Posted By Dan Greenfield on Apr 25, 2025 | 3 comments

JOKER WEEK: The greatest of them all…

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Welcome to JOKER WEEK! One of the greatest characters in comics history debuted 85 years ago, in Batman #1, on April 24, 1940 — and we’re celebrating with a series of features saluting the Clown Prince of Crime, just like we did with CATWOMAN WEEK. For the complete index of JOKER WEEK features, click here.

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If we’re going to spotlight a handful of Joker artists this week — like we already have with Marshall Rogers and Jim Aparo — you cannot possibly skip Neal Adams, the greatest of them all.

And what’s particularly cool about this selection of 13 illustrations is that they were all picked by Adams’ daughters, Kris Adams Stone and Zeea Adams.

Zeea, by the way, has a big art exhibit opening May 1 in New York City, and you should definitely check it out. Click here for a selection of what she’ll be showing — including paintings of “Ben Casey Girls” based on her father’s work — and info on when to go.

Meanwhile, dig these 13 Neal Adams Joker pieces, leading off with Kris’ favorite.

“The reason I like this is because Dad just went off and did this on his own,” she said. “He said he just felt like doing it. I thought it strange because he usually doesn’t do things like that, just go off and do a piece for himself, in a way. He said, ‘I know it probably won’t sell but try it,’ and then did his usual fling of art onto my desk. This is complete Neal: his color as well, which also surprised me. This is true Neal Adams on a whim. For himself.”

1973

Power Records’ Stacked Cards, 1975

“Neal did this by playing with the light on his desk and cupping his hands and making shadows till he figured it out,” Kris said. “This is one of his brain covers and he would be mad if I didn’t include it.”

Batman #251

Variant cover art for 2008’s Salvation Run #7

Stacked Cards

Batman #251

This started as a piece that Neal was teaching drawing with, and then he went home and did the finish again for some strange reason. This is the front of Continuity Associates (the old lobby) and the flunky behind the desk is Pete Stone!” — Kris

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MORE

— The Complete JOKER WEEK Index of Features. Click here.

— NEAL ADAMS’ Daughter ZEEA Goes Solo For NEW YORK CITY Art Exhibit. Click here.