Summary

The Jokerhas one of the most complicated mental state in DC Comics history . Some fans have argued that the Joker is mad and therefore not responsible for his actions . Other lover believe that the Joker is perfectly reasonable , even super - reasonable , and alone aware of his actions . It ’s potential that both of these theories might be true thanks to one obscure egress that perfectly explains how both interpretations of the Joker are precise .

In 1997’sThe Spectre#51 by John Ostrander , Tom Mandrake , Todd Klein , Carla Feeny , and Digital Chameleon , the Spectre provides the Florida key to putting this debate to rest . Wanting to see ifthe Joker ’s immorality is suitable of penalization , the Spectre enters his mind and finds that the Joker no longer has a conscience . For whatever ground , he has lost his power to tell right from wrong , so the Spectre determine to give him one , which just ends up making the Joker far scarier .

The Spectre concede the Joker a moral sense , which have him to immediately feel sorrow and self-reproach over his actions . Batman questions if the Spectre has lastly get the better of the Joker for upright , but the Spectre excuse that the Joker will likely repress his conscience and return to his nefarious ways — which has some rather horrendous implications .

Killing Joke Joker Laughing

The Joker may be seen as one of the most evil supervillains of all prison term , but a member of the Justice League once heal his lunacy . totally .

The Joker Has Moments of Lucidity - But They Always Fade

Panel fromJLA#15 by Grant Morrison, Greg Land, Howard Porter, Gary Frank, John Dell, Bob McLeod, Pat Garrahy, and Ken Lopez

The Joker ’s brainpower has always been complex . Some creators have brought forth the ideathat the Joker is first-rate sane , that he knows exactly what he ’s doing . Other Divine have asserted that the Joker is simply insane , so much so that he ca n’t possibly be hold back creditworthy for his actions . Batman even makes this exact line inTheSpectre#51 . But by giving the Joker a conscience , it ’s potential that the Spectre unexpectedly fused these two rendering of the Joker . Instead of knowing what he ’s doing at all times , or being all oblivious , he may shift between the two states of psyche .

It ’s possible , sometimes , that the Joker can call on his conscience , which is massively oppress , to figure out exactly the most evil manner to hurt Batman .

The Spectre states that the Joker will finally repress his conscience . It will always be there , but the effect of it will be massively less powerful over the geezerhood . This means that it ’s potential , sometimes , thatthe Joker can call on his conscience , which is massively suppressed , to figure out exactly the most malign mode to hurt Batman . This is best shown inBatman : Death of the Family , where Joker has the over - the - top impulse to make out off his face , but he also has a very cleared agenda and detailed plan to hurt Batman and destroy the Bat - Family .

Comic book art: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles leaping into action.

Death of the Familyis an iconic story from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo ’s New 52 run onBatman . The chronicle is available now , both digitally and in collect variant , from DC Comics .

The Joker Sometimes Actively Chooses to Be Evil

Panel fromBatman#90 by James Tynion IV, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles

Before the Joker develop his conscience , there ’s no doubt that he was unable to tell right from wrongfulness . But everything he ’s done after 1997 could very well be because the Joker has realise the difference between right and incorrect and still choose wrong due to his conscience being suppressed . This makes the Jokerfarmore terrifying than if he were just a monster incompetent of knowing that what he ’s doing is evil . It seems , rather , that theJokeris very cognizant now , which make him all the more terrific , as he can officially fit into both fan theories .

The Spectre#51is available now from DC Comics !

The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped horse sense of liquid body substance . ab initio introduced as a remorseless serial killer , the character evolve over prison term , often oscillate between a prankster and a homicidal lunatic . His family relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in amusing record chronicle , specify by their mutual obsession . Over the X , the Joker has become an enduring ikon of pandemonium and madness , embodying the antithesis of Batman ’s order and DoJ .

invisible man

Joker holding a bloody skull next to his bloody face, both smiling widely.

Spectre #51, Joker curls up in a ball and goes catatonic when realizing the gravity of his crimes.

JLA #15, the Joker’s sanity is restored and he asks “Oh my God, what have I done?"

The Joker Is Truly Evil