The Joker's New Origin Revealed | Joker: Year One Complete Story

The Joker was given a new origin and expanded detail around the concept of the Three Jokers during the Joker: Year One story arc in Batman 142- 144, and in this episode we give you the complete story! Plus, get the Hostinger Website Builder today at Hostinger.com/... and for a limited time use promo code VARIANT to score an exclusive 10% discount on all yearly plans.
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[@variant]

Get Hostinger Website Builder today at Hostinger.com/Variant and for a limited time use promo code VARIANT to score an exclusive 10% discount on all yearly plans.

[@kingshadow8782]

Cool.

[@kingshadow8782]

Welcome back!

[@variant]

@@kingshadow8782 Thanks!

[@marknat72]

Can you guys do characters that could beat Superman in a 1v1 fight

[@Vibranium_man]

​@@variantcan you do a video about can a lightsaber cut Captain America's shield?

[@JohnWilsonComicsGuy]

The three mental states of the Joker should have been "The Three Jokers." The idea that there are three different physical Jokers has always struck me as a ridiculous idea.

[@CZ-PC]

I would have accepted they were mental until a cosmic something or other made it three separate ones even, atleast in comparison to what we got.

[@BrandonCrAzYyt]

The 3 different Jokers idea is fine (imo) cause real life has a bunch of copycat killers, but the whole made by some dude who wanted to be the Joker is stupid as hell.

[@agreen3127]

Agreed....it's shit writing

[@matthewbennett1972]

I feel like the best origin for the Joker is that he is just one of Nyarlathoteps avatars

[@Imantyk]

Joker transfers his alternate personas into clones grown by the Network organisation.

[@roc5291]

Why do writers think that a character like Joker NEEDS an explanation or backstory? To me, it’s FAR more terrifying that you don’t know what makes something tick. Once theres a backstory, you understand a character’s logic and therefore know how best to defeat them. I always liked the fact that Joker was always the worst threat in the room by his mere presence in it. One day, he wants to make fish smile for a laugh, the next day, he’s putting together an insanely complex plan that comes very close to succeeding. Indicating a deep level of intelligence to him and puts him in the CRAZY but not STUPID section of villain. I say, keep him a wild card he was always meant to be.

[@gohanson27]

This is not canon to me. Trash writers stories gets erased from canon

[@masterrserch3971]

It's a great story, as much as I also didn't want it. I take it for what it is, and a surprisingly well written story that I thought would suck. But that's all I give it. Canon or not, it's not even registering as the proverbial "my head canon." It just is what it is,,and I'll always enjoy a cool tale as much as I don't wanna see it. Hey.... if anything, we all know deep down that they'll eventually write another story that will change, retcon, or fully dismiss this at some point, no?? 😂😂😂

[@abp_gvo_2275]

Can't agree when everything could be a lie made by the joker even pretending and lying to us

[@mrpitman5496]

I agree the whole point of the joker being scary is he could be anyone.

[@abp_gvo_2275]

@@mrpitman5496 I don't know why yall bothered even with this story we still don't know what's a lie fr and how would joker be better without a back story?

[@OnDavidsBrain]

“If I’m going to have a past I’d prefer it’d be multiple choice.”

[@monorayjak4377]

I know a lot of people in the comment section are mad because they're defining the joker's origin more and more, and I can understand - a large part of his appeal and effect was the fact he seemed to come from nowhere, that he is someone with no past and no explanation for his actions; but personally? Personally I love it when we get to see into character's pasts. And even this series doesn't commit to important details 100%, like, who is Sally? What parts of the Joker are still "real?" Is that fear and humanity still in him somewhere? Or did Dr. Daniel truly help crush them entirely? Did the joker trick Daniel? Or did he just let his madness take over? What I'm getting at is that it gives us the events, and even gives us internal thoughts, but everything is just out-of-line and vague enough to make you wonder: "What was the real story here?"

[@DrTobogganM.D.]

The Red Mask stuff honestly fucking sucks. Now the Joker is a multiverse based character? They need to stop with these retcons.

[@HermannTheGreat]

They're out of creativity and the new people have minimal talent.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@HermannTheGreatTheir NOT “oUt oF cReAvTiViYy” AT ALL just because people don’t like this one storyline at all that which they made and this new people they have DO have a lot of talent. It’s just that this wasn’t done in the way that people would like, that’s it!

[@ElimGarakSpoonHead]

@@Gadget-WalkmenHope she sees this bro 👍

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@ElimGarakSpoonHead Whose "she"?

[@youngmerc7717]

@@Gadget-Walkmennah it just fucking sucks, nobody cares about this.

[@doctorleak5312]

The more you add to the joker the less he is the joker from pure chaos who no-one understands to someone who's has just as much structure as batman but hides it under a illusion of insanity.

[@sk_slade_1]

I like it when badass characters like The Joker are introduced with no origin story. People in charge be doing the most, certain things need to be left alone.

[@Frenchy_47]

There's a big thing about some of the art in this being AI and it looks pretty clear on that crucifix picture.

[@rface0]

Catwoman in this also looks just like marvel's Black Cat, which no human artist would mistake the two like that. Very obviously AI was used in this and it's every bit as lazy and stupid as you'd think it would be.

[@not2shabby694]

There's so many different "smartest man in the world" when it comes to comics. It reminds me of all of the game of the year awards that come out.

[@alexanderbraxton853]

I like the idea of the Joker having multiple possible origins and nobody knows which one is true, including him. This direction would also mean Joker has no clue of the meaning behind Jason going as Red Hood, and I find that funny.

[@fenderdude64]

This is why Nolan's version of Joker is the best. There's just enough clues left for you to think you know what's going on, but enough left turns to completely throw that out and leave the mystery in tact.

[@d3ath8ybac0n4]

Joker has more origins than the Duggar family has kids.

[@madnessman1520]

I think that's the interesting part of the character that they give him so many origin stories that it's impossible to know which one is true. I don't think he should have an origin story, I think his whole character is that he's so mysterious. So I don't mind writers trying to give him an origin story as long as its never actually cannon

[@benparrish672]

​@@madnessman1520 Joker's origin is a lil of all of his origins & so much more. Joker definitely wasn't as much of a "One Bad Day" case as The Killing Joke portrayed. The Joker was definitely a part of the criminal underworld before the Ace Chemicals break-in. I think Joker was pulling a (The Usual Suspects) Keiser Sosei storytelling move.

[@swallowedinthesea11]

The two oldest Duggar sisters are pretty hot!

[@FliCityBoi_810Gaming]

In every DC multiverse there exists a Joker some good some bad

[@Atomic-Punk]

I honestly don't mind this at all. The Joker narrative always reminds me of Rody Piper's classic quote. "Just when you think you have the answers, I change the questions." The story made sense out of some things while still making me wonder who he is

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Piper still rules

[@benparrish672]

​@@ComicBookGuy420 Roddy Piper has even fought aliens.

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@benparrish672 They live, still one of my favourite movies Hell comes to frogtown was another b grade piper special

[@joshuagcwong734]

His mystique and sense of horrid wonder peaked with Scott Snyder's run; where it was suggested he may be immortal and/or some kinda of entity but ever since they've been determined to give him a backstory and it's just killing his character. He isn't supposed to have a concrete backstory and anything suggested is simply that... SUGGESTED.

[@Crowlay69]

The Michael Myers Syndrome

[@AAMODi-sv2jc]

batman said 'even though i hate you' , it isn't the reason, so batman did not make it as an excuse he said that even though he hated the joker enough that he wanted to kill him he let him live because of his moral code

[@adamlegros1180]

Exactly. Though technically because Joker WANTS to be killed by him, Bruce hating him so much that he refuses to give him that one wish, is a thing too.

[@rigobertogallardo1722]

Fascinating story. The Killing Joke is the best. The "Pale man" myth from Endgame was good too, creepy and eye opening.

[@JoeEnglandShow]

The Killing Joke will always be the definitive origin to me. It's simple, straightforward, and tragic, while also being inexplicable, eerie, and, above all, ambiguous. We question whether any of it really happened, because the Joker doesn't know either. They really should just leave it at that.

[@disneyboy3030]

There is a part in the story where Doctor Daneil asked if it was real or just part of his plan. It seems to be leaving it up in the air.

[@MrDpool1]

The only thing that would be icing on this is if it was revealed that the Joker’s real name isn’t Jack Oswald White, but Carl Gerhard Busch. Auditory virus… that’s Chichester/black suit Daredevil-levels of bad.

[@Turtlpwr]

After the 3 jokers debacle, I clicked only because I’m curious about the new trainwreck. You don’t define the Joker. Stop it yall. A part of who he is comes from the ambiguity of his chaos

[@mechmaster315]

Don’t insult Chip Zdarsky

[@canis2020]

Preach. He is nothing without the unknowns.

[@purplespark8]

The concept of 3 jokers is pretty... dumb

[@quentinfogger5755]

Don't understand why the comic book produces created three Jokers cause they would be powerful if they worked with each other

[@stitchintime626]

I love the idea of several Jokers because it encourages the idea and dichotomy of Batman and Joker. The whole "it only takes one bad day" thing

[@kermitdfrogz]

The world's greatest detective.... can't tell that one person was three people.

[@a-bomb777]

The art of Batman in the future kinda looks like Batfleck

[@davidrobinson1737]

It also looks like Christian bale, wasn’t this the one where people thought it was AI?

[@matthewtorres6532]

Because he 100% used screen caps of Batfleck

[@Swerv0.]

@@davidrobinson1737yeah this is the one that got a lot of backlash for allegedly being ai.

[@PrimetimeD]

Remember what the Joker said in "The Killing Joke": If I'm going to have a past, I prefer for it to be multiple choice! And...which one of the three was this? Still plenty of mysteries.

[@SpectrumPOV]

Not another origin story. Why can't comics just stick to one?

[@MrStupidarmy]

Because it wasn't manga haha.

[@blackhand441]

It's the same new origin. Now they are explaining it.

[@chrismorgan4298]

M.o.n.e.y

[@whiteboy60001]

I love the 1989 green joker bag has relevance even to this day in age

[@andrepartridge1179]

Yeah, after reading/catching up with the latest Batman story arcs, the one thing that still bugs me about Red Mask (alongside every other similar villain like him) is that why would anyone in any universe would WILLINGLY WANT to become The Joker?!🃏

[@AshBlossomWorshiper]

Its that freedom and commanding presence he has. Same reason harley was in love for some time and why punchline follows him now.

[@ComicBookGuy420]

​@@AshBlossomWorshiper did you ever read what he did to the entire room full of Harley's that didn't work out? She wasn't the first

[@AshBlossomWorshiper]

@@ComicBookGuy420 I've only recently started getting into comics. What story is that?

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@AshBlossomWorshiper Death of the family Joker kidnaps all the members of the bat family If you're looking for joker reading material, it's brutal but one of the best modern graphic novels I've read (I usually read older books)

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@AshBlossomWorshiper I don't know why my comment featuring the title keeps getting removed It was written by Scott Snyder and features Joker kidnapping most of the bat family Should make it easy for you to find

[@bansheeno2]

Tbh I'm not enjoying when DC explains Joker's origin as I liked it when he was just chaotic and we never truly knew what he was

[@aman7525]

You do the most thorough explanations of anybody on comic books

[@TheFearcards]

Idk man he is pretty good but you ever heard of the Rob corps??

[@jadeninja126williams2]

So basically he's batman with prep time times two but in the The most sadistic mind set that has ever existed in comics. 😰

[@Head_Hashira]

They need to stick to the origin they had of him in batman the animated series mask of the phantasm that was perfect

[@ComicBookGuy420]

That entire animated movie was great

[@Head_Hashira]

@ComicBookGuy420 it sure was second only to x-men the animated series but batman the animated series actually made several characters that was so great they actually put them in the comics the biggest being the joker's ex girlfriend Harley Quinn

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@Head_Hashira Batman, Spidey, and X-Men TAS were all great, and yeah Batman was for sure the best of the lot, I also enjoyed Batman Beyond for a different take on the characters

[@MisterSinister47]

Batman said he's "So damn old?" The guy has been 30 years old for the last 60 years. 🤣🤣

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

Joker has as many origins as there are kids in children of the corn lol

[@dragondisciple1205]

Batman did have the better argument. He let him live because he hates him and Batman doesn’t give in to hate.

[@edd2184]

I think my opinion differs from the vast majority of the people in the comment section. I love when writers, try new things. Win or lose, they give the next generation writers and artists something new to get their own creative spin too. For example look at Zur en arrh, in the original comic it was a goofy alien, look what modern writers were able to do with that character in Batman failsafe (no spoilers).

[@jamesperez558]

This is like a background story of the great Heath Ledger's Joker in the Nolanverse

[@ComicBookGuy420]

he kept changing them though, the joker wasn't meant to have a clear origin

[@benparrish672]

The Joker is 6'5" & 191lbs in canon. Artists seem to forget to depict The Joker taller than Batsy in the art. J's speed & length have been noted many times, by Batman's inner dialogue as 2 of the main reasons why The Joker is a formidable H2H CQC opponent for Batman.

[@YoBoiJoiYo]

Couple of things you got wrong, Batman didn't let him live BECAUSE he hates him, he let him live EVEN THOUGH he hates him, which takes way more will and discipline. Secondly, as a result, it doesn't mean Joker's better than Batman, just means they're equal. Batman could have killed/won just as many times as Joker could have.

[@anurai1]

I must say i liked the batfleck and batbale design aspects that kept going back and forth with each turn of the page

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Why, joker having no clear origin always added something to the character, just more proof both companies are out of ideas

[@aceloco817]

Seriously. Why tf did they have to incorperate that mutiverse bullshit? Lazy writing.

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@aceloco817 Proof they're out of ideas, they figured multiverse is popular now, let's do that A monkey throwing darts at ideas could come up with something better

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@aceloco817 my thoughts exactly

[@MoltenYTD]

Sucks that the future segments of the comic were done with AI.

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

Ye

[@Jacob_White]

I love how this is very clearly Ben Affleck 😂

[@quentinfogger5755]

So how long till you do history of Arno_Stark Iron Man, Ezekiel Stane, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo, Whiplash, War Machine and Pepper Potts AKA Rescue?

[@BatFan1]

I'm sure as Zdarsky was writing this he thought he created the most kick ass story of all time, when in fact he just wrote the dumbest piece of crap and ruined the Joker. And what exactly was the point of the future storyline? just to have some lame "he could have killed me at anytime" revelation? The Three Jokers concept was dumb enough already, now we got a frikkin time traveler essentially being the....I mean, just writing that makes me realize how stupid the whole thing is. And finally, the Joker had a teacher? Oh but wait, it was possibly all a ruse by the Joker and he outsmarted "the smartest man in the world", well gee, we've never seen that before ** eye roll ** C'mon Arris, wake up and smell the BS.

[@perezp8]

Dope hat fam 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤘🏽

[@yaoloh8302]

If i had a penny for everytime DC editorial decide to retcon joker's origin yet again

[@craigwoodhouse3813]

Dc should never have given joker a origin or name. It was so much better before that you never knew who he was or what he did before becoming the joker.

[@kwayneboy1524]

Eh the red hood origin has been the canon one but they keep the origin largely the same.

[@quentinfogger5755]

How long till you do history of the Thunderbolts and the Young Avengers since they're slowly forming in the MCU?

[@iconoclast137]

"i'm the smartest man in the world and i trained the joker to be the joker." uhhhhh.....ok? i don't know how i feel about that one, DC

[@matduesdieker3001]

Hey Variant! 9 months ago you gave us their first encounter in the brave and the bold series but didn't continue after issue 2. Can we get the full story on that? Please and thanks!👍

[@pyrojack8230]

Why not pick up the issue from your local comic shop? It's a lot quicker than waiting a few more months, even if the comic shop has to custom order the issue.

[@matduesdieker3001]

Unfortunately where I'm from I don't have a local comic shop. Nearest one is 2 hours away

[@Rickytickytambo]

Top 5 unnecessary joker origins

[@ZENKI07]

Maaaaan these origin stories are so complicated. Why cant they just leave the Joker's origin unknown? that makes him better imo

[@jckun100]

In how many years will his origin story be tied to the Lords of Chaos? I give it 10 years.

[@ramonestrada1503]

Dr. Daniel seems like a real shit character

[@arahmis]

Love the design for Present Joker & Bats is pretty much Batfleck & Leto from the Snyder cut. Dopeeeee

[@piotyrholbion]

This honestly reeks of someone with no idea about psychology trying to write it

[@pickedceasar1216]

I don't mind people going back to his origin if it means they can make it more confusing. Then we literally will have multiple choices for how he could have come to be But we shouldn't make it a habit. It's starting to feel like they're about to try and redeem him like in the white knight universe

[@pickedceasar1216]

Also the ai art in some of those comics is really annoying

[@quentinfogger5755]

How's this origin story of the Joker as good as or better than the previous one?

[@LeoNxL2Hx]

The best part is, this then leads into Batman: Brave and the Bold story by Tom King, telling the story of Batman’s first encounter with the joker and you can tell that persona was death, because of the art style on the eyes

[@dezmond0114]

What if Rain was forced into the cyber program, and afterwards he called himself Hydro? Then alter his moves slightly

[@astro-ko3cu]

Love the art

[@clown599]

stopped to read some dc product ages ago when common sense in characters were long gone. gladly and sadly i see i miss nothing good.

[@Bricksgaming710]

It's interesting when you think about it. Joker has always been trying to create new Jokers. Even Batman beyond he tried to turn Robin into a joker. Batman The killing joke. He tries to turn commissioner Gordon into a joker one bad day

[@NYvandal]

20:05 Heath Ledger TDK Easter egg

[@quentinfogger5755]

When are you going to do history of Clea, America-Chavez, Speed and Wiccan in honor of the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?

[@jamesnesbitt2941]

Kinda tired of them trying to weaponize multiple personalities. I’ll stick with back issues for the foreseeable future

[@dardell2001]

How long will this Origin stand before they change it?

[@jiltedarts]

The "3 Jokers State" still reminds me of what the doctor said about him in the Comic Arkham Asylum, the deemed him to have a sort of Super Sanity.

[@quentinfogger5755]

Since you did the history of Midnight Man, Are you going to do history of other Moon Knight villains like Arthur Harrow, Shadow Knight, Bushman, the Zodiac Cartel, Stained Glass Scarlet, Moon_Shade and the Sun-King?

[@AshBlossomWorshiper]

5:30 wait. I thought new 52 doesnt exist anymore and that it was a universe made by reed's son or something

[@totalcreativegaming6681]

14:59, that Batman looks like Batfleck

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of the Elementals, Cyclone and Sandman along with Kurt Conners the Lizard, Rhino, Chameleon, Scorpion and the Human Fly along with the Tinkerer, Alistair Smythe the Ultimate Spider Slayer, Living_Brain, and Prowler?

[@therrfuin7897]

As much as i dont like DC continuously trying to expand more and more on Joker's backstory I do think him being "trained" to perfect his craziness, specifically the "Three Jokers" actually being different manufactured personalities was honestly a good idea. Kinda wish this was the case instead of there being three actual jokers.

[@darktear099]

Question please, is “Three Jokers” canon? Or not?

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

No It Not (Most Of The Time Anyways)

[@seren4de]

@thesmilyguyguy9799is this canon?

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

@@darktear099 There is no more real Canon In Comic Books If You Think About And In Many Story 3 Joker is not Canon

[@brendangatenby8066]

Please just stop trying to rational the joker origin, the whole point of the joker origin is the ambigious nature of who he was and what drove him mad, trying to explain his origin only ruin the mystique of joker

[@glennparker7028]

1:51 First Black Mask, then Red Mask!!! What's next: Blue Mask????

[@themercenaryartist]

God, that swiped "realistic" art just tracing Batfleck is terrible

[@Man_of_Horror1]

Naa, I don't like this Origin add on to Joker. It makes Joker just a creation of some other villain. Instead of his own Thing .

[@armorblack8807]

It kinds makes sense ngl for an else worlds story

[@Heribercules]

Bearded Mr. J looks sick!

[@psiflash]

Smartest man in the world? Mr. Holt and Mr Luthor would like to have a few words with you...

[@Manfromthelandofsmiles]

I agree with you he is also self-proclaimed

[@ReekBop412]

I maybe in the minority here but this is probably my new favorite origin for joker I love the killing joke origin but this one is dark and gritty and makes joker look even more like Batman’s opposite

[@knoober3756]

Superhero comics are supposed to be good triumphing over evil, so then why is evil control the game? You can make joker smarter than Batman and have that work, But to say it so matter fact that Joker could’ve done away with Batman and didn’t really harm both characters in terms of their nuance and their agency of being competent and iconic characters. DC is really special for letting this get by.

[@piyoweb]

I stop caring as soon as I herd the word "multiverse".

[@XX-sp3tt]

4:47 This would be a rare instance of Joker being ACTUALLY insane... rather than his typical "You're mad!" insane.

[@bagginsthemighty]

Goddamn, these endless origins and 15 million iterations of Batman, Superman etc. is why I gave up on American comics and picked up Berserk.

[@marcusbane131]

Whats the name of the track

[@MichaelGomez-kh8hl]

Ty

[@mattjones2903]

So are we saying the Three Jokers series is in continuity now? Because having read it, that makes no sense.

[@ajvlogs0228]

Yeah this makes absolutely no sense if anything I’m even more confused and at this point I think Arthur is the closest thing we will get to an origin story

[@cardoking3826]

Can you do a review on Marvel's chaos engine trilogy

[@Beymaster20247]

I need these issues as soon as possible

[@variant]

Definitely worth the read.

[@Beymaster20247]

It does everything right answers questions but still leaves a lot of mystery as well as have good reason and to top it all off tells a great story as well

[@dylanogg347]

The idea that the Joker could have won at any time is bollocks. All luck and no hope is what I'm getting from this...

[@malcolmcummings4871]

I'm not sure how I feel about this arc, but the art is beautiful, especially the joker in the future, he looks so creepy, straight out of a horror movie

[@MurphyBats1983]

Didn't care for the Zdarsky storyline at all - The Three Jokers plot was somewhat interesting in that the real Joker may have created 2 others to represent his various personalities. While that story wasn't necessary, it was interesting from that standpoint. However, the whole time travel/multi-verse Red Mask creation of three Jokers all at the same time was overdone, unnecessary and continues the destruction of the Joker's mystique, IMO.

[@michaelmontalvo8603]

Someone should write a story where the Joker destroys any and every story that has tried to give him an origin and let him be. He’s a mystery that’s lives in chaos and fueled by insanity. Thats that and after watching this I’m glad that I haven’t been able to read comics due to life taking up most of my time and funds because I would just be “The old guy that hates everything”.

[@jointheMultiverse]

The joker character spent at least 40 years without any origins and that's what made him special and now they explain it with time travel and three jokers?why?

[@marknat72]

Can you guys do characters that could beat Superman in a 1v1 fight

[@leviathan_is_me]

How long before, like any good Joker story, this one is retconned or changed to "... from a certain point of view"?

[@davidmoh175]

Clicked faster than my grades declining in highschool

[@Skinwalker_Club]

Same bruh

[@kennyobi9871]

Lmao mood

[@nemesisprime4501]

Whenever i see batman and joker working together, there like DCs version of deadpool and wolverine

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Not at all, Wade and Logan may not necessarily like eachother, but mutual respect and common goals can allow them to work together Joker is obsessed with Batman, and Bruce just wishes joker would disappear, but can't bring himself to kill him