How the Evolution of the Joker Character Ended with Joaquin Phoenix
The Joker is one of the oldest villains in the history of comic books. The character was created all the way back in 1940 when he first appeared in the movie Batman and quickly became an essential reference for a villain. Throughout the years, the Joker has gone through many changes and evolutions, incarnating several versions of himself in different movies. However, with the latest Joker film, it seems actor Joaquin Phoenix has finally managed to capture the ideal Joker fans have always been searching for. With his unique personal history and natural instinct for dark characters, it seems Pheonix’s new take has finally settled the character and won our hearts. Let’s take a look back at the incredible evolution of the Joker and see how Phoenix’s personal life came to shape the latest Joker.
The Original Joker was inspired by a clown
In the DC universe, the Joker has been a master villain who often goes up against Batman. Originally the Joker was modeled after a Clown from the 1928 Drama ‘The Man Who Laughs’. The film was based on the novel by Victor Hugo about a laughing man that ends up falling completely in love during a freak show circus.
In this film, the main character had particular characteristics that would later inspire the Joker’s, particularly odd look. The character had a wide grin and a very long face, combined with slick hair that would result in a scary-looking character. A bit more than a decade later, ‘The Man Who Laughs’ main character’s appearance was transformed into the Joker we know today.
The First Debut
When the Joker was created, he had an ashen white face, green hair, and a very particular grin on his face. Curiously though, when Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, and Bob Kane first created the Joker, the plan wasn’t really for him to become a continuous character.
One of its creators’ biggest fears was that by keeping the Joker alive and coming back, Batman would be seen as a weak hero who was not capable of destroying his villain. But in the first edition, editor Whitney Ellsworth convinced creator Bob Kane that allowing the Joker’s character to survive was the best decision. He then went on to appear in nine issues out of the following twelve Batman issues.
A Child-Friendly Version
When the Joker was first introduced to the world, its primary audience was mostly mature readers. Eventually, as his popularity grew all over, a kid-friendly version seemed to be a good idea. So around the early 1940s, the brand Detective Comics agreed that they would probably be able to sell more if they introduced the villain to a younger audience.
Because the Joker was initially created as a bit of an evil-doer with a violent nature, the character was then changed into a prankster. That way, the Joker became a little bit more approachable and less scary than its initial version.
The Famous Red Hood
Initially, the Joker only appeared in DC comics when he was fighting Batman. For over a decade or so, he was always associated with being Batman’s villain, and never really had the chance to show his own origin story. That changed in 1951 when Bill Finger decided to write the Joker’s story, bringing some light into who he was and why he behaved the way he did.
The story appeared in DC’s issue number 168, revealing that before he became known as the Joker, he was just another criminal called Red Hood. The man who was under the hood fell into a chemical vat by mistake, which resulted in him becoming disfigured and turning into the Joker.