He will be missed.

My favorite Mark Hamil Joker performance - from Batman Beyond..

I'm sure most of you know the scene.

He sure picked a hell of a note to exit on though.

There goes my childhood. All good things must come to an end.

ArtosRC: There goes my childhood. All good things must come to an end.

This

UberNeuman: My favorite Mark Hamil Joker performance - from Batman Beyond..

I'm sure most of you know the scene.

Aaaaaand chills go down my spine without even having to listen. Oh yes, I know the scene.

He'll be missed! Batman:TAS is the quintessential Joker for me.

ManateeGag: Didn't he do that already? Also, 19 years?! I feel old!

mmhmm

Mark Hamill...wasn't he that one-handed Olympic figure skater back in the 1970s?

Best voice for the best incarnation of the Joker bar none.

I sure was broke up over this when he announced it a while ago.

Mark Hamill stepping down as the Joker?

Ughhh.

didn't this rumor get spread around and debunked like 6 months ago?

Sarcastica75: But they are put away so I will have to supply photographic evidence at a later time.

Don't forget to windex the glass casing first.

ConConHead: He'll be missed! Batman:TAS is the quintessential Joker for me.

Honestly, it's super hard for me to watch animated Batman without the classic TAS voice cast.

For me, Kevin Conroy *is* Batman's voice, etc. Anything else really throws me for a loop.

Wheeeeeeeelp, who's for Chinese?

Well if they need a replacement this (new window) guy can do a pretty good imitation of Hamil's joker.

Why would anyone give up a gig like that? I mean you get paid to talk and, can do it anywhere at anytime.
I call B.S.

ConConHead: UberNeuman: My favorite Mark Hamil Joker performance - from Batman Beyond..

I'm sure most of you know the scene.

Aaaaaand chills go down my spine without even having to listen. Oh yes, I know the scene.

He'll be missed! Batman:TAS is the quintessential Joker for me.


I think what makes that scene so disturbing is that you almost feel like the Joker crossed some line or broke some unwritten rule.

One of the Batman writers said in an interview a few years back that he always imagined that the Joker probably knew Batman was really Bruce Wayne, but he just didn't care. Bruce Wayne was just some rich asshole that didn't really factor into the Joker's reality. I'm not sure if I completely buy that or not, but it does go along with my general idea of the Joker: The Joker doesn't try to beat Batman so he can get away with crimes. He commits crimes, so Batman will come out and play with him.

So by abducting Robin and torturing information out of him, it appears the Joker's character has drastically changed for the darker, as impossible as that seems. Remember, this is the same version of the Joker that berated Harley for abducting Batman and trying to kill him "the wrong way." In Joker's mind, there's a protocol to these things. You can't just do what's most practical. You have to do what's most fun.

The reason the scene actually works in the Batman Beyond movie is that it ultimately leads to the Joker's death. That couldn't have happened in the regular series and sending him off to Arkham again just wouldn't have been enough. As weird as it sounds, Batman never would have forgiven him. Tim's torture would have shaded all future Joker episodes. More importantly, the audience never would have forgiven the Joker. Despite being the villain, part of us sort of roots for the Joker (especially the animated series version), which is why he's such a great character. Blowing up Jason Todd (in the comics) was one thing, since readers hated him anyway. But torturing Tim Drake into a homicidal maniac is just unseemly.

ArtosRC: There goes my childhood. All good things must come to an end.

Again.

domo_kun_sai: Why would anyone give up a gig like that?

After almost 20 years of it, and being widely regarded as the best Joker without even having to appear onscreen, I'd imagine he hit his 'peak' some time ago and just wanted to retire, or at least find something else to voice. I mean, I can't imagine that if Mark Hamill put it out there that he was looking for more voice work, he'd be wanting for offers. He's even been in Miyazaki films. Look at his IMDB page; a guy with that kind of resume stepping down from the longest gig he's had does it when he's damn good and ready.

UberNeuman: My favorite Mark Hamil Joker performance - from Batman Beyond..

I'm sure most of you know the scene.

This.

"I'd Laugh If It Wasn't So Pathetic...Ah, What The Heck, I'll Laugh Anyway!"

Whenever I read the Joker in the comic books, it's his voice I hear talking. That and when I'm driving down the road and asshats cut me off in traffic, that's the voice I hear in my head! A sad day for animation and my sanity. Well maybe DC Animation will go out and find someone with a new take on how to voice the Joker, sound a likes are never the same. a new take may be entertaining.

This guy?



/Use the forks.

aurorous: Well if they need a replacement this (new window) guy can do a pretty good imitation of Hamil's joker.

Or this guy

CORVETTE SUMMER RULES.

Brent Spiner did the voice for "Young Justice," which comes off with more of a Ledger influence.

Didn't much care for it.

odinsposse: aurorous: Well if they need a replacement this (new window) guy can do a pretty good imitation of Hamil's joker.

Or this guy

Good call. Dude is pretty much my favorite "Not Mark Hamill, but Close Enough" Joker.

calbert: anybody else own one of these:

[i.ebayimg.com image 640x696]

Ach! So jealous! Closest I've got is a sketch from Shane Glines who did a ton of character designs, background designs, and prop designs for the DCAU.

UberNeuman: My favorite Mark Hamil Joker performance - from Batman Beyond..

I'm sure most of you know the scene.

This is the first I'd heard of the original version. I'd always assumed that the "electrocution" version was the only one made.

Much better.

"That's not funny... that's not funny..."

Something that was pointed out to me earlier today...

MARK HAMILL

Apparently he was destined to be the Joker.

How come I never hear any love for Batman: The Brave and the Bold on fark? Just curious. I love that show.

Brent Spiner's the Joker on Young Justice, and he did an okay job in his debut on Friday's episode. He's not switching between 'scary homicidal maniac' and 'loony tunes hilarious' like Mark Hamil did, but he's trying to make his own version. It's like Ledger's Joker, but with a bit more humorous bits.

And on that note, while Conroy is always going to be the greatest Batman, Bruce Greenwood is making a strong case on YJ.

spacemanjones: How come I never hear any love for Batman: The Brave and the Bold on fark? Just curious. I love that show.

You love the show?
Outrageous!

browneye: Finally - as much as we may hate to think about it - Mark Hamill is sixty-years-old. And there's just no way you can B.S. around that.

You know what would be a good new gig for Hamill? Voicing Yoda for the Clone Wars series. No disrespect to the guy who's doing it but Hamill does a great Yoda voice whenever he tells stories about filming the Dagobah scenes. Hamill has said Lucas told him his Yoda voice was the best next to Frank Oz. Lucas asked Hamill to do Yoda in addition to Luke for the radio drama, until John Lithgow got involved and did it instead.

spacemanjones: How come I never hear any love for Batman: The Brave and the Bold on fark? Just curious. I love that show.

Never did anything for me in the few episodes I saw.

There's some folks who REALLY hate it though, so that might figure into it.

Between this and Aileen Sorkin stepping down as Harley (though Tara Strong does a nice job as her replacement in Arkham City), it's a sad day for Batman fans.

/Would love to see Curry rehired as his replacement (he was first choice but they realized his performance was less funny and more blood on the walls scary psycho)