Have you ever wondered what the first words Batman and Joker ever said to one another were? Joker says, “You! Prepare to die.” To which Batman replies, “I’d rather live if you don’t mind.” Or any of the Joker’s now-expected dark humor. Their first meeting in 1940’s Batman #1 was intense and action-packed, but it didn’t give any suggestion of the pathos their modern relationship would go on to have. As we head into this year’s Batman Day, I thought it might be fun to examine the rivalry between the Caped Crusader and his greatest enemy. Sure, they’re enemies, but there is a unmistakable codependency to their conflict. But anybody who has taken a deeper look at their relationship knows that the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime share one of the most complex relationships in comics. You could ask any preschooler who has ever watched a Batman cartoon and they’ll tell you simply that Batman is the hero and Joker is the villain. What’s the deal with Batman and the Joker? On a surface level their relationship is simple.
