled into becoming D-List criminals. And all those people who claimed that I couldn't legally trademark the fish that I arranged to grin like me seriously had it coming. Honestly, what's so disproportionate about all that?
- During my trip to Jump City, I decided to put Beast Boy through weeks of torture after hearing an action figure of the brat say "Dude, I'm the king of jokers."
Dissonant Laughter: It's only dissonant if you don't get the joke. Why doesn't anyone get the joke?!
Does Not Like Spam: So I don't care for Hostess Fruit Pies. Is that so hard to believe?
- Raisins are gross. Harley, I don’t want pudding with raisins in it!
- Bagley, how many times do I have to tell you, I hate macaroni and cheese!
Domestic Abuse: I resent the accusation. After all, Harl always comes back!
Do Not Adjust Your Set: I've done this more than once. A showman like me always works better with an audience.
Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: Imagine how boring a battle with Superjerk would be if I didn't let him know I kidnapped that Intrepid Reporter he's always hanging around with.
Don't Explain the Joke: I hate it when people do this! If you have to explain a joke, there IS no joke! I can't even tell you how many times I've had to explain that to dear Harley.... And if you notice with my little show in Vegas, I wasn't too thrilled with having to tell the camera men how Bats was "getting warm" because he was near a volcano. Sure they pathetically tried to laugh afterwards, but I told 'em that was enough. No one likes a brown-nose. But hey, that's the downside of comedy, you're always taking shots from folks who just don't get the joke! Like them, maybe my dad, or Batman.
Do Wrong, Right: Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bane, you big-headed lunk! Seriously?! Killing Bratman's butler in front of Robin! Over the phone! And you call yourself a genius. NOT! If you really wanted to hurt Batsy, you would have done the smart thing and, oh gee, I don't know, snap the butler's neck in FRONT of Batman! Maybe those WB execs sucked your brain dry worse than Dr. Young when she used your blood to make all that Titan! Stick to your second best corner and leave the position of Batman's first—and ONLY—Arch-Enemy to me, got it there big boy?
Draco in Leather Pants: Many people highlight my charisma, intellect, funny lines, and nice suit over my depravity.
The Dreaded: Like good old Batboy, I even scare the pants off of those who are far more powerful than myself. Some at the beginning believe me to be beneath their notice, but they soon learn.
Dressing as the Enemy: Nope, this one's not just for the good guys, kiddies! If you're wearing a police uniform, no one really worries that you're standing near the mayor holding a shotgun.
Driven to Suicide: One version of me decided he would rather just be executed after he remembered his life before he became the Joker.
Drives Like Crazy: Vehicular is my 11th favorite form of homicide! Just ask that sorry excuse for a clown with the ice cream truck!
Due to the Dead: Seen a few ideas on what to do with my body when I die.
- One example is that after the little bird-brained brat offed me, I could watch from the afterlife how Jimmy's little girl and Batsy were at least kind enough to give my body a decent burial deep within Arkham Asylum... unaware that I had implanted a microchip on little Timmy beforehand so that I could continue wreaking havoc after 40 years... until Bat-Fake, that is! Ahhh, such a simple time.
- Another example is that after I finally croaked from the Titan disease, I again watched from the afterlife as Commissioner Jimmy secretly kept watch over my corpse for two weeks, and then, after that Bat-Brain somehow survived my remaining traps, they showed me the kind favor of burning my body to get rid of it! Oh, well... it was fun while it lasted... Unless I somehow reincarnate in a different form. You never can tell when I may be coming back elsewhere, you know.
Dystopia Justifies the Means: A world without rules, baby!
Edible Bludgeon: I tell you, death by bananas is an absolute riot! Unfortunately, beating someone to death with a bunch of bananas can also take all night. Plantains make a much better weapon. I also taught lil' Andie a thing or two about killer bologna!
Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: "Vertet", actually. Ooh la la!
Electric Joybuzzer: It sure left a shocking impression on Antoine. But remember kids, always exercise caution when using these things, or you might, oh I don't know — fall into a waterfall and electrocute yourself to death, say? But that'd just be crazy. Not to mention that they can be used to fry a microchip that allows you to inhabit a body. On the other hand, it does make an excellent instant Joker, Jr...
Electric Torture: Making people glow like Christmas trees is a wonderful use of electricity. Ain't that right, Bats?◊
Empowered Badass Normal:
- During my reign as Emperor Joker, after stealing the powers of that imp. I became omnipotent during that time and reshaped the world in my image. Good times.
- There's also that time I borrowed Banesy's venom and became as buff as him. I even improved it into a variant called Titan, which I also used on myself.
Enemy Mine:
- I'm as shocked as you are! When my Batman: The Brave and the Bold incarnation made his first appearance, he actually joined forces with Batsy in order to take down Owlman, mainly because he just wasn't as much fun. In the end, he made a smart move and joined forces with the alternate double, but not before telling Bats that he tried to be good. That better not be signs of me decaying, otherwise I might need to have a little chitchat with those writers...
  - Oh, I should have trusted the writers more. I got to kill the Bat nine times! On a show for children!
- Teaching the Bat just how gut-bustingly funny and stupid he can be normally is and should be a personal affair. But when the Bat himself comes with an offer to share the stage, well, there's just no way I could say no! Especially when that loser that somehow managed to infringe both our trademarks gets involved!
Enemy Within: My whole role in Arkham Knight! That strong dose of Me-Blood I injected ol' Fatman with left a whole bunch of me in him. And thanks to good ol' Crane's toxins, I get to spend the whole game taunting him about how I'm taking control of him, making him relive horrible stuff I did to his Bat-buddies, and almost took control of him!... Almost... Damn Scarecrow.
Equal-Opportunity Evil: Despite what those memes that used to be funny before being co-opted by actual racists imply, I don't discriminate in anything regarding race or gender (I'd be beating Harley just as much if she was a dude), and anyone who does is no laughing matter in my book. Even I'm sickened by that Red Skull guy.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: I just don't get it!! I shout at her, I even give her a shiner and a love tap or ten, but that dame Harley just keeps coming back for more.... (sulks off to corner) I do love ya babe!! I just can't change who I am... (Wipes tear) Please forgive me..... Hahahahahaha!! Just kidding, I've done this to other dames about 10 times, don't tell her though. What, you think I do this because I don’t want her to leave? Well, maybe, maybe not. I guess I never thought about it.
- I hate to say it, but the truth is that it's really the case with ol' Batsy. When I have killed him, or thought I did, I'm always sent into a deep depression due to losing all purpose in life. I really can't live without him, but that doesn't mean I won't keep him entertained!
Even Evil Has Standards: Strap in, kids, this is gonna get long! I pride myself on being a classy psychopath.
- I may be a criminal lunatic, but I'm an AMERICAN criminal lunatic! When I found out◊ that Red Skull fellow was a Nazi, I turned on him, right then and there. And don't talk about that selling-nukes-to-Arabs thing. Fanon Discontinuity, plain and simple, got it?!
- Funny thing — to other villains, I'm below their standards (perhaps that would make me the Spear Counterpart to ol' Jimmy, if I'm to believe that Dick Flass). Well, phooey! I didn't want their help, anyway...
- For reasons of good taste, Joel Schumacher wasn't invited to my House Party at Arkham Asylum.
  - In hindsight, maybe I was a tad too harsh on him. The suits at the studio did stick their noses in too damn much.
- Oh yes, and there was that one time I met that Warren White guy in the showers, pointing out that while I kill people, I don't steal their kids' college funds — but knowing me, I probably just said that to get under his skin. Of course, now White looks like a dried up tuna, and is just as nutso as the rest of us. Like I always say, all it takes is one... bad... day...
- And don't even get me started on that lunatic of a "hero" who keeps ripping off my style! That guy makes ME look sane! I don't even want to think about what the blue one could do...
- If there's one thing I won't stand for, it's poor customer service!
- Now, look, my rude friend. We can't have people cursing at each other on the freeway. It's simply not polite. I'm just going to have to teach you some manners.
- And don't even get me started on those Aryan thugs in Blackgate — there's being a murderer, there's being an extravagant murderer, but those guys are just plain mean, not a funny bone in their body (also relates back to what I said to Red Numbskull.)
- For some reason, killing Jimmy's wife during NML in front of all those babies wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. What was funny is that Jimmy shot me in the knee for it, because it took me a second to figure out it was just like what I did to his daughter! Good one, Commissioner!
- As for that red, gooey psychopath, well, he's right in that everything is a nihilistic joke, but I have style, and his standard of mass mayhem isn't up to my standard. As I told him, I'm Orson Welles, he's David Hasselhoff. I dunno, maybe he should try Germany. Again, 'probably should keep away from Numb Skull, too. And if I'm being honest, the whole "watching as their skin peels off so we can eat it" is just gross. Don't get me wrong, I love a little recreational torture, but cannibalism and watching human flesh melt was never really my style. I'm more of an artistic killer than anything else.
- Even I'm not dumb enough to mess with the IRS. I'm already crazy enough to take on Batsy, thank you. Though I'm not above using the IRS to arrest Bruce Wayne for tax evasion.
- The new calmer me lets the Gotham PD evacuate the city before I start my big plan. No sense in letting the people die while I have my fun. Unusual? Yes, but sometimes, your Unca J is in a good mood.
- Let’s not forget about that sick, disgusting excuse for a mayor! I mean, stealing a city blind is something I can admire... but being mean to one's own daughter... that just makes my blood boil.
- I will NOT work with The Batman Who Laughs. I mean, sure, the idea sounds fine in paper, but in practice... ecch. Biggest waste of potential ever, trying to fill both my and Batsie's shoes and failing to reach either's standards. Honestly, it's cute he thinks he's still a threat after his big bad bud got sent to the great Recycling Bin between realities, but let's not kid ourselves. I remember when Killer Moth wasn't a punchline, and trust me, one of these days, Mister Edgelord McEdgeface's gonna find himself begging for a guest appearance at a kid's birthday party! (Though, I did do that with one of the big red cheese's friends once upon a time.)
- Not much fazes me, I go with the flow and do my own thing (mostly killing people and tormenting Batsy) and death is just a funny joke to me. But I'll admit when that old dinosaur Anton Arcane rose from Hell with those freakish little underlings of his, I did the one thing you kids probably thought impossible... I stopped laughing. Yes, it was pretty bad, even to a guy such as moi.
- As the trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League shows, I find no joy in the Knightmare timeline.
- Thank God that Hugo Strange wasn't actually trying to blackmail me for sexual favors like I thought he was. If he had been...well, I think I would rather have just gone to the electric chair.
- Just because I like to raze Hell in Gotham doesn't mean I wanna destroy the planet. If Earth dies because of pollution, how can I have any fun? For long term fun, I put a deposit on the purchase of an Electric Car from WayneTech. That being said, when that idiot limey Scarecrow unmasked Batman, and revealed he's the punk who runs Wayne Enterprises, since the car was delayed, I couldn't not interrogate Brucie on the delay. Like I said, If there's one thing I won't stand for, it's poor customer service!
- No, Jimmy, killing dogs isn't funny. At least not when Supes is already a dumb animal.
- In my delightful contribution to the art of rap against that sewer-dwelling freak, I make it abundantly clear that if there's one thing I will NEVER find funny, it's media that sexualizes children. Kill them? Sure, it's a free country! But anything more explicit? Noooo, thank you! Never thought I'd be the one to say this, but ol' Stevie-boy needs help.
  Me: Tell your author for his next gang-bang scene
  How about a little more PG and a lot less 13?!
  Even I wouldn't stoop to that kind of impropiety
  This is Earth, you space demon! We live in a society!
Every Scar Has a Story: Or in my case, a good half-dozen each.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Averted! I can damn well understand the good guys if I please. Even been one just a couple of times. It's just that it's out-of-your-skull boring. Though, for the life of me, I can't understand why Batsy doesn't get the joke...
Eviler than Thou:
- Carnage? Puh-leeze! The guy is an uninventive, style-less dunderhead! Like I told him that one time we met:
  "Any idiot, nothing personal of course, can go out and slaughter a few thousand people, but where's the laughter and tears? The handstands and histronics? In short, my dense and sanguine pal... where's the theater?"
- That sorry excuse for a clown with the ice cream truck had the right idea, but he seriously needed to loosen up. Last I saw, he was smiling more than ever!
- That other sorry excuse for a clown who eats kids and turns into a giant spider thought he was all hot stuff before I showed him how much of a wannabe he really is. As I put it to him...
  When I compare your antics to the fiendish schemes I revel in,
  They pale like the moonlight you can dance with the devil in!
- That one stud with the metal arms remarked that I make Ka no look like an angel! And even Kano himself can't stand me!
Evil Is Cool: Why do you think I have imitators?
Evil Eyebrows: They're marvelous, aren't they!?
Evil Feels Good: Does it ever!
Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: Aw, come on! I've got a great sense of humor! It's not my fault if not everyone can appreciate it! WHY DOESN'T ANYONE ELSE GET THE JOKE?!!
Batman: Because I've heard it before, and it wasn't funny the first time.
Evil Is Hammy: Well, where's the fun in having inhibitions?
Evil Is One Big, Happy Family: It certainly is◊. We got even happier when we decided to have a kid.
Evil Is Petty: Petty? You snobbish little punk, I'll KILL ya for that one! Oh, I kid.
- Still, that "report card incident" has gotten a lot more mileage than I expected....
- In my debut in that Dini guy's classic Batman: The Animated Series, I went through one of my patented convoluted plots, nearly ruined Christmas for Gotham, kidnapped ol' Jimmy Gordon, that fat buffoon and that annoying reporter lady, all to... trick Batman into opening a present with a springloaded pie in it. Not a poisoned pie, or an acid pie, just a regular cream pie. Hey, it's a classic! We have fun, Batsy and I!
Evil Knockoff: What is this world coming to that one of the most beloved icons of murder and mayhem cannot escape this sad pest?
- Shortly after Jason's extreme massage session, some random Gothamite decided my life philosophy was cool enough to pattern his life after. I'd have been flattered had he not decided to poach in my patch, up to trying to become me and usurp my rightful identity. God, it's so embarrassing to see someone trying so hard and missing the point so badly. He even decided to repeat my famous diving act in the Ace Chemicals vats! On a different note, random fact - do you have any idea of how much more corrosive the chemicals in those vats are nowadays?
- I suppose that rando who decided to take one of the magic "become-a-supervillain" pills in Child of Dreams also counts. Pity about the side effects.
Evil Laugh: Let's face it, I don't do any other kind. Don't believe me? Here's some of my greatest hits! If you're itching for more (you know you are), try watching this. Or this.
Evil Mentor: I've done this more than once. Sometimes I'll take on a sidekick of my own to mimic Batsy and the Boy Blunder, and other times I'll employ good old-fashioned mental torture to "persuade" good people of just how screwed up this world really is. In some stories, I've even turned some of Batsy's allies into villains-namely Harvey Dent and Ethan Bennett, in addition to helping Basil Karlo realize that he still had his Clayface powers. Admittedly, I failed with old Jimmy Gordon, but nobody's perfect...
Evil Plan: I dabble in everything from the classic robbery to pay the bills to Mind Rape for kicks. Though they usually involve Batsy somehow.
Evil Sounds Deep: I usually prefer to invert this trope, but sometimes I play it straight, like that black guy who pops up in everything in The Batman (Though he more just randomly jumps up and down an octave every sentence.) and that alchoholic robot I'd be great friends with in Batman: Under the Red Hood. And don't forget good ol' Jackie N!
Evil Twin: Word is there're some worlds out there where my counterparts are on the good guys' side. Is that messed-up or what?!
Evil Versus Evil: I tussle with the competition all the time! The penultimate issue of my own magazine pit yours truly against ol' Jonathan Crane, for example. The bet, entitled "The Scarecrow's Fearsome Face-Off", is which of our fearsome weapons is the best, and my laughing gas won out. Ha, that'll teach him.
Explosive Cigar: Who says cartoons should have this little gadget all to themselves? 'Course, mine are filled with naughtier stuff... That said, there's always the Double Subversion gag... Ah, the memory of the many silly souls pissing themselves in fear of taking the next puff of a common cigar. Never give the public what they expect!
Expy Coexistence:
- Ah, the delicious irony of joining forces with my expy in a world crafted by my company's rival! Picture it, if you will: a crossover concoction where yours truly and my crimson reflection, Carnage, took center stage in the pages of Spider-Man and Batman, Volume 1, Issue 1. Oh, the twisted dance of chaos and symbiosis in a universe not of my own making but spun by the web-weaving hands of Marvel! You see, Carnage, that red symbiotic psychopath, is a living echo, a reflection of the chaos I've sown across Gotham's streets. In the realm of Expy Coexistence, it's a mirror image of my brand of madness, with a different palette of red and a symbiotic twist. From the maniacal laughter to the unpredictable mayhem, Carnage is my expy incarnate, a vivid manifestation of the anarchy I've long embraced. As for how it all came to be, well, let's just say the idea of teaming up with Carnage popped into my head like a Jack-in-the-box of mayhem. A splendid thought, I must say, like concocting the perfect punchline to a cosmic joke. Oh, the mirth that ensued as we wreaked havoc and shared wicked laughter, leaving an indelible mark on the multiversal canvas. So, in the grand theater of Expy Coexistence, remember that once, just once, I and my crimson compatriot Carnage took a bow together, leaving chaos in our wake across the comic book cosmos. The Joker and Carnage, a pair of kindred spirits – different universes, same delightful madness, connected through the threads of creative inspiration and chaotic brilliance!
- Also in my ending in Mortal Kombat 11 I created the league of misunderstood maniacs with like minded fellows Havik, Mileena, and Hsu Hao.
Extendo Boxing Glove: What can I say? I live to bring the punchline! Monkey-Me actually made it one of his standard weapons. And wouldn't you know it, those karate guys found it particularly... gut-busting!
Eye Scream: The magic trick of making a pencil disappear into a crony's skull, that was all. Care to see for yourself, Pearl?
Face Palm: Batman has probably dodged thousands of bullets fired by my mooks over the years. My reaction is usually something like this◊.
Facial Horror:
- Wouldn't you know, I lost my whole face at the start of the New 52. Naturally, I couldn't lose this trademark winning smile of mine, so I ended up stealing it back from the cops and wearing it like a mask, even if it was getting... ripe. Not to worry, though; a little healing factor, and it's back good as new for Batman: Endgame.
- Depending on how I remember it, I might have gone through something like this when I was younger. It's a long story... Y'see, I was dead, and this Joker-wannabe cut off my handsome face and wore it for an afternoon, but then I came back and, well, had to staple my face back on... I didn't forgive him for ruining my good looks, even if he did resurrect me... Then again, that was Jerome. His brother Jeremiah, who is me in all but name, did get sprayed in the face with Joker Venom for his perma-clown look—and his fall into a vat of chemicals at Ace resulted in a burned face and, aside from stringy patches, most of his hair.
- Then again, between the chemical bath I take in most incarnations that give me my appearance and the Glasgow Grin I have in The Dark Knight and Joker, I fall into this, anyway.
- Then there's that one universe where it seems that the chemical bath wasn't so kind to me... although apparently I was born that way. Either way, the wimps behind the camera apparently decided that this version of my handsome mug was too gruesome to show in full.
Fake Crossover: Can you believe it? This one time, that Ash Ketchum punk decided to jump out from Poke-land and have at it with me and the boys at a friendly little card game! And that little brat kept winning! It's too bad he decided to "fold" at the end! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Whoops! Just kidding! That was just a little show the studio boys put together for the kiddies watching the old WB Network! Me and Mister "I Can't Seem To Win a League To Save My Life" ^{Hmmm? What's that now?} We've never actually crossed paths in either of our respective canons; otherwise, Poke-boy wouldn't have survived the night! Nobody beats me in a game of cards and lives! ^{Oh, and while I'm on the subject!} ^{Oh what now Harley?!}
Faking the Dead: And a pretty good one at that, too! As part of my backup plan in Batman: Arkham City, I stole one of those "magic feign-death potions" that ol' Sharpie had made, and then, while the Bat was fighting off Mr. Hammer, I pulled off a Juliet Capulet by drinking the bottle of it, and then drifted off into slumberland, with Clayface in hiding and dear ol' Harley right by my side. After a few minutes, the potion's effects wore off, and I woke up just in time to find the Dork Knight, knocked out cold by both Clayface and Harl', so I could infect him with my Titan blood. My plan worked like a charm! Bitter irony, though, as I was only hours away from death by Titan poisoning anyway.
Falsely Reformed Villain: Every once in a blue moon, usually when the Bat manages to get himself killed, something inside me snaps and I won't be my usual, cheerful self. I might even pass off as being, *gasp*, almost sane! How lucky for me that Batsy never stays down for very long.
Fan Disservice: If you've got the pasty white gams (and other things) needed to rock a pair of scale panties◊, I say flaunt 'em.
Faux Affably Evil: Ol' Lexy said it best: "Frighteningly sick in the head, but strangely compelling company."
Flanderization: Sometimes writers portray me as your average psycho serial killer, forgetting I'm supposed to be a FUNNY psycho serial killer. Of course as Characterization Marches On shows, I was originally lacking a sense of humor more or less to begin with so it isn't that jarring, all things considered...
Flat Scare: Oh yeah, I've pulled this a few times, notably with Vicky Vale in Burton's movie, or on a poor Arkham warden schmuck. You wouldn't believe the effect a little "boo" can have when it's coming from me!
Flechette Storm: When the writers give me more unusual weapons besides just guns and knives (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course...), razor-edged playing cards are always a perennial standby.
Flying Saucer: The Sixties were a strange decade, boys and girls. Of course, with today's gas prices, I might as well walk to Mars...
Forever War: Bats and I are destined to do this forever. He won't kill me because of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness, and I won't kill him because he's just too fun! HAHAHAHAHA!
For the Evulz: What better reason could there possibly be?
Fountain of Expies: Hoo boy, it's harder to find a modern example of a Monster Clown villain who isn't cribbing off little ol' me. Heck, there's a whole other page now just to keep count!
Fourth-Wall Observer: Don't mind if I whistle my own theme tune. Or glance at the camera in all too many stories. Or chat about the editors. Or write my own article right here, right now.
Freak Lab Accident: Classic Origin, of course. You'd be surprised how taking a bath in a vat of chemicals can really bring out the worst in you!
"Freaky Friday" Flip: Batsy foiled my plan to hold international delegates hostage, but the joke was on him when they got mixed up in Instant People: Just Add Water! form.
Friend to All Children: Just look at their joyous expressions!◊
From Nobody to Nightmare: Be honest: did ya ever see me before I became the clown you know and love? If there even was a 'before'? For all you know, I could've been that one loser down at the sidewalk that you whacked... But that's the fun of it! I love me a good mystery with my comedy - it's fun keeping the audiences guessin'!
Funny Animal: My Earth C-Minus counterpart, the Porker, has constantly fought Batsy's counterpart Batmouse.
Funny Answering Machine: "AHAHAHAHAHA! Boy, did you get the wrong number! Leave your message at the sound of the shriek." "No, please, don't! AAAAAGH!"
Fun with Palindromes: I once suggested going through Gotham's phone book and killing everyone whose name was a palindrome. It's as good a reason as any!

Here's a link to the main page of yours truly!
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Self Demonstrating / The Joker - Tropes A to F

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