These Are the Joker’s Most Demented Crimes, Ranked

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Over the years, the Joker has experienced multiple transformations within the DC Comic Universe, morphing from a common crook to a jester-like character, eventually becoming an utterly wicked individual who has carried out some truly psychotic acts. Making his debut in DC Comics in April 1940 through Batman #1, the Joker was initially just a run-of-the-mill criminal and met his end in that very issue. However, fans couldn’t get enough of him, leading DC to rewrite his death and resurrect the character. Since then, he has become Batman’s sworn enemy and one of DC’s most beloved villains. In his comic book history, he has taken on various roles such as a criminal, a jester, and a comedian; however, one constant remains: when the Joker is involved in crime, anything can happen.

In the world of DC Comics, the Joker is known for committing heinous acts, many of which were inflicted on innocent victims who didn’t deserve such cruelty. Yet, his primary intention has often been to cause chaos and distress, specifically targeting Batman and Commissioner Gordon. The Clown Prince of Crime’s actions, while seemingly random and insane, have always had a motive behind them.

7) Joker Turned Superman Into A Brutal Dictator

On the alternate reality of Earth-49, though not part of the primary DC narrative, this tale fits well due to its connections. Here, Joker remains Batman’s arch-nemesis, yet in this particular saga, he sets his sights on Superman. In a heinous act, Joker employs Scarecrow’s Fear Toxin tainted with Kryptonite, causing Superman to believe he was battling Doomsday. However, tragically, he was actually murdering Lois Lane, who was carrying their unborn child. The villain had linked a heartbeat trigger to her, and upon her death, an explosion leveled Metropolis. This crime was unspeakably vile, but Superman escalated it further when he terminated Joker and seized power over the entire planet in the Injustice timeline. It was only Superman from the Prime Earth that intervened to thwart his dictatorship.

6) The Batman Who Laughs

In the comic book series, “Injustice: Gods Among Us,” the Joker carries out a horrific crime that transforms Superman into a tyrant, while Batman attempts to halt his evil plans. However, on Earth-22, a dark realm within the Multiverse, the Joker’s depravity reaches new heights. He embarks on a rampage in Gotham City, executing some of Batman’s most notorious adversaries and Commissioner Gordon. The Joker then leaves Batman powerless by paralyzing him, forcing him to witness as the villain destroys a hospital and brutally murders the parents of young children in full view. To add insult to injury, he injects the children with an incurable dose of Joker Venom.

Due to intense rage, Batman swiftly ended Joker’s life, but there was an unexpected complication: Joker had a lethal toxin within him that dispersed upon death, poisoning Batman. This toxic exposure shattered Batman’s sanity, causing him to turn against his own Bat Family and the Justice League, ultimately setting his sights on Prime Earth. It was Joker who orchestrated the emergence of The Batman Who Laughs, responsible for the ensuing destruction.

5) Joker Beat Jason Todd’s Robin To Death

In the vibrant heart of DC’s Prime Earth, I’ve always known the Joker as a ruthless criminal, but his actions against Jason Todd, the second Robin, were unforgivable. Struggling with personal demons, including the unexpected return of his mother, Jason found himself in a precarious situation. Worse still, the person who could have offered him a chance at redemption was manipulated by the Joker into sending Jason down a dangerous path.

In the gripping tale of “A Death in the Family” (Batman #426–429), the Joker revealed that he orchestrated many of the misfortunes that had befallen Jason, and then mercilessly beat him with a crowbar before detonating the building they were in, taking both Jason and his mother’s lives. Batman chose to withhold mentoring another Robin for an entire year following this tragedy, until Tim Drake persistently forced himself into Bruce Wayne’s life.

4) Joker Killed Commissioner Gordon’s Wife, Sarah Essen

In the tale of “No Man’s Land,” Gotham City became isolated, with criminals taking over the reins. Batman and his allies stayed behind to safeguard the citizens, including Commissioner Gordon and his wife, Sarah Essen. During this period in Detective Comics issue #741, a chilling event unfolded: Joker held a roomful of newborn babies hostage at a hospital. He threatened that if Sarah shot him, he would let the baby fall, causing it to perish. In an act of desperation, she caught the baby to save its life, but Joker callously took hers instead. This act, where Joker endangered and then killed Sarah while she was saving a baby, was undeniably one of his most twisted actions ever committed.

3) Joker Paralyzed Barbara Gordon

Performing a second heinous act against Commissioner Gordon, the Joker murdered Sarah Essen. His first act of insanity involved shooting and paralyzing Gordon’s daughter, Barbara Gordon. Unbeknownst to him, she was Batgirl, thereby terminating one of DC Comics’ most influential female superheroes. The Joker’s intent behind these acts was to drive Commissioner Gordon to the brink of madness. In “Batman: The Killing Joke,” the Joker visited Barbara at her home and fired shots, leaving her paralyzed. To make it appear as though he had sexually assaulted her, he took off her clothes and sent embarrassing photographs to Gordon. Despite these efforts, Commissioner Gordon resisted killing the Joker, thwarting his plan. However, irreparable harm was inflicted on Barbara and Commissioner Gordon’s psyche.

2) Joker Blew Up An Entire School Of Children As A Joke

Throughout his DC Comics history, the Joker has demonstrated a chilling disregard for innocent lives, particularly children. Notably, he poisoned several children on Earth-22 and coldly killed an entire troop of Cub Scouts at a carnival in The Dark Knight Returns. However, his actions in the storyline Batman: Cacophony, penned by Kevin Smith, surpass even these heinous acts. During a heated exchange with a rival gang member named Maxie Zeus, he humorously threatened to initiate a gang war by detonating a school full of children, thereby fulfilling his word play. The irony lies in the fact that Zeus’s nephew was among the students at this school when it was destroyed, yet this act of violence was directed towards countless young lives merely to drive home a point.

1) Joker Disrupts The World In Emperor Joker

The storyline titled “Emperor Joker,” penned by Joe Kelly and Jeph Loeb, is renowned for its dark and twisted portrayal of the Joker. It unfolds when the Joker manages to harness some of Mr. Mxyzptlk’s power, transforming himself into the ruler of the world. With boundless power and no sense of morality, the Joker embarks on a series of heinous acts. However, two instances tower above the rest. First, he subjects Batman to an endless cycle of torment where each day, he inflicts torture and murder upon Batman using diverse methods. The cruel twist is that Batman retains every memory of these deaths, leaving deep psychological wounds. Even more appalling was when the Joker casually sat down to eat Chinese food, but what he was actually consuming was all of China, with a mound of skulls as his backdrop.

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2025-07-05 18:12