Which Joker Scarring Do You Prefer?

[Punisher Rising]

Rictis/Permagrin


Or


Smile Scars



While the rictis grin caused by permanent nerve damage is classic, I have to say I prefer the smile scars by far. Very disturbing and twisted, and I actually think in the scene where he's disguised as an honor guard his scars are repulsive to look at and moreso without the make-up which at least covers them up a bit. It's also IMO more fitting for his character if he's the psychotic killer Joker and not the buffoon Joker, since it adds to his evilness.

 

[SuperFerret]

The rictis grin, because nothing's scarier than someone who's not only completely psychotically homicidal, but he's just so damn happy about it all.

 

[Two-Face=Badass]

Wait a moment, where did Joker (outside of the 89 film) have a rictus grin?

Either way I'd take that over scarred Joker anyday. I hate the scars, and I far prefer Joker to be a dapper yet deadly clown, his clean face and huge grin is far more creepy than simple "smile" scars.

 

[Punisher Rising]

It's generally thought his permanent grin is the result of the chemical splash in most mediums, isn't it (presuming he actually did fall in a chemical vat)? The old-school Joker is usually regarded as having a rictus grin.

 

[Two-Face=Badass]

It's generally thought his permanent grin is the result of the chemical splash in most mediums, isn't it (presuming he actually did fall in a chemical vat)? The old-school Joker is usually regarded as having a rictus grin.

But the Joker frowns and does other expressions in nearly all of his stories, from Batman #1 to Dick Sprang's Joker to Englehart's Joker.

 

[[A]]

glasgow smile. all the way.

 

[Punisher Rising]

But the Joker frowns and does other expressions in nearly all of his stories, from Batman #1 to Dick Sprang's Joker to Englehart's Joker.

Maybe he just has some range in his grin and isn't limited to just a smile.

 

[HotToyzJoker]

I go with the Smile Scars any day... When I saw that pic of Joker I thought badass bum crazy clown slashed his own face for fun... Then just mashed on the make up with out a single care in the world... Now the comic old skool Joker is cool and all but I just like the new ones better... Theres just something so creepy about those scars when Joker does the Cop and you see him with no make up on... I also like the ideal of removable make up something none of the comic Jokers have had to date... That I know of...

 

[Nepenthes]

It's generally thought his permanent grin is the result of the chemical splash in most mediums, isn't it (presuming he actually did fall in a chemical vat)? The old-school Joker is usually regarded as having a rictus grin.

it's "generally thought" to be a rictus grin by people who haven't read many batman comics. if he can make a variety of normal expression then it's not frozen stiff is it? which is the definition of rictus

 

[Punisher Rising]

I'm guessing the grin has some range in it but when he does the grin it stays in place firmly due to the disfigurement.

 

[Two-Face=Badass]

I'm guessing the grin has some range in it but when he does the grin it stays in place firmly due to the disfigurement.

So frowning is just an extension of a grin?

No, you're just wrong. Just wrong. Read a Batman comic.

 

[Punisher Rising]

I never said it was. I've just seen the grin referred to as a rictus grin most of the time so I just used it in the poll. I guess wide grin would've been better to use in the poll for the choice. (and yes, I've read plenty of Batman comics and see The Joker's different expressions, including the frowns he does in TKJ).

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I remember Joker's ridiculously huge (and I do mean huge) set of chompers he had in The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. Although I love both of those comics and The Joker is great in them, I found those mammoth-sized chompers a bit much for me.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Tim Sale's approach is not realism.

 

[Bathead]

My understanding was that Joker's grin was never originally meant to be permanent. It was simply a matter of style, just the way he was drawn. Much like Batman's pupil-less eyes.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Talking of Batman's eyes... that's the creepiest Batman ever:

 

[LightningFlash]

Haha, holy ****!!!

 

[Mr. Joker Risin']

lmao!

But yeah, I wouldn't call it a rictus grin, as many have already stated about him using other expressions, nor would I say his grin is a result of the possible chemical scarring. I'd say his freakish grin is just a result of him as a person having a freakish grin. He just happens to always be grinning because he's a psychopath who gets a twisted pleasure from what he does. In other words, his large toothy smile just happens to be a physical feature of the man himself, not a result of his scarring.

 

[MisterAJ]

 

[metalhead_dave]

To paraphrase what the Joker himself once said, I'd prefer multiple choice.

 

[greedyslayer]

Very disturbing and twisted, and I actually think in the scene where he's disguised as an honor guard his scars are repulsive to look at and moreso without the make-up which at least covers them up a bit.

Agreed; somehow, without the make-up, the cut-up scarring looks more gruesome (it's rather interesting, when you think about it...).

 

[Punisher Rising]

TDK Joker without his make-up


Pretty disgusting-looking.

 

[MisterAJ]

I really like that Joker, but not the "Glasgow smile" version that is in the latest comics.

The rictis grin, because nothing's scarier than someone who's not only completely psychotically homicidal, but he's just so damn happy about it all.

Unlike Heath Ledger's Joker..? who was so reluctant to do his "job"..?

 

[Punisher Rising]

The smile scars he had in The Joker GN were pretty grisly-looking, I recall parts of the artwork where you could even see the meat underneath.

 

[Mutagen]

The rictis grin, because it flows with the bleached skin.

 

[Blaztro]

In response to comments stated before, much as you and I, when we are feeling neutral, tend to have our mouths in a straight line, the "neutral position" for Joker's mouth is usually a smile, I believe, in comics. Granted, not the big opened-mouth rictus thing, but a smile, nonetheless.