The Original Joker Is Still The Scariest Version of All Time

While the Joker has been reimagined by a vast range of writers and artists, Bill Finger and Bob Kane’s original iteration remains the scariest version. When he was introduced in Batman #1 (1940), Joker was depicted as a strategic serial killer who happened to wear clown makeup. Gotham City police were desperate enough to turn to the Dark Knight, as the mysterious murderer gave clues and warnings ahead of his crimes through the radio.

Casual fans might assume that the Joker was portrayed as darker throughout his comic book history in the DC Universe. Although his Silver Age depiction was often more interested in pulling pranks on Batman and Robin than truly terrorizing Gotham City, most versions of the Clown Prince have attempted to one-up each other in their sinister characterizations. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo recreated the Joker as a grotesque psychopath, wearing his own face as a mask. However, creators have yet to reinvent the iconic villain in a darker style than the one in which he was first introduced to readers.

In Batman’s debut issue of his first self-titled series, the Joker targeted specific individuals throughout Gotham City, while relaying information through the radio. There was no backstory given for the Joker, as he was simply a serial killer who dressed as a clown. His appearance made it seem that he treated life and death as a game, consistently finding new ways to kill his targets. Police partnered with Batman to find the murderer before he struck again, as the Joker provided a timeline for his victims.

Similar to Matt Reeves’ The Batman’s characterization of the Riddler, Finger and Kane’s Joker found purpose in the game of his crimes. By leaving a calling card, he taunted police and Batman, proving that he had fun pulling his schemes. Echoing Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, Joker managed to find ways to break into the homes of his victims and plant poison. His mysterious methods didn’t require elaboration, as Batman didn’t have time to unravel how he killed. Instead, Batman had to focus on stopping what Joker had already set in motion.

Instead of laughing maniacally, Joker calmly sat back and waited as events unfolded. Joker wasn’t concerned with being found out or located by Batman, as he remained confident with his plan. Unlike many modern iterations, he wasn’t a quirky character set on his gimmicks. Finger and Kane’s Joker didn’t require additional creepy ornaments, as he was already scary on his own.

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