The Plot: The Joker steals gems and kills their owners following radio announcements.
Body Count: Four -- 1 by delayed action poison, 1 by poison dart, 1 by off panel poisoning, 1 by gunshot.
Best Kill: Delayed action poison with the rictus grin forming right in front of the police.
Other Mayhem: Uses paralyzing gas on a room full of policemen, tosses Batman off a bridge, takes a sap to Robins head and attempts to poison him, and uses paralyzing gas on Batman.
Threatening to pull off a crime in front of the police, its revealed that he cheats to pull off his announced crime. Its a brilliant ploy on a number of levels as it establishes that The Joker makes his own rules, its grim and macabre signaling what kind of crimes The Joker is capable of, it showcases his vanity in announcing the crime instead of pulling it off anonymously, its senseless and completely unnecessary to the goal of stealing a jewel, and it establishes early that its going to require an extraordinary hero to capture him. The Joker is described as having a mask-like face and hate-filled eyes. And the art adds to the story as the only times he smiles are when hes committing or planning or planning evil. The only thing missing from the character is his trademark laugh, which is held off for now.