10 Most Inappropriate Joker Storylines

2. Everything About 2008's Joker Graphic Novel

Joker Harley Quinn
DC Comics

Released three months after Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight hit the silver screen, Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo's 2008 graphic novel - titled simply Joker - very much pulled visual inspiration from Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime.

Without the shackles of standard continuity to play with, Azzarello and Bermejo unleashed likely the most twisted version of the Joker ever seen in the character's history.

This tale is narrated by Jonny Frost, a new henchman of the Jester of Genocide's. Much like so many, Jonny of course eventually becomes just another victim of the Joker's, but his doomed journey is one that at least gives readers a full glimpse into the depravity that Mr. J is capable of.

Dropping a healthy dollop of Leatherface into this iteration of the Joker, the rogue literally skins alive a poor fella called Monty, and he forces a bank manager to masturbate over a picture of his own daughter. For Jonny, the Harlequin of Hate r*pes his wife to make things 'even' for Frost having met with Joker's rival, Two-Face. That's not it for Frost, for he is mercifully put out of his misery as this '08 story concludes - infected by Joker's laughing gas, his face messed up after Joker shot him in in it, and then the newbie henchman falls from a bridge to his death.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.