SPOILERS ahead for Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1!
The Joker is known as one of the most vicious and ruthless villains in the DC Universe, but there's one thing he does not want to be known as—a liar.
During one of his schemes, the Joker was defeated by Power Girl. He had blown up a boat and when questioned about the other bombs, Power Girl doesn't believe Joker had planted any. There was a time in all American Funnies #312 when the Joker was tricked into lying by the president. Power Girl cites that as an example that Joker can lie. However, the Joker had fallen in love with Power Girl during this incident and didn't want her to think he was a liar.
In a backup story in Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1 by Matthew Rosenberg and Francesco Francavilla, the Joker sets off the remaining bombs because he believes Power Girl is his future wife, and he wants her to think he is an honest person. Of course, Power Girl is angry and upset that Joker set off more bombs and declares that she hates him. So, the Joker's plan to try and disprove her notion that he is a liar backfired, and he has to figure out a new way to apologize.
Power Girl Teaches Joker About Shame
It's almost hilarious how Joker can be a hopeless romantic at times. He has no problem stealing, killing, and causing all sorts of mayhem around the city, but he took it very personally when Power Girl called him a liar. And this is not just because the Joker was smitten with her. There is something about being considered a liar that he took as an insult to his character. The Joker is certainly known to trick and deceive people from time to time, but that is far different from merely being a dishonest person at heart, especially in the eyes of someone whom he has affection for.
The Joker might be one of the most psychologically damaged villains in the entire DC Universe. Because of this, his self-perception is incredibly skewed. Murdering and wanton destruction are not on the same pedestal of sin as lying is for him. Plenty of people can consider him a murderous psychopath and the Joker has no problem with it, but when it comes to people considering him a liar, the Joker would kill people merely to prove them wrong about his integrity. It just goes to show how twisted and perverse his mind is that there's something about deceiving people through a bald-faced lie that makes the Joker feel shame.
Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1 is now available from DC Comics!