The most iconic Joker comic cover is Batman #251 (September 1973), drawn by Neal Adams: a menacing close-up of the Clown Prince of Crime that restored the character to his murderous roots. A CGC 9.8 copy of this issue sold for $38,000 at ComicLink in June 2024. At the other end of the timeline, Detective Comics #69 (1942) offers one of the most striking Golden Age covers featuring the character, pencilled by Jerry Robinson: one of the Joker's own creators.
The Joker first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940), conceived by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson. Since then, no other DC villain has generated as many landmark covers: from the trembling brushwork of the Golden Age to the graphic precision of the modern era. The greatest of them do more than illustrate a story: they define the character himself: the grin, the menace, the unpredictability.
This guide sticks to the verifiable: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and records documented by Heritage Auctions, ComicLink, and specialist press. Golden Age issues (Detective Comics #69, Batman #1) are scarce and return no usable eBay medians: only documented auction records are cited for them. eBay medians reflect copies across all grades and all printings: they represent the entry-level market, not high-grade CGC copies.
Key Joker cover issues ranked (real values, June 2026)
The two Golden Age issues and Killing Joke are not covered by our eBay estimator: either too few listings (under 15) or the series is not indexed. The auction records cited for them come exclusively from documented sales.
| Issue | Cover / significance | eBay data (all grades) | Documented record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batman #1 (1940) | 1st appearance of the Joker: period cover by Bob Kane | Median unusable (dominated by reprints/facsimiles) | $2,220,000 (CGC 9.4, Heritage Jan. 2021) |
| Detective Comics #69 (Nov. 1942) | Joker emerging from a lamp: cover by Jerry Robinson | <15 listings: not cited | ~$126,000 (VF/NM 9.0, Heritage 2021) |
| Detective Comics #168 (Feb. 1951) | Joker origin (Red Hood): key Golden Age issue | <15 listings: not cited | $324,000 (CGC 9.4, Nov. 2022) |
| Batman #251 (Sep. 1973) | Neal Adams cover: the Joker restored as a killer | Median €9 · 65 listings | $38,000 (CGC 9.8, ComicLink Jun. 2024) |
| Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) | Bolland cover: smiling Joker with camera | Series not in estimator | CGC 9.8 approx. $150-265 (current market) |
| Batman #428 (Dec. 1988) | Death of Jason Todd cover (A Death in the Family) | Median €44 · 12 listings | Not publicly documented |
Record sources: Heritage Auctions, ComicLink, CGC News, GoCollect, sellmycomicbooks.com.
Batman #1 (1940): the ultimate Golden Age grail
Batman #1 (Spring 1940) contains the first appearance of both the Joker and Catwoman, in a story written by Bill Finger and drawn by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson. Its cover, Batman and Robin leaping through the night, does not depict the Joker directly, but the issue remains the ultimate grail for any Batman collector. The highest-graded copy ever certified: a CGC 9.4 white pages, the sole example at that grade in the entire census: was hammered for $2,220,000 at Heritage Auctions in January 2021. Our eBay estimator does return 100 listings for this title, but their blended median of around €7 is dominated by modern facsimile reprints: it reflects no part of the 1940 original's value, which commands six figures even in low grade.
Detective Comics #69 (1942): Jerry Robinson's Joker emerging from a lamp
Published in November 1942, Detective Comics #69 offers one of the most arresting images of the Golden Age: the Joker rising from an oil lamp, two pistols drawn, looming over Batman and Robin. The cover was created by Jerry Robinson, one of the Joker's own creators, who described his intent: "I wanted to project menace and bizarre villainy, so I drew him looming over them and coming out of a lamp to add a sense of mystery to his persona." The issue returns fewer than 15 listings in our eBay estimator, so no reliable median is available. In documented auction records, a VF/NM 9.0 copy from the Promise Collection pedigree sold for approximately $126,000 at Heritage Auctions in 2021: a price that reflects the extreme scarcity of high-grade copies.
Detective Comics #168 (1951): the Joker's origin
Published in February 1951, Detective Comics #168 ranks among the most significant issues in the character's history: it reveals the Joker's origin as the Red Hood, a criminal who fell into a vat of chemicals at the Ace Chemical plant. The story, titled "The Man Behind the Red Hood", established the backstory that underpins every modern adaptation of the character, including Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight (2008) and Todd Phillips' Joker (2019). The issue returns only 4 listings in our estimator: no reliable median is available. The documented auction record says it all: a CGC 9.4 copy sold for $324,000 in November 2022, placing the book among Overstreet's top-75 Golden Age comics.
Batman #251 (1973): Neal Adams' masterpiece
Published in September 1973, Batman #251 is, for most collectors, the greatest Joker cover ever printed. Neal Adams draws the Clown Prince of Crime in tight close-up (wild eyes, clawed hands, an expression caught between laughter and menace) a composition that breaks definitively with the campy TV-show version of the 1960s. The interior story, "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!" by Denny O'Neil, restores the Joker as a serial murderer hunting down the five gang members who betrayed him; it is widely credited as the single story that redefined the character for the modern era. Our estimator returns a median of €9 across 65 listings: a reliable signal for the entry-level, all-grades market. In high grade, a CGC 9.8 set a category record at $38,000 at ComicLink in June 2024, with only 30 copies at that grade out of 4,261 certified across the entire CGC Census.
Batman: The Killing Joke (1988): Bolland's definitive image
Published in March 1988, written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland, Batman: The Killing Joke is a prestige-format one-shot that ties the Joker's chemical-plant origin to his most brutal acts: including the paralyzing of Barbara Gordon. Bolland's cover, depicting a grinning, camera-clutching Joker in bowler hat and purple suit, is one of the most reproduced images in American comics. The book had a large print run and is not scarce: first printings are identified by a lime-green embossed title (all later printings use different lettering). Our estimator does not index this title. On the current market, a first-print CGC 9.8 trades in the $150-265 range based on recently documented sales: accessible for a book of this cultural weight.
A Death in the Family (1988): the death of Jason Todd
The A Death in the Family arc ( Batman #426-429, 1988), scripted by Jim Starlin, sees the Joker murder Jason Todd: the second Robin: with a crowbar. The cover of #428, showing Batman cradling Robin's broken body, is one of the most affecting images in Batman's publishing history. Our estimator returns a median of €44 across 12 listings for #428 (borderline volume: interpret with caution) and a median of €28 across 32 listings for #429 (more reliable signal). These figures reflect all grades combined; high-grade copies command significantly more. Issue #426 returns 11 listings at a median of €29: also below the 15-listing threshold for reliable citations.
The Joker on screen: cultural impact on collector values
Major film adaptations have consistently reignited demand for Joker key issues. Heath Ledger's performance in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight (2008) earned a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and helped drive the film past $1 billion in worldwide gross. Todd Phillips' Joker (2019), starring Joaquin Phoenix, became the first R-rated film in history to surpass $1 billion at the global box office: on a production budget of just $62.5 million. Each major theatrical release generates a measurable uptick in sales of key issues, particularly Batman #251 and The Killing Joke.
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Frequently Asked Questions
That of Batman #251 (September 1973), by Neal Adams: a menacing close-up of the Clown Prince of Crime, with mad eyes and clawed hands. It breaks with years of pranks and restores the character to his original darkness.
That of Batman #1 (spring 1940), by Bob Kane, which also contains Catwoman's first appearance. It is the absolute Golden Age grail, and listings for this title are dominated by reprints.
Published in November 1942, it offers one of the Golden Age's most striking images: the Joker bursting out of a lamp, armed with two revolvers, towering over Batman and Robin. The cover is by Jerry Robinson.
Brian Bolland, who also draws the story written by Alan Moore, published in March 1988. The cover shows a smiling Joker holding a camera and is considered the book's definitive cover.
That of Batman #428, in A Death in the Family: Batman carrying Robin's lifeless body. It is one of the most striking images of the arc written by Jim Starlin.