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Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #1-8
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity
Murder is his art. Catching killers is hers.
In Gotham City, heinous acts of violence are a daily occurrence. Harley Quinn, forensic psychiatrist and profiler, consults with the GCPD on
their worst cases. But she is fixated on an unsolved murder that haunts her—the night she discovered her roommate’s body marked with the
signature of a notorious serial killer known as The Joker.
Five years later, the case remains unsolved, and a new series of horrific killings has begun. As the murders escalate and the meticulously
constructed crime scenes become more elaborate, Harley’s obsession with finding the depraved psychopath responsible leads her down a
dangerous path. When the past and the present finally collide, Harley has to decide how far she is willing to go—and how many lines she is
willing to cross—to solve these cases once and for all.
Written by #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Kami Garcia ( Beautiful Creatures , Unbreakable , The X-Files Agent of Chaos ) and drawn by Mico Suayan ( Bloodshot Reborn ), Jason Badower ( Wonder Woman ’77 ), and Mike Mayhew ( The Star Wars ), Joker/ Criminal Sanity introduces readers to a Joker and Harley Quinn unlike any they’ve seen before, utilizing forensic psychiatry, behavior analysis (profiling), and psychological profiles to create a true-to-life take on these iconic characters that is more terrifying than any psychotic fantasy. This volume collects issues #1-8, as well as Joker/ Criminal Sanity—Secret Files .
" Joker/ Criminal Sanity is as brutal and cruel as Gotham itself. Kami Garcia and her disturbed co-conspirator artists are about to make you uncomfortable in the very best way.” —Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The Escape Artist and writer of Identity Crisis
“Reads like a cinematic trip, a breathtaking sojourn through the tangled minds of psychopaths. Chilling writing and the art is off the charts.” —Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Goblin
“Gritty, gripping, and suspenseful—a fresh vision of Harley Quinn and the Joker, and a darkly vivid story.”—Meg Gardiner, bestselling author of the Unsub series
“Joker/ Criminal Sanity is methodical, disturbing, and incredibly compelling. Harley is brilliant, formidable, and absolutely not to be f’d with.”—Kelly Sue DeConnick, writer of Bitch Planet and Captain Marvel
“Kami Garcia, Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, and Mike Mayhew bring some things to the legends Joker and Harley that no one else has done before! A mesmerizing treat even for those who think they know all there is to know about these characters.” — Brian Michael Bendis, writer of Alias and Naomi
“Kami Garcia and her amazing artistic collaborators dig deep to create a portrait of Joker and Harley that is as scary and exciting as you’d hope for, but also surprisingly human.” — Jeff Lemire, creator of Sweet Tooth and writer of Killer Smile
“ Joker/ Criminal Sanity isn’t just a darkly fresh take on iconic DC characters, it’s also a deep, masterful exploration of the most terrifying corners of human psychology. One of the most gripping series I read this year.” — Scott Snyder, writer of The Batman who Laughs and American Vampire
In Gotham City, heinous acts of violence are a daily occurrence. Harley Quinn, forensic psychiatrist and profiler, consults with the GCPD on
their worst cases. But she is fixated on an unsolved murder that haunts her—the night she discovered her roommate’s body marked with the
signature of a notorious serial killer known as The Joker.
Five years later, the case remains unsolved, and a new series of horrific killings has begun. As the murders escalate and the meticulously
constructed crime scenes become more elaborate, Harley’s obsession with finding the depraved psychopath responsible leads her down a
dangerous path. When the past and the present finally collide, Harley has to decide how far she is willing to go—and how many lines she is
willing to cross—to solve these cases once and for all.
Written by #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Kami Garcia ( Beautiful Creatures , Unbreakable , The X-Files Agent of Chaos ) and drawn by Mico Suayan ( Bloodshot Reborn ), Jason Badower ( Wonder Woman ’77 ), and Mike Mayhew ( The Star Wars ), Joker/ Criminal Sanity introduces readers to a Joker and Harley Quinn unlike any they’ve seen before, utilizing forensic psychiatry, behavior analysis (profiling), and psychological profiles to create a true-to-life take on these iconic characters that is more terrifying than any psychotic fantasy. This volume collects issues #1-8, as well as Joker/ Criminal Sanity—Secret Files .
" Joker/ Criminal Sanity is as brutal and cruel as Gotham itself. Kami Garcia and her disturbed co-conspirator artists are about to make you uncomfortable in the very best way.” —Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The Escape Artist and writer of Identity Crisis
“Reads like a cinematic trip, a breathtaking sojourn through the tangled minds of psychopaths. Chilling writing and the art is off the charts.” —Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Goblin
“Gritty, gripping, and suspenseful—a fresh vision of Harley Quinn and the Joker, and a darkly vivid story.”—Meg Gardiner, bestselling author of the Unsub series
“Joker/ Criminal Sanity is methodical, disturbing, and incredibly compelling. Harley is brilliant, formidable, and absolutely not to be f’d with.”—Kelly Sue DeConnick, writer of Bitch Planet and Captain Marvel
“Kami Garcia, Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, and Mike Mayhew bring some things to the legends Joker and Harley that no one else has done before! A mesmerizing treat even for those who think they know all there is to know about these characters.” — Brian Michael Bendis, writer of Alias and Naomi
“Kami Garcia and her amazing artistic collaborators dig deep to create a portrait of Joker and Harley that is as scary and exciting as you’d hope for, but also surprisingly human.” — Jeff Lemire, creator of Sweet Tooth and writer of Killer Smile
“ Joker/ Criminal Sanity isn’t just a darkly fresh take on iconic DC characters, it’s also a deep, masterful exploration of the most terrifying corners of human psychology. One of the most gripping series I read this year.” — Scott Snyder, writer of The Batman who Laughs and American Vampire
312 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2021
64 people are currently reading
652 people want to read
About the author
Kami Garcia
112 books17.4k followersKami Garcia is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author. She is the coauthor of the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series, which has been published in 51 countries and 37 languages, with over 10 million copies in print. In 2013, Beautiful Creatures released as a feature film from Warner Brothers. Kami is a cofounder of the YALLFEST kid lit book festival and the author of five solo novels, including her Bram Stoker Award-nominated novels Unbreakable and Unmarked (THE LEGION series) and The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos. Kami’s first graphic novel Teen Titans: Raven, with artist Gabriel Picolo, is the first book in her TEEN TITANS series for DC Comics and the adult series JOKER/HARLEY: CRIMINAL SANITY, from DC Black Label.
Find Kami online at kamigarcia.com, on Facebook @KamiGarciaYA, and on Twitter and Instagram @KamiGarcia.
Find Kami online at kamigarcia.com, on Facebook @KamiGarciaYA, and on Twitter and Instagram @KamiGarcia.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
August 9, 2023
It's not so much Harley and Joker as it is Criminal Minds.
I feel like DC is straining hard to get rid of her origins as the abused, co-dependant, sidekick of Joker that gleefully cackles as people get hurt.
And these kinds of Elseworlds stories are a great place to do that.
In this one, Jim Gordon relies on profiler Harley Quinzel to help him track down Gotham's worst killers. She's still a wildcard character with an abusive childhood to overcome, but she's a law-abiding citizen that works hard to save people. There's a connection between her and the Joker in that he killed her best friend and roommate, but there is no hinky hanky panky happening between Joker and Harley in this one. The closest you get is this undertone of him being impressed with her understanding of his kills that leads to some stalking.
I loved the artwork and the coloring in this. Really, it made the whole comic and I don't think I would have been flipping the pages as eagerly without it.
The "case files" on the other hand, got repetitive and boring. I don't like to read pages of words when I'm looking at a graphic novel. I don't know why it bothers me so much, especially since I read plenty of prose novels, but there's something about turning the page of a comic and facing a wall of text that just kills my lady boner. So I guess what I'm saying is that I could have done without all the pages of psychobabble.
But! Even with a few complaints I enjoyed the story and loved the art. Just don't go into it expecting a real Harley/Joker comic and you should be fine.
Recommended.
I feel like DC is straining hard to get rid of her origins as the abused, co-dependant, sidekick of Joker that gleefully cackles as people get hurt.
And these kinds of Elseworlds stories are a great place to do that.
In this one, Jim Gordon relies on profiler Harley Quinzel to help him track down Gotham's worst killers. She's still a wildcard character with an abusive childhood to overcome, but she's a law-abiding citizen that works hard to save people. There's a connection between her and the Joker in that he killed her best friend and roommate, but there is no hinky hanky panky happening between Joker and Harley in this one. The closest you get is this undertone of him being impressed with her understanding of his kills that leads to some stalking.
I loved the artwork and the coloring in this. Really, it made the whole comic and I don't think I would have been flipping the pages as eagerly without it.
The "case files" on the other hand, got repetitive and boring. I don't like to read pages of words when I'm looking at a graphic novel. I don't know why it bothers me so much, especially since I read plenty of prose novels, but there's something about turning the page of a comic and facing a wall of text that just kills my lady boner. So I guess what I'm saying is that I could have done without all the pages of psychobabble.
But! Even with a few complaints I enjoyed the story and loved the art. Just don't go into it expecting a real Harley/Joker comic and you should be fine.
Recommended.
October 12, 2025
This book exceeded my expectations. In fact, it shattered them. I thought this would be another retelling of Harley's origin story. The book goes so much better it is the origin of this worlds Joker as well as Harley.
There are a number of cameos from staple Batmam characters and Batman himself, but he is AWOL and has been really giving these characters the chance to shine in their game of tiger vs Tigress
In important to note is not quiet, Harley Quinzel, who is chasing Joker out of infatuation. It is tough as nails, Harley Quinn, after a killer for revenge. This version of the Joker is not quite the agent of chaos he is every bit as evil, but with a purpose. He even looks more menacing.
The story is as dark as it should be. The language and artwork are perfect for the adult themes.The research and bringing a genuine profiler really paid off in the story, really giving the extra authenticity it needed. Everything and everyone working on this book seems to have gone the extra mile to make if perfect. They read the interviews at the end of the book.
I also like the way the artwork was flipped. The present is in black, white, red, and hints of green, but the flashbacks are in colour. Cleverly done.
This is a great book. Batman and the Joker have always been two sides of the same coin, but this Harley and the Joker are the same side of a broken coin on a collision course. What happens when they are reunited?
There are a number of cameos from staple Batmam characters and Batman himself, but he is AWOL and has been really giving these characters the chance to shine in their game of tiger vs Tigress
In important to note is not quiet, Harley Quinzel, who is chasing Joker out of infatuation. It is tough as nails, Harley Quinn, after a killer for revenge. This version of the Joker is not quite the agent of chaos he is every bit as evil, but with a purpose. He even looks more menacing.
The story is as dark as it should be. The language and artwork are perfect for the adult themes.The research and bringing a genuine profiler really paid off in the story, really giving the extra authenticity it needed. Everything and everyone working on this book seems to have gone the extra mile to make if perfect. They read the interviews at the end of the book.
I also like the way the artwork was flipped. The present is in black, white, red, and hints of green, but the flashbacks are in colour. Cleverly done.
This is a great book. Batman and the Joker have always been two sides of the same coin, but this Harley and the Joker are the same side of a broken coin on a collision course. What happens when they are reunited?
May 2, 2021
Part origin, part prequel-ish tale from before Joker became Batman’s legendary nemesis and Harleen Quinzel became Harley Quinn, maybe even alternate world story, Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity sees Harley on the side of the Gotham City PD as they team up to stop the Joker’s art-influenced serial killings.
Criminal Sanity is essentially an art book with the slenderest of stories - and a pretty bad one at that! Looking at it from a purely narrative perspective, this didn’t need to be 9 oversized issues long. You get a fast and shallow origin story for Joker, then he starts his art killings and Harley chases after him - repeat this multiple times until she inevitably stops him.
Joker’s origin - actually his entire character - is uninspired and stoopid. He was abused by a comically evil stepfather (Harley has a similarly cartoonishly demented mother) and bullied at school - which obviously means he turns into a serial killer?! It’s so unconvincing. And why does he kill with an art theme, posing his victims in the style of Da Vinci, Dali, etc.? Because he likes art, duh! Why does he have a thing for Harley? Because she’s hot and smart. Rubbish characterisation - Kami Garcia’s Joker is one of the worst I’ve read.
Garcia beefs up the thin story by copy and pasting information on serial killers and psychopaths from Wikipedia as well as tracts on art history, to no real effect. And, while Batman is refreshingly kept out of the book almost entirely, it’s weird that he (sort of) plays a part in Joker’s mother’s death, which is the catalyst for his becoming the Joker, when he was a kid. Meaning Batman was around and being Batman when this Joker was a kid, so he’s got at least 15-20 years on him? It’s not important because Batman’s barely in this book but it’s still an odd detail.
However: looking at this book from a purely artistic perspective and it’s amazing. Industry legend Mike Mayhew draws a number of flashback pages in the early part of the book and his painted art is so photorealistic it looks like someone took a picture and applied an Instagram filter over it. Mico Suayan draws nearly all the pages set in the present and he’s a master of black and white art, and Jason Badower takes over from Mayhew, drawing the rest of the flashbacks and all of the pages from Joker’s perspective in the present. He’s not as accomplished as Mayhew but his pages look stunning regardless.
Mayhew:
Suayan:
Badower:
Mack:
The Joker Secret Files issue is entirely superfluous - it’s supposed to be Harley’s file on Joker and all it does is tell us things we already know from the story but in tedious psychologist-speak - though we do get David Mack drawing most of it too and he’s a terrific artist as well. Also, if you’re a fan of hunky Joker, you’ll love this book - this dude is buff AF and looks like a rock star! And hats off to Annette Kwok for her incredible colours throughout, in particular on Badower’s pages - they were utterly gorgeous to look at.
It’s appropriate that Garcia’s Joker is art-obsessed given that the book is only worth picking up for the art and not her flat writing. Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is an instantly forgettable and one-note Joker/Harley story with some of the best art these characters have ever had.
Criminal Sanity is essentially an art book with the slenderest of stories - and a pretty bad one at that! Looking at it from a purely narrative perspective, this didn’t need to be 9 oversized issues long. You get a fast and shallow origin story for Joker, then he starts his art killings and Harley chases after him - repeat this multiple times until she inevitably stops him.
Joker’s origin - actually his entire character - is uninspired and stoopid. He was abused by a comically evil stepfather (Harley has a similarly cartoonishly demented mother) and bullied at school - which obviously means he turns into a serial killer?! It’s so unconvincing. And why does he kill with an art theme, posing his victims in the style of Da Vinci, Dali, etc.? Because he likes art, duh! Why does he have a thing for Harley? Because she’s hot and smart. Rubbish characterisation - Kami Garcia’s Joker is one of the worst I’ve read.
Garcia beefs up the thin story by copy and pasting information on serial killers and psychopaths from Wikipedia as well as tracts on art history, to no real effect. And, while Batman is refreshingly kept out of the book almost entirely, it’s weird that he (sort of) plays a part in Joker’s mother’s death, which is the catalyst for his becoming the Joker, when he was a kid. Meaning Batman was around and being Batman when this Joker was a kid, so he’s got at least 15-20 years on him? It’s not important because Batman’s barely in this book but it’s still an odd detail.
However: looking at this book from a purely artistic perspective and it’s amazing. Industry legend Mike Mayhew draws a number of flashback pages in the early part of the book and his painted art is so photorealistic it looks like someone took a picture and applied an Instagram filter over it. Mico Suayan draws nearly all the pages set in the present and he’s a master of black and white art, and Jason Badower takes over from Mayhew, drawing the rest of the flashbacks and all of the pages from Joker’s perspective in the present. He’s not as accomplished as Mayhew but his pages look stunning regardless.
Mayhew:
Suayan:
Badower:
Mack:
The Joker Secret Files issue is entirely superfluous - it’s supposed to be Harley’s file on Joker and all it does is tell us things we already know from the story but in tedious psychologist-speak - though we do get David Mack drawing most of it too and he’s a terrific artist as well. Also, if you’re a fan of hunky Joker, you’ll love this book - this dude is buff AF and looks like a rock star! And hats off to Annette Kwok for her incredible colours throughout, in particular on Badower’s pages - they were utterly gorgeous to look at.
It’s appropriate that Garcia’s Joker is art-obsessed given that the book is only worth picking up for the art and not her flat writing. Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is an instantly forgettable and one-note Joker/Harley story with some of the best art these characters have ever had.
March 4, 2022
A reimagining of the Joker and Harley dynamic. Harley is now a profiler working for the GCPD. She's been chasing after the Joker for years, who has been twisted into a serial killer out of a movie, posing his victims as tributes to famous works of art. The story is the basic plot of a 100 different thrillers you've seen at the movies.
Mico Suayan illustrates the present in gorgeous black and white, while Mike Mayhew very clearly phototraces the past in full color. He barely even paints over the photos. It's awful. Thankfully he leaves the book part way through and Jason Badower capably takes over his role while actually drawing the panels.
Mico Suayan illustrates the present in gorgeous black and white, while Mike Mayhew very clearly phototraces the past in full color. He barely even paints over the photos. It's awful. Thankfully he leaves the book part way through and Jason Badower capably takes over his role while actually drawing the panels.
December 17, 2024
I definitely want more adventures of ass-kicking criminal psych profiler Harley Quinn, please.
Tell me Charlize wouldn't have absolutely crushed this role in her prime.
They can keep sad boi meticulous serial killer (or is it "Homicidal Artist"?)
Stay away, Chalamet!
But, yeah, it's a very solid psychological police procedural, writing-wise, but the real star attraction is the 5+ star art.
Tell me Charlize wouldn't have absolutely crushed this role in her prime.
They can keep sad boi meticulous serial killer (or is it "Homicidal Artist"?)
Stay away, Chalamet!
But, yeah, it's a very solid psychological police procedural, writing-wise, but the real star attraction is the 5+ star art.
November 10, 2021
The obnoxious characters are given depth by way of "Se7en"-type thriller. Harley and Joker lead parallel lives (uncaring parents, accompanied by harsh kid experiences). Sooner or later, they will merge, despite her being a detective and he a serial killer.
Pretty groovy--when Batman disappears, everything gets more interesting.
Pretty groovy--when Batman disappears, everything gets more interesting.
September 14, 2021
shit made me Uncomfortable
April 17, 2021
Note: I read the individual issues.
This is what DC Black Label is all about. A very mature and though provoking take on the Joker and Harley Quinn. The Joker is re-imagined as a more typical serial killer and Quinn is a psychologist working with the GCPD as a profile. The Joker stages outlandish murders as Quinn attempts to hunt him down. We also get glimpses into their personal lives and it all builds to a climax ala the film SEVEN, although really the ending was the weakest part of this series. It did lead to an intriguing concept for future stories, however.
The art was exceptional, some of the best art being published lately.
Overall this was a very strong showing that is pretty much exactly what it should be.
This is what DC Black Label is all about. A very mature and though provoking take on the Joker and Harley Quinn. The Joker is re-imagined as a more typical serial killer and Quinn is a psychologist working with the GCPD as a profile. The Joker stages outlandish murders as Quinn attempts to hunt him down. We also get glimpses into their personal lives and it all builds to a climax ala the film SEVEN, although really the ending was the weakest part of this series. It did lead to an intriguing concept for future stories, however.
The art was exceptional, some of the best art being published lately.
Overall this was a very strong showing that is pretty much exactly what it should be.
September 1, 2021
It’s not that it’s really bad... just flat and uninspired.
An Elseworld book where Harley works as a profiler for the GCPD, trying to capture an art-inspired Joker. Ok, why not? I’ll say.
Alas, every conceivable clichés on serial killers stand in line to be regurgitated in some page on another. It felt like an overlong episode of Criminal Minds but at least there are some characters I like in Criminal Minds. Harley and Joker are textbook characters without one ounce of charisma while the others simply don’t exist. Backgrounds and motivations are stale. Garcia did some research and she wants to make sure we know she did. The ending is somewhat predictable. Soooo boring.
Even the art didn’t do it for me. As rigid as can be- notably Mayhew’s still frames- with loose storytelling. No fluidity, cramped expressions. The guys can draw, no two-ways about it, they just need to put some life, some soul into it.
Then we’ll talk.
An Elseworld book where Harley works as a profiler for the GCPD, trying to capture an art-inspired Joker. Ok, why not? I’ll say.
Alas, every conceivable clichés on serial killers stand in line to be regurgitated in some page on another. It felt like an overlong episode of Criminal Minds but at least there are some characters I like in Criminal Minds. Harley and Joker are textbook characters without one ounce of charisma while the others simply don’t exist. Backgrounds and motivations are stale. Garcia did some research and she wants to make sure we know she did. The ending is somewhat predictable. Soooo boring.
Even the art didn’t do it for me. As rigid as can be- notably Mayhew’s still frames- with loose storytelling. No fluidity, cramped expressions. The guys can draw, no two-ways about it, they just need to put some life, some soul into it.
Then we’ll talk.
November 5, 2022
2.5 stars.
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is an AU where Harley is a consultant for the GCPD and the Joker is the serial killer she's profiling.
This could have been really good, but it just fell flat. It also has once of the most boring and unsatisfying endings I've read in a while.
The artwork was a mixed bag for me. Present day is in black and white, while flashback are in full colour. This storytelling method was okay but I wasn't completly sold on it.
My main problem with the artwork was the flashback full colour scenes. They went with this hyper-realistic style, which I hated. At points, I honestly couldn't tell if it wasn't a just a photo of a real person photoshopped in with the outlines drawn. Thankfully, they drop that style around the halfway point of the book.
Also they made the Joker so hot, I was like this 😂:
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is an AU where Harley is a consultant for the GCPD and the Joker is the serial killer she's profiling.
This could have been really good, but it just fell flat. It also has once of the most boring and unsatisfying endings I've read in a while.
The artwork was a mixed bag for me. Present day is in black and white, while flashback are in full colour. This storytelling method was okay but I wasn't completly sold on it.
My main problem with the artwork was the flashback full colour scenes. They went with this hyper-realistic style, which I hated. At points, I honestly couldn't tell if it wasn't a just a photo of a real person photoshopped in with the outlines drawn. Thankfully, they drop that style around the halfway point of the book.
Also they made the Joker so hot, I was like this 😂:
December 17, 2021
(Mild Spoilers) I'm torn. On one hand I feel there are some aspects of this book that are exceptional, on the other hand I feel it is weighed down by some aspects that are very cliché.
Art: First of all, this book puts the graphic in graphic novel, and there is no doubt this is a very pretty book. Three artists take turns, which each artist taking lead on different viewpoints in the story: Harley's POV, the Joker's POV, and flashbacks. This was clever use of visual shorthand to convey changes in point of view. Equally clever is the use of black and white for the "present" art, and color for the flashbacks. A nice reversal from the norm.
I found 99% of the art to be incredibly well done, there were some pages that took me right out of the story. There are several pages that are nearly photo realistic. The art in comics requires some element of fantasy to work, and in this case the photo realistic art was too wooden and posed looking.
Other than the few instances of awkward photorealism, the art is some of the best I've ever seen in comics. This is truly a feast for the eyes - assuming you are OK with gore.
Interesting Premise, Disappointing Implementation: the entire Joker/Harley dynamic is tipped on its head. Harley is police profiler, and the Joker is serial killer obsessed with her, rather than the usual story of Harley being in love with the Joker. All potentially interesting changes, right?
I happen to be of the mind that the Joker is best left as an enigma. He is at his best as a sort of a Chaotic Evil god of Death. Part of the reimagining of this story is giving the Joker the backstory of an abusive father, which turns him into a serial killer. Which is just... so cliché. That story has been done to death in a million different comics, TV shows, movies, and books.
Harley being a police profiler that becomes slowly more unhinged because she is too close to the case is also super cliché. *Yawn*
In addition to cliché writing, there were numerous logical inconsistencies that took me out of the story. I won't go into them to avoid spoilers, but they are hard to miss for anyone who pays attention to the details.
Also, one of my pet peeves: the story ends very abruptly... like this review!
2 stars for the writing, 4.5 stars for the art = 3.5 stars round up to 4.
Art: First of all, this book puts the graphic in graphic novel, and there is no doubt this is a very pretty book. Three artists take turns, which each artist taking lead on different viewpoints in the story: Harley's POV, the Joker's POV, and flashbacks. This was clever use of visual shorthand to convey changes in point of view. Equally clever is the use of black and white for the "present" art, and color for the flashbacks. A nice reversal from the norm.
I found 99% of the art to be incredibly well done, there were some pages that took me right out of the story. There are several pages that are nearly photo realistic. The art in comics requires some element of fantasy to work, and in this case the photo realistic art was too wooden and posed looking.
Other than the few instances of awkward photorealism, the art is some of the best I've ever seen in comics. This is truly a feast for the eyes - assuming you are OK with gore.
Interesting Premise, Disappointing Implementation: the entire Joker/Harley dynamic is tipped on its head. Harley is police profiler, and the Joker is serial killer obsessed with her, rather than the usual story of Harley being in love with the Joker. All potentially interesting changes, right?
I happen to be of the mind that the Joker is best left as an enigma. He is at his best as a sort of a Chaotic Evil god of Death. Part of the reimagining of this story is giving the Joker the backstory of an abusive father, which turns him into a serial killer. Which is just... so cliché. That story has been done to death in a million different comics, TV shows, movies, and books.
Harley being a police profiler that becomes slowly more unhinged because she is too close to the case is also super cliché. *Yawn*
In addition to cliché writing, there were numerous logical inconsistencies that took me out of the story. I won't go into them to avoid spoilers, but they are hard to miss for anyone who pays attention to the details.
Also, one of my pet peeves: the story ends very abruptly... like this review!
2 stars for the writing, 4.5 stars for the art = 3.5 stars round up to 4.
November 28, 2021
The art was really good, and I found the story to be really good as well. This is not the typical Harley/Joker story at all. Joker is absolutely chilling here, and Harley is much more serious than usual. There were a few things that stretched the suspension of disbelief, such as Joker's reasons for turning, but it's not completely far fetched either.
Overall, if you like Black Label, Joker and Harley, this is a recommendation for sure!
Overall, if you like Black Label, Joker and Harley, this is a recommendation for sure!
February 2, 2022
If you’re wanting a CW version of Joker and Harley with some Hannibal mixed in.
February 28, 2023
Доволі часто, говорячи про комікси, їх співвідносять до літератури. Це здається логічним, адже їхня подібність до звичних всім книг, якби натякає, що це по суті те саме. Насправді, незважаючи на подібність формату, комікси за медіумом та побудовою наративу значно ближчі до кіно, аніж до літератури.
Команда, що працювала над «Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» сповна скористалася унікальною здатністю мальованих історій поєднувати візуальну видовищність з хорошою історією і створила один з найпотужніших детективних триллерів, що мені довелося читати.
Осудність хочеться порівнювати з найліпшими, тут вам і жорстока витонченість «Ганібала» втіленого Міккельсеном і шокуючий символізм Фінчерівського «Сім» та й похмурий настрій ґотемських провулків не менш моторошний, а ніж луїзіанська глибинка «Справжнього детектива»
«Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» мало чим нагадує стару добру супергероїку, та цілком логічно виглядає у доробку Black Label, де вже існує «Гарлін» Стьєпана Шеїча та «Джокер. Вбивча усмішка» від супердуету Лемір-Соррентіно. Всі згадані тайтли так чи інак базуються на психологічному протистоянні і розкривають сутність Джокера та Гарлін, «Осудність» не виключення.
Прочитати «Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» це як подивитися початок крутого серіялу. Лише прочитавши більшу частину мальопису я зрозумів, з якою скрупульозністю команда пропрацювала найдрібніші елементи. Кожна деталь, подія, все що відбувалося в минулому головних героїв і вплинуло на їхній характер, складається в дивовижний сценарний пазл.
Ще до того, як починаєш читати текстові бульки, в око впадає робота основного художника Міко Суаяня. Філіпінець показує справжній мистецький майстерклас. Його неонуарний стиль, відрефлексований чорнобілим виконанням, одразу кладе на лопатки і змушує в захваті демонструвати гланди. Чіткий і деталізований в статиці, та водночас розфокусований дощем та світлом фар в шаленстві бійки та гонитви.
Так як події в «Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» відбуваються у двох різних проміжках часу, відповідно маємо двох художників. Сьогодення малював Міко Суаянь, а над подіями минулого працював Майк Мейг’ю. Пам’ятаю, як після анонсу «Осудності» в мережі тягали кілька сторінок, відмальованих з фотографічною точністю, вони тоді достатньо сильно мене збентежили і змусили засумніватися в художній цінності коміксу, саме ці сторінки малював Майк. Та в контексті мальованої історії, де теперішнє зображене чорно-білим, чи навіть чорно-сірим, промальовані в кольорі і скажено деталізовані події минулого, у виконанні Мейг’ю виглядають доречно. Цей прийом чітко розділяє, життя головних героїв на “до і після”. Також, колір використовується для акценту на важливих для історії деталях, та створює певний психоделічний ефект, що є чи не обов’язковим елементом для неонуару.
Автори постійно порівнюють та протиставляють головних героїв, підкидаючи нам флешбеки з минулого, всіляко натякаючи, що Джокер та Гарлі не такі вже й різні. Кожен з них мав важке дитинство і отримав безліч травм, в першу чергу психологічних. Та врешті життя двох звичайних людей змінило вбивство близьких, яке стало катарсисом і вивільнило демонів ненависті та помсти.
«Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» стала для мене чудовим читацьким досвідом, це повністю самодостатня, повноцінна історія, що не потребує жодних “костурів” у вигляді коміксового бекґраунду.
«Осудність» є фактично містком між світом коміксів та новітньою історією кіновсесвіту DC, адже у нього набагото більше спільного з «Джокером» Тодда Філіпса та «Бетменом» Метта Рівза, а ніж з поточним “вінегретом” у DC Comics. Ці проєкти поєднує той факт, що історія фокусується на особистості головних персонажів, та пропонує альтернативні, більш реалістичні сценарії появи легендарних героїв, при цьому уникаючи заїжджених сценарних кліше.
Мене надзвичайно потішила відкрита кінцівка мальованої історії, яка надзвичайно актуальна для українців, це стосується нашої пристрасті до плювання на відьом, та щоб не спойлерити, дозволю собі натяк.
Як відомо, диявол починається з піни на губах янгола. Зачасту складається ситуація, коли особисті мотиви зливаються з суспільними. Грань між ними настільки ніжна та тонка, що часто відбувається підміна.
І немає значення хто ти, впевнена в собі психологиня чи багатій в масці кажана, завжди пам’ятай, якщо довго дивишся в безодню, то безодня теж дивиться в тебе.
Команда, що працювала над «Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» сповна скористалася унікальною здатністю мальованих історій поєднувати візуальну видовищність з хорошою історією і створила один з найпотужніших детективних триллерів, що мені довелося читати.
Осудність хочеться порівнювати з найліпшими, тут вам і жорстока витонченість «Ганібала» втіленого Міккельсеном і шокуючий символізм Фінчерівського «Сім» та й похмурий настрій ґотемських провулків не менш моторошний, а ніж луїзіанська глибинка «Справжнього детектива»
«Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» мало чим нагадує стару добру супергероїку, та цілком логічно виглядає у доробку Black Label, де вже існує «Гарлін» Стьєпана Шеїча та «Джокер. Вбивча усмішка» від супердуету Лемір-Соррентіно. Всі згадані тайтли так чи інак базуються на психологічному протистоянні і розкривають сутність Джокера та Гарлін, «Осудність» не виключення.
Прочитати «Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» це як подивитися початок крутого серіялу. Лише прочитавши більшу частину мальопису я зрозумів, з якою скрупульозністю команда пропрацювала найдрібніші елементи. Кожна деталь, подія, все що відбувалося в минулому головних героїв і вплинуло на їхній характер, складається в дивовижний сценарний пазл.
Ще до того, як починаєш читати текстові бульки, в око впадає робота основного художника Міко Суаяня. Філіпінець показує справжній мистецький майстерклас. Його неонуарний стиль, відрефлексований чорнобілим виконанням, одразу кладе на лопатки і змушує в захваті демонструвати гланди. Чіткий і деталізований в статиці, та водночас розфокусований дощем та світлом фар в шаленстві бійки та гонитви.
Так як події в «Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» відбуваються у двох різних проміжках часу, відповідно маємо двох художників. Сьогодення малював Міко Суаянь, а над подіями минулого працював Майк Мейг’ю. Пам’ятаю, як після анонсу «Осудності» в мережі тягали кілька сторінок, відмальованих з фотографічною точністю, вони тоді достатньо сильно мене збентежили і змусили засумніватися в художній цінності коміксу, саме ці сторінки малював Майк. Та в контексті мальованої історії, де теперішнє зображене чорно-білим, чи навіть чорно-сірим, промальовані в кольорі і скажено деталізовані події минулого, у виконанні Мейг’ю виглядають доречно. Цей прийом чітко розділяє, життя головних героїв на “до і після”. Також, колір використовується для акценту на важливих для історії деталях, та створює певний психоделічний ефект, що є чи не обов’язковим елементом для неонуару.
Автори постійно порівнюють та протиставляють головних героїв, підкидаючи нам флешбеки з минулого, всіляко натякаючи, що Джокер та Гарлі не такі вже й різні. Кожен з них мав важке дитинство і отримав безліч травм, в першу чергу психологічних. Та врешті життя двох звичайних людей змінило вбивство близьких, яке стало катарсисом і вивільнило демонів ненависті та помсти.
«Джокер/Гарлі: Осудність» стала для мене чудовим читацьким досвідом, це повністю самодостатня, повноцінна історія, що не потребує жодних “костурів” у вигляді коміксового бекґраунду.
«Осудність» є фактично містком між світом коміксів та новітньою історією кіновсесвіту DC, адже у нього набагото більше спільного з «Джокером» Тодда Філіпса та «Бетменом» Метта Рівза, а ніж з поточним “вінегретом” у DC Comics. Ці проєкти поєднує той факт, що історія фокусується на особистості головних персонажів, та пропонує альтернативні, більш реалістичні сценарії появи легендарних героїв, при цьому уникаючи заїжджених сценарних кліше.
Мене надзвичайно потішила відкрита кінцівка мальованої історії, яка надзвичайно актуальна для українців, це стосується нашої пристрасті до плювання на відьом, та щоб не спойлерити, дозволю собі натяк.
Як відомо, диявол починається з піни на губах янгола. Зачасту складається ситуація, коли особисті мотиви зливаються з суспільними. Грань між ними настільки ніжна та тонка, що часто відбувається підміна.
І немає значення хто ти, впевнена в собі психологиня чи багатій в масці кажана, завжди пам’ятай, якщо довго дивишся в безодню, то безодня теж дивиться в тебе.
July 13, 2024
Didn't love the art, most of it looked AI generated. Even though I didn't like the art, there were a few pages that looked like utter masterpieces, but those were few and far between.
The story itself was pretty good. Definitely a different and interesting take on Harley Quinn and The Joker.
The story itself was pretty good. Definitely a different and interesting take on Harley Quinn and The Joker.
April 21, 2024
4.5 stars.
October 27, 2022
Well, this comic didn't get off on the right foot. Let me paraphrase the first line. "Tigers are apex predators, and so are serial killers. They're waiting in the tall grass going 'meow meow' waiting for one of us to walk by, but they're even scarier than tigers. I'm so cool and hardcore."
It's one of these reboots where all the characters might as well not even be called by their names because they're unrecognizable. My problems don't end there with the characters. This story falls into the same problem almost every story does when they have genius characters. They're constantly making dumb decisions, but the author keeps insisting that they're actually really smart.
The story uses real serial killers to increase its edginess. I have a serious problem adding real serial killers into a fantasy world. It's lazy and unethical to use these horrific crimes to up your edginess.
The Joker turns out to be a really nice kid who was abused by his father growing up. So he killed his dad and then started going around killing other similar abusers. And then one day decided just to start killing random people, chopping them up and then sewing their parts together to create disgusting pieces of flesh art. I find it hard to see the jump from vigilante to Buffalo Bill.
Harley Quinn is our intrepid protagonist. She's so tough. At one point, she strolls into a gangster bar alone and beats up the head of the Russian mob in Gotham despite him being a 'welcome to the gun show' man. And all those other Russian mobsters just let her do it. Why? I guess because she's so intimidating in her leather jacket... In the next scene the Joker shows up in her apartment wearing clown makeup and after he flashes a knife at her she immediately drops her gun and knife on the floor. Then she lets herself get tied up because this little string bean is a dangerous killer and she needs to be smart about this and not enter into any conflict. Are you seeing a problem here? Our girl boss who isn't scared of anyone immediately gets scared and plays possum. It's nonsense. And on top of that when the joker leaves she learns from crime scene evidence that the intruder must have been the Joker! Uhhh what? The clown makeup didn't give it away?
I could keep on listing dumb things about this comic, but what would be the point? Our characters idiotic and inconsistent. The writing tries to be cool and dark but, in actuality, is atrociously bad. The story is a DC comic in name only. The art is pretty good.
It's one of these reboots where all the characters might as well not even be called by their names because they're unrecognizable. My problems don't end there with the characters. This story falls into the same problem almost every story does when they have genius characters. They're constantly making dumb decisions, but the author keeps insisting that they're actually really smart.
The story uses real serial killers to increase its edginess. I have a serious problem adding real serial killers into a fantasy world. It's lazy and unethical to use these horrific crimes to up your edginess.
The Joker turns out to be a really nice kid who was abused by his father growing up. So he killed his dad and then started going around killing other similar abusers. And then one day decided just to start killing random people, chopping them up and then sewing their parts together to create disgusting pieces of flesh art. I find it hard to see the jump from vigilante to Buffalo Bill.
Harley Quinn is our intrepid protagonist. She's so tough. At one point, she strolls into a gangster bar alone and beats up the head of the Russian mob in Gotham despite him being a 'welcome to the gun show' man. And all those other Russian mobsters just let her do it. Why? I guess because she's so intimidating in her leather jacket... In the next scene the Joker shows up in her apartment wearing clown makeup and after he flashes a knife at her she immediately drops her gun and knife on the floor. Then she lets herself get tied up because this little string bean is a dangerous killer and she needs to be smart about this and not enter into any conflict. Are you seeing a problem here? Our girl boss who isn't scared of anyone immediately gets scared and plays possum. It's nonsense. And on top of that when the joker leaves she learns from crime scene evidence that the intruder must have been the Joker! Uhhh what? The clown makeup didn't give it away?
I could keep on listing dumb things about this comic, but what would be the point? Our characters idiotic and inconsistent. The writing tries to be cool and dark but, in actuality, is atrociously bad. The story is a DC comic in name only. The art is pretty good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2025
This is one of those interpretations of characters that's just close enough to be recognisable, but feels more like a different story with the serial numbers tacked on instead of filed off.
The idea of Harley as a forensic profiler and the Joker as her nemesis isn't a bad one, and it definitely upends the relationship in a different way, but it also kind of takes away what makes the Harley/Joker relationship compelling (at least in its early stages). She's after him not for love, but for revenge because he killed a character that we're told had lots of meaning to Harley, but that we never really see explained. This leads Harley on a wild goose chase as she uncovers his secret origin, all the while having to face down some familiar Gotham City faces and some horrific crime scenes reminiscent of Ryan Murphy's Grotesquerie (and other stuff, but that's the most recent thing I've watched like it).
The ultimate conclusion feels...unearned, with the Joker's careful planning all falling apart just for his own hubris, and then he and Harley face off and it just kind of...ends. I know there's meant to be a follow-up series, but for an 8 issue story, it doesn't feel like a good pay-off.
I can't argue that the art's awesome though. Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, and Mike Mayhew make a compelling triple threat, with some Sin City-esque Noir storytelling along the way. The oversized hardcover format really does their artwork justice.
Not bad, but not really a Joker/Harley story so much as an OC crime drama. Nothing wrong with that, but not entirely what I expected.
The idea of Harley as a forensic profiler and the Joker as her nemesis isn't a bad one, and it definitely upends the relationship in a different way, but it also kind of takes away what makes the Harley/Joker relationship compelling (at least in its early stages). She's after him not for love, but for revenge because he killed a character that we're told had lots of meaning to Harley, but that we never really see explained. This leads Harley on a wild goose chase as she uncovers his secret origin, all the while having to face down some familiar Gotham City faces and some horrific crime scenes reminiscent of Ryan Murphy's Grotesquerie (and other stuff, but that's the most recent thing I've watched like it).
The ultimate conclusion feels...unearned, with the Joker's careful planning all falling apart just for his own hubris, and then he and Harley face off and it just kind of...ends. I know there's meant to be a follow-up series, but for an 8 issue story, it doesn't feel like a good pay-off.
I can't argue that the art's awesome though. Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, and Mike Mayhew make a compelling triple threat, with some Sin City-esque Noir storytelling along the way. The oversized hardcover format really does their artwork justice.
Not bad, but not really a Joker/Harley story so much as an OC crime drama. Nothing wrong with that, but not entirely what I expected.
February 21, 2023
4.5 - Ending seemed rushed in relation to the rest of the story, but the artwork was awesome!
September 23, 2021
It was an interesting take on Harley and the Joker story. I like the art and the way the story was told. Harley and The Joker were both well represented and solid, not without some flaws, but still I like what this author has done with them and with that story. She put her own style to it and bring something quite original which isn't something easy to do with characters that we have seen over and over. Well done!
September 16, 2024
Eu tamén me volvería loca se un gilipollas (o Joker) me mata a miña moza. Harley non ten nada de que pedir perdón.
June 24, 2025
Una historia muy muy floja. Un intento de Seven de Hacendado explicando el origen del Joker pero de forma un poco burda. Dispensable.
November 24, 2021
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity collects issues 1-8 of the series and Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity - Secret Files written by Kami Garcia with art by Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, and Mike Mayhew.
An alternate universe origin for Joker and Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is a psychological profile consultant for Gotham's police department. The Joker is a serial killer whose case went cold five years ago and a new serial killer has emerged in Gotham.
This book seems to be pretty polarizing but I really liked how the book tried to give a more "realistic" approach to Joker being a serial killer. It's still a comicbook so it's over the top, but not like normal continuity Joker. But the real start of this book is the art. There are three artists who each apply their unique styles to a different POV: the past, the present from Harley's perspective, and the present from Joker's perspective. If you are a fan of crime books or true crime, I think you will enjoy this book.
An alternate universe origin for Joker and Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is a psychological profile consultant for Gotham's police department. The Joker is a serial killer whose case went cold five years ago and a new serial killer has emerged in Gotham.
This book seems to be pretty polarizing but I really liked how the book tried to give a more "realistic" approach to Joker being a serial killer. It's still a comicbook so it's over the top, but not like normal continuity Joker. But the real start of this book is the art. There are three artists who each apply their unique styles to a different POV: the past, the present from Harley's perspective, and the present from Joker's perspective. If you are a fan of crime books or true crime, I think you will enjoy this book.
December 15, 2021
A unique look at the origin story for Joker and Harley, with her as a police detective chasing him down. Love that it doesn't shy away from the gore (as DC Black Label, it shouldn't!) and the art style of present in black and white vs past in color is an interesting artistic choice. Don't love that it is specifically Harley and Joker instead of just regular criminals, but I guess that is what draws readers in.
Overall, good read. Worth your time.
Recommend.
Overall, good read. Worth your time.
Recommend.
November 11, 2021
this was fantastic. i loved this. i loved the different take on the universe and characters. i loved the art. some of the full color bits seemed like stylized photos which was cool. i loved the serial killer/profiler dynamic.
February 22, 2022
I think it’s safe to say some people will hate this. And I understand that completely. But I found myself really enjoying it.
This is not a Batman story. It’s questionable whether it’s even a Harley Quinn or Joker story since the two characters are changed. It is a Gotham City story though.
Dr Harley Quinn (as she styles herself) is a criminal profiler working with Gordon and the GCPD. She is obsessed with the murder of her best friend by a serial killer known only as The Joker.
I loved this version of Harley. She’s everything a serious take on her in a gritty Gotham world should be. She’s a driven genius and a compelling protagonist who is already on the edge. And why wouldn’t a woman named Harleen have shortened her name to Harley herself. This is a brilliant version of the character and I enjoyed every second we spent with her.
As for Joker, flashbacks show us his evolution from genius, abused loner to a psychopathic killer who is terrorising Gotham. This Joker really is an entirely different character to any Joker we’ve seen before. Some people will hate that (though a lot of people loved it with Arthur Fleck in the movie).
I wasn’t convinced by this Joker at first. An edgy youth in a black trench coat with a cool haircut? No thanks. And Garcia even has the audacity to give him a real name and an origin. Sacrilege! But I kept reading and something strange happened: he grew on me.
I’ve started to find Joker origin stories fascinating in my old age (well, mid-20s) and I started to see more of value in ‘John Kelly’ than I expected. I also started to see what Garcia was doing with Joker in the main present day plot and even stopped referring to him as One Direction Joker.
Garcia gives us a brief history of serial killers in the first issue and its clear she, and Harley have done their research. What this version of Joker is, is a what if. What if The Joker was a real world serial killer. Serial killers follow patterns. They’re not agents of chaos like traditional comic Joker. They don’t use comical laughing gas poison and dress in bright purple suits, they use far more horrific murder weapons and dress in black to hunt. As for his youth, Joker here and in main continuity is desperate for attention. Surely that just screams young man.
As for his origin, you can’t explore the makings of a serial killer without showing them. There is an effort made to give Joker some anonymity. The point of the story in-universe is that no one knows who the mysterious Joker is, except eventually Harley. As for the reader, well what pushes John Kelly over the edge to commit his first murder is discovering his parents lied and he has no idea who his real dad is or even what his real name is. Its easy to miss but we actually don’t know who this Joker really is anymore than he does.
There are definite tributes to the Joker we know. He commits that first murder covered in white paint with blood on his face like lipstick, leading to him adopting the iconic face paint look in present day. His early murders are committed with a red hoodie on. He always leaves his victims with a smile, courtesy of a bent coat hanger - and isn’t that a chillingly brilliant take.
This is a true crime novel style reimagining of Harley and Joker and if you can get on board with those two characters then you’ll love this book. It’s a two hander as they play cat and mouse throughout Gotham. And the best part is, you genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen. John Kelly’s transformation into the Joker plays out with obvious inevitability but Harley and Joker’s story has you on the edge of your seat throughout.
This isn’t your traditional Joker/Harley story. There’s no silly therapist falling in love with her manipulative sadistic patient. This is a woman with revenge on the mind hunting down a monster who’s decided to make her his muse. The usual Joker/Harley story does not have a happy ending and I honestly don’t know if this counts as a happy ending or not. But I do know I had no idea if Harley was going to catch the Joker, be corrupted by him or seduced by him, or even killed by him.
This isn’t just a story with those two names plastered on though. Garcia throws references and nods to other characters like Johnathan Crane, Sarah Essen, Victor Zsasz and Black Mask in throughout. Gordon is present throughout to play his usual role as Gotham’s one good man. And The Batman does exist…
Batman is shown to be active in the flashbacks, his clash with the Falcone crime family tying into John’s mum’s death. Then he disappears. This isn’t a Batman story because Batman sightings have stopped once Joker emerges. This is a Gotham without Batman. A Gotham that needs Harley Quinn.
This book turns out at the end to be the origin of Harley the vigilante. Gotham’s replacement for Batman. A role Joker has already rejected in his flashback origin. She is Joker’s obsession that he sees as the other side of the coin to him and keeps alive because she’s just too much fun. She is the one who will stop at nothing to catch him. She is the one he wants to break into finally killing him.
“Feels good to give into your dark side, doesn’t it? The concert was supposed to be my masterpiece. My Hieronymus Bosch. But it’s you. You’re my masterpiece.”
And then he smears blood on her face in the shape of a smile and bursts out laughing maniacally like the true Joker for the first time. The Joker and Harley Quinn are both truly born on the same night in the rain with her hands around his throat.
Here’s the kicker though, the two really are far more similar than Harley would ever like to admit. To answer another review’s question: that’s why Harley is special to Joker. I said earlier the Joker’s flashback story was his evolution from genius, abused loner to a psychopathic killer who is terrorising Gotham. And what do we learn about Harley in this book?
She’s a genius. Graduated high school at 14.
She was abused. Abusive mother, mirroring Joker’s abusive father.
She’s a loner. She is surrounded almost entirely by stupid men who only care about staring at her ass. The friend she sees as her only family was murdered by the Joker years before the book starts. The person in her life that matters is Gordon, a true friend. Who she lies to and turns her back on, in favour of chasing Joker.
And how does she end the book? Here’s her words from the last page: “Batman had the right idea, but he didn’t take it far enough. Putting predators behind bars will only slow them down. Someone has to hunt the hunters. In the jungle, the animal with the best chance of killing a tiger is one of its own. I’ll be that someone.”
She’s taking the absent Batman’s role in the city but she’s definitely not him. She’s something more akin to Red Hood or even The Punisher. She might not have killed Joker thanks to Gordon’s intervention but she intends to, and anyone else like him. We leave her as she’s about to become a killer. Just like him.
Is that a happy ending? I suppose the bad guy didn’t win but I’m genuinely not sure.
I’ll end by mentioning my two favourite scenes in the book that show Joker’s control over Harley throughout this book and which both genuinely made my spine tingle.
At about the halfway point, Harley comes home to find Joker waiting for her. He’s been watching her for a while but it’s their first meeting. He ties her to a chair in her own home and discusses her psychological profile of him with her before telling her he wants her to keep chasing him, to be his chronicler. Then he leaves. Harley understandably beats herself up about this but also can’t face recounting how she was ziptied to a chair in her own apartment to anyone else, not even Gordon. Fear of mockery as she claims? Or just fear?
Later, Joker is arrested as a suspect but only Harley knows its really him. She goes in alone to talk to him without telling anyone she’s met him before. There’s a power cut. The lights go off. The doors are locked and won’t open again without power. “Now we have some privacy.” He reaches out and touches her hand. He’s out of the handcuffs.
And then it turns out he’s only really there because he wants to know what she thought of his latest ‘art’ (murder). And even more disturbingly, Harley tells Gordon it’s not him and lets him go. Because he’s so in her head, she doesn’t want him caught anymore. She just wants him dead.
I enjoyed reading this book, a good spooky late night read. I enjoyed thinking about it afterwards even more. It inverts everything you expect in a story about these two characters. Even the storytelling is inverted in many ways, with present day in black and white and flashbacks in colour. It will not be for everyone, but don’t mistake that for being ‘bad.’ Kami Garcia is an excellent storyteller. It’s just whether that story’s for you or not.
This is not a Batman story. It’s questionable whether it’s even a Harley Quinn or Joker story since the two characters are changed. It is a Gotham City story though.
Dr Harley Quinn (as she styles herself) is a criminal profiler working with Gordon and the GCPD. She is obsessed with the murder of her best friend by a serial killer known only as The Joker.
I loved this version of Harley. She’s everything a serious take on her in a gritty Gotham world should be. She’s a driven genius and a compelling protagonist who is already on the edge. And why wouldn’t a woman named Harleen have shortened her name to Harley herself. This is a brilliant version of the character and I enjoyed every second we spent with her.
As for Joker, flashbacks show us his evolution from genius, abused loner to a psychopathic killer who is terrorising Gotham. This Joker really is an entirely different character to any Joker we’ve seen before. Some people will hate that (though a lot of people loved it with Arthur Fleck in the movie).
I wasn’t convinced by this Joker at first. An edgy youth in a black trench coat with a cool haircut? No thanks. And Garcia even has the audacity to give him a real name and an origin. Sacrilege! But I kept reading and something strange happened: he grew on me.
I’ve started to find Joker origin stories fascinating in my old age (well, mid-20s) and I started to see more of value in ‘John Kelly’ than I expected. I also started to see what Garcia was doing with Joker in the main present day plot and even stopped referring to him as One Direction Joker.
Garcia gives us a brief history of serial killers in the first issue and its clear she, and Harley have done their research. What this version of Joker is, is a what if. What if The Joker was a real world serial killer. Serial killers follow patterns. They’re not agents of chaos like traditional comic Joker. They don’t use comical laughing gas poison and dress in bright purple suits, they use far more horrific murder weapons and dress in black to hunt. As for his youth, Joker here and in main continuity is desperate for attention. Surely that just screams young man.
As for his origin, you can’t explore the makings of a serial killer without showing them. There is an effort made to give Joker some anonymity. The point of the story in-universe is that no one knows who the mysterious Joker is, except eventually Harley. As for the reader, well what pushes John Kelly over the edge to commit his first murder is discovering his parents lied and he has no idea who his real dad is or even what his real name is. Its easy to miss but we actually don’t know who this Joker really is anymore than he does.
There are definite tributes to the Joker we know. He commits that first murder covered in white paint with blood on his face like lipstick, leading to him adopting the iconic face paint look in present day. His early murders are committed with a red hoodie on. He always leaves his victims with a smile, courtesy of a bent coat hanger - and isn’t that a chillingly brilliant take.
This is a true crime novel style reimagining of Harley and Joker and if you can get on board with those two characters then you’ll love this book. It’s a two hander as they play cat and mouse throughout Gotham. And the best part is, you genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen. John Kelly’s transformation into the Joker plays out with obvious inevitability but Harley and Joker’s story has you on the edge of your seat throughout.
This isn’t your traditional Joker/Harley story. There’s no silly therapist falling in love with her manipulative sadistic patient. This is a woman with revenge on the mind hunting down a monster who’s decided to make her his muse. The usual Joker/Harley story does not have a happy ending and I honestly don’t know if this counts as a happy ending or not. But I do know I had no idea if Harley was going to catch the Joker, be corrupted by him or seduced by him, or even killed by him.
This isn’t just a story with those two names plastered on though. Garcia throws references and nods to other characters like Johnathan Crane, Sarah Essen, Victor Zsasz and Black Mask in throughout. Gordon is present throughout to play his usual role as Gotham’s one good man. And The Batman does exist…
Batman is shown to be active in the flashbacks, his clash with the Falcone crime family tying into John’s mum’s death. Then he disappears. This isn’t a Batman story because Batman sightings have stopped once Joker emerges. This is a Gotham without Batman. A Gotham that needs Harley Quinn.
This book turns out at the end to be the origin of Harley the vigilante. Gotham’s replacement for Batman. A role Joker has already rejected in his flashback origin. She is Joker’s obsession that he sees as the other side of the coin to him and keeps alive because she’s just too much fun. She is the one who will stop at nothing to catch him. She is the one he wants to break into finally killing him.
“Feels good to give into your dark side, doesn’t it? The concert was supposed to be my masterpiece. My Hieronymus Bosch. But it’s you. You’re my masterpiece.”
And then he smears blood on her face in the shape of a smile and bursts out laughing maniacally like the true Joker for the first time. The Joker and Harley Quinn are both truly born on the same night in the rain with her hands around his throat.
Here’s the kicker though, the two really are far more similar than Harley would ever like to admit. To answer another review’s question: that’s why Harley is special to Joker. I said earlier the Joker’s flashback story was his evolution from genius, abused loner to a psychopathic killer who is terrorising Gotham. And what do we learn about Harley in this book?
She’s a genius. Graduated high school at 14.
She was abused. Abusive mother, mirroring Joker’s abusive father.
She’s a loner. She is surrounded almost entirely by stupid men who only care about staring at her ass. The friend she sees as her only family was murdered by the Joker years before the book starts. The person in her life that matters is Gordon, a true friend. Who she lies to and turns her back on, in favour of chasing Joker.
And how does she end the book? Here’s her words from the last page: “Batman had the right idea, but he didn’t take it far enough. Putting predators behind bars will only slow them down. Someone has to hunt the hunters. In the jungle, the animal with the best chance of killing a tiger is one of its own. I’ll be that someone.”
She’s taking the absent Batman’s role in the city but she’s definitely not him. She’s something more akin to Red Hood or even The Punisher. She might not have killed Joker thanks to Gordon’s intervention but she intends to, and anyone else like him. We leave her as she’s about to become a killer. Just like him.
Is that a happy ending? I suppose the bad guy didn’t win but I’m genuinely not sure.
I’ll end by mentioning my two favourite scenes in the book that show Joker’s control over Harley throughout this book and which both genuinely made my spine tingle.
At about the halfway point, Harley comes home to find Joker waiting for her. He’s been watching her for a while but it’s their first meeting. He ties her to a chair in her own home and discusses her psychological profile of him with her before telling her he wants her to keep chasing him, to be his chronicler. Then he leaves. Harley understandably beats herself up about this but also can’t face recounting how she was ziptied to a chair in her own apartment to anyone else, not even Gordon. Fear of mockery as she claims? Or just fear?
Later, Joker is arrested as a suspect but only Harley knows its really him. She goes in alone to talk to him without telling anyone she’s met him before. There’s a power cut. The lights go off. The doors are locked and won’t open again without power. “Now we have some privacy.” He reaches out and touches her hand. He’s out of the handcuffs.
And then it turns out he’s only really there because he wants to know what she thought of his latest ‘art’ (murder). And even more disturbingly, Harley tells Gordon it’s not him and lets him go. Because he’s so in her head, she doesn’t want him caught anymore. She just wants him dead.
I enjoyed reading this book, a good spooky late night read. I enjoyed thinking about it afterwards even more. It inverts everything you expect in a story about these two characters. Even the storytelling is inverted in many ways, with present day in black and white and flashbacks in colour. It will not be for everyone, but don’t mistake that for being ‘bad.’ Kami Garcia is an excellent storyteller. It’s just whether that story’s for you or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2022
For years I've been talking about how the batman universe would really lend itself perfectly to a serial killer / grim alcoholic detective kind of story. All the elements are already there, Gotham is the perfect place for a se7en inspired plot. I've really wanted to see a batman story stripped of the superhero and just boiled down to the detective. And the Joker would make for such a great serial killer, not the gimmicky fun comic-book villain, but something where his showmanship and performance is grounded in something we can recognise in some of the horrific serial killers in real life. This story illustrates just that. there are things about it that I loved and things I didn't.
I loved that Batman almost completely absent in the story. The only time he does appear he just speeds past the narrative focus, effectively provoking the series of events that will launch the joker into is murder business. When I read that I thought it was brilliant how even if he's got little action in the plot he is still what creates the joker essentially as he we know it from other classic tales.
I also loved how the dynamic between Harley and Joker is essentially flipped, in a sense at least. He is the one who becomes obsessed with her in the end. She is debatably also obsessed with him but more in the cliche way a workaholic detective is obsessed with catching their killer. I found it refreshing as well to see this side of Harley. I've seen this story critiqued for being cliche and bringing nothing new to the table. I'll agree it follows a well known pattern but I don't think the intention was to bring anything new to this kind of story, the newness is in exploring the potential of the characters instead by putting them in a new although familiar setting.
I will say however that I do prefer the character of the joker without a definitive back story. It's hard to accomplish what the killing joke did for him, and the varying origin stories of him is as defining of his character as the red smile and green hair. I do understand the function of following a killer in the making that comes with the morbid curiosity people have of serial killers and how we love to pin point a traumatic childhood as the answers to all the horrors committed.
Something I could not for the life of me unsee however is the fact that in some of the pages it really looks like the artist used Misha Collins as reference for Gordon, so much so that I can't possibly believe this is a coincidence. In a similar fashion the joker at time really reminds me of Jensen Ackles. It's not something I've researched but I'm curious if other people have noticed this as well.
I loved that Batman almost completely absent in the story. The only time he does appear he just speeds past the narrative focus, effectively provoking the series of events that will launch the joker into is murder business. When I read that I thought it was brilliant how even if he's got little action in the plot he is still what creates the joker essentially as he we know it from other classic tales.
I also loved how the dynamic between Harley and Joker is essentially flipped, in a sense at least. He is the one who becomes obsessed with her in the end. She is debatably also obsessed with him but more in the cliche way a workaholic detective is obsessed with catching their killer. I found it refreshing as well to see this side of Harley. I've seen this story critiqued for being cliche and bringing nothing new to the table. I'll agree it follows a well known pattern but I don't think the intention was to bring anything new to this kind of story, the newness is in exploring the potential of the characters instead by putting them in a new although familiar setting.
I will say however that I do prefer the character of the joker without a definitive back story. It's hard to accomplish what the killing joke did for him, and the varying origin stories of him is as defining of his character as the red smile and green hair. I do understand the function of following a killer in the making that comes with the morbid curiosity people have of serial killers and how we love to pin point a traumatic childhood as the answers to all the horrors committed.
Something I could not for the life of me unsee however is the fact that in some of the pages it really looks like the artist used Misha Collins as reference for Gordon, so much so that I can't possibly believe this is a coincidence. In a similar fashion the joker at time really reminds me of Jensen Ackles. It's not something I've researched but I'm curious if other people have noticed this as well.
August 22, 2024
This is book is terrific. The artwork pops off the page -- often I had to look twice to double check that the image was a drawing and not a photo. I have never seen another graphic novel like this.
Joker / Harley: Criminal Sanity is a gritty, dark tale that seems to tell the "origin story" of both Joker (pre-Arkham Asylum) and Dr. Harley Quinn. In this book, Harley's work is with the police, and pre-dates her work at Arkham Asylum.
From the perspective of the arc of Harley's evolution as a fictional character, this book would fit chronologically at the beginning, followed by the volumes that focus on the relationship between Harley Quinn and Joker in Arkham, which in turn lead us to the Gun Moll Harley in the Joker crime sprees, followed by the Suicide Squad days of Harley, and then to the current exploration of the Harley / Poison Ivy love match and Harley's stint as a Coney Island landlord and crime fighter.
Harley Quinn is among the greats: right up there with Batman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Silver Surfer!
5 Stars.
Joker / Harley: Criminal Sanity is a gritty, dark tale that seems to tell the "origin story" of both Joker (pre-Arkham Asylum) and Dr. Harley Quinn. In this book, Harley's work is with the police, and pre-dates her work at Arkham Asylum.
From the perspective of the arc of Harley's evolution as a fictional character, this book would fit chronologically at the beginning, followed by the volumes that focus on the relationship between Harley Quinn and Joker in Arkham, which in turn lead us to the Gun Moll Harley in the Joker crime sprees, followed by the Suicide Squad days of Harley, and then to the current exploration of the Harley / Poison Ivy love match and Harley's stint as a Coney Island landlord and crime fighter.
Harley Quinn is among the greats: right up there with Batman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Silver Surfer!
5 Stars.
December 19, 2021
Yet another Harley Quinn origin story, but what differentiates this from the superior Harleen is that it’s actually more Joker origin that Harley Quinn. But this serious take on both characters is boring. It lacks wit. It lacks comedy. It lacks the depth and sexiness of Harleen.
Joker and Harley both lack the charisma that Carrie’s them in other books. Joker is just your run of the mill brutal serial killer. Harley is a psychologist who works with Jim Gordon to profile and catch killers. For a psychologist, she does a surprising amount of detective work. She’s also an accomplished fighter. In one of the book’s least believable scenes, Harley physically subdues a man the size of Bane and slams his head into a table. Right.
While I enjoyed the black and white art work, the flashback scenes that are in color had a jarring photorealistic style. I think this art is meant to make this Joker and Harley feel more real, but it adds to a joyless quality that makes the book even more bleak.
Joker and Harley both lack the charisma that Carrie’s them in other books. Joker is just your run of the mill brutal serial killer. Harley is a psychologist who works with Jim Gordon to profile and catch killers. For a psychologist, she does a surprising amount of detective work. She’s also an accomplished fighter. In one of the book’s least believable scenes, Harley physically subdues a man the size of Bane and slams his head into a table. Right.
While I enjoyed the black and white art work, the flashback scenes that are in color had a jarring photorealistic style. I think this art is meant to make this Joker and Harley feel more real, but it adds to a joyless quality that makes the book even more bleak.
November 12, 2025
Harley was investigating a case where she thinks the suspect is The Joker. To dig deeper, she had to look at his first kill.
The flashbacks of The Joker and Harley Quinn, separately, were perfectly inserted into the present day story. They both had abusive parents in their childhood and that explained their proclivity for vigilantism. I am a sucker for villain backstories so I ate this up. FYI that they did not have a romantic relationship in this book.
The Joker was portrayed as a bulked up morally black vigilante with a strong jaw so this was the hottest he had ever been depicted. There was even a motorbike chase. His other signature qualities -- clever, scheming, narcissistic, eccentric -- were kept so I loved that.
The art style was incredible and the vibes were gritty but sexy. I need more pages of this!
The flashbacks of The Joker and Harley Quinn, separately, were perfectly inserted into the present day story. They both had abusive parents in their childhood and that explained their proclivity for vigilantism. I am a sucker for villain backstories so I ate this up. FYI that they did not have a romantic relationship in this book.
The Joker was portrayed as a bulked up morally black vigilante with a strong jaw so this was the hottest he had ever been depicted. There was even a motorbike chase. His other signature qualities -- clever, scheming, narcissistic, eccentric -- were kept so I loved that.
The art style was incredible and the vibes were gritty but sexy. I need more pages of this!
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