This is a three part series on Batman and The Joker and their now iconic relationship. Part one will focus on Batman, his history in comics and media, and some of the psychology of the character (not a lot, as I am no expert in that area). Part two will ditto for The Joker and part three will be an in depth look at the relationship itself between the two. Enjoy!
Dark vs. light. Good vs. evil. Grim vs. gleeful. Order vs. chaos. Rationality vs. Madness.
The "Yin-Yang" effect has been present in numerous stories (both true and fictional), but none may be more obvious, complex, and in some ways backwards than that of The World's Greatest Detective and The Clown Prince of Crime. It's a relationship that's lasted for now 77 years; writers, psychologists, and even the casual onlooker have all noted the ideals of humanity, life, and overall heavy subject matter that these two represent, who then take it to a new level when they and their ideals clash.
Whether a fan of the comics or the films (or both), it's a proven fact that Batman is one of fiction's greatest characters and the same is said for his arch nemesis. Continual rebirths of the Batman franchise have kept him alive (except that one time they almost killed Batman entirely after Batman and Robin) and relevant in pop culture and a mainstream influence for anyone growing up in the 21st century.
As many before me that have done their best to study and understand these two iconic characters, I have tried my best to do so as well.
Why you might ask?
The Joker has been my favorite comic-book character since I was a kid and Bats has always been one of my favorite heroes. Last year I was watching the 2016 book-to-film adaptation The Killing Joke and it made me rethink the tandem of Batman and Joker and what their relationship means to each other. After researching and studying, it's incredibly fascinating to discern what both of them represent as symbols, their ideals, and their views on humanity. It's amazing what writers of the comics have been able to reveal through these characters over the years.
I am by no means an expert, and if I was, I certainly couldn't fully delve into this subject as it would be a series of posts within itself. I will be touching up on the different areas and ideals of this "complicated" relationship.
While there have been multiple good Batman-Joker combos, none may be greater than 2008's The Dark Knight which perfectly portrayed the twisted dynamic shared between hero and villain with Christian Bale (left) and the late Heath Ledger (right) as Batman and Joker
The relationship of Batman and the Joker has evolved just as they themselves have. If you read my previous two post in the series, then you know the major transformation both have undergone throughout what many call the four "eras".
When creating the Joker, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson had intended that the gleeful but murderous villain be killed off within the very first issue of the Batman series. Editorial intervention saved his life, realizing the potential in this great character. How ironic that the greatest villain of all time was an accident.
As mentioned earlier, writers and readers reference most comic book events and characters to four different time periods. Eras. Batman and Joker have changed quite a bit over the past 77 years - if they didn't they wouldn't be good characters!
A quick overview of the four eras and the dynamic between the two:
Golden Age (1940-54):
Hero vs Arch nemesis. Joker was mastermind and murderer, Batman was the dark and grim detective/hero who was called on to stop him
Silver Age (1954-69):
Due to out cries of immoral influences and the Comics Code Authority establishment, Batman and the Joker took on campier looks. Goofy crimes, no killings, nothing haunting, the hero always came out on top; this era tested sci-fi and simultaneously the Joker slowly died out.
Bronze Age/Modern Era (1973-present): Many combine these two latter eras, but a slight change can be found in 1986, marking the beginning of the Modern Era.
The Bronze Age was the start of more dynamic characters and the relationship between Batman and Joker was given more depth, erasing the typical good vs. evil for more complex stories.
Batman returned to a “grim avenger of the night” persona and the Joker was revived after a four year disappearance from 69-73 and also returned to his roots of a murderous psychopath with a few tweaks: an obsession with Batman and a mesh of the two previous ages, transforming the character into a more dramatic villain with twisted views of the world and people.
Death in the Family, The Dark Knight Returns, and The Killing Joke: these stories had huge impacts on both characters' developments. The arcs included the death of Robin, the paralysis of Batgirl and Joker's origin story, and Batman's change from good hero to a bitter man who has no qualms taking lives and crossing lines to bring "success".
Like other great villain-hero arch-rival dynamics, the bout between the two is maybe more than it needs to be. Why? They love the challenge (in this case more Joker and less Batman.) In the latter eras, Joker became obsessed with our titular hero, and while a lot of his actions and crimes were for the pure fun of it and the chaos it brought on innocent lives, they were mostly to get Batman's attention and to prove only he (Joker) could match him in every facet.
Wanting to play mind games and continue, the Joker soon developed a characteristic that has become a popular trait to include by writers and the media which Batman already had carried since the 50's: a refusal to kill Batman.
This aspect has been heavily incorporated into certain comic arcs, the now iconic Batman TV show from the 90's, the theatrical film The Dark Knight, and will most likely be brought into the DC Extended Universe - bringing a twist to the dynamic between Joker and Batman as the DCEU Batman is old, bitter, and willing to kill. Whenever the Joker did defeat and/or "kill" Batman, he would end up regretting it and feeling remorse.
Whether it's Emperor Joker, The Dark Knight, or Batman: The Animated Series, the love and admiration that Joker has for Bats has grown, as he tries over and over again to outmatch the grim hero (and has done it better than any other villain).
The bond shared between these two seems lopsided, but in The Killing Joke, Batman also realizes that this "game" the two are playing will go on forever, and is going in a direction where the only way to end it is if one kills the other.
In many ways, Batman and Joker are best of friends, holding an understanding of each other not seen in other hero-villain dynamics. While films like The Dark Knight show the two's ability to sit in a room and talk about life and ideologies, media adaptations like Batman: The Animated Series and the Arkham games hold an edge as each installment or episode continue the duo's familiarity with each other. Most films the villain is defeated after one film, killing any chance for relationship development, while longer running shows and video game franchises are able to fully capture the respect these two have for each other. The DC Extended Universe has a chance to do what most films haven't: capture the "familiarity" with each other on the big screen. Whether it can be successful enough to do that remains to be seen.
Kevin Conroy (right) and Mark Hamill (left) have by far and away the best chemistry and possibly the best ever portrayals of the Dark Knight and Joker, have portrayed the two since 1992, playing them in tv shows, films, and video games (all animated).
Many scholars, psychologists, comic-writers, and the common writer (such as myself) have all noted the stark contrasts (albeit twisted in many ways), the unique ideologies and themes that have risen to the surface when these two clash, giving way for some good discussion and debate on said topics.
Obvious contrasts like dark vs light, grim vs gleeful, order vs chaos are the normal contrasts in an arch rival relationship in comics with one twist, many of the characteristics are swapped compared to other hero-villain dynamics, adding even more depth to this relationship. More complex themes have risen within this Yin-Ying dynamic such as Marxism (Joker) vs capitalism (Batman) and the "master-morality vs slave-morality" (a theory by german philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche). In the comics (and other source material) The Dark Knight is a character we can relate to because of those hard calls only he can make, carrying with him a "slave-morality" mentality and lifestyle (slave morality values things like kindness, humility, and sympathy), vs the Joker who embodies a "master-morality" mentality (master morality values pride and strength), adding to the yin-yang aspect of their relationship.
In his origin storyThe Killing Joke, the Joker is an abused member of the underclass who is driven insane by failings of the social system. The Joker rejects material needs, and his first appearance in Batman #1 sees him perpetrate crimes against Gotham's wealthiest men and then judge those who had sent him to prison. Batman is the wealthy "powerful" one who uses his high quality resources to have success, yet the Joker is able to triumph through his own creative and unique innovations.
The Joker is considered by critics to be Batman's "perfect" adversary, since he is the antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance; the Joker has a maniacal demeanor with a colorful appearance, while Batman has a serious and resolute demeanor with a dark appearance. As a "personification of the irrational", the Joker represents "everything Batman opposes".
In this scene from the 2016 theatrical film Batman: The Killing Joke based off the graphic novel of the same name, Batman and Joker share a rare moment of true understanding and a good laugh as the film ends.
The impact these two have had is undeniable and with the 21st century turning towards the screen more and more for it's main source of entertainment for comics, film adaptions are more and more hyped with directors, producers, and writers hard-pressed to come up with high quality releases that match the success of their comic-book counterparts. Batman is such an icon that when a film with him is announced people are more excited for that said film vs any other superhero flick (including *this* guy talking) and it's a fact that when the Joker is announced to once again appear in a film (whether alongside Batman or not) people are overjoyed - even more so compared to a Batman film without Joker in it, living proof that the dynamic between these two is so iconic and that for many, Batman is incomplete without his arch-nemesis.
These four actor combos represent the four eras of the Batman and Joker.
While many heroes stand on their own (and Batman definitely does), Bats and his cast of characters just wouldn't be the same without the maniacal man known as the Joker. The "elite" of Batman's rogue gallery are even considered by many to be apart of the "bat family" with Joker ranked just as high as Commissioner Gordon, Robin, and even Alfred in terms of impact and significance to Batman and who he is as a character.
Though it may seem surprising (it may not), there are dozens of books, articles, and documentaries on the psychological studies of both Batman and The Joker due to their world beliefs, warped views on life, history, actions, personalities and the symbols they represent in the world. Batman and Joker's impact on young readers and viewers can not be underestimated. It seems people can't get enough of these two. Want proof? There are eight Batman related films scheduled for release in 2019. EIGHT films. Effecting and influencing young minds just as much as famous leaders and visionaries (you can decide if that's good or bad), Batman and Joker will continue to do so as long as their are people around. That's all great characters like these two need to survive in this world.
How ironic that the greatest, most beloved and most complex relationship in fiction was an accident...
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