First appearance

The Joker's first appearance: Batman #1

The Joker first appeared in Batman #1, cover dated Spring 1940, published by DC (then National Comics) and created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson.

Why it matters

The Joker appears in two stories in Batman's first solo issue. The same issue also introduces Catwoman (as "the Cat") and retells Batman's origin. It's one of the most valuable Golden Age comics.

Related key issues

• Detective Comics #168 (February 1951), the origin of the Joker as the Red Hood.
• Batman: The Killing Joke (1988), the most famous modern Joker story.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Batman #1 was reprinted as an oversized "Famous First Edition" in the 1970s, and later in smaller reprints. A genuine copy is standard comic size with a 10-cent price.
• Most surviving copies are low grade or restored. Graded copies note restoration on the label.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• Batman: Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)
• Harley Quinn: The Batman Adventures #12 (September 1993)
• Superman: Action Comics #1 (June 1938)
• Wonder Woman: All Star Comics #8 (December 1941 to January 1942)

Questions