The Joker's trademark poison he uses to kill his victims may actually be one of the most deadly substances in the DC Universe. One villain revealed just how deadly the Clown Prince of Crime's insidious venom is in a heist to steal some of the worst poisons ever created.
As the number one menace of Gotham, Joker has a lot of tools to help him bring chaos to the city's innocent civilians. With tools such as the iconic 'BANG!' pistol and electrifying joy buzzers, Joker just loves weapons with a killer punchline. The most sinister weapon in his arsenal is Joker Venom, a highly dangerous serum that, when exposed, causes its victims to go into laughing fits that kill them. Joker's sinister concoction also leaves its victims with an eerie, twisted smile, one of the villain's most infamous and depraved calling cards.
While few would dispute that the Joker's grim toxin is deadly, fans got a chance to discover how deadly it is in The Flash #26 by Christos Gage and Neil Googe. The Flash is dealing with a new villain named Spitfire, an aerial-themed villain with a penchant for sky-related crime. After Spitfire murders a close associate of Barry Allen, the Flash chases her before she escapes into the clouds. While the Flash attempts to figure out a way to get into the air, Spitfire and her crew move on to their next target. With no Scarlet Speedster after them, the criminals attack a helicopter en route to a research facility. After boarding the vessel, the villain's flunkies shoot wildly throughout the aircraft, much to the ire of the staff who warn they're carrying dangerous items. Spitfire's already aware of the helicopter's contents: samples of things like the bubonic plague and Joker Venom.
Fans may not have doubted Joker’s disturbing toxin was lethal, but the company it keeps on the helicopter really establishes just how powerful it really is. As little as three milligrams of ricin can kill an adult human and the bubonic plague is estimated to have killed between 75 and 200 million people in the Middle Ages. The fact that Joker's signature compound is among the facility's collection shows the frightening potential of the Clown Prince of Crime.
If Joker Venom can kill as easily as ricin, or spread as fast as the plague, then that’s not just bad news for Gotham, that’s something that could impact the entire DC Universe. Sure, the Joker has used his toxins to threaten Batman's city before, but what could someone familiar with biological warfare do with a sample of the serum? If it keeps the company of such dangerous things like the Black Death, then there's a good chance a mad scientist could create a weapon that's far deadlier than any disease that's ever threatened the world. The citizens of the DC Universe should remain aware that Joker's classic venom is a lot more dangerous than most think.