The "unified" joker

[mofo]

So Dan Didio said (in an interview with IGN or newsarama...) that sometime next year we shall see a definitive, unified version of the Joker (because, right now, we have about 4 versions floating around in batman, Detective Comics, Cacophony, Confidential)

And i don't think GM's version of the Joker will last because a) this joker would only work in an RIP type of story IMO (although he was brilliant) and b) people other than GM wouldn't really know how to write him since he was very bizarre

so....what do you people think the unified Joker will be like?

I think/hope he's based on Heath Ledger :smile:
a fitting tribute AND TDK Joker was pretty damn sweet

[Alan2099]

I think/hope he's based on Heath Ledger
I agree. I hope they ruin the character too. I'm getting kind of tired of seeing him show up all the time.

[JTPencils]

I'm not so sure you really CAN unify the Joker character. He's so multi-layered, so bizarre, so many facets.. .is it possible to really have one definitive version?

As for the Ledger association... please... no. It was fine for the film... but let's leave it at that. It'd be like hoping they base him on Cesar Romero, some may have enjoyed his portrayal.. but I don't want that to be the "set it in stone" characterization they put into the books.

[n2doop5u]

I'm not so sure you really CAN unify the Joker character. He's so multi-layered, so bizarre, so many facets.. .is it possible to really have one definitive version?

As for the Ledger association... please... no. It was fine for the film... but let's leave it at that. It'd be like hoping they base him on Cesar Romero, some may have enjoyed his portrayal.. but I don't want that to be the "set it in stone" characterization they put into the books.

I completely agree. The amazing thing about this character is you CAN write him a million different ways and still call him "the Joker." So few characters can do that so why would you want to ruin it by unifying him?

As for the jokers out right now, I'm actually enjoying Joker in Cacophony, ass rape and all.

[thedevilsadvocate]

As long s Harley's nowhere near him, I am fine.

[Inverted]

Honestly the idea is fine by me. He can be a complex individual no matter how he looks. It's not about apperence but how the writers crafts the character.

Personally I hope we see a unified version inspired by Heath ledger's Joker similar to the recent Joker graphic novel, or a GM inspired Joker. So far these two Joker's are more complex, entertaining, and something I can take seriously then other interpretations.

Maybe as I kid in the 90's I could see Cacophony or Confidential Joker working - but not anymore. Being progressive is good people. It's time to move on.

[thedevilsadvocate]

Honestly the idea is fine by me. He can be a complex individual no matter how he looks. It's not about apperence but how the writers crafts the character.

Personally I hope we see a unified version inspired by Heath ledger's Joker similar to the recent Joker graphic novel, or a GM inspired Joker. So far these two Joker's are more complex, entertaining, and something I can take seriously then other interpretations.

Maybe as I kid in the 90's I could see Cacophony or Confidential Joker working - but not anymore. Being progressive is good people. It's time to move on.

The Heath Ledge Joker was a compelling character. Didn't take sh*t from anyone, driven, psychologically profound, darkly enlightening and best of all, unpredictable while still making 'sense' in the back of our minds. It's like they took the best Joker stories and gave us a damn fine film version. The GN Joker sucked. He was boring, cliche' and stiff. Hardly progressive and this is coming from someone who gave the book a passing grade.

[chrisgiff]

i think the "Heath Ledger/Joker GN" Joker would be the best bet. It would work great in all Batman books.

[Utility Belt]

Whatever version of The Joker they decide to go with, my one hope is that they use the character sparingly. He loses his impact if he shows up too often.

[PastePotPete]

So Dan Didio said (in an interview with IGN or newsarama...) that sometime next year we shall see a definitive, unified version of the Joker (because, right now, we have about 4 versions floating around in batman, Detective Comics, Cacophony, Confidential)

And i don't think GM's version of the Joker will last because a) this joker would only work in an RIP type of story IMO (although he was brilliant) and b) people other than GM wouldn't really know how to write him since he was very bizarre

so....what do you people think the unified Joker will be like?

I think/hope he's based on Heath Ledger :smile:
a fitting tribute AND TDK Joker was pretty damn sweet

Dan Didio says a lot of dumb things.

Look, saying there should be a 'definitive, unified' version of any character is missing the point. Batman is a different character each time a new writer takes over his book. Same for The Joker.

Also, good stories involve characters changing in some meaningful way. To have any good story revolving around The Joker he's going to have to change during the story. That's the way characters work.

Stuff like "definitive versions" are just semantic traps that fans play with so that they can feel like they own the characters more than the artists. Continuity is the same kind of trap. This way fans can say "your Joker story was bad because you didn't use the official version of the Joker. You're not in continuity." This is a terrible way to judge the value of a comics story.

Let every artist do their own version of the character. Let every artist change the way we view the character. That's what Heath Ledger did and that's why his performance was great. Aping him wouldn't be a tribute, it'd be lame.

[TROUBLEZ]

A unified Joker?

How bout cutting back on his multi-title appearances? It's overkill.

Instead, create some NEW villains for Batman.

But this is the DC standard in action. Hype up the same ol' characters, in the same ol' situations and claim, no, THIS is the real version!

Superman Birthright/Geoff Johns'd, Brainiac revealed to be the real Brainiac, The Flash Rebirthed, Legion becoming the Legion again, Batman recementing his role as Batman after RIP, Wonder Woman finding out who Wonder Woman is courtesy of the OC guy, and Year One's for everyone else.

[HopeLantern]

I have to be honest... I love GM's version of the Joker. He's completely redefined the character for me, and brought Joker back to his murderous, psychotic roots, while still having his own version of "reason". He has no feeling for anyone, including Harley, and will go so far as to slice his own tongue in half to make a point to Bats. I am probably in the minority here, and no I'm not a GM worshipper, but I really wouldn't mind exploring this characterization much more, provided Joker doesn't appear in all these over Batbooks with different versions.

I will say this, I don't care for the Kevin Smith interpretation in "Cacaphony" at all.I think he was going for the "Clown Prince" version of the character, but something felt off to me. I did think Dini got it right in "'Tec" though, when Bats was beating Scarecrow into a pulp.

[mofo]

ok... a couple of you have made very good arguments as to why DC should not be concerned with creating a definitive version of the Joker...

i think im on the "don't do it....let the writers write how they want to" bandwagon now :biggrin:

[mofo]

A unified Joker?

How bout cutting back on his multi-title appearances? It's overkill.

Instead, create some NEW villains for Batman.

But this is the DC standard in action. Hype up the same ol' characters, in the same ol' situations and claim, no, THIS is the real version!

Superman Birthright/Geoff Johns'd, Brainiac revealed to be the real Brainiac, The Flash Rebirthed, Legion becoming the Legion again, Batman recementing his role as Batman after RIP, Wonder Woman finding out who Wonder Woman is courtesy of the OC guy, and Year One's for everyone else.

:eek:
mad hate! but you do have a point

[Slackjaws_ate_my_brain]

People keep talking about GM pushing the joker into a more dark/bizzar place in RIP, but i'd argue that his take on the character in "Arkham Asylum" was FAR darker, farther "out there", equally as menacing, and, IMO, just "better".

As has been said, The Joker is written differently by different writers. He's a good character that can be translated a few different ways. That said, my "perfect" Joker would be a mix of "The Killing Joke", "Arkham Asylum", and "Going Sane". That's just me, though.

[Sean Walsh]

Good to see Didio believes one character - and not the entire company continuity - should be "unified." :rolleyes: :tongue:

[frostedone]

I do NOT want the Ledger/Grant Morrison Joker. They are Joker in name only, and worked for their stories ONLY. Don't get me wrong, Heath LEdger did a fine job as the Nolan-verse Joker, but I do not want that in the comics, unless it is set in the Nolan-verse continuity.

[davepaton]

I think the GM joker is the best thing from his entire run. I love the fact that he doesn't give a shit about anyone or anything. Tony Daniels art of him is also outstanding - especially the cover of #680. Though I agree I'm not convinced that this Joker could successfully be translated when it's a different writer.

Also I think a Ledger/Morrison Joker basically makes Harley redundant - though since i don't care for her I wouldn't mind this

[thedevilsadvocate]

Joker was around for over half a century before she came along. She means nothing to him.

I wouldn't mind a Morrison/LegJoker actually. In Batman 681, it was demonstrated that that Joker was still enlightened and not a serial killer boogeyman.

[Killsocket]

For what its worth from a newbie:

A Ledger attitude Joker with the looks of The Killing Joke Joker (meaning he is actually deformed and it's not "makeup"). That would be mine. So far. :redface:

[DonC]

I think/hope that what DiDio meant was a unified look for the Joker. In recent months we've seen regular Joker; graphic novel Joker; and Morrison, forked-tongue, bullet-in-forehead Joker.

Me, I'm hoping we lose Morrison Joker and graphic novel Joker.

[nepenthes]

I don;t see why people care so much about a "unified" Joker, it's impossible, as many have rightly pointed out) or having multiple versions of the Joker running around the place.

Batman appears in at least four titles right now, and he is slightly different in each one, naturally, because they're all by different writers in different types of stories. But do you hear people demanding a unified Batman?

Leave this for the guys who complain about minor continuity glitches and the like. Nerds basically. I like picking up a comic and seeing something new, something that can not be found anywhere else. I like picking the types of stories I want to read. I like choice

I actually wish there was much more variation in the characters and story types. I really like the Joker Asylum issue for example...

[Death by Mime]

I think/hope that what DiDio meant was a unified look for the Joker. In recent months we've seen regular Joker; graphic novel Joker; and Morrison, forked-tongue, bullet-in-forehead Joker.


Yeah, I hope this is it, otherwise what the heck are they thinking? Of all the characters with all their diversified interpretations, Joker's practically the only one with an in-story justification for it!

If they're really going to unify the character, I hope they make him a robot. A robot full of spiders. So that if you break him all the spiders come out and start biting you.

...Yeah, that's the ticket.