The Joker: Through the years

“The Joker’s Wild” (1992)

[Episode of "Batman: The Animated Series," originally aired Nov. 19 on The WB]

The Setup: Joker is enraged to learn that an entrepreneur has opened a casino using his likeness. Escaping Arkham Asylum, the Joker sets out to destroy the casino—until he discovers that’s exactly what the owner is hoping for as part of an insurance scam.

The Punch Line: This episode is a prime example of how this unique series made a character as dark as the Joker work in a show aimed primarily at kids that was watched by and still appealed to adult comic book fans. As voiced by Mark Hamill (yes, Luke Skywalker himself), this Joker is imbued with a sense of honor, a thirst for mischief and even charm. He was both a worthy and wily adversary for Batman but stopped short of the usual cold-blooded killings.