12/27/2023
Detective Comics 62 is the FIRST JOKER COVER. Many mistakenly believe it's Detective 40 because the Tec 40 cover is a MODIFIED Joker panel from Batman 1. The modification made what WAS the Joker in the Bat 1 panel appear more like Clayface on the cover of Tec 40. Things that are different are not the same!
Why did DC do this? Bat 1 was going to print before Tec 40 and DC needed another Bat story to complete the book. So, they moved the Bat/Joker story intended for Tec 40 into the Bat 1. Then DC prepared a new story for Tec 40 featuring Clayface to replace the Bat/Joker story they moved to Bat 1.
Now the Tec 40 had a Joker cover that no longer lined up with the Clayface story inside ... so rather than redraw the cover - DC CHANGED THE COVER and recolored what WAS the Joker on the cover of Tec 40 to appear like Clayface. The cover of Tec 40 while similar to the Joker panel in Bat 1 is - NOT THE SAME. Things that are different are not the same.
After re-coloring the cover of Tec 40 - the Joker was NO LONGER the Joker by intent or actual appearance. Therefore - Detective 62 is truly the FIRST Joker cover - not Tec 40.
But wait ... some Bat 11's have earlier news-stand dates than Tec 62 so maybe - just maybe - Batman 11 is the first JOKER cover - LIKE - SHARE and Follow me on Instagram ...
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