In the story, the Joker decides to retire from crime after inheriting a massive fortune, only to find out too late that he has fallen victim to an elaborate scheme to humiliate him.

The Joker chooses the third option, yet he decides to commit normal, "un-Jokerish" crimes as secretly as possible and without his usual calling card flourishes, figuring that no one would ever suspect him of such pedestrian affairs.

Unable to resist a chance to satisfy his massive ego, the Clown Prince of Crime boasts to an underworld friend that he had robbed the zoo for the sole purpose of humiliating Batman.

As well as appearing in Detective Comics #180, the story has been reprinted in a trade paperback: "The Joker's Millions" was adapted for an episode of The New Batman Adventures animated television series, which aired on February 21, 1998.

Additionally, the Joker learns of Edward "King" Barlowe's deception via a video tape and attempts to have one of his men impersonate him to distract Batman from what happened.