If you read my LDD Presents IT Pennywise (2017 version) you'll know that my son bought me a couple of dolls for my birthday this year... Pennywise was of course one and the other was this awesome little guy.
I first spotted his doll as a pre-order announcement email from Mezco in September last year and really wanted him, as he wasn't going to be sent out until around April this year it worked out better because Aaron bought him as a present for my birthday instead!
Before I get into talking about the doll himself, I think I should take a few minutes to tell you about my relationship with The Joker and the various incarnations of him that have been seen in films and on TV for many years for longer than I've been alive..
My favourite Joker throughout my childhood was played by Cesar Romero who portrayed the enigmatic villain in the TV Series which also starred Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt among many others.
He played the role so quirky and silly but also ingenious in his schemes and fitted in so well with the cartoon / comic book style of the show.
Out of all my favourite Jokers (spoiler alert, I now have 4!) he is still my favourite and the only on to have played the role more than once, having portrayed the maniac villain from 1965 to 1968 and in that short time was in some of the most memorable episodes of the 3 season series as well as the film Batman: The Movie which came out in 1966.
Growing up Cesar Romero's Joker was the ultimate Joker to me but then in 1989 a new Batman film was released, and with it came a new Joker.
This time played by one of my favourite actors; Jack Nicolson I was a little dubious at first as while I love Jack Nicolson's ability to play weird, edgy and over the top characters, I really wasn't sure how he would fare as The Joker.
I needn't have worried as when I went to the cinema to see the film, I loved his portrayal so much that I went back the next night, and the next until I ran out of pocket money and had to wait for it to come out on video instead!
Whereas Cesar Romero's Joker has a kind of childlike quality to him Jack Nicolson's Joker had a kind of Gangster appeal and along with it a vicious streak which I thoroughly enjoyed, so I now had 2 favourite Jokers, besides The Joker from the Arkham Asylum graphic novel, but I might talk a bit about him later...
Throughout the 90's I watched the new Batman films as they were released but apart from loving Jim Carey as The Riddler and Danny Devito as The Penguin, nothing much sticks out from those films, and for the most I didn't enjoy them.
But then came the 2000's and with it new Batman films... in 2005 Batman Begins was released I found it pretty boring, except for Cillian Murphy as The Scarecrow... (I'm sensing a pattern here!)...
Christian Bale's Batman voice was stupid and grating which didn't help, so I was really unsure about whether I was going to bother with The Dark Knight when it was released in 2008, Aaron being a fan of Batman, and wanting to see how they portrayed his origin story, convinced me to do so, and I have to say I'm very glad he did!
I'd only seen Heath Ledger in three films; A Knight's tale, Ned Kelly and Candy so I really had no idea what to expect from his portrayal, what I'd seen of his acting was a sensitivity, firmness and determination which he expressed so well in those films, but how was that going to work for The Joker?
Pretty bloody well it turned out!!
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And so we come to one of the best depictions of the Joker I've ever seen... 2019's The Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix. When I first heard he was going to play the role, I again was sceptical but it turned out that once again I was very pleasantly surprised...
Joaquin Phoenix was the perfect choice to play this role, his Joker is an amalgamation of of my favourite Jokers, except much much darker and I love him and this movie for it!
Like Cesar Romero's Joker he has a silly, playful side, combined with the ruthfulness of Jack Nicholson's Joker and the psychotic villainy of Heath Ledger's Joker.
Another of my favourite Jokers just happens to be the one that most inspired the 2019 film, he is the subject of the 1988 DC Comics graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke.
Like Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, Killing Joke's Joker is also a failed comedian who has a stressful home life and after one too many hard knocks, loses his sanity and resorts to murder.
This Joker's psychosis leads him into a far more evil mindset than the other's mental illnesses do, and so his crimes are harder to forgive or even understand.
He doesn't care if his victims are undeserving or if his crimes go way beyond retribution and are just cruelty for cruelty's sake.
When he decides to toy with someone it isn't playful or a silly scheme like Cesar Romero's Joker or to some extent Jack Nicholson's his is a game of torture and pain.
Anyway, it's time to show off my little man now, which of course is why you're reading this so I'll shhh about the depictions of The Joker and tell you about the Living Dead version instead!
I totally fell in love with the promotional images Mezco send out for this little guy, he's so quirky looking... Although I can't decide which if any Joker he is based on.
His box puts me in mind of Romero's Joker with the addition of Heath Ledger's Joker's playing card / calling card, and the colour suit of Jack Nicolson and Heath Ledger's Joker coupled with the pinstriped trousers of Cesar Romero's Joker's outfit...with it's bright purples and greens...
While the box has loads of Ha Ha Ha's all over it and inside a hypnotic green and purple swirl which really makes me think of the 60's tv show,
He has the same articulation points as other Living Dead Dolls - 8 points, as he is based on the same body type used for normal Living dead dolls.
The quality of the fabric used for his outfit is really good and well sewn, so he displays perfectly either inside his box or outside.
He comes with a cute little gun, which is a mini replica of the one Jack Nicolson's Joker used in Tim Burton's Batman.
It is moulded in it's "shot" position, showing the "Bang" flag which pops out when the gun is shot.
It is moulded in such a way so that his finger fits perfectly against the trigger and it is firmly held in place by the moulding of his hand so doesn't slip or fall even if the doll himself does!
I'm sure it goes without saying, I love this little guy and am very pleased to have him in my collection - Thanks Aaron!
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