Another nerdy Batman question

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So, do you think that the Joker knows Batman's secret identity (Bruce Wayne, pre-RIP)?

The closest thing to a confirmation that we get Post-Crisis is in "A Death in the Family", right?

I also vaguely recall it being said that he knows and doesn't care. And I can't remember where, but I seem to recall another story where the Joker finds out that Wayne is Batman, and is disappointed that it's just some messed-up rich kid.

 

Wait! BRUCE WAYNE IS BATMAN?!?

God damn it! Spoiler that shit, Fade!!

 

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Ha. I meant in contrast to Dick Grayson, who is currently the Bat.

Also, same issue, because fart jokes are funny:

 

[sixpackshaker]

I don't think he does. He may have found out but ended up with a case of Comic Book Amnesia. It is even more prevalent than Soap Opera Amnesia.

 

[Norris]

I dunno. I think the Joker and Jim Gordon both "know". But Mr. J doesn't give half a shit who Batman is under there while Gordon doesn't want to acknowledge it.

 

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Yeah, by the end of Year One, it seemed pretty clear Gordon knew who he was.

 

[Covar]

Jim Gordon knows Batman well enough to know when it's not Bruce. I like that, I don't really need to know if he knows he's Bruce. As for the Joker who can say. The man is Batshit (pun intended) crazy. I don't think he does, because otherwise he would have most likely gone after Bruce directly.

Also I love Jim Aparo's art. So gorgeous.

 

[Norris]

I don't think he does, because otherwise he would have most likely gone after Bruce directly.

I disagree. "Bruce Wayne" is the mask while "Batman" is who Bruce really is (in most aspects, at least). The Joker's enemy is Batman. He wants to fight Batman, taunt Batman, hurt Batman. Attacking the "Bruce Wayne" portion would 1) not be what he wants and 2) harm his ability to fight Batman, since him fighting Bruce Wayne at Wayne Manor or in public would have one of two outcomes: Bruce kicks his ass, and now people have a reason to suspect there's more to him than a dopy playboy OR Bruce in public throws the fight and The Joker gets a dissatisfying victory.

 

[The Messiah]

The Joker knows. I can't point out the exact issue, but several writers have made it... well, kind of clear, sort of, almost ....that the Joker knows. I think the idea is that he enjoys the game that he plays and that game is all about the goddamn Batman, the larger than life character and the theatrical elements of the whole suit and cowl thing. So he just leaves him alone, pretends he doesn't know, or maybe even blocks it from his mind altogether (we are talking comics here).

Keep in mind that is an opinion built up from literally decades of reading various Bat-tales, who knows if the stories I remember are still considered canon? I remember Talia riding the Batwang, look how that turned out.

 

[@Li3n]

The Joker doesn't care about some mask Batman puts on when he's near normal ppl...

 

[KCWM]

but I seem to recall another story where the Joker finds out that Wayne is Batman, and is disappointed that it's just some messed-up rich kid.

I believe that's in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, which is currently on Netflix Instant, though in it's censored form (check the wikipedia article for the differences). It's actually a good show, one of my favorite BB stories.

 

[AshburnerX]

Yeah, that was in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. That was the movie that solidified my need for a Batman Beyond comic series, but it looks like DC isn't interested in doing one that isn't tied to the TV series.

 

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They could probably shovel it into the Frank Miller world, now that his stuff has become canon following 52 (Earth 31 or something like that). That personification of Wayne was a close fit. Can't be any worse than All-Star. Or it could just be a different continuity.

 

[Zappit]

but I seem to recall another story where the Joker finds out that Wayne is Batman, and is disappointed that it's just some messed-up rich kid.

I believe that's in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, which is currently on Netflix Instant, though in it's censored form (check the wikipedia article for the differences). It's actually a good show, one of my favorite BB stories.

I've got the uncensored version - it's really not all that intense - the big Joker gang member gets a spike it the chest, and that's about the biggest difference from what they're showing on TV and the net.

 

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The biggest difference is in how the Joker himself dies. It's very different between the original and re-edited versions.

There's actually a long list of edits, which are here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_Bey ... _the_Joker