Joker

Few villains cast a shadow quite like the Joker, DC's crown prince of chaos whose catalog presence stretches across an remarkable 56 years from a 1969 Silver Age debut in The Phantom Stranger #2, brought to life by Ed Herron and Leonard Starr. His most notable appearances cluster around the Batman universe, where he shares the page with the Dark Knight himself, Bruce Wayne, Robin, Dick Grayson, and even Green Lantern — elite company that speaks to his place at the very heart of DC's mythology. The Batman Noir: Gotham by Gaslight entry hints at the character's reach across different eras and reimaginings, proving this particular brand of menace translates across time and tone. If you're building a serious DC collection, the Joker is simply non-negotiable.