After the heroes and villains from both the Marvel and DC universes were forced to compete against each other in a multiversal tournament that would decide the fate of their respective universes, the two merged into one new world where the Joker got the perfect name and powers. In the crossover event DC vs Marvel by Ron Marz, Peter David, Dan Jurgens, and Claudio Castellini, either the Marvel or DC universe was on the verge of total annihilation until DC’s Spectre and Marvel’s Living Tribunal ed forces and created an all-new reality known as the Amalgam Universe. In this world, each Marvel character was merged with a similar one from DC, and with the creation of the Amalgam Universe came the perfect incarnation of the Joker.
In the Amalgam Universe, Wolverine was fused with Batman giving life to the new brooding hero Dark Claw. Each of their main villains followed suit as well with the Joker being merged with Sabretooth to create their new combined villainous persona Hyena. Hyena made his first Legends of Dark Claw #1 by Larry Hama, Jim Balent, and Ray McCarthy. In the issue, fans learn that Dark Claw and Hyena underwent similar torturous hardships Weapon X forced Wolverine and Sabretooth to endure in the main Marvel Universe which linked their origin stories and made their rivalry more impactful. Not only were their origins explored in this issue, but fans also got to see them in action which proved that Hyena is truly Joker’s perfect form.
While the Joker’s name is fitting for one who pulls such cruel jokes during acts of unspeakable horrors, it isn’t as accurate as the name Hyena in of the Joker’s constant laughing and his inherent need to kill. A ‘Joker’ is a humorous person in the same vein as a Jester, and while they tell jokes and act a fool, they aren’t themselves always laughing but rather trying to make others laugh. Plus an average ‘Joker’ doesn’t have a deep desire to regularly commit atrocities like the Batman villain’s name would suggest. Hyena, however, perfectly captures the menacing laughter and bloodlust exhibited by the Joker as the animal he is named after regularly cackles and is constantly on the hunt for its prey.
Not only is the new name Hyena perfect as a replacement for the Joker, but his new powers make the Clown Prince of Crime the villain he always wished he could be. While the Joker is brutally cruel and utterly insane, he is still mortal and is limited to the kind of carnage he can create across Gotham City. With Sabretooth’s healing factor, strength, claws, and fighting ability, the Joker can carry out his despicably ingenious plans like never before as he can bear witness to his own mass destruction without being impacted by the damage, allowing him to revel in his sick villainy.
Sabretooth’s powers and skills make the Joker more dangerous than he has ever been, and the name of this amalgam villain perfectly captures the Joker’s energy. In a world where fans are constantly comparing Marvel and DC with the endless debate over which one is better, it is satisfying to know that it took the combination of both amazing universes to produce the terribly perfect version of arguably the greatest supervillain to date. The Joker got the perfect name and powers by crossing over with Marvel’s Sabretooth, proving his greatest form is as the Amalgam Universe villain Hyena.
