There are tons of iconic films and TV series celebrating major anniversaries this year; included in that is Batman: The Animated Series which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022. This classic Saturday morning cartoon is still considered the definitive version of the Batman universe with Mark Hamill’s brilliant Joker being at the center of that conversation. Now, McFarlane Toys is releasing a new Joker statue, designed by series co-creator Bruce Timm, to mark the occasion.
The new 7.5 inch statue, named “The Joker: Purple Craze” is a part of the company’s DC Direct line. It’s based on artwork by Timm that sees The Clown Prince of Crime holding a Joker themed present. This version is Joker’s updated design from both the underrated gem Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and Justice League. While Joker started as this ruthless killer in the first decade of his conception back in the 1940s, later versions of the character found in hit series like Batman 66 made him more out to be a goofball prankster. That stuck until the film Batman and comics like The Dark Knight Returns, both of which came out in the 80s. Thankfully because of those stories, BTAS was able to explore the darker version of the iconic DC villain that fans of the comics love.
With the combined efforts of Timm’s wonderful designs and Hamill’s voice, BTAS’ Joker is arguably the best version of the character. Hamill’s voice still is the perfect blend of spine-chilling horror and gleeful fun with his pitch-perfect laugh defining his big grinned interpretation and making him one of the most well-rounded Jokers we have ever had. No matter if he was in the goofier holiday classic “Christmas With The Joker” or the emotionally dark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Hamill was equipped for every kind of villainous situation.
This version of the Joker was in so many iconic episodes that it’s hard to count. “The Laughing Fish”, “Almost Got ‘Im”, “Trial”, “The Last Laugh”, and “The Man Who Killed Batman” are some of the best Joker stories from Batman: The Animated Series. This version of Joker would also go on to be in other DCAU series like Justice League, Batman Beyond, Justice League Unlimited, and Static Shock. On top of that, this Joker and universe is still ongoing in the Batman: The Adventures Continue comic series. While there have been amazing versions of the villain since BTAS, Hamill will always be Joker in the hearts of fans. Like his heroic counterpart Kevin Conroy, he’s the voice that many readers hear when the Joker terrorizes Gotham in the comics.
You can Pre-order the Timm-inspired Joker statue on McFarlane’s Website now for $124.99. Batman: The Animated Series is streaming on HBO Max and you can watch Joker’s most iconic moments from the series down below.
