Changes

In the mid-1950's public backlash against comics in the wake of Dr. Frederic Wertham's book ''Seduction of the Innocent: The Influence of Comic Books on Today's Youth'' forced many comic publishers to either change their format or go out of business; indeed, much of what was published - either in mainstream comics or so-called "underground" versions - was dark, violent, and sometimes gory.  The Joker went through a change as a result: the insane, homicidal character was reduced to a campy prankster who used a lot of jokes and puzzles in his crazy, yet seemingly harmless, crimes.  The additions of a "Joker-mobile" or a Batman-like utility belt didn't help his stories, either, and when Julius Schwartz - who hated the Joker - took over the Batman editorial position, the Clown Prince of Crime was relegated to the trash can.

In the mid-1950's public backlash against comics in the wake of Dr. Frederic Wertham's book ''Seduction of the Innocent: The Influence of Comic Books on Today's Youth'' forced many comic publishers to either change their format or go out of business; indeed, much of what was published - either in mainstream comics or so-called "underground" versions - was dark, violent, and sometimes gory.  The Joker went through a change as a result: the insane, homicidal character was reduced to a campy prankster who used a lot of jokes and puzzles in his crazy, yet seemingly harmless, crimes.  The additions of a "Joker-mobile" or a Batman-like utility belt didn't help his stories, either, and when Julius Schwartz - who hated the Joker - took over the Batman editorial position, the Clown Prince of Crime was relegated to the trash can.

==First film adaptions==

====film adaptions====

But the Joker wouldn't die so quickly, as producer William Dozier placed the Joker in the fifth episode of his 1966-69 television series ''Batman''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059968/</ref>.  Played by veteran actor [[Cesar Romero]]<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003110/</ref><ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjiIHfKwi0Q</ref>, this new film version kept in line with the campyness of the comic character.  One of the big-name stars who was attracted to film guest appearances in the series ([[Burgess Meredith]], Julie Newmar, [[Frank Gorshin]], [[Vincent Price]] among others), Romero had an unusual trait which he insisted not be touched: a well-groomed mustache, which was hidden under his white make up.  

But the Joker wouldn't die so quickly, as producer William Dozier placed the Joker in the fifth episode of his 1966-69 television series ''Batman''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059968/</ref>.  Played by veteran actor [[Cesar Romero]]<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003110/</ref><ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjiIHfKwi0Q</ref>, this new film version kept in line with the campyness of the comic character.  One of the big-name stars who was attracted to film guest appearances in the series ([[Burgess Meredith]], Julie Newmar, [[Frank Gorshin]], [[Vincent Price]] among others), Romero had an unusual trait which he insisted not be touched: a well-groomed mustache, which was hidden under his white make up.  

==Next film adaptions==

==Next film adaptions==

In 1989 Tim Burton's ''Batman'' was released, with Jack Nicholson going all-out as the Joker<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWEhueUvVdM</ref> in a performance that many felt upstaged the title character.  In this film the Joker's origins remain true with the Red Hood story but are slightly-modified; he is given a name - Jack Napier - and is portrayed as a mob enforcer who is double-crossed by his boss while attempting to fake a case of industrial espionage at a chemical factory.  A police raid on the factory, as well as the arrival of Batman, ends with Napier falling into a chemical tank, creating the Joker.  Burton's version also has Napier shown as a much-younger man (played by Hugo Blick) via a flashback scene: he was the one who committed the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents, the act which eventually created the Batman.

In 1989 Tim Burton's ''Batman'' was released, with Jack Nicholson going all-out as the Joker<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWEhueUvVdM</ref> in a performance that many felt upstaged the title character.  In this film the Joker's origins remain true with the Red Hood story but are slightly-modified; he is given a name - Jack Napier - and is portrayed as a mob enforcer who is double-crossed by his boss while attempting to fake a case of industrial espionage at a chemical factory.  A police raid on the factory, as well as the arrival of Batman, ends with Napier falling into a chemical tank, creating the Joker.  Burton's version also has Napier shown as a much-younger man (played by Hugo Blick) via a flashback scene: he was the one who committed the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents, the act which eventually created the Batman.

Tim Burton's series of four movies eventually departed to the camp of the 1960's television series with the release of ''Batman and Robin'' in 1997, a critical and financial flop.  Rebooting the franchise led to the [[Christopher Nolan]] film ''[[Batman Begins]]'' in 2005; the success of which enabled a sequel which was released in 2008.  Using the comic book stories ''The Long Halloween'' and ''The Killing Joke'' as inspirations, Nolan returned the Joker to the big screen in ''[[The Dark Knight]]''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/</ref>.  Almost universally lauded by critics and shattering numerous box-office records, ''The Dark Knight'' featured the final performance of [[Heath Ledger]] as a monstrous version of the Joker<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohU16OiduUs&feature=related</ref>, a psychotic who thinks the only sane way to live is without rules and wants to prove it to the world - and at the same time giving the artists and writers who penned the Batman stories a version of the Joker they thought was closest to their own.  "He's trying to police a villain the likes of which he's never seen," said actor Gary Oldman in a recent interview, describing just how evil he thought this film version of the Joker actually is. "He makes Voldemort (the villain of the ''Harry Potter'' series) look like a Sesame Street character"<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSCGb5fJRs&feature=related</ref>.  Beginning in a hopeful manner with the arrests of mob figures and the reduction of crime, conditions spiral downward as the self-described "agent of chaos" places Gotham City on the brink of destruction, and leaving many to wonder if it is Batman who deserves the blame.

Tim Burton's series of four movies eventually departed to the camp of the 1960's television series with the release of ''Batman and Robin'' in 1997, a critical and financial flop.  Rebooting the franchise led to the [[Christopher Nolan]] film ''[[Batman Begins]]'' in 2005; the success of which enabled a sequel which was released in 2008.  Using the comic book stories ''The Long Halloween'' and ''The Killing Joke'' as inspirations, Nolan returned the Joker to the big screen in ''[[The Dark Knight]]''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/</ref>.  Almost universally lauded by critics and shattering numerous box-office records, ''The Dark Knight'' featured the final performance of [[Heath Ledger]] as a monstrous version of the Joker<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohU16OiduUs&feature=related</ref>, a psychotic who thinks the only sane way to live is without rules and wants to prove it to the world - and at the same time giving the artists and writers who penned the Batman stories a version of the Joker they thought was closest to their own.  "He's trying to police a villain the likes of which he's never seen," said actor Gary Oldman in a recent interview, describing just how evil he thought this film version of the Joker actually is. "He makes Voldemort (the villain of the ''Harry Potter'' series) look like a Sesame Street character"<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSCGb5fJRs&feature=related</ref>.  The premise of the film, which begins in a hopeful manner with the arrests of mob figures and the reduction of crime, spirals downward as the remaining elements of the mob turn to the Joker, who turns out to be "a man they didn't fully understand"<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWw0ov-cAUg</ref>, and someone who is just as dangerous to the mob as he is to Gotham City.

The effect of Ledger's performance has caused some fans to ask Warner Brothers to cease placing the Joker in any future films<ref>http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/02/heath-ledger-nu/</ref>.

The effect of Ledger's performance has caused some fans to ask Warner Brothers to cease placing the Joker in any future films<ref>http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/02/heath-ledger-nu/</ref>.