Do we like The Joker?
A character from Batman #1 (DC Comics) (1940)
Our score: 1 out of 10. Funny make-up, terrible company. He treats Gotham as his punchline and people as props. We'd happily watch him from a very safe distance, and we wouldn't back him.
The Joker is the best-known villain in comics. He first appeared in Batman #1 in 1940, in Gotham City, where Batman fights crime. He has a white face, green hair and a permanent grin, and his look is based on the joker playing card. He began as a ruthless, competent criminal who loved showing off, and he has stayed one of Batman's main foes ever since.
Over the decades the character has changed with the times. He has been a terrifying killer, a goofy prankster in the late 1950s, and a darker, scarier figure again from the 1970s on. His origin is deliberately unclear, and the comics have never settled on a single definitive backstory or real name.
Why the low score? What makes him fascinating is that he is the opposite of Batman. Batman believes in order and justice, and the Joker believes in chaos and cruelty. He is witty, theatrical and magnetic, but he hurts people for fun and never shows remorse. We enjoy him as a villain and wouldn't back him as a person. We gave him a point for being so entertaining to read.