If there’s any character that left an impact over the years in the comic universe apart from the superheroes is Batman’s arch rival, Joker.
The character was created by Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, and Bill Finger and debuted alongside Catwoman in the first issue of the Batman series on April 25, 1940.
Many of Joker’s quotes are still running through our minds, and whether you like him or hate him, you were always impressed by his wit and humour.
While his acts were often evil, he always humored the readers with amazingly sensible quotes that defined his character persona.
Joker’s character was designed as a psychopathic, sadistic person who often enjoyed creating chaos and havoc among the mob.
His antics weren’t focused on money, power, or revenge but simply caused mayhem and destruction for absolutely no valid reasoning or logic. He took pleasure in turmoil and commotion that made the mob go crazy throughout Gotham City, and that could be justified by some of his iconic Joker quotes.
Once he found his arch nemesis in Batman, all his tricks were simply to challenge and start a duel with the Dark Knight, the son of Gotham himself.
While Joker has been seen in many different animated Batman movies and Animated TV series mostly voiced by Mark Hamill, it is the portrayals of Joker in live action cinema that made the character immortal within the Batman universe.
There’s no doubt that the character developed a cult following and eventually Joker quotes became a trend among the fans of the comic culture.
Cesar Romero and his Joker Quotes
First Live Action Joker Portrayal Since Batman made the entry to animation world, Joker’s character was highly famous as he was the archrival of the Dark Knight. However, when Batman got its first live-action debut in the 1966 TV series Batman.
Joker was for the very first time played by a real person and he was Caesar Romero. Caesar Romero’s Joker portrayal was quite similar to what the character was described in the comic strips. He played Joker as a cackling prankster, who often got into duels with Batman throughout the series.
Here are some of the best Joker quotes by Cesar Romero Joker:
A joke a day keeps the gloom away!
Our Joke’s on You!
Oh how delicious it is!
I’m afraid they’ll find our humour very very dry!
I’ll have it, by all the saints of wicked mirth, I’ll have it. The last laugh will still be mine!
Jack Nicholson and his Joker Quotes
While the character was already the most dreadful and popular among the comic book universe and despite being featured in many TV series and films, it was the character’s portrayal by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight that Joker’s persona became famous worldwide.
Well, it wasn’t the first time that the character was introduced in a live action movie.
Jack Nicholson also justified the character in 1989 superhero film Batman and is often considered to be the best portrayal of Joker when you compare the comic book persona.
Here are some of the best Joker quotes by Jack Nicholson:
“Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”
“My face on the one dollar bill.”
“Life’s been good to me.”
“Where does he get those wonderful toys?”
“As my plastic surgeon always says; if you gotta go, go with a smile.”
“If you could see inside, I’m really crying.”
Heath Ledger and his Joker Quotes
Heath Ledger, on the other hand, took the sadistic nature of the character to the fullest in Nolan’s Batman trilogy and undoubtedly Ledger’s portrayal of Joker character became immortal in the cinematic universe.
The character portrayal had such an impact over Heath Ledger that he got depressed and committed suicide. His performance also won him an Oscar posthumously.
Here are some of the best Joker quotes by Heath Ledger:
“Introduce a little anarchy, upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos, I’m an agent of chaos, and you know the thing about chaos? It’s fair.”
“The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules. And tonight, you’re gonna break your one rule.”
“It’s not about money… it’s about sending a message. Everything burns!”
“Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can’t savor all the… little emotions. In… you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards?”
“I believe… whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you…stranger. “
“I don’t wanna kill you, what would I do without you? Go back to rippin’ off mob dealers… no, no, no… no you, you complete me.”
Jared Leto and his Quotes
Although both Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger portrayed Joker’s character differently, both their characters were close to the Joker’s original persona presented in the comic book series.
However, Jared Leto’s stood out completely as his Joker character in the Recent Superhero film of DCEU, Suicide Squad.
Jared Leto had to face the challenge to outplay both Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger’s Joker portrayal in his DCEU’s Suicide Squad and David Ayer knew that there was no way he could have done that replicating what his predecessors did.
Thus, Jared Leto’s Joker character was created considering the modern audience and the Joker in Suicide Squad was not just a supervillain anymore but a super gangster.
Here are some of the best Joker quotes by Jared Leto:
“I can’t wait to show you my toys.”
“Got it! Got it, got it, got it. I am not someone who is loved. I’m an idea! State of mind. I execute my will according to my plan and you, Doctor, are not part of my plan.”
“That’s too easy. Would you… would you live for me? Hmm?
Bonus!
Cameron Monaghan’s Jerome Valeska
The latest entry among the list is Cameron Monaghan who plays Jerome Valeska in the popular DC characters Based TV series Gotham, a show focusing on the life of Detective James Gordon in Gotham before Batman.
You’re all prisoners. What you call sanity, it’s just a prison in your minds that stops you from seeing that you’re just tiny little cogs in a giant absurd machine. Wake up! Why be a cog? Be free like us. Just remember, smile.
While there are speculations that Jerome Valeska would eventually become the Joker among the audience, none of the Gotham’s production team is coming clean whether the speculations are true or not.
Is Cameron Monaghan’s Jerome Valeska character, the younger version of Joker?
The series has gained a lot of popularity as it introduces the younger version of all the major villains in Batman universe such as The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Hugo Strange, Riddler, and many others.
Considering the fact that Joker is not just another Batman villain, he is the Batman villain; they can’t ignore the origin of the Joker’s character.
Whether you agree or not, it is the Joker’s character that differentiates the Batman series completely from other superheroes.
And, the way Jerome’s character is portrayed in Gotham series, there’s hardly any doubt that among the fans or audiences throughout the globe that Jerome will eventually take the ultimate title of the Joker.
He has got the sadistic nature, psychopathic character and most importantly the grinning smile and the shrewd laughter.
Also Read: Similar Characters in DC and Marvel Universe
Over to you!
So, which one among these is your favorite Joker character? Also, what is your favorite Joker quote? Let us know in the comments section below.
Let us know in the comments section below and also mention if we missed any of your favorite Joker quotes across different medias.
