Joker Officially Names Gotham's Greatest Hero, And It Isn't Batman

Warning: contains spoilers for Batman #15!

Joker officially names Gotham City’s greatest hero, and it is not Batman. The Caped Crusader and the Joker have been mortal enemies since the Golden Age of Comics, and the stories of their exploits are the stuffing of legends, albeit chilling and terrifying ones. The Joker’s tendencies to violence and murder make him one of Batman’s most dangerous villains, and their encounters take The Dark Knight down to the wire, both physically and mentally.

Over the course of Joker’s 86-year reign of terror, numerous writers and artists have examined the relationship he shares with Batman. Some fans and critics believe that Batman’s presence “draws out” theatrical-minded villains such as the Joker or the Riddler. Along similar lines, others have pointed out that the Joker, with his seeming focus on chaos and carnage, is the counterpoint to the rational, logical Batman. These theories about Batman and the Joker are but a tip of the iceberg.

Perhaps the most insightful take on the Batman/Joker dichotomy came in 1988. That year saw the publication of Batman: The Killing Joke, an original graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland. In it, the Joker launches an all-out assault on Batman’s friends and foes, including Barbara Gordon and her police commissioner father. It ranks as one of the most brutal Batman stories ever told, and can still make readers squirm nearly 40 years later.

The Joker Names An Unlikely Hero For Gotham City

And as seen in Batman #15, written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Jorge Jimenez, the events of The Killing Joke greatly impacted how the Joker perceived Commissioner Gordon. In The Killing Joke, the Joker abducted Gordon and subjected him to intense levels of humiliation, with the intention of breaking the Commissioner. Despite his torture, Gordon never wavered, and insisted Batman take the Joker in, rather than kill him.

In the issue, Joker is being kept prisoner at Arkham Towers, suspended in a tank of chemicals. Doctor Zeller, one of his attending psychiatrists, checks on him, and the Joker learns of Gordon’s latest moves. Fighting through the brain fog, the Joker tells Doctor Zeller that Gordon is “incorruptibly, indefatigably, unfailingly, good.” It would appear that when Gordon refused to bend, and give into the darkness, it gave the Joker a warped sense of respect for the former Gotham Police Commissioner.

Just How Does The Joker View Batman?

The Joker Has Put Batman Through The Wringer, And The Dark Knight Never Bends

The Joker’s admission that James Gordon cannot be corrupted is a stunning one. Gordon has had it in for the Joker as long as Batman has, which might seem to indicate the Clown Prince of Crime would despise the former Commissioner. Yet, the Joker has his own way of conducting business, doing things for seemingly no rhyme nor reason, and it is possible that, thanks to this distorted brand of thinking, he respects Gordon.

This admission on the Joker’s part also raises questions about how he views Batman as well. First, does the Joker also view Batman as “unfailingly good?” Gordon resisted the Joker every step of the way in The Killing Joke, when it would have been easy to give into the torture and the attempted brainwashing. To resist the machinations of the Joker takes a brave and strong mind, and Gordon passes that test. Even after Batman freed him from the Joker, Gordon continued to walk the righteous path. Can the same be said of Batman?

In light of the horrors the Joker has inflicted upon Batman himself, the answer might seem to be “yes.” The Joker has struck out at nearly every member of the Batman Family at some point, including the murder of the second Robin, Jason Todd. Robin's murder, and the emotional turmoil that followed, nearly broke Batman, and only the combined efforts of Dick Grayson and Tim Drake pulled him back from the brink.

Could Gordon Truly Be Gotham's Best Hero?

When this is taken into consideration, then Batman may not be as "unfailingly good” as Commissioner Gordon. In The Killing Joke, Gordon had no one to cling to during his captivity. He faced the trauma alone, and came out a stronger person. Batman, on the other hand, needed two other people to get through to him, and keep him from becoming what he hated. In a way, the Joker nearly broke Batman, but not James Gordon, making the former Gotham Police Commissioner Gotham’s greatest hero.

Batman #15 is on sale now from DC Comics!