When it comes to alternate versions of Joker, the DC multiverse offers a dizzying array of twisted takes that make the classic clown prince look almost tame. Let’s dive into ten of the most bonkers reinterpretations, each more outlandish than the last.

10 Joker, Lord Of The VampiresBatman: Bloodstorm

In the 1994 sequel to Batman & Dracula: Red Rain, the Count is finally taken down – but not before Batman himself is transformed into a blood‑sucking creature. With Dracula out of the picture, his undead minions are left leaderless, and Joker steps into the void, donning a sleek gothic purple top hat.

He quickly consolidates power over Gotham’s crime families by turning them into vampires, turning the city’s underworld into a literal blood‑sucking empire. Batman, now fighting his own thirst, allies with a were‑cat version of Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon, and Alfred to try to pry Joker’s fangs from Gotham’s throat.

The showdown is a brutal battle for the soul of the city, pitting a vampire‑lord Joker against a Bat who must keep his own bloodlust in check.

9 Sinestro + Joe Chill = JokerBatman: In Darkest Knight

Imagine a Green Lantern ring slipping through Bruce Wayne’s study window instead of a bat. In this convoluted Elseworlds tale, Bruce uses the ring to capture Red Hood (the future Joker) and hands him over to the police, seemingly erasing Joker’s origin.

But the plot thickens when the Corps sends Bruce after the rogue Sinestro. Sinestro captures Commissioner Gordon, discovers the identity of Joe Chill, and then absorbs Chill’s memories, merging the two into a new, grin‑filled villain.

Now wearing a waistcoat, bow tie, and a permanently manic smile, Sinestro‑Joe‑Chill becomes this universe’s Joker, distributing Yellow Lantern rings to Harvey Dent and Carol Ferris. He leads a murderous squad to Wayne Manor, slaughters Alfred, and forces a showdown with a Green‑Lantern‑bat version of Bruce.

Ultimately, the Joekestro crew escapes as a mangled Green Lantern‑Batman rockets into space, leaving a trail of cosmic chaos.

8 Retro Cyborg JokerNosferatu

Set against a backdrop inspired by the 1922 film Nosferatu, this timeline dubs Joker “The Laughing Man,” a nod to the 1928 movie The Man Who Laughs. In this world, Lexor (a Lex Luthor analogue) builds a cybernetic Joker to assist Dr. Arkham in “psychomancy” séances—a twisted blend of tech and the supernatural.

The Laughing Man is a Frankenstein‑style amalgam of machinery and body parts harvested from Arkham’s former patients. He’s used as a tool for political assassinations, taking out targets that mirror Commissioner Gordon and Dick Grayson.

When the creator’s treachery is uncovered, the hero Bruss Wayne‑son (a stand‑in for Bruce) is killed, only to return as the Nosferatu—a vampire‑Batman hybrid. Their clash resembles a gothic duel between two Edward Scissorhands, ending with the Nosferatu ripping out The Laughing Man’s organic heart from his metal chest.

7 Pirate Captain JokerDetective Comics Annual Vol 1. #7

This swashbuckling take casts Batman as privateer Leatherwing, patrolling Caribbean seas for the British Crown in the 1500s. The mad pirate captain known simply as The Laughing Man—our Joker—crosses paths with him.

The artwork channels the vibe of Spielberg’s Hook, with Joker’s pirate garb echoing Dustin Hoffman’s Captain Hook. He convinces a feline‑named Felina (this world’s Catwoman) to betray Leatherwing, leading the crew to a hidden Batcave called Bat’s Cay.

In the climactic battle, Robin is wounded, prompting Leatherwing to plunge his cutlass through Joker’s heart and into the ship’s mast—a brutal, pirate‑style finish that would make any Batman fan consider a career change.

6 Bruce’s Mr. HydeBatman: Two Faces

Set in 1886 Gotham, this story blends Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Jack the Ripper lore. Bruce Wayne attends a gala celebrating the twilight orchid—a flower that blooms by day and withers by night. He hopes its extract will cure Harvey Dent’s split personality.

Experimenting with the orchid, Bruce creates a serum that boosts his abilities, prompting him to become a bat‑costumed vigilante. Meanwhile, a new murderer leaves Joker‑style smiley cuts on victims, and Joker himself cripples Catwoman with a spine‑piercing knife.

After a failed serum experiment, Bruce reveals a shocking truth: he is both Batman and Joker. He hands the serum to Harvey, transforms into Joker, and engages in a rooftop scuffle. In a desperate moment, he hangs from the roof, begging Harvey to let him fall and take the serum, hoping to end both Two‑Face and Joker in one go.

Harvey complies, and a flash‑forward shows Batman still protecting Gotham—only now his eyes are mismatched under the cowl.

5 Joker HellspawnJLA: Another Nail

In the world of The Nail, Superman grows up on an Amish farm, keeping his powers hidden. Joker, wielding advanced Kryptonian gauntlets, seizes control of Arkham Asylum and begins slaughtering inmates.

Batman, Robin, and Batgirl breach the asylum only to find it encased in an alien force field that lets only the Bat Family through. Joker immobilizes Batman with his alien tech, then proceeds to flay Robin and Batgirl, forcing Batman to watch their gruesome deaths.

Catwoman bursts onto the scene, distracting Joker long enough for Batman to snap his neck, burning Arkham in the process. The trauma leaves Batman catatonic for months.

The sequel, Another Nail, finds Batman and a new Batwoman (formerly Catwoman) confronting a demonic Joker with a super‑stretchy body. After a portal to Hell opens, Joker tries to drag Batwoman down, but Batman sacrifices himself to seal the portal, while the spirits of Robin and Batgirl intervene to trap Joker and grant Batman a measure of redemption.

4 Lex As JokerSuperman: Speeding Bullets

In this Elseworlds tale, infant Kal‑El is rescued by the Waynes, who raise him as Bruce. After the Waynes’ murder, Bruce’s Kryptonian powers erupt, and he vaporizes Joe Chill with heat vision.

Years later, a burglar raid awakens Bruce’s memory of his true origin, prompting him to become Batman—without any moral prohibition against killing.

Lex Luthor, fresh from a near‑fatal chemical plant explosion, moves to Gotham and eventually adopts the Joker persona, complete with bleached skin and a pudgy physique. He kidnaps Lois Lane, but when Batman confronts him, he experiences a moment of conscience.

Batman catches Joker, who is then imprisoned. Bruce ultimately embraces his Kryptonian heritage, dons the iconic “S” on a red‑and‑blue costume, and becomes the Superman we know.

3 King Cobra JokerBatman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The 2015 crossover thrusts the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into an alternate Gotham where Arkham’s inmates have been mutated by the same ooze that created the turtles. Penguin becomes a literal penguin, Mr. Freeze a polar bear, and Mad Hatter a white rabbit.

Joker, however, is transformed into a massive king cobra—an odd but visually striking choice for the “crown prince of crime.” The Turtles and Batman clash with a full rogues’ gallery, delivering that nostalgic Saturday‑morning dream of heroes teaming up.

After the battle, the Turtles return home, but not before a heartfelt goodbye: Raphael gifts Batman his red mask, a symbolic gesture that coincides with the anniversary of Batman’s parents’ death.

2 Martha Kane As JokerFlashpoint

Flashpoint reshapes the DC timeline, and in this reality Bruce’s parents survive, but Bruce himself is killed. His father, Thomas Wayne, is driven mad by guilt and becomes the Joker.

Thomas kidnaps Harvey Dent’s twin children, and Commissioner Gordon tracks Joker to a crumbling Wayne Manor. A shootout reveals that the Joker figure is actually Dent’s daughter, disguised with makeup.

Gordon is slain, and Batman receives a video of the murder. Arriving at the mansion, Bruce screams, “What have you done this time, Martha?!”—revealing that the Joker is Martha Kane, Bruce’s mother, driven insane by her son’s death.

After a brutal fight, Martha falls into the Batcave, sealing her fate as the ultimate Joker victim.

1 Patriot JokerBatman/Captain America

Set in 1945, this Elseworlds crossover pairs Captain America with Batman to thwart Red Skull and Joker, who plan to steal the atomic bomb “Fat Man” and tip the war in Germany’s favor.

Joker, believing the bomb will fetch a million dollars, discovers Red Skull’s true plan and declares, “I may be a criminal lunatic, but I’m an American criminal lunatic.” He attacks Red Skull but is knocked out.

When Red Skull tries to drop the bomb over Washington, Joker regains consciousness, grapples the villain atop the bomb, and accidentally knocks it loose. Joker manages to stall the bomb long enough for it to fall into the ocean, effectively saving the United States and ensuring the Allies’ victory.

Even in his most villainous moments, Joker proves he isn’t a fascist—an oddly heroic footnote in his chaotic legacy.

Exploring Alternate Versions of the Joker

These ten alternate versions showcase just how versatile the Clown Prince of Crime can be when writers turn the multiverse dial to eleven. From vampiric overlords to serpentine schemers, each iteration pushes the boundaries of what Joker can become.