Joker has been a part of the DC universe and a part of the story of Batman from the very beginning, first debuting in the first ever issue, Batman #1 which was published April 25th, 1940. From the very beginning, Joker was an enemy of Batman and has always been one of the most popular and mysterious villains in pop culture history. Ask any DC fan what The Joker’s real name is and you’ll get mixed answers.
Now DC Comics is finally revealing the character’s real identity. Hint: It’s not Arthur Fleck or Jack Napier.
Fans Wish That They Could Have Seen Chris Farley As the Joker
How His Identity was Revealed
Although The Joker has been a prominent character in Batman lore, his real name and identity have always been a highly secretive and closely-guarded secret. But keep in mind that there are various projects that pertain to the character, and many of them are alternate timelines or versions, all of which might have their own version of the Clown Prince of Crime’s real name.
One of those alternate universes is the Flashpoint Beyond, which might have just finally given fans Joker’s real name. The Flashpoint universe is the kicking-off point for the New 52 era for DC.
The latest issue, Flashpoint Beyond #5 (written by Geoff Johns, Tim Sheridan, Jeremy Adams, Mikel Janin Xermanico, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Jordie Bellaire, and Rob Leigh), stars Thomas Wayne’s version of Batman. In the comic book, Thomas goes to Arkham Asylum to confront the Clockwork Killer who was actually his former wife, Martha Wayne (Martha and Thomas are the parents of Bruce Wayne).
In the Flashpoint universe, Bruce was the one who was murdered, and not his parents as we know in the stories of Earth-Prime. After his murder, Martha went down a dark path where she became the Joker. Thomas locks himself in a cell with Martha aka The Joker and discovers that Martha tortured Psycho-Pirate from Earth-0 to find out more about the world where her son has survived to become a hero, and in doing so learns the Joker’s real name before killing Psycho-Pirate.
Is The Joker Straight, Gay, or Bisexual?
Joker’s Identity
Martha reveals Joker’s true identity as Jack Oswald White, who was a failed comedian who even had a wife and son who apparently worked cleaning bathrooms at the Wayne Casino. “Jack” is rumoured to be a nod to Jack Nicholson’s Joker in the 1989 film.
Despite Flashpoint Beyond being part of an alternate universe, it is entirely possible that this is his real name as many of the other characters in the series share their names with their Earth-Prime counterparts.
Joker (2020)
The Joker has been the subject of many offshoots, Matt Reeves is said to be working on a Joker series as we speak, but the most recent feature film directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix for which he won Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Critics’ Choice Movie Award, BAFTA Awards, and even a Golden Globe. The movie is the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.
Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker is one of the few that have deviated from the standard identity of the joker, by going with Arthur Fleck.
