WIDE ANGLE : THE PEOPLE'S JOKER remixes the familiar characters to create a new kind of comic book movie : ANARCHIC AND STYLISTIC.

THE ULTIMATE villain of DC Comics, the Joker, has been brought to the screen many times. From Cesar Romero's 1960s camp prankster in Batman: The Movie [1966] to Jack Nicholson's villain-with-flair in Tim Burton's iconic Batman [1989] and Heath Ledger's wonderfully textured psychotic criminal in The Dark Knight [ 2008 ].

Though he's never the hero, '' the crown prince of crime '' usually dominates whatever film he's in.

Other versions of the character have been less well received. Critics disliked Jared Leto's take in Suicide Squad [ 2016], calling the film ''shallow,'' and many fans loathed his gang-style tattoos and make-up.

Joaquin Phoenix's downtrodden schizophrenic Arthus Fleck in Joker [2019] was initially championed by audiences and critics. But the film felt disconnected from Joker's history and more like a critique of poverty and social isolation than a comic book movie.

Phoenix's reappearance in sequel Joker : Folie a Deux [ 2024 ] was widely panned, due to an incoherent plot and unusual choice of the jukebox musical genre.

This is the landscape that welcomes The People's Joker, a parody film with an LGBTQ+ twist. Written by Vera Drew and Bri LeRose, and directed by and starring Drew in the lead role, it has just started a screening tour of the UK.

Set in an alternate [ unaffiliated and unofficial ] DC universe, this semi-autobiographical dark comedy explores Drew's real-life gender transition, using a fictional alter-ego, '' Joker the Harlequin.'' This character is used as a metaphor for the difficulties of transgender adolescence.

The film is a re-imagining of Drew's coming-of-age story. She moves to Gotham City, trying to launch a comedy act in a place where comedy has been outlawed.

After a poor audition, she decides to create ''anti-comedy'', supported by a slew of recognisable Batman villains, such as Riddler, Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy.

Alternate Versions Of Famous Characters : As the film conjures provocative versions of familiar characters - both similar and radically different to previous incarnations seen on screen - The People's Joker is well-timed to compete with changes to the official cinematic superhero universes made by Marvel and DC.

Reimaging Continuity : The People's Joker mines Batman comic lore and gleefully stirs it up. Todd announces :

'' Before I was Jason Todd my name was Carrie Kelley '' [ a young, female iteration of Robin who appeared in Frank Miller's landmark novel. The Dark Knight Returns ].

Old speculation around the nature of Batman and Robin's relationship is also referenced when Todd notes that, after he transitioned, Batman made a pass at him.

A film starring two different versions of Joker has a surprising precedent. DC Comics has run a storyline since 2006 that suggests Batman had actually come up against three different Jokers. All three then teamed up in a 2020 mini series.

This goes hand in hand with Joker. Folie a Deux, and The Gotham TV series, which both suggests a new Joker will arrive when a previous one dies.

The People's Joker matches its anarchic content with stylistic surrealism : blurred backgrounds, extensive use of green screen, bargain basement make-up, periodic slips into animation or action figures, and CGI effects to create the rictus grins.

These all give the film a hallucinogenic feel, culminating in an ending where Drew sails through the sky with fifth-dimensional imp Mister Mxyzptlk, floating between an infinite number of possible timelines.

With various superhero franchises leaning into different media, continuities and multiverses, The People's Joker follows in the tradition of previous-reimaginings of Batman.

As many authorized comic book films are starting to feel like they're retreading too familiar ground, hopefully the critical appreciation of the film will point towards stranger and more unique comic adaptations yet to come.

The World Students Society thanks Alex Fitch, a lecturer and PhD Candidate in Comics and Architecture at the University of Brighton, UK.

Julia Round is an Associate Professor of English and Comics Studies at Bournemouth University, UK.

With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of the world. See You all prepare for Great Global Elections on : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter X !E-WOW! - The Ecosystem 2011 :