Its why Stormtroopers have the worst aim and why the red-shirted Enterprise dudes have all the bad luck.
Im having a hard time coming up with someone with stronger plot armor in comic books than theJoker.
Hell, even Frank Castle died at least twice in continuity.
Then hes back the next time, no worse for the wear.
Yet even then, the Joker is never really gone.
He tends to haunt and taunt Batman in one way or another via his violent legacy.
For someone with such an ill-defined identity, he sure is resilient.
Main Comics Continuity
Joker dying in main comics canon is an iffy subject.
There have been times when hes been clinically dead, only to be brought back minutes later.
Like the time Nightwing beat him within an inch of his life.
Hes even taken a couple of dips in the Lazarus Pit.
InDetective Comics #64, Joker decides to turn himself in and confess to every one of his crimes.
The confused judge sentences him to death.
Joker pops back up and continues his life of crime.
They cant charge him for the stuff he already did!
Tim Burtons Batman
Jack Nicholsons Joker completely ate it at the end ofTim BurtonsBatman.
He fell from a great height while dragged down by a gargoyle.
We saw the body.
Dude was absolutely dead.
And he stayed that way!
We almost got a bit more of him, though!
Scarecrow means fear gas and that would have meant Batman getting a hallucination sequence.
What wouldBatmanfear the most?
Probably the skin-dyed dirtbag that killed his parents.
Probably the most sensible reason to connect Lex and Joker.
The ending is roughly the same, though Batman is a bit more cold-blooded.
We see Jokers lifeless corpse and roll credits.
read more: Joker Movie Review
Then a year later, they releasedBatman: Return of the Joker.
The Joker returns with some scheme involving stealing explosive metals and…hes back.
Neither the game nor the manual have any explanation.
Just go with it.
Many years later, Frank Miller made his sequelDark Knight Strikes Again, otherwise known as, that mess.
Cant heal if theres nothing left of you.
This what if tale shows how theDC Universewould have formed had Supermans rocket not been discovered by the Kents.
Without Superman as a symbol, metahumans arent exactly looked upon with love and astonishment.
Its more of anX-Mendeal where the publics mood is, Thanks for saving the world…I guess.
With some assistance from Catwoman, Batmans able to free himself, damage the gauntlets and snap Jokers neck.
Its the comfort of Catwoman, who becomes Batwoman, that keeps him from falling apart.
Hes acquitted of murder charges, but chooses to leave the Justice League.
Batman continues to fight crime in Gotham, but he starts hearing the Jokers laughter.
Threatening to killBatwoman, Joker who has Carnage-like powers fights Batman.
Batman finally decides to get on with his life and rejoin the Justice League.
Kingdom Come
The Jokers death inKingdom Comeis a major turning point for society.
You know,kind of like a Zack Snyder movie.
While we got to see what became of Mr.
Freeze and Bane, bigger deal characters like Robin and Joker were glazed over.
Terry is able to put an end to this Joker by frying the implant with an electric joy buzzer.
Actually, better idea, lets not.
Just…next entry.
In the storyRed Rain, Batman gets bitten by a vampire and fightsDracula.
Batman wins and Draculas dead for good.
Vampire Batman teams up with Selina Kyle, who also goes literal by being a werecat.
Its moot, since not only has Batman killed his rival, but hes given into his vampire instincts.
He has his buds Alfred and Commissioner Gordon stake him to prevent any further benders.
A few months later, Alfred removes the stake because Alfred is dumb as hell in this world.
Yeah, things do NOT end well for any named character in that final chapter.
There are two alternate follow-ups to this story.
One of which has Damian adopt and raise Terry McGinnis, leading to a take on theBatman Beyondera.
Then theres a path where everything goes wrong.
Overwhelmed by infected clown people, Damian watches in horror as Gotham is nuked to contain the outbreak.
I think I like the first future better.
Im guessing Joker saw that episode ofSouth Parkwhere Cartman had AIDS and had a moment of inspiration.
Though Batman cures himself, Joker shivs him.
Batman goes back to normal and gets back to his mission of handing Scarecrow a knuckle sandwich.
Gotham
Batman prequelGothamfeatures Jerome Valeska, as played by Cameron Monaghan.
Jerome is what Id call theHow I Met Your Motherof Jokers.
Hes the Joker, but not really.
For all intents and purposes, hes the Joker.
And then its revealed that actually his twin brother is the Joker.
Sure enough, Jeremiah goes on to commit crimes as Mr. J.
Using some kryptonite-laced fear gas, Joker gets Superman to hallucinate that a pregnant Lois Lane is Doomsday.
Lois heart is linked to a detonator that nukes Metropolis upon her thrown-into-space death.
Over the next five years, Superman doubles down on his decision and ultimately transforms into a frustrated dictator.
Superman doesnt take this well and fries a whole lot of them in a fit of anger.
Even then, the Joker Clan grows to become an anarchist underground counter to Supermans regime.
Then a handful of superheroes from the regular DC Universe are brought in via portal.
Inadvertently, Joker is one of them.
The Batman Who Laughs
Then theres the most literal take on a Joker death that affects Batman.
An airborne virus that infects whoever is nearest to him when he dies.
That means that Batman transforms into a white-skinned, cackling maniac.
Gavin Jasper writes forDen of Geekand appreciates thatFlashpointBatman killed the Joker a couple hours before the world exploded.
Thatll get you the last laugh.Read more of his articles hereand follow him on Twitter@Gavin4L
