The Inspiration for the Joker
One of the most iconic villains from the comics is that of the Joker. He is one of a handful of villains that even non-comic book/movie fans will immediately recognize.
Today when new characters are created, they are often inspired by earlier comics as we have about eighty-five years worth of superhero stories to draw upon.
But when superhero comics first appeared in the lated 1930s and early 1940s, the tradition was still young. But there were inspirations.
The inspiration for the Joker is a character in the movie The Man Who Laughs, played by Conrad Veidt. Soon as you see the character, you understand the connection.
If you are looking for a good Joker story, one of the best is The Killing Joke. I bought this when it first came out and still have my original copy. Please note this is an Amazon affiliate link.
