Duration 16:37
How DC Comics Created The JOKER
Published 10 Oct 2019
SUBSCRIBE for weekly comic book videos! ▶▶ /owenlikescomics WATCH NEXT ▶ ‘We Need More Elseworld Comic Book Movies' /watch/Qtxz1zoXoqpXz ▶ Support the Channel: http://www.patreon.com/owenlikescomics ▶ Make a one-time donation at Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/owenlikescomics Created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, the Joker has become one of the most infamous and instantly-recognisable characters in all of comic books, ever since he first appeared in the pages of Batman #1 in April 1940. Originally brought to life as a simple one-and-done villain for the series’ first issue, the Clown Prince of Crime not only transcended his initial purpose, becoming the Dark Knight’s most well-known and most popular villain, but in the decades since, developed into an immensely iconic and well-known character in his own right; so much so that now, in 2019, he has his very own (Batman-free) movie. And with Joker taking the world by storm, I think that it’d be a good time to look back at the humble beginnings of this twisted, maniacal character. So in this video, we’re going to delve into the real life origin story for The Joker, analyse the influences and ideas that played a part in the character’s creation, and how his early years shaped the character in ways beyond the imagination of his creators, and took on a life of his own, becoming the celebrated villain we all know today. ▶ Follow Owen Likes Comics: Website: http://www.owenlikescomics.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/owenlikescomics Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/owenlikescomics Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/owenlikescomics ▶ Special thanks for lending their voices! Matt Draper /channel/UCialJ2te1CSh8DLU8SK5D_w HiTop Films /channel/UCDmd40nGOGL3IxKNVeRb9-w Scott Niswander (NerdSync) /user/NerdSyncProductions Captain Midnight /channel/UCROQqK3_z79JuTetNP3pIXQ ▶ ▶ Watch More Owen Likes Comics: Comic Case Studies: /playlist/PLK-UuVTE1uAei1DiWA_45gfMs8sVSEKWh Latest Videos: /playlist/PLK-UuVTE1uAc9fK2qFdeZzx21pgjvgWWW Marvel Videos: /playlist/PLK-UuVTE1uAcNnIjGsrSYHhueLEBK5_sA DC Videos: /playlist/PLK-UuVTE1uAcgNX1tplCukF6DydNDwu1R ▶ Further Reading: Brian Cronin, Was Superman a Spy? And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed Glen Weldon, The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture Mark Handerfeld, ‘Con-Tinued’, Batmania, 1, No. 14 (1967), pp. 8-9. Available: https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=11970 Randy Duncan and Matthew J. Smith, Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman Roberta Pearson and William Uricchio, ‘Notes from the Batcave: An Interview with Dennis O’ Neil’ in The Many Lives of the Batman: Critical Approaches to a Superhero and His Media, pp. 18-32 https://web.archive.org/web/20120723035747/http: //www.rocketllama.com/blog-it/2009/08/05/interview-the-jokers-maker-tackles-the-man-who-laughs https://web.archive.org/web/20120204122050/http: //franklovece.com/webexclusives.html https://web.archive.org/web/20090502003113/http: //forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=88092 ▶ Music Used: https://soundcloud.com/chillhopdotcom/philanthrope-thingsfallapart https://soundcloud.com/chillhopdotcom/matt-quentin-just-a-moment https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com/track/thoughtful-2 https://chillhop.bandcamp.com/track/aires https://soundcloud.com/joeypecoraro/singing-with-no-voice #Joker #DC #DCComics
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Bill Finger's the tie breaker and he says Kane came to him with the sketch and the concept that was based on the card whereas Kane's the only one saying that Robinson's Joker card only came into play AFTER the initial sketches had already been drawn out.
The fact that Kane is basically acting like the card barely played a role at all, whereas Robinson and Finger both say it did, leads me to believe he probably wasn't the one that came up with the concept, just the one that developed it further.
Though we should all agree that Bill Finger's the undisputed unsung hero of the early era Batman comics. Bob Kane's initial sketches wouldn't have been a long standing character, Bill Finger's alterations and the concepts he brought in for the world of Batman made the character what he is. ... 44
No respect on his name. 26
Comment what your favourite Joker quote is. 33
Captain Midnight as Bob Kane
Alex Hitop films as Bill Finger
And Matt Draper as Dennis O'Neil
All of my favorite comic book video essay channels in one video.
This puts a smile in my face ... 2
Great video, shows me I have a lot of Joker research to do to have a proper grasp on who the character really is. It seems I have a very narrow understanding of the character. ... 5
As for Leto's Joker, he was great too, I think he brought a lot to the table that hadn't been done on screen before while still staying true to the character. Whereas I don't think Ledger's performance was bad, he did a good job, great acting, but it was stuff I've seen before, he had elements of the Joker, but for me it wasn't what I like from the character, and I don't think Ledger is to blame for that, I think the script and the director didn't make what I like for the character, for me Batman was done wrong, the changes in those movies to make it more "real world" took away from what I like to see from the comics.
And credit to where credit is due to the creation of Joker... Whoever it may be. ...
Finger's 2 versions of the story however...throw's a spanner into the works. He claimed in one of his only interviews ever..that he can't remember Robinson being involved at all. He practically agreed with Kane's version of events, and that Kane showed him the card, and then he took over everything else. He contradicted this in another interview so it's clear his memory wasn't the best at one of these times.
Kane for years claimed he created everything himself. Truth is however Kane never wrote 1 single Batman story or contributed anything past the occasional idea...like suggesting the idea of a sidekick then leaving everything else to Finger and Robinson.
Robinson said he got the idea from his playing cards...which he had played with since a boy his entire life. He was hired by Kane as an inker not long after Batman started, and then Kane basically had him take over all the art work...past the stage of his own sketches...which even then were sometimes stolen from other comics, and got all the money and credit himself. Kane's father was a lawyer and was present when Kane's deal was signed. DC/National never even knew of Finger's existence til half a year later.
Kane denied Jerry's part in creating Robin too...but Robinson was able to show the Robin Hood image the costume was influenced by. Just like he was able to produce the Joker playing card. Robinson also pointed out Robin is Batman's adopted Son...and his second name is Robin-Son. Pretty obvious after that point who created Robin. Finger said Batman needed a sidekick, Kane had the idea for it being a child for kids to identify with...Robinson and Finger done everything after that point.
For years there was no evidence over what man's story was true..but a few years ago a Preliminary Page for Robins origin was found. A preliminary page is where the artists would play around with idea's before doing the final piece. Most Golden Age art didn't survive WW2 so it's a miracle that a preliminary page like this did. This was all because Jerry Robinson was the first man ever at the time to save his art. After the comic was printed most art would be recycled or destroyed to save space. Jerry saved 2 of the only Golden Age covers..1 of the Joker and 1 of Superman. Both are probably the most iconic covers of the time.
This page..showed Robins parents being killed, but it was one of the Circus Clowns who threw acid on the ropes. A clown in league with the Gangsters in that story...drawn by Robinson but never printed, the Joker then debuts in the next comic. Very coincidental.
The reason it was never seen for years was because Robinson sold it...in a charitable effort to help fund Siegel and Shuster's legal case for Superman when the Reeve's movie came out.
Only reason Siegel and Shuster were blind sided...was because they asked Kane if he had any problem with DC legally and if he wanted to join their case. They were completely unaware of Kane's contract and how amazing it was compared to theirs. He phoned DC straight away and told them what was happening...probably for a few favors back. Dc then mounted a massive legal defense preparation for the case.
It's also strange that during an early stage of development..Bill Finger was offered to write the Superman movie but died before anything went very far. He died in complete poverty..while Kane was a multi-millionaire and had been so for decades.
Kevin Smith discusses the page in this interview
Bill said in 1966:
I got a call from Bob Kane.... He had a new villain. When I arrived he was holding a playing card. Apparently Jerry Robinson or Bob, I don't recall who, looked at the card and they had an idea for a character ... the Joker. Bob made a rough sketch of it. At first it didn't look much like the Joker. It looked more like a clown. But I remembered that Grosset & Dunlap formerly issued very cheap editions of classics by Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo ... The volume I had was The Man Who Laughs — his face had been permanently operated on so that he will always have this perpetual grin. And it looked absolutely weird. I cut the picture out of the book and gave it to Bob, who drew the profile and gave it a more sinister aspect. Then he worked on the face; made him look a little clown-like, which accounted for his white face, red lips, green hair. And that was the Joker!
Years later tho, Finger said to Jim Steranko that he got the idea from the Coney Island Steeplechase smiling face. We can only assume this was also in his head at the same time.
Kane meanwhile...claimed for years that it was the Man Who Laughs image that he and Finger looked at first. Robinson only brought the playing card in later and Bob said we can use this as his motif/Calling Card...Finger pretty much proved that was bullshit.
Another strange part is tho...Robinson claimed he sketched the Joker from the playing card and showed them the sketch, whereas Kane and Finger claim it was just the playing card itself. Either way Jerry kept the Card, The Sketch itself...and now this preliminary page proves he had the idea first...even before Batman #1.
These are just my speculations, but if you look at all 3 men's stories..it's quite obvious to me that it was Jerry's idea...the 3 men brainstormed together, and everything after that...including all writing was Fingers.
Finger, Kane and Robinson all worked together and separately for the character for years to come afterwards. Finger was the writer tho and worked with several artists. Kane's contributions were practically non existent and Robinson moved on after a few years. He also never worked on a Joker story that wasn't written by Finger...to my knowledge. Bill stayed on Batman for decades. ...
Well, when will he be promoted as the Clown King of Crime? 1
It's fair to say that we truly do live in a society. 5
I personally think that the Joker is overrated and overexposed. There are other villains who have challenged Batman in greater ways (Bane, Mr. Freeze, The Riddler, Scarecrow, Ra’s Al-Ghul). Moreover, he’s been reduced to shock value.
Time for writers to downplay him for a bit. ... 6
Stories like this, and Spider-Man being an unintentional break out star, sound like revisionist history.
It’s more exciting to spin something iconic as “beating the odds” or “almost never saw the light of day”. ...
That's what Jared Leto was. Basically a modern spin on the very first Joker appearances.
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