Written my Paul Dini (one of the creative talents behind Batman: The Animated Series) with art by Alex Ross, Batman: Black & White Vol. 2 (2002) provides a very concise noir style origin for the Joker with a unique twist. After the Joker is once again recaptured and returned to Arkham Asylum, one of his doctors expresses his frustration with the Jokers lack of progress, as he is unable to cure the Jokers psychosis. Another doctor tells of an anonymous un-filed report that was written years ago that he discovered, which proposes that the reason the Joker cannot be cured is because he is, in fact, not truly insane. This report recounts interviews of other mobsters who interacted with the Joker before he became the Clown Prince of Crime. Apparently, the Joker was a smart and cunning mobster, who worked for various different crews under various different names. After the Joker deposed Gothams most powerful crime boss, he became Gothams kingpin of crime, forcing others to do his dirty work for him. The police were never able to bring charges against him. https://youtu.be/k67SxiNzmis Eventually, he grew to miss the thrill of his early days and decided to get back in the game, creating the Red Hood disguise to mask his identity. One night when pulling a heist on a chemical factory, hes confronted by Batman. Knowing that there was no other way out, the Joker dives into vat of chemicals, swims through the waste, and escapes down into the river, thereby changing his appearance. The report hypothesizes that upon marring his face, the Joker became more rational. Given a new mission born out of trauma similar to the Batmans origin, the Joker also adopted a fearsome persona allowing him to carry out a very calculated campaign of revenge against Gotham and Batman. Essentially, the Joker wears the mask of madness like Batman wears the cape and cowl. While initially convinced by the report, the doctors suddenly discover that Dr Harleen Quinzel wrote it before she became Harley Quinn. It was then discarded, as it would never stand up in a court of law. This particular story is different than many of the other countless Joker origins, as it posits that the Joker is not really crazy. Plus Paul Dini's masterful story is accompanied by some amazing artwork by Alex Ross. Batman: Black & White was a compilation of Batman stories that eventually was turned into a motion comic. Check the video above for Ross and Dini's story.
Since childhood, Bryant has been an avid fan of superheroes, and he has been reading comic books since 2006. His full name is "George Bryant Lucas"; however, after enduring countless Darth Vader jokes, he has chosen to go by his middle name. Born and raised in the United States, Bryant is currently living with his lovely wife in the country side of Wiltshire County, UK. Bryant does suffer from a mild case of dyslexia; misspellings and homonyms are to be expected on occasion.
