Joker
Summary
TheJokerwasn’t hold with that name , meaning Divine have clamber to reveal Joker ’s ' true identity ' in every decade he ’s existed . The secrecy surround Joker ’s true extraction storey may never fade , and never answer the question , " What is Joker ’s real name ? " gratefully , the many adaption and reimaginings of Joker have given sports fan answers , leaving it to them to decide which seems practiced .
Joker ’s adaptations and portrayal have been regularly iconic , from Caesar Romero ’s hyperactive portrait in the 1960sBatmanseries , to Mark Hamill ’s enchant take inBatman : The Animated Series , to Heath Ledger ’s terrifying performance inThe Dark Knight , and Joaquin Phoenix ’s Oscar - winning turn in Todd Phillips’Joker . The latter story of ' Arthur Fleck ' fall close ( in spirit ) to Alan Moore and Brian Bolland ’s acclaimed one - shotBatman : The Killing Joke , depicting the character as a failed comic break by personal calamity . While the most famous bloodline , that Joker ’s real name is still a enigma . His name , like his life-time , is designate to be " multiple choice . "
Related : The Truth Behind Jared Leto ’s Controversial Joker
What is Joker’s Real Name in Batman Comics?
While the aforementionedKilling Jokenever explicitly name its pre - disfigurement Joker , other cartoon strip released in the years after did just that in telling their own story . In the 2007 " Lovers and Madmen " arc of the comicBatman : Confidential , by Michael Green and Denys Cowan , The Joker is a former mob hitman also diagnose Jack , although a last name is never feed .
submit a departure , Batman : Streets of Gotham ’s 2010 " House of Hush " arc by Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen spins an alternate origin story . In this interpretation , The Joker is revealed to be named Sonny , snatch as a child by a mobster name Sallie Guzzo , becoming his famous nefarious ego after years of misuse , and search retaliation .
The most definitive answers were finally offered in 2022’sFlashpoint BeyondandBatman : Three Jokers , the latter a verbatim follow - up toKilling Jokeby Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok ( which acknowledged multiple reading of Joker creditworthy for his contradictory story ) . In the very - similar - to - reality Flashpoint timeline revealsJoker ’s original name was ' Jack Oswald White . '
WhileThree Jokerssoon add that Bruce Wayne had uncovered Joker ’s true individuality within the first week of encountering him . So why the concealment ? The presume - dead wife and tyke which broken the go wrong comedian did n’t kick the bucket , but were living in hiding . So as long as Bruce kept the truth unknown , they would be able to live in peace .
Joker’s Real Name in Batman Movies
Joker ’s most widely recognized ' real ' name was premise in Tim Burton’sBatman , with the character originally an challenging mobster by the name of Jack Napier . According to Hollywood legend , the name was a creation of the filmmakers intended to fuse the name of star Jack Nicholson with actor Alan Napier , who had famously played Bruce Wayne ’s butler Alfred Pennyworth opposite Adam West on the 1960s television series . ( As part of writer / creative person Scott Murphy ’s acknowledgment of the Burton films , the ' Napier ' name was retained for hisalternatureBatman : White Knightuniverse .
Burton ’s moving picture would retain the ( possible ) origination story first appear inDetective Comics # 168(1951 ) , in which Joker was created after falling into a vat of chemicals , and force back insane by his disfigurement ( the same story elaborated upon by Moore and Bolland).Batman : The Animated Serieswould name him Jack Napier in one episode , as a testimonial to the Burton / Nicholson interpretation of the character , while preserve its own canonic Joker unnamed . likewise , depicting him as a former gangster in the animated feature article filmBatman : masquerade of the Phantasm .
In 2008’sThe Dark Knight , Heath Ledger ’s Joker get absolutely zero backstory , with director Christopher Nolan opt to keep the character completely orphic and chaotic . shake up Leto’sSuicide SquadJoker also does n’t receive backcloth information . This would be made up for in a manner by 2019 ’s standaloneJokerorigin film , starring Joaquin Phoenix . distinctly inspired byThe Killing Joke , Joker begin as a fail tie-up - up comic named Arthur Fleck , who it ’s teased may be the illegitimate Word of Thomas Wayne … although that ’s never confirm to be straight .
Joker’s Real Name in GOTHAM
While the FOX goggle box seriesGothamwas deny actually label their take on the villain Joker , twins Jerome andJeremiah Valeska(Cameron Monaghan ) both offered a unique reinvention of the fictional character . Jerome was apparently insane from nativity , while Jeremiah was ultimately spoil by his blood brother . Jerome was all about chaos , while Jeremiah ’s plan proved much more complex and superimposed .
There will in all probability never be a basic origin or on-key real name given to the Joker - and nor should there be . The Joker’screator Jerry Robinson never intended to let on his backstory and believed the mystery was way more intriguing , which is credibly why the character remains so democratic 80 yr after his first appearance .
More : Gotham ’s Joker Was n’t A Proper Joker ( But Still The Show ’s Best Villain )
