The Prankster

A cunning criminal mastermind who turned elaborate pranks and gimmick-based schemes into a career of crime, the Prankster debuted in 1944 as a recurring thorn in Superman's side, using jokes and tricks as cover for serious felonies.

Dreamed up in the Golden Age by Joseph Greene and Bernard Baily, The Prankster made his debut in Action Comics #69 in 1944 — stepping straight into the orbit of the Man of Steel himself, sharing pages with Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Perry White. That's rarefied company for any villain, and it speaks to the staying power of this mischievous DC rogue that his appearances stretch across nearly eight decades, from 1944 all the way to 2023. With a key collector's issue to his name and a presence across Action Comics and Superman, The Prankster is a delightful piece of DC history — the kind of colorful Golden Age antagonist who reminds you just how wonderfully weird the earliest days of superhero comics could be.