The Joker Has Laughed A Lot Since His Creation In 1940
It’s impossible to think of Batman without also thinking about his arch-nemesis, the Joker. Created in 1939, it would take until 1940 for the caped crusader to meet his match. A mysterious figure with green hair and a laugh that sends shivers down your spine, the Joker has gone through many evolutions in his history. From a campy 1960s version, to a 1980s gothic clown prince of crime, to what he is today, the changes the character has seen over the years have been drastic. One thing has always remained, though — his laugh. Read on for the evolution of the Joker.
The Joker Was Inspired By Another Clown
In 1928 the film The Man Who Laughs was released. It was based on a famous Victor Hugo novel about a “laughing man” at a freak show circus who falls in love. The character had a long face, sharp slicked-back hair, and a wide grin that would serve as inspiration for one of the greatest comic villains of all time.
Twelve years after the movie came out, the laughing man was turned into the Joker by Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, and Bob Kane. He was given green hair, a pale white face, slicked back green hair, and an unmistakable ear-to-ear grin.