No doubt about it, the untimely death of Heath Ledger as well as his new take on the Joker in The Dark Knight has made an impact on the public. Joker costumes are flying off the shelves everywhere.

Ever since the Joker's birth in Batman #1 he has been a staple in costumes and in the continuing stories of Batman. He is characterized as evil, with a penchant for comedic shtick in his plots and schemes, and dubbed the Clown Prince of Crime. The Joker has been grinning his way into popular culture for several generations now.

There are multiple different stories told in comic books and the movies as to how the Joker came to have his trademark grin, chalky white skin, red mouth and green hair. In one comic version the Joker even alludes to liking the multiple choices for his history, and having told so many different versions he can't remember the truth now himself.

Even the new portrait of the mad man with the wicked grin has kept some of the tradition in tact. The purple suit with green vest, while not as dapper as some prior Jokers, is still part of the defining quality of the character.

So that's where you should start when you're putting your costume together, with a purple suit or at least a purple jacket and green vest. Next you'll want to add the hair and makeup or a mask.

For your green hair, wigs save time and frustration, especially if you have light or chemically processed hair that might hold the dye. Even temporary colors can stick around longer than you may want. Be sure to read the label if you choose the dye.

Another decision you'll have to make is between a mask and makeup. Masks make the application of the face not only simple to wear but simple to remove if needed. If you opt for the makeup, you can also pick up latex scars to help the image along if you are doing the new Joker. If you are doing other versions, you'll just need to pick-up a makeup kit.

Remember, no matter which Joker is your favorite a costume should be available if you shop early. You can be the creepy, evil clown from the Batman comics and animated series. He was the slender, agile escape artist that kept returning again and again to challenge the hero. Or you could be the dapper and foppish, cowardly fool from the sitcom who couldn't fight his way out of a paper sack. Or now, you could be the new Dark Knight, psycho version of the Joker that Heath Ledger popularized. It would be the easiest of the Joker costumes to find, for sure.

If you have several parties to attend this season, you could do them all in a series, in order of appearance. Amuse your friends, family and yourself with a trick worthy of the Joker. Think of it as your homage to the Pasty Pillar of Perversity!

Which ever version you choose, you need to do it quickly if you don't want to miss out. The Joker costume is selling like ""Mad"".

To learn more and to find the best selection and lowest prices on Joker Halloween costumes check out http://www.squidoo.com/Joker-Costume .