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Batman: Harley Quinn
Head over heels in her devotion to the Joker, Arkham psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel gave up her career (and her sanity) to transform herself into the ultimate companion for crime's clown prince—the mad moll Harley Quinn.
Of course, Harley's romance with the Joker hasn't been easy. The two are at each other throats as often as in each other's arms, and that buzzkill Batman is always sticking his nose in just when things are starting to get fun. But what great love story is without the occasional incarceration and life-threatening peril?
The Joker's main squeeze takes center stage in these stories from top creators Paul Dini, Yvel Guichet, Don Dramer, Joe Quinones, Neil Googe and more!
Collects stories from: Batman: Harley Quinn #1, Batman: Gotham Knights #14, #30, Detective Comics #831, #837, Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn #1, Batman: Black and White #1, #3, Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 and Detective Comics #23.2.
Of course, Harley's romance with the Joker hasn't been easy. The two are at each other throats as often as in each other's arms, and that buzzkill Batman is always sticking his nose in just when things are starting to get fun. But what great love story is without the occasional incarceration and life-threatening peril?
The Joker's main squeeze takes center stage in these stories from top creators Paul Dini, Yvel Guichet, Don Dramer, Joe Quinones, Neil Googe and more!
Collects stories from: Batman: Harley Quinn #1, Batman: Gotham Knights #14, #30, Detective Comics #831, #837, Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn #1, Batman: Black and White #1, #3, Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 and Detective Comics #23.2.
200 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2015
59 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
About the author
Paul Dini
721 books709 followersPaul Dini is an American television producer of animated cartoons. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond and Duck Dodgers. He also developed and scripted Krypto the Superdog and contributed scripts to Animaniacs (he created Minerva Mink), Freakazoid, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. After leaving Warner Bros. In early 2004, Dini went on to write and story edit the popular ABC adventure series Lost.
Paul Dini was born in New York City. He attended the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California on an art scholarship. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a BFA degree in creative writing. (He also took zoology classes at Harvard University.)
During college, he began doing freelance animation scripts for Filmation, and a number of other studios. In 1984, he was hired to work for George Lucas on several of his animation projects.
The episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon that were written by Dini have become favorites amongst the show's fans over the internet, although despite this as well as contributing to interviews on the released box sets of the series, Dini has made no secret of his distaste for Filmation and the He-Man concept. He also wrote an episode of the Generation One Transformers cartoon series and contributed to various episodes of the Ewoks animated series, several of which included rare appearances from the Empire.
In 1989, he was hired at Warner Bros. Animation to work on Tiny Toon Adventures. Later, he moved onto Batman: The Animated Series, where he worked as a writer, producer and editor, later working on Batman Beyond. He continued working with WB animation, working on a number of internal projects, including Krypto the Superdog and Duck Dodgers, until 2004.
He has earned five Emmy awards for his animation work. In a related effort, Dini was also the co-author (with Chip Kidd) of Batman Animated, a 1998 non-fiction coffee table book about the animated Batman franchise.
Dini has also written several comics stories for DC Comics, including an acclaimed oversized graphic novel series illustrated by painter Alex Ross. (A hardcover collection of the Dini and Ross stories was published in late summer 2005 under the title The World's Greatest Superheroes.) Other books written by Dini for DC have featured his Batman Animated creation Harley Quinn as well as classic characters Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Zatanna.
Best known among Dini's original creations is Jingle Belle, the rebellious teen-age daughter of Santa Claus. Dini also created Sheriff Ida Red, the super-powered cowgirl star of a series of books set in Dini's mythical town of Mutant, Texas. Perhaps his greatest character contribution is the introduction of Harley Quinn (along with designs by Bruce Timm) on Batman: The Animated Series.
In 2001 Dini made a cameo appearance in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back during the scene in which Jay and Silent Bob wear ridiculous looking costumes for a film being directed by Chris Rock, in which Dini says to them "you guys look pretty bad ass".
In 2006, Dini became the writer for DC Comics' Detective Comics. That same year, he announced that he was writing a hardcover graphic novel starring Zatanna and Black Canary. In 2007, he was announced as the head writer of that company's weekly series, Countdown. Paul Dini is currently co-writing the script for the upcoming Gatchaman movie. Dini is also currently writing a series for Top Cow Productions, based in a character he created, Madame Mirage.
Paul Dini is an active cryptozoologist, hunter and wildlife photographer. On a 1985 trip to Tasmania, he had a possible sighting of a Thylacine. He has also encountered a number of venomous snakes, a Komodo Dragon and a charging Sumatran Rhi
Paul Dini was born in New York City. He attended the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California on an art scholarship. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a BFA degree in creative writing. (He also took zoology classes at Harvard University.)
During college, he began doing freelance animation scripts for Filmation, and a number of other studios. In 1984, he was hired to work for George Lucas on several of his animation projects.
The episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon that were written by Dini have become favorites amongst the show's fans over the internet, although despite this as well as contributing to interviews on the released box sets of the series, Dini has made no secret of his distaste for Filmation and the He-Man concept. He also wrote an episode of the Generation One Transformers cartoon series and contributed to various episodes of the Ewoks animated series, several of which included rare appearances from the Empire.
In 1989, he was hired at Warner Bros. Animation to work on Tiny Toon Adventures. Later, he moved onto Batman: The Animated Series, where he worked as a writer, producer and editor, later working on Batman Beyond. He continued working with WB animation, working on a number of internal projects, including Krypto the Superdog and Duck Dodgers, until 2004.
He has earned five Emmy awards for his animation work. In a related effort, Dini was also the co-author (with Chip Kidd) of Batman Animated, a 1998 non-fiction coffee table book about the animated Batman franchise.
Dini has also written several comics stories for DC Comics, including an acclaimed oversized graphic novel series illustrated by painter Alex Ross. (A hardcover collection of the Dini and Ross stories was published in late summer 2005 under the title The World's Greatest Superheroes.) Other books written by Dini for DC have featured his Batman Animated creation Harley Quinn as well as classic characters Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Zatanna.
Best known among Dini's original creations is Jingle Belle, the rebellious teen-age daughter of Santa Claus. Dini also created Sheriff Ida Red, the super-powered cowgirl star of a series of books set in Dini's mythical town of Mutant, Texas. Perhaps his greatest character contribution is the introduction of Harley Quinn (along with designs by Bruce Timm) on Batman: The Animated Series.
In 2001 Dini made a cameo appearance in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back during the scene in which Jay and Silent Bob wear ridiculous looking costumes for a film being directed by Chris Rock, in which Dini says to them "you guys look pretty bad ass".
In 2006, Dini became the writer for DC Comics' Detective Comics. That same year, he announced that he was writing a hardcover graphic novel starring Zatanna and Black Canary. In 2007, he was announced as the head writer of that company's weekly series, Countdown. Paul Dini is currently co-writing the script for the upcoming Gatchaman movie. Dini is also currently writing a series for Top Cow Productions, based in a character he created, Madame Mirage.
Paul Dini is an active cryptozoologist, hunter and wildlife photographer. On a 1985 trip to Tasmania, he had a possible sighting of a Thylacine. He has also encountered a number of venomous snakes, a Komodo Dragon and a charging Sumatran Rhi
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
March 9, 2016
Absolutely brilliant!! Harley Quinn has done it yet again! Every single story in this was a little gem!
I loved getting to know more and more about Harley throughout this collection, she really is a pretty fantastic character! I got surprisingly emotional at some of these stories as it breaks me to see Harley getting messed around by the Joker... She deserves so much better and must be protected at all costs.
I loved getting to know more and more about Harley throughout this collection, she really is a pretty fantastic character! I got surprisingly emotional at some of these stories as it breaks me to see Harley getting messed around by the Joker... She deserves so much better and must be protected at all costs.
December 4, 2020
A cute collection of stories (from various sources in the DC universe) all strung together in a pleasing format.
If you're a Harley Quinn fan, you will enjoy the walk down memory lane.
If you're a Harley Quinn fan, you will enjoy the walk down memory lane.
July 15, 2017
I'm embracing my inner geek, and loving comics and superheroes (and villains) again!
And throughout my chronological quest into the far-reaching spaces of pop culture - coupled with a feminist critique - I can say with upmost confidence that I have rarely encountered a more fascinating, more riotously entertaining, multi-layered and complex female character than Harley Quinn, aka Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for 'Batman: The Animated Series' in 1992 as the Joker's henchwoman, she became a definite breakout character, and has grown so much in popularity that DC Comics included her as part of their canon near the end of the millennium.
The story of Harley's character conception, and her resulting huge fanbase, is quite remarkable. Because the idea of the Joker - Batman's most famous long-time adversary and one of the top villains in comics - having a female sidekick who also acts as a sort-of girlfriend should never have worked at all. But I think, due to the complexities of the relationship between Harley and the Joker, as well as Harley's infectious and wonderfully mad-capped personality (for a villain), it did work. Splendidly.
Plus, can anyone name any other famous clown woman? She's a breath of fresh air (no laughing gas required!) indeed.
Harley Quinn, despite what she might show on the outside, is a smart woman. Savvy and quick-thinking. However, her eccentric and overconfident streak got her tragically pulled into a cycle of abuse by the manipulative Joker. She fell madly in love with him when she was his psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, and would do anything to make him love her just as much, even be his partner in crime. This is despite the fact that the egotistical and sociopathic Joker clearly only loves himself (heck, he shows more affection towards Batman than he does Harley), and uses his obsessive fanatic like a puppet for his schemes. Even if it appears he might love his dearly devoted Harley for real, he would sooner kill her than develop any feelings that to him are a disease, a weakness.
Yet even as Harley takes the upper hand on Joker - in revenge for all he has done to her and insisting she is finally over him - she will keep coming back to the Clown Prince of Crime at the slightest gesture of niceness. And nothing changes in this never-ending cycle of destruction.
It reveals just how thin the line is between crazy and tragic, and how anyone - regardless of intelligence or background - can become a victim of abuse. It’s one of the things that makes Harley Quinn so tragic and bewitching a figure in popular culture.
Well anyway, time for my thoughts on the Harley Quinn DC comic, 'Batman: Harley Quinn', and the ten separate issues contained within it, which all have Harley in the spotlight:
1. 'Batman: Harley Quinn #1' - A retelling of Harley's origin, with fairly good artwork that is rich in detail (maybe too much when it comes to women’s bodies =sigh=). Harley can look madly cartoony yet cute and colourful in spite of her dark circumstances. (Awesome cover art by Alex Ross, by the way). It's nice to see her interact with her soon-to-be best friend Poison Ivy as well, who gives Harley a super agility and jumping formula (she doesn't have any powers in the cartoon as far as I can remember). I still prefer her tearjerker 'Mad Love' backstory, however.
2. 'Batman: Gotham Knights #14, "The Bet"' - A cute Harley and Ivy comic strip, with the most cartoony artwork out of the other issues. Nothing special, and nothing makes sense, especially the ending.
3. 'Batman: Gotham Knights #30, "Punchline"' - Heh heh. Very short and contains no dialogue, but subtly demonstrates Harley's morality curveball when it comes to her teasing and playing pranks.
4. 'Detective Comics #831, "Kind of Like Family"' - While I'm not a fan of the more realistic style of artwork, this is a great Harley story. It shows her kicking arse, being a solid negotiator, and able to outwit anyone. Joke's on everyone else; she isn't a dumb blonde, and isn't to be underestimated at any cost. It also shows her sympathetic side towards those who are as lost in life as she is, while she is remorseless towards her enemies whose deaths are on her hands. One of Harley Quinn's first depictions as an anti-heroine.
5. 'Detective Comics #837, "Honor Among Thieves"' - My least favourite of the issues. It seems that any comic I read that involves a reformed Riddler turns incredibly mediocre and just has him be completely inconsequential to his own story/detective case. He kind of disappears to make room for Harley Quinn, who is part of the goddess Athena's women's help shelter here, but surprisingly her role could have been filled by anyone. She doesn't even change into her costume once. I feel you need to have read a vast number of other DC comics at the time in order to understand what is going on, and it doesn't work as a standalone.
6. 'Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn #1, "The Most Important Day of The Year”’ - Such fun! My favourite issue in this collection. Harley is determined to rescue the Joker from a mobster gang so she can be with him on Valentine's Day. Funny, clever, and boy can Harley pack an arsenal of weapons!
7. 'Batman: Black and White #1, "Justice is Served"' - A very strange short one. Still, there are some funny moments, Harley’s pet hyenas are in it, and Harley and Ivy together is always a treat.
8. 'Batman: Black and White #3, "Role Models"' - My second favourite, simply because I can relate to the young girl who is a fan of DC's superheroines, including Batgirl. She is kidnapped, then she escapes her abductor and runs into Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, seeing them as good guys - just as they were going to rob a bank. They end up saving her before Batman can. It’s short, but I love it. The golden-age black and white artwork mirrors the morality complex that Harley has. She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and as it turns out, she isn't above saving children from paedophilic creeps. Plus, any Harley story that can work without the Joker appearing in or being mentioned at all is worth the highest praise.
9. 'Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, "Dr Quinn's Diagnosis"' - A great concept and interesting angle to approach, with Harley using her background in psychology to try to get into Batman's head and find out his weaknesses. The issue came out in 2014 and I'm surprised no one had thought of this idea before, as far as I know. True, Batman the world's greatest detective outwits the psychotic and lovable clown lady, but the journey is unbeatable. Harley is especially goofy and childlike here, but not necessarily in a bad way.
And finally...
10. 'Detective Comics #23.2, "Harley Lives"' – The darkest issue in the collection, rivalling ‘Batman: Harley Quinn #1’. It’s a new take on Harley Quinn, in between her time as a member of the Suicide Squad. She is gothic and brooding here - more like a teenager than a grown woman - and more unhinged; even showing signs of schizophrenia in how she talks to two sides of herself. A deadly sociopath who has no trouble killing innocent people, she's been made into an exact copy of the Joker, only female. I have mixed feelings on this one. It is an introductory character study, with only the beginnings of a plot. But Harley's psychoanalysing narrative, as she tries to justify her actions and way of thinking, is interesting. Her intelligent and insightful side is most prominent. The artwork is fluid and colourful in contrast to the grim, explosive events that happen in the issue, though I really do not like Harley's new revealing outfit (that corset - urgh! It's not even practical for what she does!). It does seem that the more popular a female character is, the less clothing she's left with. Funny, it should have had the opposite effect with how much money she's made and so could afford all kinds of clothes...
That's all folks! Cheers for the Clown Queen of Crime and her many interpretations! I can't wait to read more about her in other comics.
Final Score: 4/5
And throughout my chronological quest into the far-reaching spaces of pop culture - coupled with a feminist critique - I can say with upmost confidence that I have rarely encountered a more fascinating, more riotously entertaining, multi-layered and complex female character than Harley Quinn, aka Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for 'Batman: The Animated Series' in 1992 as the Joker's henchwoman, she became a definite breakout character, and has grown so much in popularity that DC Comics included her as part of their canon near the end of the millennium.
The story of Harley's character conception, and her resulting huge fanbase, is quite remarkable. Because the idea of the Joker - Batman's most famous long-time adversary and one of the top villains in comics - having a female sidekick who also acts as a sort-of girlfriend should never have worked at all. But I think, due to the complexities of the relationship between Harley and the Joker, as well as Harley's infectious and wonderfully mad-capped personality (for a villain), it did work. Splendidly.
Plus, can anyone name any other famous clown woman? She's a breath of fresh air (no laughing gas required!) indeed.
Harley Quinn, despite what she might show on the outside, is a smart woman. Savvy and quick-thinking. However, her eccentric and overconfident streak got her tragically pulled into a cycle of abuse by the manipulative Joker. She fell madly in love with him when she was his psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, and would do anything to make him love her just as much, even be his partner in crime. This is despite the fact that the egotistical and sociopathic Joker clearly only loves himself (heck, he shows more affection towards Batman than he does Harley), and uses his obsessive fanatic like a puppet for his schemes. Even if it appears he might love his dearly devoted Harley for real, he would sooner kill her than develop any feelings that to him are a disease, a weakness.
Yet even as Harley takes the upper hand on Joker - in revenge for all he has done to her and insisting she is finally over him - she will keep coming back to the Clown Prince of Crime at the slightest gesture of niceness. And nothing changes in this never-ending cycle of destruction.
It reveals just how thin the line is between crazy and tragic, and how anyone - regardless of intelligence or background - can become a victim of abuse. It’s one of the things that makes Harley Quinn so tragic and bewitching a figure in popular culture.
Well anyway, time for my thoughts on the Harley Quinn DC comic, 'Batman: Harley Quinn', and the ten separate issues contained within it, which all have Harley in the spotlight:
1. 'Batman: Harley Quinn #1' - A retelling of Harley's origin, with fairly good artwork that is rich in detail (maybe too much when it comes to women’s bodies =sigh=). Harley can look madly cartoony yet cute and colourful in spite of her dark circumstances. (Awesome cover art by Alex Ross, by the way). It's nice to see her interact with her soon-to-be best friend Poison Ivy as well, who gives Harley a super agility and jumping formula (she doesn't have any powers in the cartoon as far as I can remember). I still prefer her tearjerker 'Mad Love' backstory, however.
2. 'Batman: Gotham Knights #14, "The Bet"' - A cute Harley and Ivy comic strip, with the most cartoony artwork out of the other issues. Nothing special, and nothing makes sense, especially the ending.
3. 'Batman: Gotham Knights #30, "Punchline"' - Heh heh. Very short and contains no dialogue, but subtly demonstrates Harley's morality curveball when it comes to her teasing and playing pranks.
4. 'Detective Comics #831, "Kind of Like Family"' - While I'm not a fan of the more realistic style of artwork, this is a great Harley story. It shows her kicking arse, being a solid negotiator, and able to outwit anyone. Joke's on everyone else; she isn't a dumb blonde, and isn't to be underestimated at any cost. It also shows her sympathetic side towards those who are as lost in life as she is, while she is remorseless towards her enemies whose deaths are on her hands. One of Harley Quinn's first depictions as an anti-heroine.
5. 'Detective Comics #837, "Honor Among Thieves"' - My least favourite of the issues. It seems that any comic I read that involves a reformed Riddler turns incredibly mediocre and just has him be completely inconsequential to his own story/detective case. He kind of disappears to make room for Harley Quinn, who is part of the goddess Athena's women's help shelter here, but surprisingly her role could have been filled by anyone. She doesn't even change into her costume once. I feel you need to have read a vast number of other DC comics at the time in order to understand what is going on, and it doesn't work as a standalone.
6. 'Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn #1, "The Most Important Day of The Year”’ - Such fun! My favourite issue in this collection. Harley is determined to rescue the Joker from a mobster gang so she can be with him on Valentine's Day. Funny, clever, and boy can Harley pack an arsenal of weapons!
7. 'Batman: Black and White #1, "Justice is Served"' - A very strange short one. Still, there are some funny moments, Harley’s pet hyenas are in it, and Harley and Ivy together is always a treat.
8. 'Batman: Black and White #3, "Role Models"' - My second favourite, simply because I can relate to the young girl who is a fan of DC's superheroines, including Batgirl. She is kidnapped, then she escapes her abductor and runs into Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, seeing them as good guys - just as they were going to rob a bank. They end up saving her before Batman can. It’s short, but I love it. The golden-age black and white artwork mirrors the morality complex that Harley has. She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and as it turns out, she isn't above saving children from paedophilic creeps. Plus, any Harley story that can work without the Joker appearing in or being mentioned at all is worth the highest praise.
9. 'Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, "Dr Quinn's Diagnosis"' - A great concept and interesting angle to approach, with Harley using her background in psychology to try to get into Batman's head and find out his weaknesses. The issue came out in 2014 and I'm surprised no one had thought of this idea before, as far as I know. True, Batman the world's greatest detective outwits the psychotic and lovable clown lady, but the journey is unbeatable. Harley is especially goofy and childlike here, but not necessarily in a bad way.
And finally...
10. 'Detective Comics #23.2, "Harley Lives"' – The darkest issue in the collection, rivalling ‘Batman: Harley Quinn #1’. It’s a new take on Harley Quinn, in between her time as a member of the Suicide Squad. She is gothic and brooding here - more like a teenager than a grown woman - and more unhinged; even showing signs of schizophrenia in how she talks to two sides of herself. A deadly sociopath who has no trouble killing innocent people, she's been made into an exact copy of the Joker, only female. I have mixed feelings on this one. It is an introductory character study, with only the beginnings of a plot. But Harley's psychoanalysing narrative, as she tries to justify her actions and way of thinking, is interesting. Her intelligent and insightful side is most prominent. The artwork is fluid and colourful in contrast to the grim, explosive events that happen in the issue, though I really do not like Harley's new revealing outfit (that corset - urgh! It's not even practical for what she does!). It does seem that the more popular a female character is, the less clothing she's left with. Funny, it should have had the opposite effect with how much money she's made and so could afford all kinds of clothes...
That's all folks! Cheers for the Clown Queen of Crime and her many interpretations! I can't wait to read more about her in other comics.
Final Score: 4/5
June 7, 2016
I gave this book four stars mostly because I've been so smitten with Harley Quinn ever since I read the new Suicide Squad comic book.
As to the stories themselves, some of them are great (mostly those stories about Harley Quinn going around doing her own things instead of pinning after the Joker, who for most of the time shows he doesn't care much about her) and some are only so-and-so. I enjoy seeing this girl in action and her happy-go-lucky personality is entertaining enough. Harley's friendship with Poison Ivy and her encounters with Batman are also funny and exciting!
PS: reading this book makes me truly see how SAD Batman's life is comparing with not only Harley's and the Joker's, but almost everyone else's! You see, when Harley and the Joker are enjoying their lives being IN LOVE (mostly on Harley's part), having FUN, creating MAYHEM, and having a lot of good LAUGHTER, what Batman has ever had!?
As to the stories themselves, some of them are great (mostly those stories about Harley Quinn going around doing her own things instead of pinning after the Joker, who for most of the time shows he doesn't care much about her) and some are only so-and-so. I enjoy seeing this girl in action and her happy-go-lucky personality is entertaining enough. Harley's friendship with Poison Ivy and her encounters with Batman are also funny and exciting!
PS: reading this book makes me truly see how SAD Batman's life is comparing with not only Harley's and the Joker's, but almost everyone else's! You see, when Harley and the Joker are enjoying their lives being IN LOVE (mostly on Harley's part), having FUN, creating MAYHEM, and having a lot of good LAUGHTER, what Batman has ever had!?
August 17, 2020
Volume 0 (IMHO) to 2013-ish Harley Quinn "New 52" 6th-wave series.
Will that crazy defrocked shrink never learn?
Will that crazy defrocked shrink never learn?
August 24, 2023
A nice collection of Harley stories. They’re from all over the place, so don’t expect a cohesive theme or anything to connect them all aside from Harley herself. The writing of her character is pretty consistent throughout, and there were only one or two entries that I felt ambivalent about. My biggest problem here was the art. I know…who the Hell am I to criticize ANYONE’S artwork, but a lot of the drawings in this were flat out ugly. I’m so sorry. At least the writing was good enough to make up for it. I will say that if you’re one of those fans who hates to see Harley with the Joker, this collection won’t be your cup of tea. It’s a somewhat unbalanced mix of mostly classic Harley from the old days before she got out of that situation. There’s some decent Ivy stuff in here also, although one of the stories doesn’t paint her in the most flattering light, in my opinion. Ah, well. Still a fun read for most of us ride or die Harley fans!
April 14, 2018
"Aşk insana çılgınca şeyler yaptırır..."; JBC Yayınları'ndan dilimize çevrilip çıkan, Paul Dini, Yvel Guichet, Aaron Sowd, Don Kramer, Wayne Faucher, Joe Quinones, Neil Googe imzalı "Batman Harley Quinn"i en iyi tanımlayacak cümle belki de bu. Toplam on çizgi romandan, güzeller güzeli Harley Quinn'e ait on farklı dünyadan oluşan bu kitap kaçırılmayacak bir fırsat. Konseptlerin, çizimlerin, renklendirmelerin sarhoş edici, ayrı ayrı güzel olduğu eser damakta, zihinde çok güzel tatlar bırakıyor. Bir ara sevgili Kenan Yarar ve "Hilal"in de bu maceralara, dünyalara karışmasını, HQ ile kimi zaman dost kimi zaman düşman olmasını istedim. İlginç bir ikili olmazlar mı?
September 3, 2016
4.5 stars!
I love Harley - she's such an interesting criminal. I love her whole backstory and her obsession with the joker, as well as her sass, Brooklyn-accent and friendship with Poison Ivy. Can't wait to read more of her!
I love Harley - she's such an interesting criminal. I love her whole backstory and her obsession with the joker, as well as her sass, Brooklyn-accent and friendship with Poison Ivy. Can't wait to read more of her!
April 12, 2016
I am a huge fan of Harley Quinn! I thought these variety of comic issues were great. It really highlights who Harley is and how she came to be. If you love Harley, definitely read this ❤️
October 11, 2015
It's like every book I read about Harley Quinn is either horrible or just "meh." I am officially done with this character for good.
September 17, 2021
neil googes harley is will forever be one of my favorites
August 5, 2022
I simply love her
August 31, 2015
Harley Quinn is one of those weird, stand-out characters that seems to have exceeded initial expectations and this volume stands out as a good overview of this trajectory that saw her go from cutesy Joker foil to the unabashed, goofy rrrritalin girrrl of the Suicide Squad where she's come into her own as a leader of (pseudo) baddies. Her origins were unusual, originally thought up as a counterpart to the Joker on the somewhat kid-oriented Batman animated adventures. She was subsequently introduced to the Batman canon as an established (pseudo) baddie in her own right. An Arkham psychologist who falls for the Joker out of sheer neediness? Or, as the final entry in this volume suggests, because she needs that little outside-the-box fix of chaos?
It's neat to see how the character developed over time from a loopy, obsessive sidekick to the Joker into a clownish sexual archetype, almost a parody of herself, that laughs in the face of any man who gets near. Or smashes them in the face with a giant wooden hammer. These stories are very representative, whether intentional or not, as to how female characters like this have been portrayed over the last decade or two and how that's evolved.
It's neat to see how the character developed over time from a loopy, obsessive sidekick to the Joker into a clownish sexual archetype, almost a parody of herself, that laughs in the face of any man who gets near. Or smashes them in the face with a giant wooden hammer. These stories are very representative, whether intentional or not, as to how female characters like this have been portrayed over the last decade or two and how that's evolved.
July 30, 2015
Harley Quinn - 5 stars
The Bet - 3 stars
Punchline - 3 stars
Kind of Like Family - 4 stars
Honor Among Thieves - 3 stars
The Most Important Day of the Year - 5 stars
Justice Is Served - 4 stars
Role Models - 5 stars
Dr. Quinn's Diagnosis - 4 stars
Harley Lives- 5 stars
Overall - 4 stars
The Bet - 3 stars
Punchline - 3 stars
Kind of Like Family - 4 stars
Honor Among Thieves - 3 stars
The Most Important Day of the Year - 5 stars
Justice Is Served - 4 stars
Role Models - 5 stars
Dr. Quinn's Diagnosis - 4 stars
Harley Lives- 5 stars
Overall - 4 stars
February 10, 2017
It's lit fam.
December 4, 2020
This is a collection of seven short graphic novel stories with Harley Quinn. I love the character and I like the stories. The last one was not as good as the rest and it made for a not as good reading afterthought. All in all I liked the variety of stories and graphic conceptions of Harley.
July 22, 2021
The Batman/Joker dichotomy is one of the greatest pairings of protagonist and antagonist in all of literature, more visceral and engaging than Ahab versus the whale, or Scarlet O'Hara versus basic human decency. Everything about the clown prince of crime is a sinister and grotesque (albeit zany and colorful) parody of the dark knight. So it’s only natural that Batman’s eventual incorporation of a sidekick would be weirdly paralleled by Joker following suit. Because we need a bizarre and disturbing contrast to reclusive eccentric bachelor billionaire Bruce Wayne taking in a teenage boy as his “ward.”
Harley herself is not the first to speculate on Batman’s love life, though she is more entertaining than most:
“So who is it? Who does Batman love?
An old flame? A criminal? A nun?
…. Robin? I’m not judging or nothin’ . . . ?
Batman does not, of course, love anything or anyone. All love he had within him died in that alley behind the Monarch Theater as Martha and Thomas Wayne’s blood mixed with the rain and flowed down the sewer, and he lives for nothing but vengeance disguised as justice. His heart has shriveled to a cold and lifeless raisin and the smile he occasionally dons as playboy Bruce Wayne is the real mask. And this is the hero. The villain is a fun-loving clown with clever wisecracks.
Robin may love Batman, as the most significant paternal figure in his life. He certainly admires and respects him. In contrast, Batman generally treats his partner-in-crime-fighting as, well, a sidekick, not a partner. He makes it clear at every opportunity that he is in control, that he is the only one capable of taking on their adversaries and that he doesn’t need any help. All Dick wants is just a little recognition, a pat on the back. Once in a blue moon, he’d love for Batman to say, “Well Robin, we defeated the bad guys together. I couldn’t have done it without you. We make a great team.” Instead he tells him to go change the oil in the bat-mobile while he goes for a session of high-intensity crunches and brooding.
The Batman/Robin relationship is highly dysfunctional to begin with, so coming up with a bizarre parody of it is something of a tall order. And Harley Quinn hits the nail on the head, with a comically oversized hammer.
Love makes you do crazy things.
Harley herself is not the first to speculate on Batman’s love life, though she is more entertaining than most:
“So who is it? Who does Batman love?
An old flame? A criminal? A nun?
…. Robin? I’m not judging or nothin’ . . . ?
Batman does not, of course, love anything or anyone. All love he had within him died in that alley behind the Monarch Theater as Martha and Thomas Wayne’s blood mixed with the rain and flowed down the sewer, and he lives for nothing but vengeance disguised as justice. His heart has shriveled to a cold and lifeless raisin and the smile he occasionally dons as playboy Bruce Wayne is the real mask. And this is the hero. The villain is a fun-loving clown with clever wisecracks.
Robin may love Batman, as the most significant paternal figure in his life. He certainly admires and respects him. In contrast, Batman generally treats his partner-in-crime-fighting as, well, a sidekick, not a partner. He makes it clear at every opportunity that he is in control, that he is the only one capable of taking on their adversaries and that he doesn’t need any help. All Dick wants is just a little recognition, a pat on the back. Once in a blue moon, he’d love for Batman to say, “Well Robin, we defeated the bad guys together. I couldn’t have done it without you. We make a great team.” Instead he tells him to go change the oil in the bat-mobile while he goes for a session of high-intensity crunches and brooding.
The Batman/Robin relationship is highly dysfunctional to begin with, so coming up with a bizarre parody of it is something of a tall order. And Harley Quinn hits the nail on the head, with a comically oversized hammer.
Love makes you do crazy things.
August 10, 2016
(Note that this reviews a 2015 collection that has ~200 pages, rather than the older version with a mere 45 pages)
This was a pretty solid and endearing look at Harley's comics representations over the years, starting with her first feature appearance (outside Batman the Animated Series), where Poison Ivy rescues her from the rubble after Joker has attempted to blow Harley up. This opening sequence highlights two very important things:
1. Ivy & HQ's relationship was canon from the beginning. "Red" immediately shows genuine concern for Harleen's desire to go back to her abuser, offers both the tenderness and strength that can be seen in their later romantic and sexual relationship.
2. In order for Harley to be in close proximity to Poison Ivy, she is given a serum that grant her immunity to the many plant toxins exuding from Ivy, *as well as quasi-superpowers*. That's right, somehow, over the years, I had never seen or noticed a good explanation of Harley Quinn's enhanced strength, speed, and agility. It's not just that she's a carefree cartoon character! Her future girlfriend gave her a booster way back when!
Thankfully, we don't have to see Joker throughout much of this collection. Sure, he's there in the shadows, and often serves as a motivation or narrator, but this book is about what Harley Quinn does when he's not in the same room, giving her googly-eyes.
The final issue was the most disappointing and cringe-worthy. I'm sad to say it was Matt Kindt (solo creator of the nearly flawless Dark Horse series Mind MGMT) who wrote Detective Comics 23.2, which occurs during that awful month or two where the villains take over all the DC comics in absence of the heroes or some rubbish like that. Here we see the revised Harley Quinn, shaped by the recent success of Batman: Arkham video games, with a much more sexualized character design. We also see some of the more graphic and triggering depictions of Joker forcibly kissing her and throwing her into a vat of acid (which the brand new Suicide Squad flick apparently lifted, much to the dismay of loyal HQ fans everywhere who hate seeing her agency taken away).
This was a pretty solid and endearing look at Harley's comics representations over the years, starting with her first feature appearance (outside Batman the Animated Series), where Poison Ivy rescues her from the rubble after Joker has attempted to blow Harley up. This opening sequence highlights two very important things:
1. Ivy & HQ's relationship was canon from the beginning. "Red" immediately shows genuine concern for Harleen's desire to go back to her abuser, offers both the tenderness and strength that can be seen in their later romantic and sexual relationship.
2. In order for Harley to be in close proximity to Poison Ivy, she is given a serum that grant her immunity to the many plant toxins exuding from Ivy, *as well as quasi-superpowers*. That's right, somehow, over the years, I had never seen or noticed a good explanation of Harley Quinn's enhanced strength, speed, and agility. It's not just that she's a carefree cartoon character! Her future girlfriend gave her a booster way back when!
Thankfully, we don't have to see Joker throughout much of this collection. Sure, he's there in the shadows, and often serves as a motivation or narrator, but this book is about what Harley Quinn does when he's not in the same room, giving her googly-eyes.
The final issue was the most disappointing and cringe-worthy. I'm sad to say it was Matt Kindt (solo creator of the nearly flawless Dark Horse series Mind MGMT) who wrote Detective Comics 23.2, which occurs during that awful month or two where the villains take over all the DC comics in absence of the heroes or some rubbish like that. Here we see the revised Harley Quinn, shaped by the recent success of Batman: Arkham video games, with a much more sexualized character design. We also see some of the more graphic and triggering depictions of Joker forcibly kissing her and throwing her into a vat of acid (which the brand new Suicide Squad flick apparently lifted, much to the dismay of loyal HQ fans everywhere who hate seeing her agency taken away).
August 12, 2016
So a couple of years ago, I started noticing a lot of Batman merchandise of this red-and-black clown woman. Then came the cosplayers. And I was like, "What did I miss? Where's Catwoman?"
So yeah, I'm late to the party. I never watched Batman: The Animated Series, so I missed out on the introduction of this fan-favorite character. I really liked this collection because it serves as a bit of a "Harley Quinn Primer": We get her backstory (though apparently I need to read Mad Love for the definitive version) and we get a selection from pretty much all of her comic book incarnations.
The Suicide Squad version of Harley in the last story was probably my least favorite, while Harley's relationships with Batman and Poison Ivy in the others where my favorite parts of the whole book. I also see now why there is such a dichotomy between fans who romanticize the Harley-Joker relationship, and those who hate its abusive nature and the said romanticizing itself.
So yeah, I'm late to the party. I never watched Batman: The Animated Series, so I missed out on the introduction of this fan-favorite character. I really liked this collection because it serves as a bit of a "Harley Quinn Primer": We get her backstory (though apparently I need to read Mad Love for the definitive version) and we get a selection from pretty much all of her comic book incarnations.
The Suicide Squad version of Harley in the last story was probably my least favorite, while Harley's relationships with Batman and Poison Ivy in the others where my favorite parts of the whole book. I also see now why there is such a dichotomy between fans who romanticize the Harley-Joker relationship, and those who hate its abusive nature and the said romanticizing itself.
January 3, 2018
While I didn't love EVERY story in this collection, it was wonderful as a whole. I'm a huge fan of later Harley Quinn comics (new 52 and after) but this was a wonderful collection for anyone wishing to get into Harley Quinn and understand her character a bit. The Batman: Harley Quinn comic was wonderful, as well as the Valentine's story and the last story in this collection. I really enjoyed the others as well, to lesser degrees. I'm a bigger fan of later Harley since I love her newfound independence but these selections are classic Harley Quinn and were fun reads!
January 8, 2016
Tried this mix of Harley Quinn comics and I really really liked it. Can't say how good of an introduction of her it really is, but you got lots of background stories of how she became who she is now.
Contains
Batman: Harley Quinn #1
Batman: Gotham Knights #14, 30
Detective Comics #831, 837
Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn #1
Batman: Black and White #1, 3
Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #1
Detective Comics #23.2
Contains
Batman: Harley Quinn #1
Batman: Gotham Knights #14, 30
Detective Comics #831, 837
Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn #1
Batman: Black and White #1, 3
Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #1
Detective Comics #23.2
September 15, 2016
I really quite liked this collection, much more than the other two Harley Quinn collections I have previously read. The stories were more entertaining and showed a variety of stages of Harley's relationship to/with the Joker. With the exceptions of one or two oddball stories, overall I'd say this makes a pretty great little collection.
December 29, 2016
A fun collection of stories - loved the different interpretations of the characters between the stories and the friendship between Harley and Ivy. Slightly saddened so many still centre the character on her relationship with the Joker (though I guess this understandable given her origin story...)
July 19, 2020
After having read the graphic novel, Harleen, I wanted to read some more comics of Harley Quinn. Specifically how Harleen turns to Harley Quinn. This did not disappoint. The comics are muddled in terms of order but they are definitely entertaining.
September 13, 2018
The loveable, quirky, and downright creepy/freaky aspects of Harley Quinn & her realtionship with the Joker.
February 28, 2022
Batman: Harley Quinn was an excellent collection of comics featuring Harley Quinn.
The comics in this collection cover a wide array of Harley's history with issues included from 1999 to 2014. I liked getting to see the different versions of Harley depending on who was behind the issue as she's made quite the evolution over the years. Half of the comics in this collection were written by Paul Dini, the writer of Batman: The Animated Series, and were among my favorite in the collection. With Dini as the writer, reading the collection at times felt like watching an episode of the animated series which I loved as I enjoyed the show as a kid. The art style of the Dini comics was also reminiscent of the style of the show as well which was a bonus.
The second to last comic in the collection, Jim Zubkavich's Dr. Quinn's Diagnosis, was actually my favorite in the entire collection. The premise is great, Batman tracks down Harley with the intention of interrogating her to uncover the Joker's location and she agrees to help if he'll sit down with her for a psychiatric session. The story is wonderfully clever and the interactions between Batman and Harley are fantastic.
We see quite a few other well known villains in the other comics in the collection ranging from Poison Ivy to The Ventriloquist to The Riddler. I liked the variety of characters included in the collection and how well that showed how versatile Harley is. She's worked with a lot of characters throughout the years and this collection showed a nice snippet of her villainous career.
Overall Batman: Harley Quinn was a great collection and I would highly recommend it for fans of Harley Quinn.
The comics in this collection cover a wide array of Harley's history with issues included from 1999 to 2014. I liked getting to see the different versions of Harley depending on who was behind the issue as she's made quite the evolution over the years. Half of the comics in this collection were written by Paul Dini, the writer of Batman: The Animated Series, and were among my favorite in the collection. With Dini as the writer, reading the collection at times felt like watching an episode of the animated series which I loved as I enjoyed the show as a kid. The art style of the Dini comics was also reminiscent of the style of the show as well which was a bonus.
The second to last comic in the collection, Jim Zubkavich's Dr. Quinn's Diagnosis, was actually my favorite in the entire collection. The premise is great, Batman tracks down Harley with the intention of interrogating her to uncover the Joker's location and she agrees to help if he'll sit down with her for a psychiatric session. The story is wonderfully clever and the interactions between Batman and Harley are fantastic.
We see quite a few other well known villains in the other comics in the collection ranging from Poison Ivy to The Ventriloquist to The Riddler. I liked the variety of characters included in the collection and how well that showed how versatile Harley is. She's worked with a lot of characters throughout the years and this collection showed a nice snippet of her villainous career.
Overall Batman: Harley Quinn was a great collection and I would highly recommend it for fans of Harley Quinn.
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August 23, 2021Harley Quinn severler için harika bir edisyon. İçerisinde birbirinden farklı yazar ve çizer ekipleri tarafından yazılıp çizilmiş kısa Harley Quinn hikayeleri içeriyor. Her biri okuması zevkli ve eğlenceli günlük şeker niyetine okunabilecek hikayeler.
Ayrıca Joker ve Harley arasındaki ilişkiyi de bu hikayeleri okudukça daha filtresiz ve açık bir şekilde temelini görmüş oluyorsunuz. Son dönemlerde çıkan içine daha romantizm ve anlam katılan işlerden sonra bu şekilde özünü görmek sizi bu ilişkiden soğutabilir.
Ayrıca Joker ve Harley arasındaki ilişkiyi de bu hikayeleri okudukça daha filtresiz ve açık bir şekilde temelini görmüş oluyorsunuz. Son dönemlerde çıkan içine daha romantizm ve anlam katılan işlerden sonra bu şekilde özünü görmek sizi bu ilişkiden soğutabilir.
February 7, 2023
I don’t know if it’s just the super fan in me of BTAS, but I just love me some Harley Quinn stories and this collection of stories, including the Batman: Harley Quinn one-shot, all hit on all cylinders for me. So much fun and entertainment in these stories! I especially loved the stories by Paul Dini, Harley’s co-creator!
February 16, 2018
Una serie de cómics clásicos recopilados en esta edición tan bonita que definitivamente vale la pena leer. Algunos son muy profundos y otros son bastante cómicos pero todos nos muestran lo que hay en el corazón eternamente enamorado de Harley.
June 21, 2025
Most overrated DC character. Most of the comics are modern garbage.
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