Joker's New Boat: a Gaudy Mirror of the Crimeful Prince of Comedy
Prepare for a tsunami of anarchy as the Joker sets off another wave of anarchy with a boat as wild and eccentric as himself. Complete with a self-themed design screaming "I'm the Joker, and I'm here to stay!" this is not just any watercraft but a floating monument to the Joker's trademark brand of craziness.
Joker's boat design is a symphony of purple and green.
There is no doubt about the owner of Joker's boat since it is a vivid explosion of his trademark colors, green and purple. With his iconic green hair, white skin, purple suit, blood-red smile, and menacingly held gun, the larger-than-life figurehead—a Joker-shaped spectacle—stands out most visually. This figurehead, together with the flag featuring Harley Quinn, clearly shows the boat's affiliation to the Clown Prince Of Crime. It's a statement, a floating billboard for the erratic rule of the Joker.
Although Harley Quinn wasn't first shown in Batman: The Animated Series until 1992, the Death in the Family plot ran through 1988. Harley Quinn's appearance on the flag thus lends a bit of anachronism, underscoring even more the Joker's inclination for stretching limits.
Joker's New Look: a crime clown captain of sorts
The Joker has traded his regular purple suit for a nautical outfit that shouts "Clown Captain of Crime!" to match his ostentatious boat. Showing his claimed authority, this seafaring outfit consists of a bicorn captain's hat, a Naval Jacket with big brass buttons, epauels, and shoulder boards. Medals and decorations accentuate the purple and green uniform, so adding even more ornate and striking elements. It's a declaration of dominance and authority, ideal complement to his equally ostentatious boat.
Joker's Boat Scene: Reveal of the Weakness of the Clown Prince of Crime
Batman's scene with Joker's boat is funny and instructive. Batman's sleek, utilitarian Batmobile contrasts sharply with the boat built for maximum visual impact of The Clown Prince Of Crime. But this confrontation also reveals a shockingly poor swimming ability of the Joker!
Batman sends the clown tumbling into the water by rams Joker's boat with his own speedboat in a moment of uncharacteristic passion. Unable to swim, the Joker drowns until Superman shows up just to save him. This surprising turn of events exposes a flaw in the Joker's apparently unbreakable character, implying that even the most sly villain has his Achilles' heel.
Joker's vulnerability: a fresh approach to fight the clown prince of crime?
The disclosure of Joker's incapacity to swim begs interesting issues regarding future interactions with the Clown Prince of Crime. Might this be a fresh approach to fight the apparently unbeatable Joker? Will this weakness be used by his adversaries? The prospect of a water-based approach for vanquishing the Joker gives the continuous struggle between the villain and the Gotham City heroes new level of mystery.
The new boat of the Clown Prince of Crime will surely be a sight as well as a weapon as he keeps his rule of anarchy. It reminds us that even the most apparently perfect villains have flaws; in the case of the Joker, his fear of water might be the secret to bring him down.
