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The Joker: A Visual History of the Clown Prince of Crime
A comprehensive look at the greatest comic book villain . . . ever. Since his first appearance in 1940’s Batman #1, the Joker stands alone as the most hated, feared, and loved villain in the DC Universe. Though his true origins may be unknown, the Clown Prince of Crime’s psychotic appearances in hundreds of comic books has shaped the way we look at Batman, comic books, and ourselves. Indeed, a hero is only as good as his nemesis, so the Joker’s heinous crimes, including murdering the second Robin and paralyzing Batgirl, have elevated Batman to the highest levels of crime-fighting, and we, the readers, to the finest levels of quality pop-culture entertainment.
The Joker is the first retrospective chronicling one of the most groundbreaking and game-changing villains of all time, and contains images from his more than seventy years in comics by comic book artists and writers such as Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang, Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Brian Azzarello, Bruce Timm, and Paul Dini. Also included are images from his various film, television, animated, and video game incarnations, such as the timeless interpretations by Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger, who won his posthumous Oscar for his portrayal of the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight . This book is a must-have for fans and anyone who wants to die laughing.
05/03/11
The Joker is the first retrospective chronicling one of the most groundbreaking and game-changing villains of all time, and contains images from his more than seventy years in comics by comic book artists and writers such as Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang, Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Brian Azzarello, Bruce Timm, and Paul Dini. Also included are images from his various film, television, animated, and video game incarnations, such as the timeless interpretations by Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger, who won his posthumous Oscar for his portrayal of the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight . This book is a must-have for fans and anyone who wants to die laughing.
05/03/11
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2010
10 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 31, 2016
Why so serious? Read something!
This is a reference book showing info about the DC Comics character of "The Joker".
ALL IT TAKES IS ONE GOOD BOOK
The reference book is the ultimate guide about the Joker.
You won't find a reference book any better than this one, if you what you're looking is to learn about the Clown Prince of Crime.
Essential to any Joker and/or Batman fan.
Excellent work of this line "Universe" from Rizzoli Publications. So far DK Publishing is the leader on this kind of books (and certainly I have a A LOT of their reference books), but you can bet that this one is as good as those of the mentioned publishing company...
...and maybe even better.
So, thanks a lot to Rizzolli Publications for doing such a good book!
WAIT TILL YOU GET A LOAD OF THIS BOOK
The reference guide takes you through the whole development of the Clown Prince of Crime,...
...from his appearances and highlights on the comic books...
...through his transition to other media like...
...live action TV, live action Theatrical Films, animated TV series and beyond.
A really complete guide essential to any fan of The Joker, at least as the case of any reference book, as complete as its publishing date.
So, give it a try, in any case, whatever doesn't kill you...
...just make you...
...stranger!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
This is a reference book showing info about the DC Comics character of "The Joker".
ALL IT TAKES IS ONE GOOD BOOK
The reference book is the ultimate guide about the Joker.
You won't find a reference book any better than this one, if you what you're looking is to learn about the Clown Prince of Crime.
Essential to any Joker and/or Batman fan.
Excellent work of this line "Universe" from Rizzoli Publications. So far DK Publishing is the leader on this kind of books (and certainly I have a A LOT of their reference books), but you can bet that this one is as good as those of the mentioned publishing company...
...and maybe even better.
So, thanks a lot to Rizzolli Publications for doing such a good book!
WAIT TILL YOU GET A LOAD OF THIS BOOK
The reference guide takes you through the whole development of the Clown Prince of Crime,...
...from his appearances and highlights on the comic books...
...through his transition to other media like...
...live action TV, live action Theatrical Films, animated TV series and beyond.
A really complete guide essential to any fan of The Joker, at least as the case of any reference book, as complete as its publishing date.
So, give it a try, in any case, whatever doesn't kill you...
...just make you...
...stranger!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
April 23, 2023
Does exactly what the title says it’ll do. Fun shit. My only real complaint is that it’s a bit superficial, also somewhat repetitive at times. But overall, yeah, it’s the fucking Joker, I can’t give this any less than 4 stars.
January 9, 2014
The Joker is the greatest super villain in comic book history and I firmly believe that this isn't up for debate. Sure, there are more powerful villains. Maybe there are some that have achieved more (i.e. Doomsday did actually kill Superman). However, when it comes down to it, no one is as entertaining, twisted or as unpredictable as The Joker.
His ongoing (albeit never ending) rivalry with Batman has spanned nearly seventy-four years and has produced some of the most compelling storytelling in any fiction medium. Therefore, it’s about time that someone took up the task of crafting a visual history of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Accompanied by an excellent foreword from Mark Hamill (Joker’s most notable voice), author Daniel Wallace brings you a wealth of information regarding Joker’s appearances in comics, television, movies and video games all crammed into a modest 208 pages.
Aside from a few questionable mix-ups on dates (Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was listed as being released in 2009), the material here is solid as the majority of his most well-known moments and stories are covered thoroughly. There’s even a few laugh out loud moments regarding some of the more questionable stories Joker has been subjected to (The Iranian Advisor to the UN?!).
If I have one complaint, it’s going to be about the size. I understand that the full pages work well given the subject matter (full two page shots of iconic comic book art) but it’s extremely uncomfortable to hold and read.
The fact that Cesar Romero didn't shave off that damn mustache to play The Joker is both awesome and infuriating at the same time. Hey, I love my beard but there’s no way I’d keep it if someone told me I was going to portray The Agent of Chaos.
His ongoing (albeit never ending) rivalry with Batman has spanned nearly seventy-four years and has produced some of the most compelling storytelling in any fiction medium. Therefore, it’s about time that someone took up the task of crafting a visual history of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Accompanied by an excellent foreword from Mark Hamill (Joker’s most notable voice), author Daniel Wallace brings you a wealth of information regarding Joker’s appearances in comics, television, movies and video games all crammed into a modest 208 pages.
Aside from a few questionable mix-ups on dates (Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was listed as being released in 2009), the material here is solid as the majority of his most well-known moments and stories are covered thoroughly. There’s even a few laugh out loud moments regarding some of the more questionable stories Joker has been subjected to (The Iranian Advisor to the UN?!).
If I have one complaint, it’s going to be about the size. I understand that the full pages work well given the subject matter (full two page shots of iconic comic book art) but it’s extremely uncomfortable to hold and read.
The fact that Cesar Romero didn't shave off that damn mustache to play The Joker is both awesome and infuriating at the same time. Hey, I love my beard but there’s no way I’d keep it if someone told me I was going to portray The Agent of Chaos.
June 10, 2023
I've always been a huge fan of The Joker and often end up reluctantly won over by his captivating craziness.
So when I saw there was a whole book dedicated to my favourite psychopathic murderer I snapped it up and am thoroughly glad I did.
It's absolutely fascinating!
So when I saw there was a whole book dedicated to my favourite psychopathic murderer I snapped it up and am thoroughly glad I did.
It's absolutely fascinating!
October 13, 2019
ALUCINANTE
September 11, 2013
Un héroe es tan relevante como lo es su villano. Y por eso Batman es el mejor, por que tiene al Joker.
Esencial para seguidores de la mitología del caballero de la noche. Excelente arte y análisis de un verdadero sociopata. El mejor villano del fantástico mundo de los cómics.
Mi regalo de cumpleaños número 30.
Esencial para seguidores de la mitología del caballero de la noche. Excelente arte y análisis de un verdadero sociopata. El mejor villano del fantástico mundo de los cómics.
Mi regalo de cumpleaños número 30.
August 21, 2018
The Joker: A Visual History of the Crown Prince of Crime is a visual encyclopedic reference book about the Clown Prince of Crime compiled by Daniel Wallace. It chronicles the Joker's criminal career from his first appearance in Batman #1 (1940) to the date of publication (2011).
The Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind. Introduced as a psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor, the character became a goofy prankster in the late 50s, before returning to his darker roots during the early 70s. As Batman nemesis, the Joker has been part of the vigilante's defining stories, including the murder of Jason Todd – the second Robin, Batman's adopted son, and the paralysis of one of Batman's allies, Barbara Gordon.
The Joker: A Visual History of the Crown Prince of Crime is composed of a myriad of illustrations with chockfull of information from the goofy to his most infamous heinous crimes to date. Not only does it track the criminal career of the Joker and his history throughout the years, it gives spotlight on some of its creators: Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Frank Miller, Gran Morrison, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, and Alan Moore.
A plethora of images from more than seventy years in comics by comic book artists such as Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang, Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Brian Azzarello, Bruce Timm, and Paul Dini. Also included are stills from the various live-action medium, animation, and video game incarnations from Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger.
Wallace has done a superb job of collecting the most important aspects of the Joker and charts his criminal career extremely well. It is far from exhaustive, but that would take volumes to do, but this tomb is more than adequate for what it sets out to do – to give a visual history of one of the most iconic super-villains.
All in all, The Joker: A Visual History of the Clown Prince of Crime was wonderfully constructed and illustrated reference of the life and times of the most iconic of Batman's Rogue Gallery – the Joker.
The Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind. Introduced as a psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor, the character became a goofy prankster in the late 50s, before returning to his darker roots during the early 70s. As Batman nemesis, the Joker has been part of the vigilante's defining stories, including the murder of Jason Todd – the second Robin, Batman's adopted son, and the paralysis of one of Batman's allies, Barbara Gordon.
The Joker: A Visual History of the Crown Prince of Crime is composed of a myriad of illustrations with chockfull of information from the goofy to his most infamous heinous crimes to date. Not only does it track the criminal career of the Joker and his history throughout the years, it gives spotlight on some of its creators: Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Frank Miller, Gran Morrison, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, and Alan Moore.
A plethora of images from more than seventy years in comics by comic book artists such as Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang, Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Brian Azzarello, Bruce Timm, and Paul Dini. Also included are stills from the various live-action medium, animation, and video game incarnations from Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger.
Wallace has done a superb job of collecting the most important aspects of the Joker and charts his criminal career extremely well. It is far from exhaustive, but that would take volumes to do, but this tomb is more than adequate for what it sets out to do – to give a visual history of one of the most iconic super-villains.
All in all, The Joker: A Visual History of the Clown Prince of Crime was wonderfully constructed and illustrated reference of the life and times of the most iconic of Batman's Rogue Gallery – the Joker.
June 21, 2020
This guide of the Joker's history provides a comprehensive look at perhaps comics' greatest villain and one of the greatest comicbook mainstream icons.
With great visuals (covers and key scenes) and insightful text pieces (not to mention an introduction by Mark Hamill!), this looks like a labor of love for the author and is a treat for Batman, Joker, DC comics and comics enthusiasts.
With great visuals (covers and key scenes) and insightful text pieces (not to mention an introduction by Mark Hamill!), this looks like a labor of love for the author and is a treat for Batman, Joker, DC comics and comics enthusiasts.
April 6, 2021
good book
July 18, 2012
So I finished it and for the most part, I really enjoyed it.
It does purport itself to be a visual history and to that extent it succeeds, although there were a handful of repeated images which I mean...I don't know, with several decades worth of Joker images, I don't suspect you would need to repeat but that's just me.
Daniel Wallace does a very good job of researching Joker and presenting the information in an organized and insightful way. It would be hard to be given the task to write about a villain with no real guide or example to look to as this is the first time DC has devoted an entire book to a villain. I wish they had thought to reprint some of the key Joker stories sited (such as Joker's Five Way Revenge) as that would have been helpful to be able to read those stories within the book. I also felt there were moments that I would have liked Daniel Wallace to go a bit deeper and present the information a bit more academically...
...but I feel that perhaps I'm just nitpicking because it is a Bat-book and I can never get enough:-)
This is a rather remarkable book that Daniel Wallace has packaged very nicely and I would recommend it to any fan of the Bat or the Joker!
It does purport itself to be a visual history and to that extent it succeeds, although there were a handful of repeated images which I mean...I don't know, with several decades worth of Joker images, I don't suspect you would need to repeat but that's just me.
Daniel Wallace does a very good job of researching Joker and presenting the information in an organized and insightful way. It would be hard to be given the task to write about a villain with no real guide or example to look to as this is the first time DC has devoted an entire book to a villain. I wish they had thought to reprint some of the key Joker stories sited (such as Joker's Five Way Revenge) as that would have been helpful to be able to read those stories within the book. I also felt there were moments that I would have liked Daniel Wallace to go a bit deeper and present the information a bit more academically...
...but I feel that perhaps I'm just nitpicking because it is a Bat-book and I can never get enough:-)
This is a rather remarkable book that Daniel Wallace has packaged very nicely and I would recommend it to any fan of the Bat or the Joker!
April 22, 2016
I have been a huge Joker fan for many years. The book has wonderful artwork from many of the artists from the comics. The book is comprehensive and informative but I wish it featured interviews by comic book artists, writers, filmmakers and actors such as Kevin Smith, Jack Nicholson, Cesar Romero, Heath Ledger, Tim Burton, Christopher and Jonathan Nolan. I would have loved to have read their opinions and thoughts on the Joker and his ideology. It also would have been interesting to get an actual psychiatrist's point of view too. Toys and clothing and other merchandise are not featured in the book though, just the comics and live-action media. So it doesn't have that scrapbook feel that I was anticipating, it has more of a Wikipedia entry feel to it. You're also not learning any new information about the character that you don't already know so don't expect it to be eye-opening or have a whole new perspective of the character. The Intro by Mark Hamill, the definitive Joker voice in my opinion, was great. If you are a Joker or Batman fan, purchase this.
November 6, 2017
A nice book with fabulous artwork and an ok history. It would have made sense if it had written the history of the Joker in complete chronological order, OR if it had broken it down by category and then written a history within that category, but it somehow tried to do both, making it feel haphazard. I also would have enjoyed more of a discussion on the history of the visual style of the Joker, since I kind of thought that's what the book would focus on.
If I had one other complaint, it would be the size of the book. It's a VERY large (long) book, that doesn't really fit in traditional bookshelves. It's like it expects you to display it as a coffee table art book. Well, maybe I'm a snob, but as a woman pushing 30, I'm not going to display my giant Joker book, complete with Killing Joke insanity on the cover, on my coffee table in my living room.
Still, I'm glad I bought it, and the DC wanted to make it.
If I had one other complaint, it would be the size of the book. It's a VERY large (long) book, that doesn't really fit in traditional bookshelves. It's like it expects you to display it as a coffee table art book. Well, maybe I'm a snob, but as a woman pushing 30, I'm not going to display my giant Joker book, complete with Killing Joke insanity on the cover, on my coffee table in my living room.
Still, I'm glad I bought it, and the DC wanted to make it.
August 12, 2012
A great overview of the Joker, with an introduction by the voice of the man himself, Mark Hamill. Art of all kinds is on every page in this collection, from the campy comics of the Golden Age to the dark, girtty comics of the last few years, to screenshots from Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. We get not only a history of the Joker's appearances in comics, television, and film, but also an examination of his interactions with other comic book characters. A nice read for established Joker fans, but I would caution newcomers to his storylines - this book isn't worried about spoliers.
February 21, 2014
Anything that you could ever want to know about the top villain in DC Comics is right here. "The Joker: A Visual History of the Clown Prince of Crime" takes the reader from the Joker's first appearances in the 1940s comic books, through the silly 1960s TV show, to today's dark and gritty comics and movies.
I found it fascinating how art and story telling had changed so much over the decades, with the Joker starting out as a ruthless murderer, then changing to a prankster and then back to a sociopath. The art displayed was also fun to look at, going from the early minimalist drawings to the ultra detailed modern art.
Fans of comic books or pop culture would love it.
I found it fascinating how art and story telling had changed so much over the decades, with the Joker starting out as a ruthless murderer, then changing to a prankster and then back to a sociopath. The art displayed was also fun to look at, going from the early minimalist drawings to the ultra detailed modern art.
Fans of comic books or pop culture would love it.
August 29, 2014
When I saw this sitting on the shelf at the bookstore I just new I had to have it! This would be a great addition to any Batman collection or just simply a must have for any fan. The Joker: A Visual History of the Clown Prince of Crime goes through every version of the Joker, from the tv to the comics. It gives extensive info on each Joker along with visuals. I really enjoyed seeing all the different versions of the Joker and the history to go with them. Some versions I never new existed. It also goes through and shows how much his character has changed over time. This is a very cool book and I recommend it to any Batman fan or more specifically, Joker fans!
June 15, 2015
They say don't judge a book by its cover but that clearly does not apply to this book. The cover is the only reason I picked it up at the library. I have never read any Batman comics or felt the need to but the glaring, mad eyes of The Joker pulled me in. He's such a public figure that everyone feels like they at least know a little about him. This novel will help you to know even more. It goes all the way back to his very first appearance and touches base with all of his reincarnations. From film to TV to books, you get the full scope of the wonder and horror that is The Joker. I just wish it was more in depth. I would gladly read a full on break down of his character.
May 14, 2014
The Joker is my favorite main Batman villain. So when I saw a book about the clown prince of crime at the bookstore, I was very interested. I was not disappointed in the least. It gave me exactly what I wanted: the story and some interesting things about the Harlequin of Hate. It even has a introduction by my favorite voice actor for the Joker, Mark Hamill. It also has information about my favorite character, Harley Quinn who is the Jokers insane girlfriend. If your a fan of Batman, the joker or both, then I suggest you give this book a spin.
August 9, 2012
The book is well-designed and features some very nice art, though very little of it is of the "rarely seen" variety. Unfortunately, the book is marred by numerous factual errors and writing that is rather clunky at times. I recommend checking the book out to admire its design and the wealth of nice art present within its pages, and weighing your options carefully before spending any money on it.
August 13, 2013
As a Batman fan and a Joker lover, there was nothing more enjoyable for me on my day off. It was very informative on all things Joker, the art was crazy, and if nothing else, it was a sweet escape to my favorite place ever, Gotham City.
January 24, 2016
Quite enjoyed this visual history of The Joker. It would have been nice to have a little bit more of a narrative but overall the book was great. Almost all of the iterations of The Joker were incorporated.
Want to read
August 2, 2012Want to read this soo bad!
April 2, 2013
This book was fun! Lots of great illustrations from some of my favourite artist. I was smiling as if a victim of Joker Venom! X)
June 16, 2013
Brilliant!
July 31, 2013
I finished reading this book in a couple hours. It is so enticing and encapsulates the history of the Joker very well. The illustrations included are brilliant and you would want to read this again!
September 5, 2013
Love this book! Batman really needs this clown for his own benefit, the benefit of keeping us entertained and in suspense. In my opinion, the best Batman villain ever.
January 10, 2015
I simply love this book. Everything you need about the Joker in one place.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews