The Joker

A fun, frightening, and always fascinating look into the psyche of a madman: the Clown Prince of Crime, the Harlequin of Hate—The Joker!

Although Steve Miller had been slugging it out since the late 60's as a blues-rock guitarist, it wasn't until his 1973 release, "The Joker", that he finally found his most marketable niche in radio friendly rock. Here Miller abandoned his edge and his rootsy sensibilities, and leaned toward a lighter, more melodic approach. This is typified in the title track, a shuffling groover with an infectiously hooky chorus that went on to become a monstrous smash, and something of a signature song for Miller.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of 'The Joker' with 'J50: The Evolution of The Joker', curated by Steve Miller. It highlights 27 previously unreleased demos, live performances, studio outtakes and rehearsals from Miller's personal archive, including 8 never-before heard songs. Miller also provides narration guiding the 'evolution' of the songs from The Joker. The 2CD set includes liner notes from both Steve Miller & Anthony DeCurtis and classic photos.

The Joker is the eighth album by Steve Miller Band, released in 1973. The album marked a period of significant change for the group as the band abandoned their psychedelic oriented music for a more melodic, smooth rock/blues sound. Perhaps not coincidentally, it was also their first solid commercial success due to the strong radio-play of the title track. The title track took 19 days to record. The album reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified Platinum in the United States.

Brian Azzarello brings to THE JOKER all the visceral intensity and criminal insight that has made his Vertigo graphic novel series 100 BULLETS one of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning series of all time. This original graphic novel tells the story of one very dark night in Gotham City. The Joker has been mysteriously released from Arkham Asylum, and he's none too happy about what's happened to his Gotham City rackets while he's been "away." What follows is a harrowing night of revenge, murder and manic crime as only The Joker can deliver it, as he brutally takes back his stolen assets from The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face, Killer Croc and, of course, The Batman, and heaven help them all. Told through the eyes of his loyal (but naive) henchman Jonny Frost, JOKER is a true noir crime novel: a harrowing journey into a city of rain-soaked streets, dirty sheets and nothing but bad choices.

Batman has never had a greater enemy than the Joker: a mad villain whose sense of humor can best be described as lethal. Whether it's lapel flowers that squirt acid, or explosive jack-in-the-boxes, The Joker wants to make sure that his victims die laughing. Although the Joker has plagued Batman since his very first adventure in Batman #1, it was not until 1975 that he got a series to call his own. Although it lasted only nine issues, the Joker featured some terrific storylines starring the Clown Prince of Crime, accompanied by such notables as Catwoman and Two-Face.