10 Worst Things The Spectre Has Ever Done
9. He Cursed The Joker With A Brief Moment Of Sanity
In Spectre #51, A bar called the Killing Joke opened in New York City that celebrated the life and crimes of the Joker. Of course, the rich and famous flocked to the new trendy hot spot, all dressed in their best clownish attire. How could this not attract the attention of the Clown Prince of Crime? It also attracted the Batman, who tracked the Harlequin of Hate down and was about to apprehend him when the Spectre appeared.
Drawn by the pure chaos, the Spectre believed that the Thin White Duke of Evil deserved the harshest punishment imaginable. Batman argued that the Joker’s insanity prevented him from knowing good from evil and that he was innocent because he had no conscience. The Spirit agreed to search the murderous knave's psyche to find even a hint of a conscience that he could judge. An earlier encounter with the Spear of Destiny had still weakened Spectre, and the Clown briefly took over his powers, torturing Batman with cartoon mallets and other silliness.
Meanwhile, Jim Corrigan searched Joker’s mind and soul. He found that he indeed didn’t have a working conscience any longer. Drawing what power he had, Corrigan reignited the Harlequin of Hate’s long-dead conscience and gave him a moment of clarity and sanity where he was forced to confront all the heinous acts he had done in his life. The Spectre force returned to Jim and the no longer Laughing One fell into a catatonic state, and Batman returned him to Arkham.