Ranking Every Joker Origin Worst To Best

13. Three Jokers

Three Jokers
DC Comics

It would be unfair to place this particular origin theory any higher on the list, given how Geoff Johns is yet to elaborate on it in any meaningful way, but it is worth addressing all the same.

It's not unusual for comic book characters to change looks and personalities as they develop on and off the page, but the Joker is a unique case. He's gone from being a psychotic killer to a clowning prankster, back to a psychotic killer, and then to an actual sado-masochist in his later years. He's also changed visually more than most, and the original, perhaps more compelling explanation for said development arrived in the pages of Batman courtesy of writer Grant Morrison.

In Morrison's works, he depicts Joker not as someone who is typically insane, but rather 'super sane'. To him, the Clown Prince is so intelligent that he can effectively reinvent himself whenever he wants, providing a logical in-world explanation as to why the character just keeps on changing.

As it stands, that theory looks to be getting updated in the near future. Johns and artist Jason Fabok are set to helm a 'Three Jokers' book within the year, which could redefine how we look at the character once again.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.