The Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman on April 25, 1940. The character was originally intended to be killed off during his initial appearance, but was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the Joker to become the archenemy of the superhero Batman.
Over the decades, the Joker has been portrayed with a variety of origin stories and personality traits, ranging from a goofy trickster to a homicidal maniac. His most consistent characteristics are his clown-like appearance, purple suit, and sadistic sense of humor. The character is typically depicted as a criminal mastermind with a warped, unpredictable mind, driven by an obsession with Batman and a desire to sow chaos. His ambiguous backstory—often summarized by the character himself as 'multiple choice'—has become one of his defining features, allowing writers to continually reinvent him for new eras.
The Joker is widely considered one of the most iconic villains in popular culture, and has been ranked among the greatest comic book villains and fictional characters ever created. He has appeared in virtually every medium adapting the Batman mythos, from television animation to live-action films and video games, and has been portrayed by actors such as Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix.
