They did that (although the charges weren’t trumped up, he really was dabbling in international terrorism at the time). Sent him to to an ultra-ultra-ultra-max facility in Antarctica.
He created a virus that drove the other (superpowered) inmates insane, staged a mass jailbreak, and set them loose to spread the virus.
So that didn’t work out so well.
Cool! What series is that? And who were the other inmates? And-
You see what Joker does? He sucks you in, because although he’s a pyschotic monster, he is just so damn awesome.
Well I think he can be cured, and I’m willing to risk all of your lives to prove it.
I’ll support the whole Lobotomy thing.
As I recall, at one point, Joker was scheduled for a lobotomy. Papers all signed & everything.
And then, he drugs his Psychiatrist, uses make-up to cause the shrink to look like him, & escapes.
The Psychiastrist gets the lobotomy.
Very, very Joker.
Reading this gave me a really odd idea. One of the ‘mysteries’ of the Joker is that we never -fully- find out his identity, right? He was the Red Hood originally, and before that, possibly a failed commedian.
But what if that’s not the case? What if he’s… Well… Serially recurring?
I know there’s no evidence to support this, but it would be interresting to find out, some time in the future, that Batman doesn’t kill the Joker because he knows the pointlessness of it. “He’d come back. As someone else. Every bit of work I’ve done profiling him would go out the window, and, frankly, he could come back as someone in power, or someone with superhuman abilities. Right now he’s dangerous, but he’s not president, or superman. I’m willing to live with ‘dangerous’ for now.”
I was gong to mention that one… it is in a novel of Joker stories. There are some good ones that I wish had been adapted to Comic form… This one would have been a classic. Essentially Joker uses the Doctors greed to trick him.
That would be… interesting. Perhaps the most interesting thing might be that we know the Batman created the Joker, right?
So what if, every time the Joker dies (and it has happened, a few times. He got better.) one of Batman’s foes, or friends, or simple part-time aquaintances got turned into a new Joker, either mystically through a kind of mind-transferrance, or, more worryingly, through some bizarre chain of events (akin to the hideous set of coincidences detailed in “The Killing Joke”). As if the universe had decided that if there is a Batman, there must be a Joker to combat him.
Also consider that on occasions when the Batman has hung up his cape, Joker has also retired/gone catatonic/whatever.
Heh. Anyone remember that JLA/JSA crossover from twenty or thirty years back, the one with the death of Mister Terrific as a locked-room mystery? Man, if only Bruce Wayne had been a little quicker on the uptake…
“Look, I’m just saying his costume would fit me, is all. What’s the harm in telling the world it was ‘Batman’ who died, and letting me patrol Gotham under his alias? He was always a hero of mine. Had I never mentioned that? Well, he was, and he’d have wanted it this way. Now help me peel off his bloody mask.”
Oh lord, what a chilling idea! Hrm… Anyone know anyone who works at DC?
On second thought, they’re doing enough reboots at the moment. Put this one in a box for later… I still love the idea!
Ever see the Batman Beyond where it turned out he had downloaded his mind into a chip implanted into the former Robin ?
Peraps you need spoiler boxes there. But it WAS a great idea and episode. I just don’t buy the idea that just because you kill the Joker, you’re inevitably going to become a total psycho and start murdering jaywalkers.
Hell, I’d use the setup Garibaldi used in the B5 episode with the empath – a couple of guards in a nearby but undisclosed location (making it a lot harder to charm them) with orders to come in shooting if things get inexplicably chummy.
Yeah, but laws can be changed. Don’t the citizens of Gotham ever get pssed about the sht that supervillains are constantly pulling?
That’s exactly it. The Joker is Batman’s archnemesis because they’re mirror-reflections of each other. Batman represents order–an ultimate, self-sacrificing, rigidly controlled order–where the Joker represents anarchistic, essentially selfish chaos. They’re opposite sides of the totem.
It’s why they pair so well together–and find ways to relate, because as any political theory student knows, if you push regimented order and anarchistic chaos to their extremes they start looking worryingly alike.
As for a solution? Make him sane. Treat his psychoses–his psychopathic tendencies–and show him everything he’s done.
Have him share a cell with Hannibal Lecter 
give Hannibal some Fava Beans and a nice Chianti and let HIM solve the Joker problem…
On second review, the lobotomy idea has merit…
Bats visits Jokey after the lobotomy…
Bats; so, Joker, how are you feeling now…
Joker; <dull, lifeless, stupid voice> I had Jello today…
I’ve read the Killing Joke but that doesn’t mean I agree that killing the Joker would make me as much a psychopath. Let’s look at this rationally. How many people has Joker murdered over the last 10 years of comic time (not real life time)? How many plans that would have resulted in thousands of deaths been narrowly thwarted by Batman? How many people have been maimed by the Joker? How many times has he escaped confinement to prey upon Gotham?
Let’s say I get the drop on the Joker when he breaks into my home as a temporary refuge from being chased by Batman, what’s my next move? I’m dealing with a dangerous mass murderer and I don’t mind saying I’d be scared. He has a habit of breaking out of Arkham and I know he came after Commissioner Gordon’s daughter so how does that bode for my family should the Joker seek revenge against me? I’m going to empty my magazine into him and that should be the end of it.
If Batman tries to lecture me using his impotent code of honor against killing I’d tell him to kiss my ass. If Batman and the police force weren’t so impotent I would never have been in the position to kill the Joker in the first place. If the Gotham P.D. wants to arrest me then they can feel free. Even if it made it to trial I doubt any jury would convict me.
Comic book philosophy is very immature. “Killing is always wrong” just isn’t true but I accept it in the funny books just as I accept people who can fly or shoot lasers out of their eyes. Doesn’t mean I but it as legitimate though.
Marc
Another method would be to just say “Hey Gothomites, the Joker is over here” and watch the mob get him. Seriously, the police would have to protect the Joker from the public not vice versa.
Marc
Yes, and then, the Jokers adds–
And then the Gothamites all run the other way because by now, they all damn well know he means it!!!
:dubious:
What he said.
I think the thing about Batman is that, as a vigilante who is already walking a terribly thin line, both in terms of morality and law (he uses every illegal method short of murder to stop his foes, after all) not killing is the one thing that allows his actions to be sanctioned, both by himself and the public/police. I mean, imagine if you lived in Gotham: there’s a silent, deadly assailaint stalking the shadows, who attacks and often cripples those who he deems to have broken the law*, who is accepted by the police and is completely beyond the rule of law, often being involved in acts that cause massive property damage. I wouldn’t know who to be more scared of, him or his enemies!
*Meaning that he is highly selective who he goes after. When’s the last time you saw Batman beating up a hooker or, for that matter, a white-collar criminal or polluter? Yet he’ll cheerfully use GBH to stop a bank robber or mugger even if they aren’t threatening him.