The Joker is often cited as one of the most dangerous and terrifying comic book villains, and his battles with Batman have been legendary. But, surprisingly, there’s one hero that the Joker fears even more than Batman, and whose city is actually safe from his schemes.
Batman and the Joker have been fighting for years in comics, and Joker continually escalates in the sadism he’s willing to inflict on both Batman and the citizens of Gotham City. However, Joker does sometimes venture outside Gotham, and has fought all the members of the Justice League at one time or another – in fact, one early attack on the team is the reason they started using their satellite headquarters. However, when Joker is choosing his victims, he makes a point to avoid the Flash.
Joker’s Attack on Central City Made Him Fear Flash
Joker’s shocking fear of the Flash was shown in the Flash #800 story ‘Don’t Come to Central City’ by Jeremy Adams, Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, and Rob Leigh. This issue sees various rogues of the Flash sitting around and discussing what a difficult hero the Flash is to deal with, and how operating in Central City is far more difficult than Gotham City or Metropolis. Joker found this out the hard way when he appeared in Central City, planning on using a gas attack that likely would’ve left hundreds dead. But before Joker could even finish his opening monologue, Flash appeared and threw Joker straight out of town – literally, by forming a tornado that tossed him into the air. Joker never returned to Central City after that, apparently realizing that Flash’s powers make his particular brand of chaos almost impossible to pull off.
Flash Doesn’t Play Joker’s Game
The Joker has shown absolutely no problem going up against Batman or even Superman, but when it comes to the Flash he’s consistently tried to avoid dealing with him. Maybe it’s because if pushed hard enough, Flash would just kill Joker without feeling he’d betrayed his sacred duty as a superhero. While Flash does everything he can to avoid killing his enemies, that’s often because Central City’s Rogues have a strict code of honor and don’t kill innocents. Up against the Reverse-Flash, both Wally and Barry are more brutal, and Flash has admitted while holding Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth that he believes some villains need to die. Joker is willing to die to ruin a symbol of heroism, but a hero like Flash who could live with the decision is immune to this logic.
Joker’s Fear of Flash Goes Way Back
Joker’s fear of Flash doesn’t just exist in this issue. Way back in Crisis on Infinite Earths when the Flash is running through time, he briefly appears in Gotham City, where Joker is absolutely horrified to see him. Joker even begs Batman to make Flash leave, explicitly saying “No fair, Speedster, Your town’s Central City, Tell him, Batman! He has no jurisdiction here!” Able to act in microseconds, Flash doesn’t work as the Joker’s straight man like most other heroes, neutralizing his shtick while also potentially taking his life if he judges it necessary. There are very few comic book characters that are as terrifying as Joker – even other villains want nothing to do with him – but the one hero that Joker truly fears is the Flash.
