Why exactly would Joker have wanted to have his face cut off?

[BadBoy House]

Because comics aren't just for kids any more, and don't you forget it!

+1 totally agree

[Namtab]

It's hard for me to see Joker not getting ganked by the justice system as the one thing in Batman that strains credulity. It seems like such a strange thing to suddenly expect realism from when you're talking about an orphaned billionaire vigilante who totes around a prepubescent boy in speedoes with him, getting approval from the police commissioner, whilst swinging across 1000ft skyscrapers, fighting mud people, and lizard men, and plant ladies, and a 500 year old arab dude, and having a genetically engineered son that was grown in a test tube, and this other dude that was killed but then crawled out of his coffin, and don't forget the secret global organization that is run by an ancestor of yours that should be long dead but was given immortality by space satan, and then getting zapped back in time by said Space Satan, all that's fine, but the Joker keep getting sent back to an insane asylum, Come on, man!!

P.S Why is that even the Joker's fault anyway?

"Space Satan" -- Officially my new favorite thing. Thanks for that.

[stk]

+1 totally agree

You agree with the statement or you agree with the sarcasm?

[Aquacatlungfish]

Because Tony Daniels is a terrible writer.

[The Beast Of Yucca Flats]

I think he did it just the sake of being edgy.

Man, I never knew what a poser Joker was.

[Jake Fury]

Sounds like he did to give everyone another reason to hate Snyder and Co.

Can we get a cleanup on the 4th Wall aisle?

[zryson]

Because the DCU is a very dark place. And once you kill x-amount of people as the comics often do these days, you need to do something more disturbing to shock the readers. Hence the face thing. I fully expect in the years to come people will look back and think its tame. Because I don't see comic books mellowing out any time soon. I just see it all downhill in terms of darkness and gore.

[booyah]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/scott-snyder-batman-14-spoilers.html


Interview with Snyder:

"Nrama: You've obviously talked about what's coming up in the next three issues of the story arc. And I know that last time we talked, you said there would be an explanation for why The Joker allowed his face to be removed."

[dupersuper]

Why exactly would Joker have wanted to have his face cut off?

Y'know he ain't quite right in the head, yes?

[Rotm]

His own skin as a mask is symbolic of self reflection and thus self awareness. Joker wants Mr. B to get it that Batman isn't being ghost in the machine about his character enough.

[The Duke]

I think the Joker is a lot like the very former Iron Man villain, the Melter. He's had one or two really good stories and the rest have been pretty weak. Marvel killed off the Melter during the Summer of Scourge in 1985-86.

My personal choice for the three best Joker stories are these.

Laughing Fish/Sign of the Joker (Detective 475 + 476)

Batman 365, 366 and Detective 532 by Doug Moench - Joker takes over a temple in South America, the story that gave us the train set that runs around in the first Joker fight in Batman Arkham City.

The loosely linked Joker story in Batman 450,451 and Detective 617. He had been away for two years after killing Jason Todd and getting "blown up" in the Iranian helicopter after he claimed diplomatic immunity and comes back twice as crazy.

Back in the day the Joker was a real threat and was used sparingly enough (I seem to remember he turned up four times in six years during the early 80s) and only became the overused blah that he is now during the 2000s.

[zur en arrh]

(I seem to remember he turned up four times in six years during the early 80s) and only became the overused blah that he is now during the 2000s.

Am I mistaken or has he shown up less than that in the past 6 years? Morrison's run, Detective, Death of the Family, and...?

[carabas]

Am I mistaken or has he shown up less than that in the past 6 years? Morrison's run, Detective, Death of the Family, and...?

You're mistaken...

There's a Paul Dini arc in Batman, "Trust", in 07.
There's "Lovers & Madmen" in Batman: Confidential.
There's Batman R.I.P.
And Batman And Robin.
Le'ts not forget All Star Batman & Robin
He had a big part in "Gotham Underground"
There was Cacaphony".
Ther was Salvation Run.
The "Joker" graphic novel.

And a movie and two video game. Not counting the Lego ones.

Oh, and a few appearances in Countdown To Frell All.

[zur en arrh]

I wasn't interested in listing video games/movies/out of continuity stuff. There's more than I thought but I still don't feel he's been overused at all recently. Maybe because I only really pay attention to certain books.

[booyah]

You're mistaken...

There's a Paul Dini arc in Batman, "Trust", in 07.
There's "Lovers & Madmen" in Batman: Confidential.
There's Batman R.I.P.
And Batman And Robin.
Le'ts not forget All Star Batman & Robin
He had a big part in "Gotham Underground"
There was Cacaphony".
Ther was Salvation Run.
The "Joker" graphic novel.

And a movie and two video game. Not counting the Lego ones.

Oh, and a few appearances in Countdown To Frell All.

Gotham Central 'Soft Targets'