10 Times Joker Was Actually The Real Hero

2. Detective Joker – Catwoman Annual #3

the joker
DC Comics

In 1996’s Catwoman Annual #3, we got to see The Joker protecting and serving as a bona fide detective. The Jester of Genocide, a man responsible for so many needless and savage deaths, working for the good guys? Surely not. Well, kind of.

You see, this story did indeed feature The Joker as a detective going by the name of Jock Bozer, but the tale was all a classic “what if?” Elseworlds affair.

Who was this badge-wearing Joker tracking down, you may ask. Given that this was a Catwoman title, Selina Kyle was the criminal in Det. Bozer’s sights. And not only her, for Batman was both her husband and her partner in literal crime.

Throw in The Riddler as Joker’s police partner, not to mention a Dick Wayne who is reluctant to go down the same dark path as his criminal parents, and you have an Elseworlds tale that’s all kinds of fun. Hell, The Joker would even get promoted to become the police department’s new commissioner by the time all was said and done!

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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.