The most accessible Joker key with documented market traction is Batman #251 (September 1973, O'Neil & Adams): the eBay median sits at €9 across 65 listings, making it a Bronze Age entry point for one of the character's most influential stories. At the other end of the spectrum, Batman #1 (Spring 1940, first Joker appearance) is an absolute grail: a CGC 9.4 copy sold for $2,220,000 at Heritage Auctions in January 2021.
The Joker debuted in Spring 1940 in Batman #1, created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson — the same issue that introduced Catwoman. Over eight decades he has crossed every era: bumbling trickster in the 1950s-60s, murderous maniac restored in the Bronze Age, then a literary figure in Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke (1988). Todd Phillips' 2019 film starring Joaquin Phoenix crossed one billion dollars worldwide — the first R-rated film to do so — which renewed collector interest in the character's key issues, though not uniformly across the board.
This guide sticks to verifiable data only: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026, minimum 15 listings required to cite a figure) and auction records documented by Heritage Auctions. Issues with fewer than 15 listings are noted qualitatively, without a precise median.
Batman #251 (1973): the killer restored, reliable eBay data
Published in September 1973 with an iconic Neal Adams cover, Batman #251 — "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" — is the issue that restored the Joker as a murderous psychopath, erasing thirty years of bumbling buffoonery inherited from the 1960s TV show. Denny O'Neil (script) and Neal Adams (art) did not reinvent him: they gave him back what he had always been. Released from prison, the Joker methodically hunts down former gang members he suspects of betrayal. The shark deathtrap sequence from this issue was later adapted for Batman: The Animated Series. Our estimator returns a median of €9 across 65 listings — a reliable signal across all grades. High-grade CGC copies command significantly more, but the entry-level price remains remarkably affordable for an issue of this stature.
Detective Comics #474-476 (1977-1978): the Englehart-Rogers run, three sleepers
Steve Englehart (script) and Marshall Rogers (art) produced on Detective Comics #471-476 (August 1977 – April 1978) one of the most acclaimed Batman runs ever published. Issues #475 and #476 contain the two-part story "The Laughing Fish" / "Sign of the Joker": the Joker poisons the world's fish supply with a variant of his toxin, giving every fish his grinning face, then demands copyright royalties from the government — and kills the officials who refuse. Our estimator returns a median of €84 across 28 listings for #475 and €46 across 20 listings for #476. Issue #474 (the arc's opening chapter) comes in at €59 across 16 listings. All three issues form a coherent unit worth acquiring together.
Detective Comics #168 (1951): the Joker's origin, a Golden Age grail
Published in February 1951, Detective Comics #168 — "The Man Behind the Red Hood" — reveals the Joker's origin for the first time: a failed criminal who wore the Red Hood mask during a heist at the Ace Chemicals plant and fell into a vat during his confrontation with Batman, emerging as the Clown Prince of Crime. Our estimator returns only 4 listings — far below the threshold to cite a reliable median. Documented auction records are the only reference: a CGC 9.4 copy sold for $324,000 at Heritage Auctions in November 2022. This is a premier Golden Age grail, beyond the reach of most collections.
Batman #1 (1940): first appearance, the ultimate grail
The Joker first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson), alongside the first appearance of Catwoman. Our eBay estimator shows roughly 100 listings for this title, but that count is dominated by reprints and facsimile editions — the tool's median does not reflect the value of a 1940 original. For the original, only auction records are meaningful: a CGC 9.4 copy (the highest-graded example known) sold for $2,220,000 at Heritage Auctions in January 2021, setting an all-time record for the title. Mid-grade copies (CGC 3.0-5.0) trade in five-figure dollar ranges according to Heritage data.
Death in the Family: Batman #426-429 (1988), partial data
The "A Death in the Family" arc (Batman #426-429, 1988, Jim Starlin & Jim Aparo) features the Joker killing Jason Todd — the second Robin — in a story whose outcome was decided by a reader phone vote. Issue #429 (arc conclusion) shows a median of €28 across 32 listings — reliable. Issue #427 (part two) comes in at €21 across 16 listings, at the edge of the reliability threshold. Issues #426 (first chapter, 11 listings) and #428 (Jason Todd's death, 12 listings) fall below 15 listings: no precise median can be cited for those two.
| Issue | Significance | eBay Median (June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Batman #251 (Sept. 1973) | Joker restored as killer, O'Neil & Adams | €9 · 65 listings |
| Detective Comics #475 (Feb. 1978) | "Laughing Fish" part 1, Englehart & Rogers | €84 · 28 listings |
| Detective Comics #476 (Apr. 1978) | "Laughing Fish" part 2 | €46 · 20 listings |
| Detective Comics #474 (Jan. 1978) | Arc opener, Rogers run | €59 · 16 listings |
| Batman #429 (Jan. 1989) | "Death in the Family" conclusion | €28 · 32 listings |
| Batman #427 (Nov. 1988) | "Death in the Family" part 2 | €21 · 16 listings |
| Detective Comics #168 (Feb. 1951) | Joker origin / Red Hood — Golden Age | <15 listings — record: $324,000 (CGC 9.4, Heritage Nov. 2022) |
| Batman #1 (Spring 1940) | 1st Joker appearance — original only | Medians unreliable (reprints) — record: $2,220,000 (CGC 9.4, Heritage Jan. 2021) |
Median sources: mycomicscollection.com estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026). Record sources: Heritage Auctions.
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