The Joker's Age
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Marvel/DC
rebsothoth — 9 years ago(January 18, 2017 02:12 PM)
It seems that one of the common arguments from the "Jerome is Not the Joker" camp is that Jerome is clearly older than Bruce. But what people are forgetting is that he's currently FROZEN, which at least in comic books would mean his aging is suspended.
So, let's say they unfreeze him, and he runs around as the Joker for a while to get the ratings up. Gordon and company can go up against him, and watch him get killed again and frozen a second time. Only the second time he's frozen, something goes awry and his hair and skin change color. But he stays frozen and traditionally Joker-like for a decade, and then gets unfrozen by his followers when Bruce is in his 20s. Then, the appearance and age would be right for the traditional Batman canon.
Just sayin', if you're going to critique a show for veering away from canon for something as banal as age differences, use a little creativity and see how it is actually possible. Don't just close your eyes and try to wish it away. -
krism_atl25 — 9 years ago(January 18, 2017 02:28 PM)
Well speaking from the "Jerome is not Joker" camp there is a lot wrong with him other than age. I have grown up with the comics and I understand the ages of these characters. When the show was stated they stated that the show would be a origin story for James Gordon, the crime families like Falcon and the known villians on how they got their start.
There are two known origin stories already for the Joker. Jerome doesn't fit either one. Plus yes the age is very wrong.
Here is a break down of the ages:
Early to mid 30's: Bullock, James Gordon and Lee
20's: Nygma, Penguin and the Joker
(In both the "Killing Joke" version and the one that Tim Burton used shows that Joker is in his 20's so this doesn't fit with Jerome as he's in his late teens)
Teens and Preteen: Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, Pamela Ivy and Harvey Dent
10 and under: Harley Quinn,Dick Grayson
Also the people of the show have stated several times that he's not the Joker but people refuse to believe, like a crazy crush who can't handle rejection. Jerome is inspiration for whomever does become the Joker. We have not yet met the real Joker. He's either a failing comic who's going to get into the red Hood gang to make some quick money or will be Jack the ruthless street thug that is blood thirsty and is the real killer of Bruce's parents and not Joe Chill. -
Crown_22 — 9 years ago(January 18, 2017 02:34 PM)
Joker was definitely not in his 20's in the Tim Burton film lol, are you talking about when he killed Bruce's parents? If so, then yeah "Jack" was in his 20's and clearly at least 10 years older than Bruce.
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rebsothoth — 9 years ago(January 18, 2017 02:47 PM)
I can't cut and paste my response to your own thread on my phone, but there are far more than two Joker origin stories, and in Killing Joke, he practically states outright that he makes up origin stories for himself on a whim.
Also, there's nothing in your response that addresses suspended animation. That's why I started my own thread on the specific subject of anyone's visible age being possibly altered in comic book science by being "frozen". Sort of like how a person in a coma in real life might not develop wrinkles at the same rate due to their lack of facial expressivity while comatose.
So, even if Jerome is not the Joker at this moment in the Gotham universe, there's nothing saying that he won't become the Joker when unfrozen for the second, third, fourth, or however many times he may possibly be frozen and unfrozen again. And maybe each time, he will have a delusion or a nightmare about a different possible background for himself, all of which he could present as "his real origin story" at a later date. Since, ya know, he's canonically not in touch with reality by any stretch of the imagination. At least not reality as it's experienced by those around him. -
Crown_22 — 9 years ago(January 18, 2017 02:30 PM)
Besides that, Gordon mentioned he was 18 years old when they were viewing the "Maniax" members on a screen at the GCPD. At that time, I'm sure Bruce was supposed to be like 14, which means Jerome is only 4 years older than Bruce. Even if Bruce was 13, that's only a 5 year difference. No big deal.
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jakeconhale — 9 years ago(January 19, 2017 02:08 PM)
As I understand it, one aspect of the Joker is that he always comes back. Mainly he's too perfect a foil for Batman, but no matter how many times he appears to die, he comes back. Hell, he apparently resurrected in his first appearance!
This would help explain that, if they've got re-animation capability and he's got enough fanatics dedicated to him to keep fixing him up and throwing him back out into the world.
shrug Could also lend itself to an interpretation of the Lazarus Pit. Reincarnation makes you mad, but Ra's is strong enough to regain his sanity. The Joker is nuts and idolized for it, so he just gets worse and worse over time.
Jake Meridius Conhale, at your service!
"Old Man" of the BSG (RDM) boards. -
FriendlyPsychopath — 9 years ago(January 19, 2017 02:28 PM)
I don't get how people can have a problem with Jerome being older than Bruce, yet past Jokers have been older than Batman.
Jack Nicholson is 14 years older than Michael Keaton, and in flashbacks for Batman 1989 Jack Napier was a young man when Bruce Wayne was a boy.
Cesar Romero was 21 years older than Adam West.
Cameron Monaghan is 8 years older than David Mazous, although in the storyline Jerome is five years older than Bruce Wayne. -
tankitty — 9 years ago(January 20, 2017 04:37 PM)
So, let's say they unfreeze him, and he runs around as the Joker for a while to get the ratings up. Gordon and company can go up against him, and watch him get killed again and frozen a second time. Only the second time he's frozen, something goes awry and his hair and skin change color. But he stays frozen and traditionally Joker-like for a decade, and then gets unfrozen by his followers when Bruce is in his 20s. Then, the appearance and age would be right for the traditional Batman canon.
Frozen, unfrozen, frozen, unfrozenall this freezing has numbed my mind. Why not create a REAL Joker character, with a real motivation for BEING the Joker? Jerome is just insane; he's never shown any propensity for practical jokes, whatsoever. To me, he's not the Joker at all. -
Crown_22 — 9 years ago(January 22, 2017 07:59 AM)
"Why not create a REAL Joker character, with a real motivation for BEING the Joker? Jerome is just insane; he's never shown any propensity for practical jokes, whatsoever. To me, he's not the Joker at all."
Maybe he starts with the practical jokes down the line? None of the villains are fully developed yet because these are their beginning days. We're entitled to our own opinions though. I find Jerome way more like the Joker than the Jared Leto version in Suicide Squad. -
mattymattix — 9 years ago(January 21, 2017 05:42 PM)
I personally never cared for the comic origins of the Joker, and frankly preferred that it remained a mystery. That said, him being a copycat character who is influenced by Jerome is still INFINITELY dumber than Jerome becoming him. The Joker is not a follower. I can't believe so many people back this idea. It's also not cannon either, so what's the difference?
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Crown_22 — 9 years ago(January 22, 2017 08:04 AM)
Exactly, I'd actually like Jerome to be the Joker. Even if I didn't care for Jerome, I'd much rather him be the Joker than the Joker's inspiration. I feel like it's too late, Jerome is definitely the Joker and there's no changing their minds or making up a new theory. There are more people who likes him as the Joker than there are who thinks otherwise. If producers kill him again or try to twist it again, there will be lots of hate.
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Swissangel4616 — 9 years ago(January 27, 2017 12:34 PM)
No problem with having Jerome (possible or not as Joker) older than Bruce.
When Jerome would be the Joker (or even he wouldn't be it): Cesare Romero who played Joker in the 1966 Batman Serie was already older than Batman Actor Adam West.
So it works for me very well.
But I don't take it to serious. Its a comic book (somewhat between fantasy/sci-fi) based tv serie - so everything can happen. Even death people can coming back.