Joker Origin Movie: 7 Comic Storylines DC Could Adapt

4. Dreadful Birthday, Dear Joker... !

A comic written by the late, great Len Wein, Batman #321 is a veritable classic of the Caped Crusader's bibliography, and a story Joker fans in particular should take note of.

As you can probably guess from the title, this particular comic is all about the Joker's birthday. Or at least we think so; at the very least, there's a giant birthday cake death-trap and the story itself has a big birthday theme, as it sees the Clown Prince kidnap key members of Batman's supporting cast and strap them to giant sized candles that'll explode, save for the event Batman trades his life for theirs.

Of course, Batman does arrive, having prepared a plan to beat the Joker at his own game. A melee ensues as The Dark Knight busts his comrades out of a waxy grave, before Joker and Bats duel by the docks outside.

The issue actually ends with the villain's supposed death, but it's famous for two other reasons as well: first, most obviously, was Wein's resurrection of the torture traps that typified Dick Sprang's tenure on Batman during the Golden Age; second was the Joker's execution of one of his thugs, which he carries out with his now trademark flag-firing revolver.