This image is the cover for the book Joker Psychology, Popular Culture Psychology

Joker Psychology, Popular Culture Psychology

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

Travis Langley, Michael Uslan

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.