I Never Thought the Joker Was Funny, But He Just Made Me Laugh Outloud

Despite his name, the Joker is far from funny to most DC fans, with a sense of humor that’s more sadistic than amusing. For years, I could confidently say that nothing the Clown Prince of Crime had ever done or said had made me laugh out loud—so when I found myself genuinely cracking up at one of his ‘jokes,’ I was completely caught off guard.

Despite my appreciation for dark humor, I’ve never found the Clown Prince of Crime’s ‘jokes’ remotely funny—mainly because they aren’t meant to be. A core part of Joker’s character is his obsession with humor despite lacking any trace of it, which only amplifies his menace as his amusement stems from the suffering of others, evoking disgust rather than laughter from readers.

Given that the Joker’s humorlessness is such a well-established trait, I was completely caught off guard when one of his ‘jokes’ in Dan Watters and Hayden Sherman’s Batman: Dark Patterns #1 had me laughing out loud.

I Can’t Believe That Joker Actually Made Me Laugh Outloud With a Golden Bit of Dark Humor

Main Cover by Hayden Sherman for Batman: Dark Patterns #1 (2024)

Batman: Dark Patterns #1 launches Watters and Sherman’s new mini-series, set in the early years of Batman’s career. This story brings the Dark Knight back to his street-level roots, with a renewed focus on his defining detective skills. In the first issue, Batman meets with Lieutenant Jim Gordon at a crime scene, where he’s introduced to the GCPD’s forensic pathologist consultant, Dr. Sereika. Pulling Gordon aside, the Dark Knight bluntly expresses his distrust of the new consultant, citing signs of substance abuse.

Gordon then reveals that Dr. Sereika is the best option they have, explaining that Gotham’s previous coroner quit over a year ago after receiving a bouquet of flowers from the Joker, complete with a card that read, “To my favorite collaborator.” When I read this line, I actually laughed out loud, completely caught off guard that I found something the Joker did genuinely funny. Was it dark? Absolutely, but not so dark as to overshadow the humor. This was a moment of exceptionally clever writing on Watters’ part, staying true to the Joker’s character while injecting a rare touch of genuine humor into his typically grim antics.

Joker’s Sense of Humor Is Anything But Funny (& Grant Morrison Proved It)

Panel Comes From Batman and Robin #14 (2010)

One reason the Joker bit in Batman: Dark Patterns caught me so off guard is that I’m so accustomed to feeling nothing but disgust for the Clown Prince of Crime, particularly his so-called “humor.” In my opinion, Joker’s typical ‘humor’ is perfectly exemplified in Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin run. In issue #14, Damian confronts an imprisoned Joker, locking himself in the holding room with the clown. Turning the tables on Joker, Robin beats him with a crowbar while interrogating him. However, Joker manages to flip the situation in his favor, incapacitating Damian and preparing to attack him with the crowbar.

The Joker then remarks that he didn’t initially find Damian funny when they first met but admits he might have been wrong. “A Robin who lets me manipulate him into a locked room situation? A Robin who even brings his own crowbar to the party? You might be the funniest one yet,” he says. While there’s a layer of irony here, for most readers, this scene isn’t funny in the laugh-out-loud sense. Instead, it perfectly reflects Joker’s idea of humor—manipulative, cruel, and utterly unfunny. This is the kind of Joker humor I’m used to, so I wasn’t at all prepared to find genuine laugh-out-loud dark humor from the clown in Batman: Dark Patterns #1.

Something About the Joker Needs to Change (& The Answer Could Be His Humor)

While I understand that Joker’s lack of humor is an intentional choice by DC, I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing his character revitalized with the addition of genuine humor—provided it stays true to his unhinged nature. Watters’ writing in Batman: Dark Patterns proves that this is entirely possible, and at this point in Joker’s long legacy, I’ve grown tired of his character. The shock factor of his atrocities has long since lost its appeal from an entertainment perspective, leaving me bored with him. However, I believe injecting some authentic, albeit twisted, humor into the Joker’s persona could be the key to reinvigorating his character.

Batman: Dark Patterns #1 is available now from DC Comics!