Joker

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Joker (小丑)
Alias(es)	Black Mask (while impersonating Roman Sionis); Black Lantern Joker
Species/Race	Human; later resurrected as a Black Lantern
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Joker Gang; a criminal circle including Bane and Firefly
Occupation/Role	Criminal mastermind; former King of Gotham's crime world
Status	Killed by Batman; later resurrected as a Black Lantern 243 552
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 1; physically appears in Chapter 42 1 42

Background / History

Joker was once Gotham's King of Crime, with his image represented by playing-card jokers, clown makeup, and a reputation as a man who chased after jokes. His former followers continued operating after his death, retaining the mental instability associated with the Joker Gang. 320

He secretly dismantled Roman Sionis's position by invading Sionis's home, killing a decoy wearing Black Mask's face, subduing the real Sionis, and impersonating Black Mask for two weeks. Batman reconstructed the scheme from the crime scene and traced Joker to Gotham Merchants Bank. 42

At the bank, Joker encountered Li Zu and recognized him as a fellow madman. Their standoff escalated into exchanged wounds—Joker grazed Li Zu with a bullet, while Li Zu cut Joker's throat with a weaponized toy saw—before the pair escaped with Deathstroke. 43

Joker then brought Li Zu to a villain meeting at City Hall, murdered Electrocutor in front of Bane and Firefly, and formally introduced Li Zu as Toyman. 44 During the Blackgate riot, he used Harley Quinzel as bait and engineered a lethal game in which Batman had to kill Bane or risk an explosion targeting prisoners and police officers. 48 49

After repeatedly terrorizing Gotham through robberies, bombings, and kidnappings, Joker murdered Commissioner James Gordon. Batman finally killed him, but Joker had concealed toxic gas in his heart; its release transformed Batman into the Batman Who Laughs. 243

Appearance

Joker presents himself as a grotesque circus-clown figure whose deliberately theatrical appearance reinforces his reputation as Gotham's embodiment of chaos. 43 48

• Green hair and chalk-white facial makeup. 43 48
• A blade-carved smile, partially concealed beneath heavy lipstick. 43 48
• Often carries firearms and adopts disguises, including Black Mask's identity and a cowboy hat. 42 391
• His visual symbols include clown makeup and the joker playing card. 19 320

Personality

Joker treats violence as performance. He kills, manipulates, and constructs elaborate traps for amusement rather than conventional profit, regarding chaos itself as the point of his actions. His schemes may be meticulously prepared, but their outcomes are intentionally uncontrollable. 43 49

He is particularly fixated on Batman's moral code. Joker spares Batman not out of mercy, but because he wants to force him to kill and prove that anyone can descend into madness. 44

Unlike Li Zu's purposeful pursuit of “truth,” Joker's madness is presented as aimless and self-sustaining. Li Zu fears him precisely because Joker represents irrational chaos without restraint or a practical objective. 43 44

Abilities & Skills

Criminal Strategy and Deception

Joker is a highly capable planner who exploits fear, identity, and moral pressure.

• Replaced Roman Sionis and ran Black Mask's criminal identity without Batman recognizing the deception for two weeks. 42
• Uses hostages and apparent threats to manipulate Batman's instincts, such as baiting him with a laughing teller before shooting him. 43
• Constructs layered traps, including a detonator linked to Bane's heart and threats against both inmates and police. 49
• Recruited and directed supervillains through intimidation, spectacle, and murder. 44 45

Firearms and Explosives

Joker regularly uses guns, explosive traps, and specialized ammunition.

• Carries and fires pistols during confrontations with Li Zu, Batman, and Deathstroke. 43 44 552
• Used a timed explosive to delay the wounded Batman during the Gotham Merchants Bank escape. 43
• Fired Kryptonite bullets at the corrupted Superman during his attempted alliance with Lex Luthor. 391

Heartborne Joker Toxin

Joker implanted toxic gas within his own heart as a posthumous contingency.

• The gas was released when Batman killed him after Commissioner Gordon's murder. 243
• Batman inhaled the toxin and became the Batman Who Laughs, preserving Joker's influence through his enemy. 243

Black Lantern Physiology

Following his resurrection, Black Lantern Joker gained undead regenerative capabilities.

• Survived Deathstroke shooting his head apart and regenerated immediately. 552
• Offered Deathstroke a Black Lantern Ring in an attempt to recruit him. 552

Resistance to Cosmic Corruption

Joker claims that his insanity protected him from a deadly corrupting “name” that affected Batman and Superman.

• He spoke the name without dying and considered this immunity reason enough to pursue an alliance against corrupted superheroes. 391

Equipment

• Pistols — Joker's most frequently used weapons. 43 44 552
• Kryptonite bullets — Used against corrupted Superman. 391
• Black Mask disguise — Used to impersonate Roman Sionis and seize his criminal position. 42
• Black Lantern Ring — A ring Joker possessed and offered to Deathstroke after his resurrection. 552

Relationships

• Batman — Joker's central adversary and preferred target for psychological corruption; Batman ultimately killed him after Joker murdered Commissioner Gordon. 44 243
• Li Zu / Toyman — A volatile associate Joker considers a fellow “rabid dog.” Joker recruited him into his criminal circle, while Li Zu distinguishes his own directed madness from Joker's chaos. 43 44
• Roman Sionis / Black Mask — Joker abducted or subdued Sionis, murdered a decoy, and impersonated Black Mask to control his operations. 42
• Deathstroke — Temporarily escaped with Joker and Li Zu from Gotham Merchants Bank; later rejected Joker's Black Lantern recruitment offer. 43 552
• Lex Luthor — An uneasy prospective ally against corrupted superheroes; their meeting was interrupted by Superman's attack. 391
• Bane — Joker used Bane as the centerpiece of his Blackgate death-game against Batman. 48 49
• Harley Quinzel — Joker presented the Arkham doctor as a “Christmas gift” to Blackgate's prisoners to bait Batman. 48

Notable Quotes

“Anyone could become a Joker after learning too many truths, or simply becoming mad enough.” 44

“Interested in joining an adventure?” 391

Trivia

• Joker imagery is taboo in Gotham; three women wearing Joker-style makeup caused immediate panic at Penguin's nightclub despite Joker being believed dead. 19
• The Flashpoint world's “Joker Lady” is Martha Wayne, a separate female Joker identity rather than this Joker. 16