Harleen (2019) #1

Harleen

by Stjepan Šejić

Dr. Harleen Quinzel has discovered a revolutionary cure for the madness of Gotham City-she just needs to prove it actually works. But with the criminal justice and mental health establishments united against her, the brilliant young psychologist must take drastic measures to save Gotham from itself. Witness Harleen’s first steps on a doomed quest that will give birth to the legendary super-villain Harley Quinn in this stunning reimagining of Harley and The Joker’s twisted and tragic love affair by visionary storyteller Stjepan Šejic (AQUAMAN: UNDERWORLD, SUICIDE SQUAD, Sunstone).

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes, Fiction

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2019

About the author

Stjepan Šejić is a Croatian comic book writer and artist, known for his work on the series Witchblade, Aphrodite IX, Sunstone, and The Darkness among others.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A) 85% | Extraordinary
Notes: Review pending re-read. Collected review for issues #1-3 can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sejic is the BEST artist in the game. There's a ton of great ones, but man oh man, everything I open his book it wows me.

Okay so Harleen is a more slice of life story about Harley before she becomes...when the Joker's weapon basically. So we have Harleen here going through various stages of her life, her in college, her banging her teacher, her trying to be a good doctor, and then...JOKER! One faithful night the crazy fuck meets her, nearly kills her, and she watches as the Batman beats the evil clown down to the ground.

I actually enjoyed this opening chapter. It kind of has a "you know it's all going to go to shit" but it's so refreshing to see Harley done in a different manner. One where you can feel her change will be more natural, yet also root for this character. I also love love love the art. Sejic does an amazing job. I thought the Joker was too good looking at points and also too "charming" but I guess this is Harleen's view point so it could be a interesting twist.

Overall though, I want more. DC, get Sejic to write more you fools! A 4 out of 5.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This art work is beautiful😻, also obsessed with harleen and the joker, 2 of my favourite villians.😜🤡
4⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, dear! This is something else. This is something I've always wanted, something to fall in love with.
And Harley's comments while reading about Harleen, knowing what is going to happen, but wandering about the journey leading there... priceless!

Good job, DC! Good job, Stjepan Šejić!

[Steve Wortman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly the Harley Quinn book I’ve waited eight years for. Incredible artwork and solid characterization for Harley herself, which has become rarer and rarer each year since the start of the New 52.

[☾❀Apple✩ Blossom⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review at the end of the series :)

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ако има персонаж на DC Comics, чиято популярност драстично да е нараснала през последното десетилетие, то това е Харли Куин. Създадена от Пол Дини и Брус Тим през 1992 г. за „Батман: Анимационните серии“ (първата ѝ поява е в епизода „Joker’s Favour”), чалнатата помощничка/любовница на Жокера днес има собствени комиксови поредици, анимационен сериал и участия в редица видеоигри и в три игрални филма. И въпреки това, по-съвременните ѝ интерпретации често се оливат в много отношения – като започнем от по-оскъдното облекло, заменило традиционния костюм на арлекин (откъдето идва и името ѝ – harlequin -> Harley Quinn) до по-циничното ѝ поведение (вижте гореспоменатия анимационен сериал). Затова и бях скептично настроен, когато обявиха комикс, който ще преразкаже произхода ѝ, още повече в DC Black Label – серията на издателството за комикси за пълнолетни читатели. Щом Artline Studios издадоха първата част на „Харлийн“ обаче, останах приятно изненадан. Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле”: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar art, amazing dialogue with deep meaning, featuring all the beloved characters of DC through Harleen's eyes!

[Jena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. What a fantastic start to this series! Harleen takes Harley's original origin from Mad Love and adds more meat to it so that Harley feels like a real person, and we get much more depth to her psychological career than other works. I also really liked how this tweaked her backstory and focus away from being a star-crazed pop psychologist who slept with her professor to get ahead into a tunnel-visioned researcher with an undeserved negative reputation. The Harley we meet in this issue is profoundly lonely with a sense of someone still trying to find their place in the world, as well as someone who is so laser-focused on their work that every other part of their life is in decay. That context it paves the way for her to be taken in by the Joker.

Even though I know exactly how this story will end, I was so taken in by it that I can't wait to read more. This has strong potential to be a yearly favorite if it keeps up the quality.

[Tawfek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is fabulous.
But the writing isn't, its good writing and story but that's all.
We don't learn anything new about harley or delve deep into her psych, we sure as hell don't get any great retelling about anyone else.
The one scene i thought was actually great writing was harleen and harvey dent.
Also that one page when joker was identifying harley and he made her afraid, was great too.
Harley is hot, she is a hot nerd, shy, her face is beautiful and unique in a way, but she also gives off that vibe that she could be a crazy killer, i know i am describing her and we know she is, but that's how it feels anyway.
I need to look what else sejic made because, that art is worth seeing even if its a silent story..

[Murat · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Maksym Karpovets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Перед нами спроба передати походження (оріджин) однієї із найбільш відомих героїнь (чи швидше анти-героїнь) очима Стєпана Шеїча. Вже з перших сторінок нам імпонує Гарлін: розумна й цілеспрямована психіатриня, яка хоче реалізувати свій науковий проєкт щодо психологічної втрати емпатії у злочинців. Однак у неї дещо не виходить, адже вона має погану репутацію внаслідок колишньої інтрижки з професором ще в університеті та й загалом має погану вдачу. Гарлін місцями просто не вміє розуміти ситуацію і контекст, потрапляючи у халепу, хоча усе робить для протилежного. Усе це в один прекрасний день приводить її до випадкового зіткнення із Джокером та його бандою на вулицях Ґотема, а потім і до наступної зустрічі в лікарні "Аркем". Саме ця зустріч і заклала вірус у її свідоме чи навіть несвідоме, змушуючи не спати ночами, думати про нього й змінювати себе у абсолютно новому амплуа.

Помітно, що усі зазначені риси Гарлін є психологічним, особистісним фундаментом для архетипу Гарлі Квін, тому це дуже цікавий підхід до творення образу лиходійки. Шеїч хоче сказати, що наша особистість має не тільки еволюційну природу, але й певні риси можуть мати однаково позитивні й негативні моральні аспекти. Скажімо, наполегливість у своїй справі може легко перетворитись в одержимість, а жага до руйнування спокійно перейти у творчість. Тому маємо маленьку, але дуже комплексну й розумну історію переходу й інціації Гарлін, де Джокер виконує роль тригера й медіума, задаючи параметри для нової життєвої траєкторії своєї партнерки.

Сежич змусив мене подумати ще й над цими питаннями: чи змогла б Гарлін стати Гарлі без Джокера? Чи могла б вона жити своїм звичним життям без випадкового інциденту на вулиці й далі лікарні? Видається, що Шеїч все ж має заперечну думку: Гарлін так чи так стала б Гарлі. Можливо, навіть без Джокера, але її безумство це не стільки питання випадку, а часу. Це цікава теза, адже виходить, що наша особистість закладена в загальних рисах психіки, а обставини стаються тому, що ми їх "підтягуємо" під себе. Тому не дивно, що Гарлі не хотіла втікати з місця сутички Бетмена й Джокера, спостерігаючи за ними немов у трансі. Відматуючи назад, Джокер так само не вбив її, бо відчув на інстинктивному рівні її приналежність до "зграї". Усе далі стається тому, що вона глибинно цього хотіла, хоча поки ще не може зізнатись в цьому.

[Tinkerreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Von allen Harley Comics ist dieser hier einer meiner liebsten geworden. Die Story und die Umsetzung von Stjepan Šejić ist einfach grandios. Ich wünschte die Fortsetzung würde schon früher erscheinen aber bis März ist es ja zum Glück nicht mehr lange hin. Großartiger Auftakt und auch für Einsteiger super geeignet!

[seana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is phenomenal!

[Cristina Bracho Carrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Sí, sí, sí, SÍ! Pata negra de la buena. Desde los clásicos, pensaba que jamás volvería a apreciar así un cómic de DC, ni a nivel de guion ni gráfico, pero oye, de repente ĺlega Stjepan Šejić y se guisa y se come él solito el origen de Harley Quinn. Y DE QUÉ MANERA. Acordaos: de aquí a unos años, "Harleen" se convertirá en una obra de culto.

[Elea Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I'm not that much into comics and comics about super heroes (or villain) are my least favorite genre. So I'm really glad that my podcast mate Philipp borrowed me "Harleen", because otherwise I would have missed this fine piece of comic art.

"Harleen" rearranges the origin story of Harley Quinn which is not embedded in the official DC-Universe. The story by Stjepan Šejić reinterprets the character and her evolution from a brilliant and idealistic criminal psychologist to the Joker's mad female sidekick. In contrast to earlier stories, Šejić paints a picture of Harley Quinn that is way more focused on her psychological conditions and her shift from idealism to desperation. Harley is portrayed as an ambitious, but insecure person which is so eager to help and to find the true good of every human person that she becomes highly susceptible to the Joker's manipulation.

I have to admit that in the past I was no fan of Harley Quinn as a character. Her conception contained so may misogynistic aspects that I constantly rolled my eyes (at best). "Harleen", however, was different. It portrays Harley as an ambitious, clever and idealistic person that collapses under the pressure and "evilness" of Gotham City. Unfortunatelly, the volume ends with Harley joining the Joker so we do not know, how or if their relationship will continue. But maybe this is also a clever choice.

Funnily enough, the comic's central focus beyond Harley's personal development ("can offenders be cured? Does rehabilitation work? How can we prevent criminals from reoffending?") is also the main focus of my empirical work as a criminal psychologist. In thrillers I usually read a lot of shit about criminal psychology, working with offenders and so on, but I liked the way Harley's work is portrayed in the comic. Considering that Gotham and its super villains are not really comparable to real world criminals, the premises were coherent and had a convincing internal logic.

The artwork in the comic is absolutely stunning and has a very intense symbolic language which was impressing. Sometimes I shuddered just because of the intensity of some panels. Totally in the style of Film Noir, Harley's commenting voice is embedded in most panels and the cynical tone reminded me of Sin City. In sum, the comic has a largely pessimistic and dark tone similar to Comic Noir, and the references to other work (e.g. Alice in Wonderland) point in the same direction.

One critical point, though, is the complexity of the story. I had the impression that the author tried to include too many different side stories and characters that could not be portrayed in detail. Without some background information on Gotham and its important inhabitants I probably would have felt totally overwhelmed by all the names, titles, and positions mentioned in the comic.

In sum, I'm uncertain if I want to give 4 or 5 stars but in the end I decided to give 5 because I was totally stunned by the comic and I almost read it in one session.

I totally recommend it to those that like the Comic Noir style and stories focusing on moral decisions or psychological development. In contrast, if you are tired of pessimistic, dark and cynical stories, you won't be too happy with "Harleen".

[Димитър Цолов · Rating 5 out of 5]

След Батман: Прокълнат - Книга #1 - леко противоречивият за личните ми вкусове (стойностен арт на Лий Бермехо, но твърде хаотичен сценарий на Брайън Азарело) първи досег с графична новела от серията DC Black Label, нещата тук просто здраво вдигнаха летвата. Степан Шеич е и сценарист, и художник, а брилянтно разгърнатата му история е подплатена с великолепен арт.

Д-р Харлийн Куинзел е психиатър, опитващ се да установи дали перманентната загуба на емпатия, сиреч социопатията всъщност не е нещо като психично автоимунно заболяване. Логично, не биха могли да се намерят по-благодатни обекти за нейните изследвания от обитателите на клиника Аркам и по-специално един обаятелен тип, на чиято уста винаги грее ослепителна усмивка :)

Жестокост на пета степен!!!

[Martin Doychinov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Историята как сайдкик-възлюбената на Жокера става такава, каквато я познаваме.
Доста добро начало, има дълбочина в образа на д-р Харлийн Куинзел и обоснованост на първите стъпки по "пътя към Ада", където я чака Харли Куин.
П.П. "Артлайн" подхванаха доста кратички поредцици (пр. Блейд Рънър; Противоестествено; Батман-прокълнат), които все още не са завършени или е издаден само първи брой. Дано започнат да ги довършват, че много топки във въздуха им се събраха.

[Gemma McCormack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part 1 of a 3 parter which reimagines the origin story of Harley Quinn. Absolutely stunning artwork and a thoughtful layout of who she was before meeting Mr Jay and follows a steady pace to watch her fall under his spell.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, by far, the best Harley Quinn I have seen outside of her original incarnation for Batman the Animated Series. I am very much looking forward to the rest of this series!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Always did love a good slow burn. This one is just that. Blend that with some amazing art and you have what is turning out to be a great story.

[DARK ROMANCE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both art and the story are AMAZING! You can tell the author really cares about the characters and, so far, there is no exploitation at all. LOVED IT! Will read volume 2 asap.

[Yursa Tahir · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH DEAR LORD IT IS SOOO GOOOD. The artwork, the story & (hot joker) hmmmmm..... chef's kisss

[Roxana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the artwork, and I liked the portrayal of Harley. The plot moved a bit slow, which might be my problem. Overall, it was a joy to read a good Harley/Joker story.

[Sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

,,Ich ließ den ganzen Bullshit hinter mir und brach in eine glänzende Zukunft auf So ist das wohl, wenn man dem Licht entgegengeht. Man sieht seinen eigenen Schatten nicht mehr.''


Dr. Harleen Quinzel hatte es nie einfach in ihrem Leben. Ohne einen festen Plan im Leben und häufig einsam, musste sie sich ihren Weg durch ihr Psychologiestudium erkämpfen und sucht nun fleißig nach Sponsoren für eine Studie. Diese will sie ausgerechnet im Arkham Asylum durchführen, in dem psychisch kranke Schwerstverbrecher für viele Jahre festsitzen. Und dort trifft sie auf den Joker, den gefährlichsten von ihnen allen, und ebnet damit ihren Weg für ihren zukünftigen Platz an seiner Seite als Clownprinzessin ...


Hach, es ist wirklich erfrischend, zu dieser düsteren Jahreszeit wieder in die dunklen Abgründe von Gotham City einzutauchen! Und umso schöner und schauriger ist es, dass wir dabei nicht Batman im Vordergrund haben, sondern die Hintergrundgeschichte von Harleen ,,Harley'' Quinzel, die in Sejics Neuinterpretation noch düsterer und verdrehter ist als im Comic Mad Love, der erklärte, wie Harley Quinn überhaupt dem Joker verfallen war.
Doch während Mad Love durch seinen schrillen Zeichenstil und Cartoonishness aus der Batman: Animated Series nur an einigen Stellen traurig und düster ist, erscheint Harleen (Band 1) nicht umsonst beim Black Label von DC. Die Panels sind überwiegend dunkel gestaltet und zeigen nicht nur Gotham in all seiner düsteren Dreckigkeit einer Großstadt mit hoher Kriminalitätsrate, sondern fokussieren sich auch viel auf die Mimik der Figuren, die mit Zynismus, Hoffnungslosigkeit und Bösartigkeit durch die Welt gehen, und das zu keinem Zeitpunkt in unrealistischem Maße. Harley selbst hingegen ist trotz einiger Schicksalsschläge motiviert, positiv gestimmt und in ihrer Naivität bereit, Dinge zu hinterfragen und ändern zu wollen. Umso interessanter, diese Harley von vor zwei Jahren zu verfolgen, und dabei die Kommentare und Erzählungen der gegenwärtigen Harley zu führen, die auf diesen Zeitabschnitt ihres Lebens zurückblickt. Normalerweise sind solche ,,Erzählungen aus dem Off'' nicht ganz mein Fall, doch in diesem Fall waren sie sehr stimmig und haben die Panels ergänzt, statt sie unnötig auszuerzählen. Besonders wenn diese symbolträchtig waren oder eher subjektive Wahrnehmungen gezeigt haben, hat das Harleys Erzählstimme umso authentischer gemacht.
Sejic hält außerdem so einige Überraschungen auf der Handlungsebene für uns bereit, die zeigen, dass Harley weder ein Dummchen ist, dass im Joker eine Herausforderung sieht, noch, dass sie und der Joker von Anfang an ineinander vernarrt waren. Es ist realistischer und gibt ihrer kranken Beziehung zueinander einen neuen Anstrich. Auch wenn die beiden noch nicht allzu viel Interaktion miteinander hatten, kann man gespannt bleiben auf die nächsten Bände, in denen sich sein Einfluss auf Harley noch eher bemerkbar machen wird als hier.

Ein überraschend psychologisches und düsteres Graphic Novel, der sich mit einer der faszinierendsten Frauen Gothams und ihrer kranken Liebe zu dem Clownprinz der Stadt beschäftigt. Schon jetzt überzeugt er durch seine detaillierte Bildgewalt, sein Foreshadowing und seine Charakterzeichnung. Da kann es in den nächsten Bänden nur noch genauso spannend weitergehen! Definitiv etwas für alle, die mal einen erwachseneren Anstrich über ihren DC-Charakteren haben möchten.

Gesamtwertung: 4,5/5 Punkten

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

HARLEEN, der Titel der Graphic Novel sagt es, stellt die junge Psychologin Harleen Frances Quinzel in den Mittelpunkt der Handlung, als sie noch nicht Harley Quinn ist.
Im ersten Band hat Harleen Quinzel eine Begegnung mit dem Joker, die sie nur überlebt, weil der Joker sie verschont. Warum?
"Die hatte ein Versprechen in den Augen, Sam.
Dass die mich jetzt jede Nacht in ihren Träumen sieht.!
Tatsächlich wird sie fortan von Alb= & Angstträumen gequält. Als sie die Möglichkeit erhält, im Arkham Asylum ihre Studien zum Empathieverlust bei Schwerkriminellen mit Interviews der Insassen fortzuführen, trifft sie Mr. J wieder.
Sejic erzählt diese "Vorgeschichte" ausführlich und in langsamem Tempo. Allerdings muss ich sagen, dass inhaltlich nicht wirklich viel Neues hinzu kommt, was wirklich relevant wäre und was andere Autoren nicht in wenigen Panels auch schon angedeutet hätten. Wenn HARLEEN auch der Figur der Harleen Quinzel einigen Feinschliff verleiht und Details hinzufügt, wird sie damit als Person für mich nicht tiefgründiger, als sie es bisher war, ich sehe sie nicht mit anderen Augen.
Mit HARLEEN haben wir hier den ersten von drei Bänden einer Origin=Story in der Hand, die im wesentlichen von Sejics Ruf als Ausnahmekünstler profitiert. Tatsächlich sind viele Seiten auch toll anzuschauen, wobei die großformatige HC=Ausgabe von Panini die Artwork prima zur Geltung bringt.
Ob Sejics Digitalkunst qualitativ nun tatsächlich über die anderer Talente hinausragt, ist sicherlich eine Geschmacksfrage; gefallen hat sie mir auf jeden Fall, auch wenn ich Sejic nicht gleich einen Sitz im Parnass der Künstler zuerkennen würde.

[Elaine White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I'm not normally a DC fan. I'm pretty much 100% Marvel, BUT I have a HUGE soft-spot for Harley & Joker, so when I saw this was free, I thought I'd delve in. It promised to be a standalone, that you didn't need to know the original story, and that's exactly what I wanted. A starting point. My only real experience with DC are the movies, and Suicide Squad ramped up my love for this couple.

Now that's out the way....I FRICKIN' LOVED EVERY.SIGNLE.SECOND OF THIS!
To see Harleen's journey from innocent, naive student, to finding her niche, and then someone battling her demons to find her place, was amazing. So well explored, paced, and beautifully illustrated. I mean, the illustrations were PERFECTION. I honestly took screenshots of multiple panels, they were so incredible I just want to look at them again and again.

Now, excuse me while I go buy the entire 1-3 collection.

[C.S. Wilde · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a lot of comic books, you either have great writing or great art. It's rare to find both in the same book, but in Harleen, they are ABUNDANT. The plot develops perfectly, the art is jaw dropping (I personally think the artists is a wizard who captures human expressions and keeps them in a bottle, safely stored away).
Harley's ARC is beyond promising, the characterization in this work is flawless. So far, this series is complete perfection, at least to me.

[Becky Loader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh. My. Gosh.

I have always been interested in the Joker, and he is on display here as never before. Imprisoned in Arkham Asylum, he is more complex than ever. Is he crazy? Hmmm.

Enter Dr. Harleen Quinzel. She has a theory, and she is doing research using the inmates of Arkham. She has met the Joker once before, and it could have ended very badly. What will happen this time?

Hmmm.

The artwork is truly amazing.

[Mary Bronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was such a great take on the Harley Quinn story. I'm happy with the art style and just how the series is going to go. How Harley Quinn at first wanted to help the criminals and find out why some have no empathy. Also showing how Harleen first met The Joker and how he haunted her dreams for months. Can not wait for the next issue to come out.