Harleen

She has become one of the most popular comic characters in the past few decades though her character began on the greatest superhero animated series of all-time. Harleen is a character origin story written and drawn by Stjepan Sejic about Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s turn into Joker’s right-hand woman Harley Quinn.

Professionally struggling psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel doesn’t know what to do with her career as her theory on the suppression of empathy for too long as part of the flight or fight response results in losing it and being mentally unbalanced. After a failed grant presentation and a late night of drinking her disappointment away, Harleen is walking home when she suddenly finds herself at gunpoint across from The Joker only show more for Batman to save her. The next day she is surprised when Lucius Fox gives her a grant from the Wayne Foundation to pursue research on her theory at Arkham Asylum. Harleen interviews the inmates, a who’s who of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, except Joker until she breaks down and does so. All throughout this time, she can’t sleep which is affecting her perception and thinking. The Joker quickly realizes she’s his ticket out and through his contacts gets her research to manipulate her in the future. But Harleen’s theory doesn’t sit well with Harvey Dent who wants her to quit, which she refuses and days later he is attacked with acid to the face. But the mob boss who attacked him is kidnapped by rogue police officers who execute him and release the video though it shows Batman and Robin coming in at the end. The arrival of “the Executioners” seems to make the Joker’s interviews stand out and she focuses on him for her research, though he has nothing to do with the rogue officers. Dent recovers though the acid also caused brain damage, ironically taking away his empathy, and he publicly derides the failures of the system which makes the Executioners come to him looking for instructions. Dent’s plan is to release the inmates of either Arkham or Blackgate Prison to cause havoc in Gotham City to make the general pubic allow for literally executing offenders. The coin toss lands in favor of Arkham and they stage a raid on the Asylum to release the inmates, but once free Joker tells his fellow inmates that the Executioners are there to kill them which sets them off on a rampage on their rescuers. Harleen rushing into the Asylum to find Joker, not only her patient but now lover, kills a security guard to save Joker’s life then has a mental breakdown as a result and becomes Harley.

Sejic did a wonderful job in building upon the foundations that Paul Dini and Bruce Timm laid in Batman: The Animated Series of Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel’s origin as Joker’s doctor to his henchwoman-lover. Taking advantage of the DC Black Label’s adult focus imprint, Sejic shows how Harleen’s slow mental spiral between reality and a living dream/nightmare develops throughout the book including a stunning final page that brings things into clear focus. Sejic includes references to previous incarnations of Joker in various Batman media adaptations now and again as nods to the past, which do not distract from the main story adds to the enjoyment of fans of the franchise. As a longtime fan of Sejic’s art, the book showcases it magnificently and frankly I wanted to go back through ignoring the text and study every panel again.

Harleen is the story of an earnest, dedicated psychiatrist slowly through her own actions and skillful manipulation of her patient joins those she wanted to help. Stjepan Sejic’s wonderfully written and amazing drawn story is a must get for anyone that is a fan of the character or a fan of a well-constructed origin story. show less

Are you a 90s kid? Did you grow up watching Batman: the Animated Series? Did you meet Harley Quinn, a brand new character made to be the Joket's ladylove?

Boy howdy friends will this make you happy!

Heck even if you didn't grow up loving B:tAS and Harley Quinn was introduced to you in the mainstream DC comics... you'll be happy.

Sejic's HARLEEN is a gorgeous madcap ride through what happens when you take a broken woman who believes she can do good, a manipulative charming sociopath with time on his hands and a city where there are never any winners.

Such gorgeous art! I mean, seriously, I never would have expected something of this quality out of a Batman (sorry, Harley and Joker) comic. But it’s true. Not only the artwork is gorgeous, but it is easily the MOST gorgeous aspect of this graphic novel.

The story is quite solid as well. Very solid. It happens to be a very realistic, psychologically sound, origin story of Harley. A quasi-love story.

Well, actually, it IS rather romantic. It only ENDS in a murder. The rest of it is rather sweet and manipulative and it shows both of our protagonists in a very interesting light.

I totally recommend it.

But did anyone else see that Precinct was misspelled on the building?

Ah, well, even the Mona Lisa has flaws.

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! GET ME show more OUT OF HERE! show less

Love makes you do crazy things

I haven't read a lot of recent DC comics, but after seeing teaser images released by Stjepan Šejić via social media I had to read it.

The art is superb . The story is great. These are versions of Harley Quinn and The Joker that I'd love to see more of. Harley's origin feels right and the bevy of Gotham's Finest (including The Batman) who make appearances fit right into the story.

Bravo to all concerned for making this happen. Very highly recommended.

A Harley Quinn story that is sexy, seductive, and so, so good. It's a pretty straightforward recounting of her origin story, telling it in greater detail but seeming to stay pretty true to the roots (though it has been a long time since I read Mad Love and I've pretty much skipped all her DCU appearances since).

I like Stjepan Šejić's art a lot, and recommend Sunstone to anyone who wants to see him go even further into erotica than this Black Label title allows.

Who was Harleen Quinzel and what led her to become Harley Quinn? If you’ve been wondering about the origins of this unique DC character, then Harleen is an excellent three issue graphic novel to pick up.

The story is first voice told by a Harley/Harleen who has been through it all – the years of normal life, the infatuation with The Joker and her emancipation. The narrator’s voice feels more Harleen than Harley, with such a clear connection to the what and why of her life rather than the disconnected, rapid fire looseness that feels more in line with Harley Quinn. She looks back on herself with concern but resignation. She couldn’t have known what she was allowing herself to become because she was sure it wouldn’t happen to show more her, it was too improbable and she felt she was in control.

This genre is not for me so I have a hard time giving it a good rating. I so recognize good storytelling. show less

This three-issue graphic novel is an interesting take on the birth of Harley Quinn. It also covers the emerging Two Face and how both Dr Quinzell and Harvey Dent went from law abiding citizens to criminals in Gotham. The art is great and the story gives Dr. Harleen Quinzel a detailed background and small fractures in her personality that the Joker was about to manipulate and bring about her downfall.