"Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another... if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice! Ha ha ha!"- The Joker, The Killing Joke

I made a topic like this a while ago and like most everyone, voted either Mark Hamill or Heath Ledger. After thinking on it, I came to realize that the Joker is always reshaping his personality, a multiple-choice past. In my mind, all versions of the Joker(except Cesar Romero ) are all forms of the Joker, all faithful. But some of them apply better to different comic Jokers than others. I use different versions of the Joker to represent that voice of the time. Jack,

Cesar, and Filmination Jokers will not be represented, due to me not seeing any of them. Video game Jokers also, due to barely using any voicework.

Animation

Arguably the most famous of the Jokers, Mark Hamill's Joker is often cited as the greatest rivaled by one other. This Joker is perfect for the modern day Joker, blending in the bloodlust and black humor of the comics. This is further supported by the hit videogame(The best rated superhero game of all time as certified by Gunniness World Records, Marvel Man ) Batman Arkham Asylum where instead of playing as a Joker forcibly restrained to being kid friendly, he plays the extremely dark Joker based on the comics, full to murder all he wants.

Ah, the most pitifully underrated Joker. Kevin Michael Richardson's portrayal is the most deviating one, a Joker with martial arts skills and a deep voice unrivaled for any Joker, this Joker has been panned unfairly in my opinion. In the beginning I agreed, but do you know why? Because of favoritism. We all missed Mark so much we responded bitterly to this wannabe. But this Joker now entertains me just as much and is just as funny. And he is the only mainstream Joker to really turn his Batman insane when Bruce entered his mind, however briefly. But I readily admit his voice does not fit in the comics anywhere besides The Batman comics.

Jeff Bennet's portrayal was responded much more favorably and has, from what I've seen, become a popular fourth choice besides the main 3. This Joker was the most light hearted, kid friendly Joker since the 60's. But despite that, fans loved him, due to that good ol Silver Age feeling and look, the refreshing take on the character, and how he was perfect for the show. A more light hearted Batman should have a more light hearted Joker. This jester is the perfect voice for the Silver Age.

Live Action

Perhaps one of the reasons why Bold's Joker campiness went off so well was because we already got our fill of darkness in Heath Ledger's award winning role. Bringing a new aura around the character and incorporating the multiple choice past helpful to adopting this mentality, TDK's Joker was the greatest villain of the year, conveying dark humor that, as said Jeff Labrecque , "makes Jack Nicholson's once iconic dandy now seem as clownish as Cesar Romero's". This Joker is a bit easier to fit in the comic mythos more than The Batman's, but not by much. Works such as Brain Azzarello's Joker brings to mind Heath.