The Joker is a fictional person.
The Joker is a fictional supervillain created by Bill Finger , Bob Kane , and Jerry Robinson who first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman ( April 25 , 1940 ) published by DC Comics . The antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance , the Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary . The character 's popularity has seen him appear on a variety of merchandise , such as clothing and collectable items , inspire real-world structures ( such as theme park attractions ) , and be referenced in a number of media .