The People's Joker is the Best Comic Adaptation in Years

Altered Innocence

There has been an annoying trend for the last quarter century to take comic book superheroes as seriously as possible. Batman in particular seems to be stuck in a dark, drab grimness ever since Joel Schumaker was eviscerated for making the character "too gay." Let's be real for a minute, he's a guy who dresses like a bat and punches clowns. How serious can he be? Fortunately, Vera Drew understands both the ridiculousness and inherent camp/Queer sensibilities of the comic hero with her joyfully entertaining semi-autobiographical The People's Joker which retells the Joker's origin as her own trans coming-out story. In doing so, it may be the most daring use of intellectual property in decades.

Following Vera (Griffin Kramer and Vera Drew), a sad, lonely "boy" growing up in an authoritarian Gotham City — she breaks free of her mental prison by becoming "Joker the Harlequin" and attacking the hypocrisies of Gotham with her brand of anti-comedy. Her group of misfit supervillains eventually attract the ire of the Gotham police as well as a fascistic Caped Crusader.

Premiering two years ago at the Toronto Film Festival and then quickly shelved after Warner Brothers threatened legal action, the film has now been allowed screenings and that fact alone is cause for celebration. The story of the Joker as a trans woman's journey of self-discovery is far more fascinating than expected and Drew is clearly wearing her heart on her sleeve with this anarchic story. It's also incredibly funny — with about 700 references to every other form of Bat-media and hilarious scenes that have fun with its micro-budget. For being supposed outsiders, comic book characters have been boringly square lately. It's about time comics gave us true outsider art. Happy Pride! 

The People's Joker is currently playing in select theaters. You can find upcoming screenings at thepeoplesjoker.com

Directed by Vera Drew // Written by Vera Drew and Bri LeRose // Starring Vera Drew, Griffin Kramer, Lynn Downey, Kane Distler, Nathan Faustyn, Phil Braun, Maria Bamford, David Liebe Hart, Christian Calloway, Ruin Carroll, Trevor Drinkwater, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Heidecker, and Robert Wuhl // 92 minutes // Altered Innocence // Unrated ('R' equivalent)