He Makes Me Laugh

Batman 1 - "The Joker"

2. Batman 1 - "The Joker Returns"

3. Batman 2 - (this story has no title)

4. Detective Comics 45 - "The Case of the Laughing Death"

5. Batman 4 - "The Case of the Joker's Crime Circus"

6. Batman 5 - "The Riddle of the Missing Card"

7. Batman 7 - (this story has no title)

8. Batman 8 - "The Cross Country Crimes"

9. Batman 9 - "The Case of the Lucky Law-Breakers"

10. Detective Comics 62 - "Laugh, Town, Laugh!"

11. Detective Comics 64 - "The Joker Walks the Last Mile"

12. Batman 11 - (this story has no title)

13. Batman 12 - "The Wizard of Words!"

14. Detective Comics 71 - "A Crime a Day!"

15. Batman Dailies "The Joker's symbol crimes"

16. Detective Comics 85 - "The Joker's Double"

All stories written by Bill Finger

Why these stories in particular? These are all written by his main creator before the character became more heavily censored and before his stories became more hit or miss.

After Detective Comics 62 the Joker was no longer allowed to kill but he would still get really close though and he was still pretty much the same character just a bit more outlandish.

If you just read the stories written by Bill Finger you get better quality control and better story flow. The last two stories mentioned Joker's symbol crimes and Joker's double would be the last stories to reference his early stories were he killed.

These are core Joker stories they should be read by any fan of the character or anyone who wants to write the character. (It became clear that writers at DC didn't.)

Although the next story Batman 23 The Upside Down Crimes! is pretty good, but after that the story quality was all over the place.

There are a few joker stories not written by Bill Finger that are worth reading that were made between these stories. But I would recommend first reading these stories mentioned above first in order, then read these stories mentioned below as a bonus.

(Bill Finger might have co wrote some of these)

Detective Comics 60 - "Case of the Costumed Clad Killers"

Batman 13 - "Comedy of Tears!"

Detective Comics 69 - "The Harlequin's Hoax!"

Batman 16 - "The Joker Reforms!"

Please reblog this post I want as many people as possible to give these stories a chance. I've read every single Joker story written by Bill Finger. I've noticed so many things that have been forgotten about this character.

Hello, tumblr! I have not wanted to draw anything in a very long time. I thought I was going through a long creative malaise, but it turns out that the malaise was actually extended sleep deprivation. Apparently, you need sleep to draw? Who knew! Not me, I guess.

Anyhow, with this revelation in mind, please enjoy this very cropped panel of Lex Luthor having a mid-coitus revelation of his own. Gosh, what giant sort of man is behind him there? Who could it possibly be?

Etsuki brings to the zine a little tough love (tough from, you know, all the scars and calluses).

Batman #128 - “I Am a Gun” (2022)