Brian Azzarello's "The Joker"

[The Dark Knight]

True, this Joker basically acts like a mobster. A big contradiction between TDK's and this version is money: in TDK the Joker burns a few millions, he needs money only as a means for creating chaos, while in "Joker" the first thing he does after being released from Arkham is to reclaim his territory. I remember an interview with the comic's creators saying they envisioned Joker as a Chris Walken-type of character (probably King of NY, need to google it for exact quote). Their version comes off more like a psychopathic criminal with "rational" motivations, like money.

I do like Ledger's Joker. The anarchy on the streets and such. But I don't like it when this approach goes too far one way. When as you say, SilentEnigma, he becomes too much like a mobster. For me, the biggest part of the character that appeals to me is the charm. Revelling in the joke and being an unapologetic showman. If that side of the character is reduced, it isn't as enjoyable to me. The Joker can be mean and violent, but he has the unique ability of being charismatic to the audience through it all.

[greggbray]

Count me in the Ledger fan camp who was equally  disappointed with this book.  Maybe disappointed is over stating the case.  While I recognize Lee Bejemero (sp?) strengths as an artist, the way he rendered the Joker was a bit outside of my sensibility.  Not bad, just not necessarily my thing. 

They went a bit far with the Harley love, and how Joker was portrayed as being nothing more than a run of the mill homicidal maniac.  I recall elsewhere on the internet, there was someone--it may have been zDBz--that the Joker can play across many contexts.  He can be the showman.  He can be Mr. Vanity. He can be funny at times.  He can be downright scary.  He can be a homicidal maniac, etc.  The problem with this story is that they played the homicidal maniac note without adding in all the richness of the other contexts he can play in. 

Ultimately forgettable, yes. 

[zDBZ]

^ I brought that up in the Joker thread (and elsewhere) on BOF more than once, but I'm sure I'm not the only one to have noted this appeal of the character. It's a real shame that no one in the comics seems to have run with the "super-sanity" idea of Arkham Asylum.

[Paul (ral)]

I liked the idea of a "goon pov" but ultimately it was underwhelming. Agree with most points here, though I thought Ledger wasn't an influence...just a coincidence since the book was made before the movie

[The Dark Knight]

I love The Joker just as much as Batman. Depending on my mood at the time I could just as easily choose to be one or the other.

The dark loner wanting to fight crime and clean up the system no matter the odds or consequences.
The black humoured psychopath who wants to cause chaos and laugh at the system.

That's the appeal of these two characters. They are totally different yet so similar.  I think the 'one bad day' angle from The Killing Joke captures this sentiment as good as anything, being part of the novel's success.

Batman and Joker both interact with other people, but ultimately are individuals who run their own show. It comes down to them, and decide to have different approaches in life. Though I argue The Joker, despite his loud behaviour, is a very private person as well. Skirting around the truth with randomised narratives and such.