Posted By Dan Greenfield on Aug 19, 2021 | 2 comments

The Clown Prince of Crime by a master of classic technique…

There’s so much comics art to see every day and so much of it is wonderful and enriching. Still, every so often, you come across something that makes that “tires screeching to a halt” noise go off in your head. Something so cool, you stop in your tracks and just look at it.

This is one of those things: Jerry Ordway this week posted to eBay a sketch cover that pays homage to the famous splash page from the Joker’s first story in 1940’s Batman #1.

Check. This. Out.

Man. That’s just lovely. In a homicidal maniac sort of way.

Intentionally or not, Ordway even managed to give the Clown Prince of Crime a bit of a Jack Nicholson look in the eyes. This guy is clearly of a mind to make some mookie.

Here’s the original, by the way — by Bob Kane with Jerry Robinson pencils:

So, how much does it cost? Well, the auction ends Monday, Aug. 23, and as I write this, the price is already over $200.

If you have the means, go for it. Hell of an addition to any original art collection, I’d say.

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MORE

— JERRY ORDWAY’s Glorious SUPERMAN ’78 Painting Should Be a Variant Cover. Click here.

— FIRST LOOK: Dig JERRY ORDWAY’s BATMAN ’89 #1 Variant Cover. Click here.