10 Times Joker Was Actually The Real Hero

5. Finding Peace – Batman: Going Sane

the joker
DC Comics

Whether in comics, movies or even in the various Bat-driven TV shows to have adored the small screen, one notion that has often been explored is the idea that it’s the very presence of Batman that has seen so many of Gotham City’s citizens turn to a life of crime.

A prime example of this concept is seen played out in the Going Sane arc that ran in Legends of the Dark Knight. In that story, Batman is believed to have been killed at The Joker’s hands. With Bats out of the equation, the Harlequin of Hate decides to leave his carnage-causing ways behind.

Gaining some clarity and sanity, Joker takes on the name of Joseph Kerr – Jo Kerr, geddit?! – and settles down to a life of normality. Of course, this would all only last for three issues, with Mr. J then returning to his old ways. But the point here is, without Batman being around, The Joker saw no reason for needing to be a villain.

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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.