15 Times Batman And The Joker Actually Worked Together (No, Really)
In the world of comic books, there are few rivalries as heated as Batman and the Joker. The two of them couldn't be more different. Yet, within the past 75 years of their existence, there have been moments when the Joker and Batman join forces.
As unbelievable as it sounds, it's true. There are a handful of times where Batman and the Joker work together. They usually don't like it. Hell, they're within inches of killing each other most of the time, but there are some circumstances where Batman teams up with the Joker to achieve a common goal.
While it is rare when it happens, whenever the Dark Knight partners up with the Clown Prince, their opposition is royally screwed. Check out these odd Batman-Joker collaborations in comic book history.
When They Both Needed a Cure
Photo: DC ComicsIn Brian Azzarello's chronically late yet critically praised Batman: Europa limited series, Batman and the Joker are both plagued with the same fatal Colossus virus. The two put their differences aside to search for a cure, a trip that takes them across Europe on a giant Da Vinci Code-style hunt. When they aren't getting on each other's nerves, they actually bond over their mutual suffering. It's short-lived, as once they're cured, they're back to being enemies once again.
When Batman Believed the Joker Was Framed... But Was Wrong
Photo: DC ComicsIn The Brave and the Bold #111, the Joker is accused for killing an entire family, however the Gotham harbormaster confirms Joker's alibi on the night of the murder. Batman calls a truce with the Joker in order to hunt down the other suspect, Burt Slade. Joker gives Batman some clues and claims to have found Slade's whereabouts. However, it turns out that the Joker actually did commit the murder and framed Slade. Naturally, Batman overcomes this and takes the Joker to prison, but that had to hurt his detective pride a little bit.
When the Joker Was Framed for Killing the Penguin
Photo: DC ComicsThe Penguin's been killed and Joker did it! Or did he?
This is the premise of The Brave and the Bold #191, wherein the Joker convinces Batman that he didn't kill the "little fowl." The two work together and find out that the Penguin faked his death so he could kidnap a Catholic Cardinal. Check this story out for no other reason than to see the Penguin disguised as a nun.
When Batman Believed the Joker Was Framed... And Was Right
Photo: DC ComicsFor once, the Joker didn't commit mass murder, yet he's scheduled for a lethal injection in The Joker: Devil's Advocate. When the United States Postal Service introduces a new line of stamps featuring some of the greatest comedians in American history, the Joker feels snubbed that he isn't included. At the same time, numerous fatalities occur when customers got poisoned from licking the back of the stamps. All of the victims die with a gruesome Joker-like grin on their faces.
While the district attorney blames the Joker and a jury gives him the death penalty, the Joker pleads innocence. Not because he doesn't murder people, but because he's too smart to commit a crime at that level. No one buys it. Except Batman.
Further investigation and a storage facility containing stolen Joker venom proved the Joker's innocence. While the Joker is grateful to be alive, he still seethes at the idea that it was Batman that saved his life.
When They Took Down the Red Skull
Photo: DC ComicsIn the Batman & Captain America crossover, it's natural that the two heroes' greatest foes would also team up in the book. However, when the Joker teamed with the Red Skull, he didn't know what he was signing up for. In an odd bout of patriotism, Joker turns on the Red Skull to help Batman and Cap take him down after finding out the Red Skull was working in honor of the Third Reich. Why this change of heart? Because while the Joker is an insane, remorseless killer that takes pleasure in the torment of others, he draws the line at being a Nazi.
When Brother Eye Merged Them
Photo: DC ComicsIn The New 52: Futures End story, the super-intelligent AI known as Brother Eye somehow merged the Joker and Batman together to form a superbeing that he could control. Batman's high intellect and the Joker's malice combined to form a nearly unstoppable "Jokerborg," as he was called. Luckily, Terry McGinnis, a.k.a. Batman Beyond, was able to dismantle this abomination.
When Batman Raised the Joker from the Dead
Photo: DC ComicsIn Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #145, the Joker and fellow Batman foe Ra's Al Ghul had a friendly game of chess and were thinking of doing their own team-up. Too bad the Clown Prince of Crime didn't fit into the plans and Talia Al Ghul shot him.
In a desperate attempt to find Ra's and stop his scheme, Batman tossed the Joker's body into the Lazarus Pit. Traditionally, the Lazarus Pit brings the dead back to life, but causes the resurrected to become insane. However, since the Joker was insane to begin with, his resurrection fixed his mind. He helped Batman find Ra's and stop his evil plot, all the while pining in remorse over the countless murders he had committed in the past.
When They Fought the Punisher
Photo: DC ComicsIn the crossover Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights, the Joker and Batman team up (albeit briefly) to stop Frank Castle. Castle is about to shoot the Joker point-blank in the head, but Batman intervenes. As the two street vigilantes tussle, Batman actually tells the Joker to run and make an escape. The fact that Batman did such a thing for a sworn enemy shows how committed he is to his "no killing" code.
When the Joker Posed as Oberon Sexton
Photo: DC ComicsIn Grant Morrison's Batman & Robin, Bruce Wayne is dead (or is he?), so the traditional Batman and Robin roles are filled by Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. However, in issues 4-13, the Dynamic Duo start getting some help from a masked British crime author and detective known as Oberon Sexton. Sexton even helped Damian fight off a group of assassins.
It was later revealed that the Joker had killed Oberon and taken his identity, helping the new Batman search for members of the Black Glove. Joker claimed to have done this because the original Batman was dead, which made him question his "clown prince" identity. So not only did Joker team up with Bruce Wayne, but Dick Grayson as well. Two different Batmen!
When They Were in the Justice League of Arkham
Photo: DC ComicsIn the Justice Leagues story arc in 2001, many key members of the Justice League of America formed their own versions of the JLA. Wonder Woman led the Justice League of Amazons, Aquaman led the Justice League of Atlantis, and so on. One of these leagues was the Justice League of Arkham led by Batman. This version of the JLA had Batman's allies but also some of his rogues' gallery, including the Joker. The rag-tag group formed to stop a plot to poison Gotham City's water with a toxic gas. Needless to say, once the toxic gas was contained, the group disbanded almost immediately.
When the Joker Helped Batman Find a Missing Girl
Photo: DC ComicsThe Joker got to do his best homage to Hannibal Lecter in Detective Comics vol. 1 #726. In a story called "Fool's Errand," Batman needs to find a missing girl after the abductor killed himself and all the signs lead to the Joker. Batman goes to the Joker's cell and discovers that the Joker had the girl kidnapped.
Why? Because it was the anniversary of the Joker's then-greatest triumph over Batman: the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin. While seething, Batman bluntly asks Joker the whereabouts of the kidnapped girl. Joker complies and the girl is found exactly where he said she would be. Batman then realizes the point of all this wasn't just for Joker to get his jollies, but that the Clown Prince wanted Batman to trust him.
When They Both Needed a Cure... Again
Photo: Rocksteady/Warner Bros.In the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham City video game, the Joker is plagued by a disease that mutated within him thanks to the Titan formula he took in the previous game, Batman: Arkham Asylum.
In the main story of the game, Joker captures Batman and does a blood transfusion, infecting the Dark Knight with his disease. Joker even sneaks in some his tainted blood into Gotham hospitals to infect patients, too. The two then have to work together to find a cure. At the end of the game, Batman has an antidote in a vial, but Joker attacks him, smashing the vial. Joker ultimately dies from his illness because he doesn't trust Batman. However, Batman admits to himself that he would have saved Joker, even though the Clown Prince didn't deserve it.
When Joker Pestered (and Assisted) Batman from Beyond the Grave
Photo: Rocksteady/Warner Bros.In Batman: Arkham Knight, the Joker teams up with the Batman. Wait, hold on, he died in the last game, right? Yep.
While Batman was cured of the fatal disease in the last game, the Joker's blood tainted him and a handful of others from the blood transfusions, slowly turning them insane and... well, Jokery. After the Caped Crusader's exposed to Scarecrow's fear toxin, the Joker appears to him as a hallucination. While he still taunts Batman during a battle for control over Bruce Wayne's body (SPOILER ALERT: Batman wins), Joker does assist Batman with some hints and conversation throughout the game.
When Batman and Joker Took Out Owlman
Video: YouTube
One of the most funniest of the Batman/Joker team-ups occurred in the animated Batman: The Brave and the Bold. In an episode titled "Game Over for Owlman!" Batman's evil doppelgänger from a parallel Earth, Owlman, is wreaking havoc on Gotham while wearing one of Batman's old costumes. Seeing that he'll need an edge against a man who is almost identical to him in every way, Batman seeks the help from the Joker to take out Owlman. Oddly enough, the duo succeeds.
When Batman and Red Hood Took Out Owlman
Video: YouTube
Remember that parallel Earth? Well, Batman visited it in Batman: The Brave and the Bold during an attempt to infiltrate the Injustice Syndicate by posing as Owlman in the episode "Deep Cover for Batman." As he sees evil versions of his friends on his Earth, Batman creates new allies that are hero versions of his rogues gallery.
One of these allies is the Red Hood, a man who shared a similar fate to the Joker in Batman's world. The only difference being that the white smiley man under the hood fights for justice rather than for insanity. The two team up and take out the Injustice Syndicate, with Batman hoping that Red Hood and the other heroes will succeed in their uphill war against crime on their Earth.
