The
Joker is a fictional
supervillain created by
Bill Finger,
Bob Kane, and
Jerry Robinson that first appeared in the debut issue of the
comic book Batman (April 25, 1940) published by
DC Comics. Credit for the Joker's creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's design, while acknowledging Finger's writing contribution. Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance, he was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero
Batman.