Long live the Quinn
Harley Quinn’s stock just keeps on risin’ even without her Puddin’.
MEATLOAF once sang, “Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere”. But what about criminally insane girls? In the case of Dr Harleen Frances Quinzel aka Harley Quinn, well, after her star turn in the Suicide Squad movie, she can go anywhere! Whether you loved or loathed Suicide Squad, you probably agree that Harley is the standout character in the dysfunctional team. Despite Will Smith’s pole position on the roll call, Jared Leto’s chilling portrayal of the Joker or the Dark Knight’s early cameos, it was Harley who left the most lasting impression on my mind. Her story isn’t going to end with that movie, as there’s a pipeline of Harley- related projects in the works ( movie spinoff, animated movie and comics), boosting her fast- expanding cult following! DC Comics co- publisher Jim Lee even called her the “fourth pillar” of the company ( next to Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman), probably because her titles have been outselling even the Man of Steel’s! Having followed Harley’s ascension from her debut in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series episode Joker’s Favor ( she’s one of the few popular comic characters who did not originate from a comic), I can say that she really grows on you, albeit in a creepy way. Be it her new cinematic look or her traditional jester costume, she has always stood out, both professionally and ... psychotically. However, what defines Harley’s personality the most is her romantic relationship with the Joker, which profiles as well as defiles her character at the same time. Despite the huge sacrifices she has made for her Puddin’, her feelings are not always reciprocated and there were even occasions when he regarded her as excess baggage. Still, there is a great deal more dimension to this multifaceted character, and this week, we revisit five of her most defining comicbook moments!
1) Sins of the father
For once, it isn’t Mr J’s fault, as Harley’s psychotic- persona manifested way before their Arkham escapade, courtesy of her being raised in a dysfunctional family. Her dad’s a con man who swindles women with his charm, her mother considers her an “evil child”, and her younger brother’s attempt at emulating his dad’s “career” landed him with two unwanted kids.
Ironically, it was her family that made Harley wanted to become a psychiatrist instead – so that she could understand her relatives’ behavioural traits. During college, she theorised that being in love is akin to being a criminal, and tested her hypothesis on her boyfriend ( a guy named ... Guy), who kills an innocent man.
Unlike Harley, Guy just couldn’t live with the guilt, but he also could not bring himself to commit suicide. So he asked Harley to kill him instead, and make it seem like suicide. Traumatised by this tragic event, Harley concluded that the universe is in a constant state of chaos.
In this mentally fragile state, she was ripe for the picking, making her an easy target for Mr J during their early therapy sessions at Arkham.
2) Puddin’ passion
If The Joker has a weakness, then Harley is probably it.
While it always appears that Batman’s the one who is susceptible to emotional attachments ( thanks to the Bat- family), Joker’s mad love for Harley softens his maniacal side on many occasions. So much so that there are a few comic moments where the Joker is ( actually) dumbfounded by his softer stance towards Harley, especially over something to which he would have reacted brutally had it been any of his other henchmen.
There were also numerous occasions where the couple went their separate ways, only for them to be reunited in the most unbelievable manner. Poison Ivy ( Harley’s best friend) once speculated that Harley’s affection for the Joker is due to relapses triggered by intense experiences they shared.
Despite attempts at giving her other romantic options, ranging from Bruce Wayne (!) to Deadshot, Harley’s ultimate wish of starting a normal family with the Joker – as shown in a dream sequence in the movie – only confirms that Puddin’ is her only choice!
3) Ivy envy
While the Harley- Joker relationship is legendary, recent years have seen the Harley- Ivy friendship gain momentum. The Joker may have transformed Harley into a villain but we can credit Ivy with making her a super- villain!
Harley’s superhuman powers stem from Ivy’s potion, which enhances her strength, speed and agility, makes her immune to toxins, and even gives her a healing factor.
Even though there have been numerous occasions where they have betrayed one another ( sometimes even getting Catwoman involved), the bond between these two female villains remains unbreakable, with Ivy even refraining from killing Harley on a few occasions.
4) Mad genius
One way the movie didn’t do justice to Harley was overlooking her intelligence. After all, being a qualified psychiatrist, she has to have a high level of it.
There are several standout comic moments that prove she is actually quite the mad genius. One of these was during her Gotham Sirens stint, in which Harley, Ivy and Catwoman teamed up and shared an abandoned animal shelter.
When boredom crept in, Harley and Ivy decided to drug Selina to squeeze Batman’s secret identity out of her. However, Selina had been trained by the likes of Talia al Ghul to resist mind control, and she responded by providing a host of potential Batmen instead. While Ivy bought it, Harley’s background in psychiatry helped her deduce that Batman is someone who had some serious “childhood trauma”. If she had probed further – we hope she will, eventually – it would be no surprise if she turns up at Wayne Manor eventually!
While on the subject of secret hideouts, Harley also once showed up at Green Arrow’s lair and gave Oliver Queen a lecture on naming his hideout. She suggested that Green Arrow rename his lair. Her logic is simple: “I know Batman has a Bat Cave but that makes sense. Bats live in caves. Arrows don’t live in caves. They’re inanimate objects, they don’t live at all. Why don’t you call it, like, ‘ The Quiver’?”
5) Queen of her own destiny
Due to Harley’s ever- growing popularity, various creative teams have tried to inject some redeeming qualities into her, to the point that she has become more of an anti- hero ( like Catwoman) who is her own woman, instead of just being the Joker’s squeeze. During the Death Of The Family story arc, Harley broke it off with Joker once and for all, claiming that he was no longer the Mr J she fell in love with.
This paved the way for Harley to embark on an increasingly successful solo career. On her own, she has had a hit solo series, become an integral member of the Suicide Squad, teamed up with Power Girl, formed her own gang of do- gooder mercenaries called the “Harleys”, joined a skate club, bought a building and became a landlady ... it’s like she’s making up for all the time she wasted hanging out with the Joker.
The highest stamp of approval she could ever get came from none other than Bruce Wayne himself, who signed her parole papers.
When even the Batman approves of her newfound freedom, you can be sure that you’ll be seeing a lot more of Harley Quinn!