The Jester

Daredevil vol. 1 #45 © 1968 Marvel Comics. COVER ART BY GENE COLAN AND FRANK GIACOIA (PHOTO BACKGROUND).

The Jester

(pop culture)The Jester is accustomed to bad reviews. First seen in Marvel Comics' Daredevil vol. 1 #42 (1968), written by Stan Lee and drawn by Gene Colan, the Jester is secretly thespian Jonathan Powers, whose critically panned stage turn as Cyrano de Bergerac draws the final curtain after a dismal opening-night performance. After a brief stint as a costumed clown on a children's television show, Powers, whose ego far outweighs his talent, hogs the crime spotlight as the hateful harlequin, the Jester. Pummeled by the Jester's pouch of perilous playthings—including a bola yo-yo, knockout gas-spraying flying discs, exploding bouncing balls, a high-voltage artificial hand, and deadly jacks—Daredevil discovers that this mirthful menace is no laughing matter. Some comics readers have dismissed the Jester as a Joker rip-off. Aside from their visual similarities (and the noir-ish milieus of their adversaries), these criminal clowns share little in common. The Joker's crimes are often rooted in madness, whereas the Jester's vendettas against Daredevil display methodical cunning. His obsession with image has led the Jester to malign Daredevil's reputation through orchestrated media manipulation, and when that fails, the Jester has been known to threaten the Man without Fear with his fencing and gymnastic expertise. Although he has teamed with Daredevil foes Mr. Hyde and Cobra as the Trio of Doom, the Jester is most effective when working alone, as Daredevil has too frequently discovered over the years. This was the second Marvel supervillain to use the name “Jester,” the first being an unrelated character in Captain America #65 (1948). Neither of Marvel's Jesters should be confused with the Golden Age (1938–1954) superhero of the same name, seen in issues #22–#85 of Smash Comics.