The Joker

In the mid-1970s, DC gave the Clown Prince of Crime his own short-lived solo series, a nine-issue run that leaned into the character’s mischievous, prankster side rather than the grim killer he’d later become. Written primarily by Denny O'Neil, Elliot S! Maggin, and E. Nelson Bridwell, with art from DC stalwarts Curt Swan, Irv Novick, and José Luis García-López, the book offered a lighter, more whimsical take on the Joker as he plotted elaborate schemes and tangled with Batman. It’s a fascinating snapshot of the era, showcasing the character before his darker modern reinvention took hold.