The Man behind the Red Hood

Way before 1988’s The Killing Joke provided the Joker with a backstory with which readers could empathize, 1951’s The Man Behind the Red Hood, one of the earliest attempts to give the Clown Prince of Crime an origin.

Before he became the Joker, he was the leader of the Red Hood Gang. Since that time, the scope, size, and organization of the group have all remained shrouded in mystery. What set them apart from other gangs was their leader, who always wore a red dome-shaped helmet that hid his face.

Of course, Batman appeared as the gang attempted to rob a chemical plant. The leader of the gang fell – or was pushed or tripped – into a vat of chemicals. And the rest was history.

Of course, this story inspired Alan Moore to write The Killing Joke, and it’s only missing the tragic twist. The Man Behind the Red Hood presented The Joker as having always been evil, or at least a wrong-doer.