WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Punchline #1 by James Tynion IV, Sam Johns, Mirka Andolfo, Romulo Fajardo Jr. & Gabriela Downie, on sale now
The Joker is one of the most terrifying villains in modern fiction, with the twisted comedy of the Clown Prince of Crime often leaving just as much blood behind as it does chaos. Even when he's committing silly schemes instead of the massive brutality of something like the Joker War, he can leave far more destruction than anyone cares to remember.
During her recounting of the Joker's crimes across Gotham City, Punchline specifically calls out the infamous Laughing Fish incident and makes a point about just how deadly and costly that crime really was in Punchline #1.
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As part of her scheme to build up her support base around Gotham City, Punchline released a podcast charting her development into an advocate of the Joker in an effort to garner sympathy. Punchline's podcast starts with her charting her journey investigating the crimes of the Joker, all the while trying to figure out his true motivations. One episode ends up focusing specifically on a notable classic Batman story, Detective Comics #475 & #476 by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. That story introduced perhaps one of the most memorable Joker schemes ever: by using his Joker Toxin on the waters surrounding Gotham City, Joker is effectively able to taint the fishing lines throughout the city. Every fish caught was stuck smiling the distinct look that usually comes plastered on the victims of the Joker.
The Clown Prince of Crime then visited the local copyright commission, arguing that since the fish now all carried the look of his distinct "brand," the Joker is entitled to copyright claims against anyone who tries to sell the fish in the city without his approval. When the copyright commission refuses to honor this request, Joker quickly starts a campaign to kill all of the employees there, which sets up a race for the Dark Knight to try and save as many lives as he can. The ridiculous and bizarre nature of the crime (as well as the general craft of the story) has made "The Laughing Fish" one of the Joker's most memorable crimes. It's even been adapted to other media, notably as an episode of Batman: The Animated Series.
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During her podcast, Punchline notes that some people in Gotham miss his "prank" crimes, citing the kind of strangeness of incidents like the Joker Fish in particular. But Punchline argues that the crime was actually one of the Joker's most terrifying and destructive crimes. By going through with it, Joker had effectively poisoned the Gotham City food supply by converting them into his visage, and then he demanded the city pay him for his actions. When they refused, he systematically murdered his way through an entire office of innocent men and women, all as part of a "bit."
Punchline notes that it ultimately took months of time and millions of dollars to undo the damage Joker had brought to the local fishing industry, and considering that Gotham is usually depicted as a coastal city, that's a major attack on a central industry of the city. The fact that one of the Joker's infamous "prank" crimes has an entire memorial dedicated to it should speak to just how gruesome and cruel of an attack this was, and it's a reminder that even as his silliest, the Joker is one of DC's most fearsome forces.