The producers of ‘Gotham’ have been slipping in little clues that hint at The Joker in nearly every episode.  A clown here, a flailing stand up comedian there, a card sharp in one episode… but it’s all been leading the the debut of the Clown Prince of Crime in the pasty flesh.

Obviously, since this show takes place in the past, we won’t see who many consider the best comic book super villain ever in his full purple suited, green haired splendor, but we will at least see what may be the most concrete origin the criminal has ever been given.  Even Alan Moore’s 80s milestone ‘The Killing Joke’ has had doubt cast upon the origin conveyed within it.

Not much can be gleaned from the short clip, but it’s a neat tease.  This Joker (whatever he ends up being called… the 1989 ‘Batman’ movie with Jack Nicholson and ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ used the alter ego Jack Napier) appears close in age to ‘Gotham”s Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) and Selina Kyle, the fledgling Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), unlike the already adult Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) and Edward Nygma/Riddler (Cory Michael Smith).

Check out the clip below for yourself:

The Joker (or whatever he goes by here) first pops up in the February 16 episode ‘The Blind Fortune Teller’ which introduces John Grayson and Mary Lloyd, a.k.a. the couple that will eventually get married and have a son named Richard, nicknamed Dick, better known as the first Robin.  Of course, since Bruce Wayne is still a child on this series, it makes sense that Robin hasn’t yet been born or… even conceived.

Then in the February 23 episode ‘Red Hood’, Bullock (Donal Logue) and Gordon (Ben McKenzie) investigate the Red Hood Gang.  In the comics, the man who would become The Joker, was first a comedian who was blackmailed into becoming The Red Hood and taking part in a robbery at a chemical factory.  The robbery was foiled by Batman and The Red Hood fell into a vat of chemicals and washed out into Gotham River.  (Strict environmental laws in Gotham City, clearly.)  The chemicals turned his skin chalk white and his hair green.  In the original comics, this drove him over the edge and he became The Joker.  In ‘The Killing Joke’, this was just the beginning.  When he returned home and found his pregnant wife dead from electrocution, THAT was the final straw that led to his insanity.

No word on how far ‘Gotham’ will follow The Joker’s path, but this is a start.

What do you think?  Are you excited that Batman’s archenemy will be part of this show?

‘Gotham’ airs on FOX at 8 pm Eastern on Monday nights.

Source: Cinema Blend