Five traits that make The Joker the best supervillain ever

Some early notices for the epic-length Batman drama The Dark Knight suggest that the late Heath Ledger gives the “definitive” performance as The Joker, the Caped Crusader’s sociopathic arch-nemesis. It’s true that Ledger does tremendous, terrifying work in the film — if he’d lived, he could have launched a second career playing psychos. I’m not sure, however, that anyone can give the definitive performance of such a pop culture mainstay. In high-brow terms, it’s like expecting a definitive Macbeth or Blanche DuBois. Like any enduring fictional character, the Joker has a long history that reflects changes in his target audience and creative staff — we get different Jokers for different times. Following are five of the traits that make The Clown Prince of Crime possibly the most memorable and timeless villain of them all.