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When did the Joker first appear in Batman comics?
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Batman
Heath Ledger (seated) as the Joker and Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight (2008).
The Joker first appeared in the spring of 1940 in the debut issue of the eponymous Batman comic book series. Created by illustrator Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger—with collaborator Jerry Robinson also claiming credit for the character's inspiration—the Joker was introduced alongside Catwoman as one of the primary villains in Batman no. 1.123