* JOKER SPOTLIGHT * Artists: Bruce Timm
The Cartooniness
Naturally, since Timm's character designs were developed to work best in animated form, that they have an emphatic cartooniness to them compared to much other comic book art is obvious. But beyond that, this style really works to bring the Joker to life. Using minimal lines and feature points to create expressive and dynamic character is a high skill and Timm works it to wonderful effect. The Joker is such an over-the-top, exaggerated character that he can work brilliantly in this format without it necessarily over-shadowing his menace or seriousness - when done well. Which Timm does!
The Charisma
Like all the best renditions of the Joker, Timm's Joker has marvellous charisma that just oozes off the page. Charisma is an important element of the Joker - he's a showman and, in many ways, a seducer. He should appeal even as he repels - like the Devil, you kinda wanna follow him even knowing he's a monster. Timm achieves this with a range of fabulously evoked facial expressions and body language, from a crooked eyebrow, to a casually crossed ankle.
The Weight
Most renditions of the Joker depict him as lean but Timm has opted to give him some serious bulk (whilst clearly not making him a muscle man). Somehow, it works. It imparts presence on the character and his interactions, adding to his threatening aura.
The broad shoulders and chest and the thick arms give him a sense of heaviness and strength on the page (or when reproduced in animated form) that adds a palpable and eye-catching magentism.
The Sleaze
Yes, this is a good thing! At least, when it comes to rounding out what makes up the Joker. He can be completely and totally skeezy when he wants to be, doing what he does best - using everything he's got to make folks as uncomfortable as he conceivably can. This includes leering, oozing, lechery, sliminess, creepiness and deviancy. Not necessarily in a sexual sense (in fact, very rarely) but simply by getting too close, too easily naming uncomfortable truths or identifying what people don't want named, all the while with keenly bugging eyes or the most disgustingly knowing grin.
Timm's Joker's hulking shoulders, toothy smirk and heavy brow very simply but very wonderfully capture this trait of him.
The Fluidity
Timm's lines have a wonderful, graceful flow to them that, to my eye, always makes his art seem like 'liquid' on the page. As though he just spilled his pen along the page and voila, this lovely piece of art just poured out of it and spread across the white like a stain.
This captures a sense almost of motion, giving his work a level of liveliness and energy other more 'realistic' art styles can absolutely lack.
When it comes to the Joker, energy is key. Comic books are a 2D form from which the Joker should seem to be on the brink of escaping from. Timm just about gets him there.
The Menace
I will never understand those who say the cartoon Joker is too buffoonish to be frightening or intimidating. That mania, the theatrical ridiculousness makes him all the more scary when he snaps to a sudden black humour, or swaps a harmless whoopee cushion for a poisoned squirting flower.
Timm has a special way of showing snap-changes like this in the Joker - one moment seemingly truly harmless, the next he's sending chills down your spine as that smile takes on a malicious edge. All of the above factors combined too contribute to the genuine sense of menace that Timm's Joker can take on. In fact, once you get to know him a little, Timm's Joker's smiley-chummy times become even more threatening - who knows what may prompt a mood spring - and who'll still be breathing at the end of it?
