The Joker is a character.
Joker (character) . Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance , he was spared by editorial intervention , allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman . One of the most iconic characters in popular culture , the Joker has been listed among the greatest comic book villains and fictional characters ever created . The Joker is a fictional supervillain from American comic book publisher DC Comics and the main antagonist in Christopher Nolan 's 2008 superhero film The Dark Knight .