The Joker’s Joke Book
🧬 Genre
Comedy, Crime, Dark Humor, Supervillain Spotlight
🃏 Main Characters
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The Joker – Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime, armed with lethal jokes and manic energy.
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Batman (cameo appearances) – Often the butt of Joker's twisted punchlines.
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Harley Quinn (brief appearance) – Joker’s partner in crime and mischief.
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Gotham Citizens – Unwilling audience to the Joker’s dangerous stand-up act.
✍️ Writer
The comic is penned by an uncredited creative team from DC’s Silver Age humor line, believed to include gag writers who contributed to DC's mid-20th century humor titles.
🎨 Artist
Illustrations are classic Silver Age style, with exaggerated facial expressions and slapstick visual gags. Artists such as Bob Oksner and Mort Drucker are commonly speculated contributors due to the style.
🧑💼 Editor Details
The book was likely overseen by Murray Boltinoff or Joe Orlando, editors known for handling DC’s experimental and humorous imprints during the era.
🏢 Publisher and Brand
Publisher: DC Comics
Brand: Likely released under DC’s mainstream line (pre-Vertigo, pre-Black Label), reflecting the lighter tone of 1970s humor books.
📅 Release Year
Originally published in 1975, amid a wave of novelty comics and humor anthologies.
📚 Brief Plot Summary
The Joker’s Joke Book is less a traditional narrative and more a riotous collection of punchlines, gags, and single-page comedic panels. The Joker, self-proclaimed King of Comedy, has compiled a book full of puns, riddles, and “killer” jokes designed to leave Gotham in hysterics—or hysterical fear. It’s a chaotic blend of stand-up humor and supervillainy, where laughter truly can be the best weapon.
🧩 Notable Arcs or Storylines
While lacking a continuous arc, notable story beats include:
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“Knock-Knock Nightmare” – A section where Joker uses knock-knock jokes as part of a crime spree.
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“Comedy Club Carnage” – Joker hijacks a live comedy broadcast to deliver lethal laughter.
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“The Pun is Mightier” – Features Joker turning Gotham’s newspaper into a satire machine.
🌀 Fan Theories or Interpretations
Some fans interpret The Joker’s Joke Book as a meta-commentary on the Joker’s relationship with performance and identity—using humor not just to terrorize but to validate himself as Gotham’s ultimate entertainer. Others believe the book mocks Batman’s serious tone, suggesting Joker’s humor is his way of surviving in a world he views as absurd.
⭐ Review Summary
The Joker’s Joke Book is a delightful oddity in DC’s long publication history. The artwork bursts with expressive, almost cartoonish energy, fitting the zany tone of the content. Though light on plot, it succeeds in showcasing Joker's maniacal charisma and twisted wit. While not deep in character development, the comic remains a nostalgic and entertaining read for fans of Silver Age whimsy and Joker-centric stories.
🖼️ Art: 7.5/10
📖 Story Quality: 6.5/10
🧠 Character Depth: 5/10
🎉 Fun Factor: 9/10
Final Thought: If you’ve ever wanted to peek inside the mind of a homicidal clown through the lens of slapstick and dad jokes—this is your comic. 🤡💣📚
Comic Resource / Read Online (External Source)
