Joker Confirms a Major Fan Theory Is 100% Correct

Summary Joker's romantic feelings for Batman are subtly hinted at in From the DC Vault: Death in the Family - Robin Lives #1.

Statistics from fandom sites underscore how many fans interpret interactions between Joker and Batman through a romantic lens.

Other comics like Batman: Three Jokers also showcase the Clown Prince of Crime's deep obsession with Batman.

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for From the DC Vault: Death in the Family - Robin Lives #1!Among the many fan theories about the Clown Prince of Crime, one rises above the others: Joker is in love with Batman. While it's clear the clown is obsessed with the Dark Knight, debates often center on whether these feelings are romantic. This article presents new evidence that supports the notion that Joker sees the Dark Knight through a romantic lens.

From the DC Vault: Death in the Family - Robin Lives #1 by J. M. DeMatteis, Rick Leonardi, and Rico Renzi is a new miniseries that delves into an alternate scenario of what would have happened if fans had voted for Batman’s second Robin, Jason Todd, to survive the events of the A Death in the Family (1988) storyline.

As part of this exploration, Batman pursues Joker following his brutal attack on Jason. This pursuit unfolds in a dramatic boat chase at sea. During this intense confrontation, Joker says something romantically coded, adding weight to the theory that he harbors romantic feelings for Bruce.

Joker Confirms He’s in Love With Batman in From the DC Vault: Death in the Family - Robin Lives #1

Joker starts cursing Batman’s name as the Dark Knight gains ground, complaining bitterly about how the Bat just won’t let him be. Yet, almost in the same breath, he backpedals, blurting out, “Oh, who am I kidding? My heart–such as it is—would break if he didn’t keep trying!” With such sentiment and talk of heartbreak, it’s difficult to interpret his words in a purely platonic manner. While most of Batman’s villains would celebrate if the Dark Knight ceased pursuing them, Joker is, as always, the exception.

It’s lines like these that have stirred the fandom’s debate over whether the Joker perceives Batman romantically. The impact of such dialogues extends into fan creations, inspiring numerous BatJokes works—BatJokes is the popular ship name for Batman and Joker. For instance, a quick search on Pinterest using keywords like “BatJokes,” “Bruce Wayne/Joker,” or “Batman/Joker” yields hundreds of high-quality fanart pieces showcasing the relationship. Similarly, searches on platforms like Archive of Our Own (Ao3) reveal over 3,200 works dedicated to this pairing. These statistics underscore how many fans interpret interactions between Joker and Batman through a romantic lens.

Related The Joker Is In Love With Batman And [SPOILER] Knows It There's no question that the Joker is obsessed with Batman, but a member of the Bat-Family knows that the Clown Prince of Crime really loves him.

Three Jokers Puts the Clown Prince of Crime’s Obsession/Love For Batman on Full Display

From the DC Vault: Death in the Family - Robin Lives #1 isn't the only comic to feature a romantically charged line from Joker that supports the theory of his love for Batman. In Batman: Three Jokers by Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh, Joker delivers a pivotal line with the fervor of a madman: "I want you to know why I’m making a new Joker, Batman. Because I want to mean more to you. More to you than anyone." This line serves as another chilling testament to Joker's deep obsession with Batman, one that can be interpreted as romantic.

From the DC Vault: Death in the Family - Robin Lives #1 is available now from DC Comics!