Ok, for those that don’t know me, I’m a Joker freak. Yeah. I love Joker in ever shape, size, color, flavor it comes. From a Joker Pez dispenser, to the small Heath Ledger Joker in the cereal box. I have most and continually hunt for more and within my collection I have found some strange incarnations of the Clown Prince of Crime that has even me scratching my head. I would like to share a few of them with fellow Joker fans, because it can’t be only me that find these appearances quite…well, ODD. Then, isn’t that what we love of Joker, his ability to stay out of the crowd? All right, enough of me. Enjoy!
Title: “The Mark of Bizarro” DC Comics Presents 71, July 1984
Creative Team: E. Nelson Bridwell, writer; Curt Swan, artist
What I think: OK, if there wasn’t enough with a Bizarro Superman and a Batzarro, here we see and entire Justice League of Bizarros and our very own…Bizarro Joker. He doesn’t wear makeup (but still has green hair), is the sanest man in this crazy Bizarro world and cries all the time instead of laughing. (I think he cries seeing how little panel time he gets on the comic, guess why…?) Thank God they never gave this guy his own series…
Title: Digital Justice, 1990
Creative Team: Pepe Moreno
I think: Well this was a very difficult graphic novel to make then. Forget World of Warcraft and the Sims. CGI is crude and minimal. The computer technology of the early nineties was in its infancy as this was probably done when people still programmed in BASIC, but the plot is very interesting and complicated (so much that I’m using the premise one a story I’m writing). Please, don’t blink between panels or you will stray with this GN. Joker and Batman are long time dead, but somehow, the Clown has survived as a computer virus with great ambitions (Batman Forever : Return of the Joker comes to mind). It requires a detective with the skills of the Bat and a large access to the “Network” to put this clown down and the task goes to Gordon’s grandson.
Title: Nosferatu, 1990.
Creative Team: Ted McKeever, cinematographer (?), Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier, artists
What I think: For those horror fans…this one’s for you. A merge of the Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari and Nosferatu in the Batman universe….Yummy! Dr. Arkham creates a Frankenstein-like like creature called the Laughing Man (aka the Joker, see pic) and sets the monster free to do chaos in an alternate Gotham. It’s up to Nosferatu, yes… the classic silent movie vampire (aka Batman), to thwart Arkham’s plans and stop the Laughing man at any cost.
The art is kind of grotesque and uses heavy blacks and sepias which add to the horror feel of the graphic novel. Unfortunately the Laughing man is reduced to a puppet with no dialogue and only one thing in mind…murder (and well equipped he is for that). It makes for a fun read though.
Title: Superman : Speeding Bullets (Elseworlds tale) 1993.
Creative Team: J.M DeMatteis, writer; Eduardo Barreto, artist
What I think: If you noticed the title, you immediately realize this is not a Batman prestige format. Jor-el falls on earth and is adopted by the Waynes. Young Bruce is one angry SOB, but he really doesn’t know what to do with his life or his powers, and takes the role of Batman in Gotham. Since there can’t be a Batman without a Joker, the role falls on Lex Luthor. Lex plays with Batman, sometimes using homoerotic undertones, but have to admit that this Joker is pretty much more in character as he is out of looks. This is a story of finding oneself, in this case Bruce Wayne coming to peace with what he is. After he deals with Joker…he is reborn and the darkness is lifted. Is the new era for a new…SUPERMAN. In my opinion, though…they should have kept the original Joker look, somehow, Luthor is not that believable as the Clown Prince. A good read anyways.
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