Alternate versions, mass media and pop culture: Alternate versions of Spidey appear in various forms, including the “historic” 1602 version, futuristic versions, versions from other dimensions, an Indian version and even a zombie version (who doesn't love that Marvel Zombies Spidey action figure?) The most effective alternate version in comics is that of the Ultimate universe, returning Peter to his roots as a teenager but updating him for modern audiences, replacing the radioactive spider with a GM one, and featuring gorgeous art by Mark Bagley. He's also appeared in numerous cartoons and television shows, most notably the 1967 cartoon (the one with the brilliant theme tune) and the mid-nineties “Spiderman: The Animated Series”. Then of course there's the massively successful and hugely enjoyable film franchise, directed by Sam Raimi and staring Tobey Maguire. Not to mention various videogames, books, a stage show, theme park rides and of course spin off toys!
Why I like him: He's one of the greatest superheroes ever created, and considering the popularity of superhero comics, that's saying something, as much a pop culture phenomenon as a character.
Joker
Character: Certainly the most disturbing character in mainstream comics, possibly the most disturbing comic character ever, the Joker is the epitome of vicious criminal insanity. Inspired by the silent movie “The Man Who Laughs”, when Joker was first introduced into the Batman mythos, he was designed as a throwaway villain, intended to be killed off in the next issue. This version of the Joker was a simply killer, a grinning mirthless ghoul. Since then, he's evolved into something far worse, and far more intriguing. His background is kept deliberately vague, he might have been a small time crook, he might have been a stand up comedian, he might have had a pregnant wife who died tragically, he might have been master criminal the Red Hood, no one knows for sure, not even the Joker himself, as he says in the influential Alan Moore graphic novel “The Killing Joke” - " if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!” Whatever he was before he was the Joker, his life met a drastic turning point when he fell into a vat of chemicals bleaching his skin white, turning his hair green and staining his lips bright red (and, depending on which comic you're reading, giving him a rictus smile, though in some comics, due to the difficulty to show emotion, he has been depicted as capable of an unnatural smile). This incident turned him completely insane. He is dangerously intelligent and inventive, sadistic, vain, unhealthily obsessed with his nemesis Batman, and equally obsessed with the concept of comedy and his own hilariousness. His tendency to get distracted, along with unpredictable nature, violent mood swings and sadism mean he's the one villain that even other villains are apprehensive to work with.
In the Modern Age Joker has become the villain responsible for some of the most appalling crimes in mainstream comics, including the shooting and rape Barbara Gordon (daughter of Commissioner Jim Gordon and the first Batgirl), the murder of Jason Todd (the second Robin), shooting Sarah Essen Gordon (Jim Gordon's wife) in a nursery, and even killing an entire kindergarten class. He has supposedly killed well over 2,000 people, but not all his crimes are quite so horrific. In one of his crazier schemes, the Joker poisons fish with a form of his “Joker Toxin” and then attemptsto copyright them!
His relationships with others generally run to nothing more than manipulation, but the animated series added an important new aspect to the Joker's private life, in the form of his on/off girlfriend and devoted “hench-wench” Harley Quinn (introduced into the comics in 1999), a former psychiatrist driven insane by her manipulative patient. While she is utterly depenant on him, whether or not he has any feelings for her is a different matter. He is abusive towards her, occasionally trying to kill her, but not entirely opposed to shows of (possibly fake?) affection. And then, of course, there's his obsession with Batman. Batman can never be completely rid of the Joker as because the Joker is insane, he cannot be given the death penalty, and the Joker will not kill Batman unless he finds a fittingly “magnificent” way in which to do it. In his own warped way, Joker seems to rather like the Batman, he's elated whenever his nemesis appears, he frequently teases him with lines like “I though you didn't love me anymore” and “do I get a little kiss?”, and they even share a joke together at the end of “The Killing Joke”. Often portrayed as “different sides of the same coin”, Joker often serves to ask the question, is Batman insane too?
Just found out that the Death movie is properly underway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_Me
Hurrah!