But almost as quickly, she was sexualised to the point of nausea. Created in 1992 for the animated series, she quickly became a fan favourite. Harley Quinn has as an interesting history. And when that happens in comics, you betcha it’s worth paying attention to. Like Brian Azzarello’s Joker, he was doing something new. I was pretty impressed when I read the reviews for Sejic’s take on the character. They’re the Deadpool of the DC universe constantly trying too hard to be quirky.

I’m not blaming it entirely on Suicide Squad (just mostly) but I think we’re all tired of seeing Harley Quinn and Joker t-shirts, merchandise, and couples’ cosplays. Like her beau, she’s also come pretty close to getting boring. So Harley Quinn – like the Joker – is one of those characters that has entered the mainstream and become instantly recognisable, becoming more than just an enemy to Batman. Gorgeous, exceptionally well-written, and presented beautifully, it’s a tour de force for writer/artist Stjepan Sejic. But, even then, things aren’t that black and white. Harleen goes a different route and tells a grown-up tale of tragic love in a dangerously abusive relationship. White Knight was a clever, more realistic take on the Caped Crusader/Joker mythos (and is still one of my all-time favourites), while Batman: Damned earned its adult rating through sheer edge and Bat-todger. If normal comics are PG-13, these are definitely R-rated.

The idea was to deliver standalone, prestige-format comics aimed at a slightly more adult audience. “My story’s the one where the girl dances with the devil…”ĭC’s Black Label is an interesting experiment.

Harleen by stjepan šejić