Funny how things evolve. For the weekend, a co-worker loaned me a compilation volume of Batman stories which included the Joker's debut. Mind you, I think this was a copy of the revised printing. If the accounts I've read are correct, when first published, the Joker falls to his death at the end of the issue. But when the character proved so popular as to bring him back, the debut story was reprinted with an altered ending, one in which Batman grabbed the Joker a second before an otherwise deadly plummet. This was that second version.
Sorry, that wasn't the point of this post. Rather the point is how the narration boxes described the Joker's demeaner. Of particular note was his voice being "monotone", without much inflection. Monotone? The Joker?! That's just about as opposite as he would later become. Oh, he could get "brooding" at times, but like the flipping of a light switch, his attitude could perform a 180, demonstrating fevered delight or alternatively, rage. A fantastic example of this is Mark Hamill's "eulogy" when the Joker believes some schlubb "goon" has "offed" the Caped Crusader through dumb luck. He exhibits almost every significant motional state within a 2 to 3 minute span. No, this is not meant to claim Hamill is the best the Joker (merely my personal favorite).
No, I point out this only to drive home characters as come to prefer them often start very differently. Like the Borg. When introduced, "Q" claims they don't give a crap about people, only technology. But with their second appearance which shaped all subsequent ones, the writers basically "flipped" that notion. Suddenly, their core schtick is converting people into more Borg, kinda' like "robo-zombies" or "techno-vampires". Another example, the Daleks. Viewers usually know them best as "robo-Nazis from outer space". (Yes, I know they are not robots. the term just rolls off the tongue.) But when introduced, they are the dwindling survivors of a "5 minute" nuclear war, goaded into using a doomsday bomb to thwart invaders. they gradually degenerated into their final state, their growing paranoia of reprisal leading them to mount guns upon their mobile "iron lungs". They are pitiful creatures, driven insane by their fears and distrust. One can
almost feel sorry for them.
As others have stated, just exactly what can be considered the definitive Joker? Can one point to a specific issue published in a certain year and say, "This is the pinnacle! Everything builds to this point and everything since has deviated from that 'ideal'." Actually, a lot of fans believe they can. But unless one can devise a truly unbiased poll taking into account the grater bulk of generally agreed upon "candidates" and select from that list a "winner", it's gonna' be open to debate.
Hmm, I kinda' rambled there. What were we discussing?
