The Joker Psychology: Evil Clowns and the Women Who Love Them

by Travis Langley (Editor), Michael Uslan (Foreword by)

Overview

A fun, frightening, and fascinating deep dive into the psyche of a madman: Batman’s nemesis, the Clown Prince of Crime.
 
Since he first fought Batman in 1940, The Joker has evolved into one of popular culture's most complex and confounding psychological creations: both a criminal mastermind and an unhinged psychopath. In The Joker Psychology: Evil Clowns and the Women Who Love Them, Dr. Travis Langley, author of the bestselling Batman and Psychology, returns to Gotham City to explore the twisted psyche of this great supervillain, as well as the personalities who are inexorably drawn to it.
 
Paying special attention to the strange dynamics of relationships like the one between The Joker and Harley Quinn, this collection includes some very special interviews with people who brought The Joker and Harley Quinn to life in comics and onscreen, and analyzes:
 
·       Why a bright, laughing monster who looks like a clown could be the ultimate antagonist to a grim, brooding hero who looks like a monster
·       The relationship between a therapist and her patient—and what happens when a therapist crosses the line, as Harley Quinn does when she falls for The Joker
·       How a smart person could fall for the most dangerous of criminals
·       Why so many fans find Harley Quinn inspirational
·       How different kinds of therapy could (or could not) help twisted minds like Mister J and Harley Quinn
The development of a fictional character that so completely embodies psychopathy (including interviews with creators who have shaped The Joker’s character over the years), and more

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454935438
Publisher:	Union Square & Co.
Publication date:	11/22/2022
Series:	Popular Culture Psychology , #12
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	522
Sales rank:	526,514
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Travis Langley, PhD, authored the acclaimed book Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight (Wiley & Sons; Turner Publishing). He is the series editor for the Popular Culture Psychology series, including The Walking Dead Psychology: Psych of the Living Dead, Wonder Woman Psychology: Lassoing the Truth, and Captain America Vs. Iron Man: Freedom, Security, Psychology (with foreword by Stan Lee) along with looks at Star Wars, Star Trek, Game of Thrones, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Daredevil, Black Panther, Westworld, and more. A distinguished professor of psychology at Henderson State University, he teaches on the psychology of crime, mental illness, media, and social behavior.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments: Accomplices vii

Foreword: That Thin Line Michael Uslan xv

Introduction: Who's That Clown? Travis Langley 1

I Ace

1 Which Joker? Travis Langley 11

2 Who Created the Joker? Travis Langley 28

3 Horror: A Clown, at Midnight Eric D. Wesselmann Travis Langley Vanessa Hicks 56

Case Report I (1940): Risk Management Assessment for the Psychopath Colt J. Blunt 76

II Clown

4 The Spotlight: The Flamboyant Criminal Shelly Clevenger J. Scott Jordan 83

5 Trickster and Shadow: Jungian Archetypes Larisa A. Garski Justine Mastin Ashley Myhre 93

6 Humor: Who's Laughing? Travis Langley Sibe Doosje 106

Case Report II (1966): Risk Management Assessment for the Narcissist Colt J. Blunt 122

III King

7 Insanity: Getting into Arkham (On Being Insane in Insane Places) Martin Lloyd 127

8 Cult of Personality: Personality and Crime Colt J. Blunt 147

9 The Brain: Built to Be Bad? Travis Langley 163

Case Report III (1974): Risk Management Assessment for the Legally Insane Colt J. Blunt 173

IV Harlequin

10 Lies: Why Lie on the Couch? Billy San Juan Travis Langley 179

11 Relationship Abuse: When the Joker Isn't Funny Wind Goodfriend Ryan Harder 197

12 The Allure: The Therapist Who Falls Leandra Parris Eric D. Wesselmann Shelly Clevenger Amanda Vicary 220

Case Report IV (2000): Risk Management Assessment for the Machiavellian Colt J. Blunt 242

V Wild Card

13 The Rivalry: These Two Guys Travis Langley 247

14 Trauma: More Than One Bad Day Leandra Parris Eric D. Wesselmann 270

15 Therapy: Can Counseling Cure the Clown? Travis Langley Apryl Alexander Vanessa Hicks William Sharp Justine Mastin Yoni Sobin Jenna Busch Asher Johnson Erin Currie Kathleen La Forgia 286

Case Report V Current Recommendation: Risk Management Assessment for the Sadist Colt J. Blunt 308

Last Laugh: Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Travis Langley 312

About the Editor 315

Special Contributors 316

Contributors 317

References 323

Index 359