Unexpectedly Laughing at the Joker: A Surprising Moment of Humor

The Joker, often referred to as the Clown Prince of Crime, rarely elicits laughter among DC fans. His brand of humor leans heavily into the sadistic, leaving many to regard his antics as distasteful rather than amusing. For most of my experience with this character, I’ve never found his ‘jokes’ worthy of a genuine laugh. So, imagine my surprise when I actually chuckled at one of his lines in a recent comic.

Injecting a dark but genuine sense of humor into the Joker’s character could potentially revitalize his persona in intriguing ways.

Traditionally, the Joker’s humor is meant to unsettle rather than entertain; it’s a reflection of his fascination with inflicting pain on others. Instead of evoking laughter, his twisted love for comic relief stems from the distress he causes, pushing readers away rather than drawing them in.

Due to the Joker’s well-established humorlessness, it was utterly unexpected when one of his quips in Dan Watters and Hayden Sherman’s Batman: Dark Patterns #1 actually made me laugh.

Unexpected Laughter from the Joker

Cover Art for Batman: Dark Patterns #1 (2024)

Batman: Dark Patterns #1 marks the beginning of a new mini-series by Watters and Sherman, exploring Batman’s earlier years. The storyline brings Batman back to his detective roots, portraying him processing the gritty realities of crime-fighting. In the inaugural issue, he teams up with Lieutenant Jim Gordon at a crime scene and encounters Dr. Sereika, the GCPD’s forensic pathologist consultant. Batman expresses skepticism about her suitability for the case, hinting at possible substance abuse issues.

The Joker and His Misguided Humor

Grant Morrison: A Key Figure in Portraying the Joker

Batman and Robin #14 Damian Wayne and Joker

A primary reason the Joker’s humorous moment in Batman: Dark Patterns surprised me is my long-standing aversion to his character’s typical antics, especially his so-called humor. Grant Morrison’s narrative in Batman and Robin clearly illustrates this point. In issue #14, we witness an intense exchange where Damian Wayne confronts the Joker in his cell. As Damian interrogates him, the young Robin brandishes a crowbar threateningly. However, Joker ultimately turns the tables on him, setting the scene for a twisted play that highlights his cruel sense of humor.

Joker quips that he initially didn’t find Damian amusing but may have been mistaken, exclaiming, “A Robin who lets me manipulate him into a locked room situation? A Robin who even brings his own crowbar to the party? You might be the funniest one yet.” This moment is laced with irony, showcasing the Joker’s typical brand of cruel humor, which is often anything but funny to the audience. Such interactions have conditioned me to expect disgust rather than genuine laughter from this character.

A Call for Change in the Joker

Proposing a New Direction for the Joker

While I recognize the intentional choice by DC to depict the Joker as humorless, I genuinely believe that a touch of authentic humor could breathe new life into his character, as long as it aligns with his deranged nature. The writing style in Batman: Dark Patterns illustrates that injecting genuine, twisted humor into the character is feasible. At this juncture in the Joker’s extensive history, I find myself increasingly disillusioned; the shock value of his previous actions has waned, and I long for a fresh take on his persona.

Batman: Dark Patterns #1 is now available from DC Comics!

Source & Images