The Joker

A mysterious criminal whose true past remains unknown, the Joker is Batman's most iconic nemesis — a homicidal genius wielding lethal laughing gas and Joker venom, whose gleeful, unpredictable brutality makes him unlike any other villain in Gotham.

Few villains in comics history have cast as long a shadow as The Joker, who burst onto the scene in Batman #1 back in 1940 — a Golden Age debut that helped define what a comic book antagonist could be. Created by George Shute and Raymond Perry, this DC icon has haunted the pages of Batman and Detective Comics for an astonishing 86 years and counting, racking up 230 catalog appearances and no fewer than eight collector-recognized key issues along the way. He keeps rarefied company, sharing pages with the likes of Robin, Superman, Green Lantern, and Dick Grayson — a who's who of DC's finest — which speaks to just how central this character is to the entire universe. Whether you're a seasoned collector chasing those landmark issues or a newer fan discovering the depth of DC's history, The Joker is absolutely essential reading.