The Best Joker Story Arcs: A Collector's Guide

The Joker first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940), co-created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson — the same issue that introduced Catwoman. A foundational figure of the Batman mythology, he has reinvented himself across every publishing era: comedic prankster in the 1950s–60s, remorseless killer in the Bronze Age, tragic figure under Alan Moore, modern nightmare under Scott Snyder. His film adaptations have cemented his cultural reach: Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008, posthumous Oscar), Jack Nicholson in the 1989 film, and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019), which grossed $1.079 billion worldwide — the first R-rated film to cross the billion-dollar mark.

This guide sticks to the verifiable: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and documented auction records. Issues with fewer than 15 listings do not yield a reliable median and are flagged accordingly. The eBay median for Batman #1 (€7, 100 listings) is overwhelmingly driven by reprints and facsimile editions — it does not reflect the value of a 1940 original, which belongs in the auction stratosphere.

Batman #251 (1973): Five-Way Revenge, the Joker reinvented

Batman #251 (September 1973) is the issue that changed everything for the character. Denny O'Neil wrote The Joker's Five-Way Revenge and Neal Adams drew the now-legendary cover. After years in which the Joker had been reduced to a second-tier prankster, O'Neil restored him as a methodical killer — systematically hunting down and murdering his former henchmen one by one. This revival of the criminal Joker opened the door directly to the darker Bronze Age storytelling that flourished in the decades that followed. The issue appears on Overstreet's list of the top 25 Bronze Age keys. Our estimator returns a median of €9 across 65 listings — the mass market remains affordable. In high grade, the documented record is $38,000 for a CGC 9.8 (ComicLink, June 2024).

Detective Comics #475–476 (1977–1978): The Laughing Fish

Four years after Five-Way Revenge, Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers delivered one of the most inventive Joker arcs of the Bronze Age in Detective Comics #475–476. The Joker poisons the fish along the eastern seaboard to give them his grin, then demands copyright royalties from the US government — a premise as absurd as it is terrifying. The arc was adapted for the Batman: The Animated Series (1992) and retains a singular aura in comics culture. Our estimator returns a median of €84 across 28 listings for #475 and a median of €46 across 20 listings for #476 — all grades combined. These are the highest-priced Joker issues tested by our tool, a direct reflection of demand for the Englehart/Rogers run.

Batman: The Killing Joke (1988): Alan Moore rewrites the rules

Published in 1988, written by Alan Moore and drawn (and coloured) by Brian Bolland, Batman: The Killing Joke permanently anchored the Joker in tragedy. In a single night he shoots Barbara Gordon (paralysing Batgirl), captures Commissioner Gordon, and attempts to break him psychologically to prove that one bad day is all it takes to drive anyone insane. The story also offers a version of the Joker's origin — the failed stand-up comedian, the chemical vat, the permanent smile — while deliberately leaving its reliability in doubt. Moore himself has since expressed regret about the level of violence. Originally published as a prestige-format hardcover, The Killing Joke has gone through many printings; the 1988 first printing remains the most sought-after. Our estimator does not cover the Batman: The Killing Joke series (separate format), but high-grade CGC first-printing copies trade at several hundred to several thousand euros depending on grade.

Batman #426–429 (1988): A Death in the Family

Published the same year as The Killing Joke, the arc A Death in the Family (written by Jim Starlin, pencilled by Jim Aparo, with covers by Mike Mignola) shocked the comics world: readers could phone a hotline to decide whether Robin (Jason Todd) lived or died. The majority voted for death. The Joker beats Jason Todd with a crowbar, then detonates a warehouse. Among the issues tested, our estimator returns reliable data for #427 (median €21, 16 listings) and #429 (median €28, 32 listings). Issues #426 (11 listings) and #428 (12 listings) fall below our reliability threshold of 15 listings — we do not cite their medians as precise references. All four issues are regularly found together as a lot on eBay.

Batman #13–17 (2012–2013): Death of the Family (New 52)

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo relaunched the Joker within the New 52 reboot with Death of the Family (Batman vol. 2, #13–17, October 2012 – February 2013). The Joker returns to Gotham after cutting off his own face, determined to destroy not Batman but his entire support network — Gordon, Alfred, Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin. The arc operates as psychological horror more than outright violence, and Batman #13 contains a backup story co-written by James Tynion IV and drawn by Jock. These issues remain widely available on the secondary market at very accessible prices.

Key Joker issue table (market values, June 2026)

Record sources: Heritage Auctions, CGC News, ComicLink, QualityComix/GoCollect. eBay medians: mycomicscollection.com estimator, data from 25 June 2026.