Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
It's no secret that as a society many of us have a macabre fascination with serial killers and the criminally insane. Monstrous people committing atrocities keep us up nights as we wonder if we could be their next target. The infamous Gotham City is a hub for violent criminals and unpredictable psychopaths, so is it any wonder that Batman’s villains are some of the most popular ones in comics? They represent our real-life macabre fascination made colorful and a little more safe.
That’s assuming you’re not actually a resident of Gotham City. If that’s the case…well, at least you have Dr. Harley Quinn.
You’ve never seen Harley quite like she is in Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity, where we find her investigating a string of brutal murders by Gotham’s new serial killer, the Joker. A critical success when it was released under DC Black Label around five years ago, Criminal Sanity scratches the same itch as all your favorite true crime thrillers and is a great escape for the Halloween season…though you may want to make sure your door’s locked before you start reading. Just to be safe.
The Premise:
Dr. Harley Quinn is a brilliant forensic psychiatrist and profiler who consults for the GCPD, having solved countless cases over the years. Her origin, however, is a tragic one. She became a consultant after her roommate was brutally murdered by Gotham’s home-grown serial killer known as the Joker. After five years, the case remains cold, but everything changes when a new string of horrific murders begin again in Gotham. Could this be the Joker? Is he back? Harley’s obsession with finding this dangerous psychopath leads her down a dark path as the story explores the psychiatrist’s past and present, which eventually collide violently. How far is Harley willing to go to take down the Joker? Will she lose herself in her quest for vengeance?
Let’s Talk Talent:
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is written by Kami Garcia, who’s probably best known for her incredibly popular Young Adult Teen Titans series. Criminal Sanity is quite a departure for her as Garcia takes a step back from the whimsical to channel the darkest aspects of humanity, directly referencing real-life serial killers and using psychiatric terminology. (She receives an assist from credited psychiatric consultant Dr. Edward Kurz.) These versions of Harley Quinn and the Joker are darker and more serious, which feels disturbingly more real.
This art in this book is outstanding—some of these shots feel like you’re right there with Harley and the Joker. Personally, I love how the past is rendered in color and the present is in black and white. The stark transition between these two art styles makes the present feel even more intense as the bodies are piling up. Credit goes to the three artists that worked on this book: Mico Suayan, Jason Badower and Mike Mayhew. Primarily cover artists, it's not often that any of these illustrators do interiors—so you know this is a special comic.
A Few Reasons to Read:
- A fresh take on Harley Quinn and the Joker—without the romance! This is a darker and more grounded Harley Quinn who is essentially a detective who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Her genius intellect paired with her dedication and willingness to cross into anti-villain territory makes her dangerous and powerful. And this version of the Joker isn’t a wannabe comedian fighting Batman, he is a tried-and-true serial killer whose harrowing origin story is told throughout these pages. Getting the chance to live in the Joker’s head and see him grow into the bloodthirsty killer he becomes is fascinating. His unique character design reminds me of the Crow mixed with Heath Ledger’s Joker. And my personal favorite part is the fact there is no romance between this Joker and Harley—I prefer them as enemies!
- The Joker’s creative kills will disturb you. In Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity, the Joker isn’t the unpredictable Clown Prince of Crime that we all know, but rather an intelligent and calculated killer with an aptitude for dismembering bodies. While playing a game of cat and mouse with Harley Quinn, he kills and poses his victims in horrifically disturbing ways—recreating and referencing famous paintings and artwork like Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.
- It's structured like a classic film noir. Cycling between the past and present, with the modern-day artwork rendered in black and white, we follow Harley Quinn’s journey as she gets closer to catching the Joker. Harley’s narration is a key storytelling element reminiscent of film noir, as is the witty, hardboiled dialog. As we follow Harley through the dark streets of Gotham City and get to explore her innermost thoughts, it’s clear this series takes a lot of inspiration from film noir movies as a whole.
- A cinematic and unique art style that transports you to the darkest corners of Gotham. Criminal Sanity’s artwork looks like someone took a movie and turned it straight into a comic book—it’s like reading a storyboard. The photo-realistic elements create a dark and gritty atmosphere that feels so real, which makes all the gore even more stomach-churning and disturbing. There aren’t many comics on the stand that are drawn like this, and certainly not many by DC.
- No superheroes. Listen, I love superheroes, but I also love a good tone-shift and new adaptations of classic DC characters. Batman and the other heroes of DC take a backseat in this story. For those who are in the mood for something new and different, yet still featuring familiar characters, this is the series for you.
Why It’s Worth Your Time:
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is a love letter to film noir and is perfect for true crime fans who are fascinated with the psyche of psychopathic serial killers. Plus, it’s a fresh take on classic DC characters that will keep you on your toes as the Joker and Harley play a deadly game of cat and mouse—one that could end in any manner, since DC Black Label comics aren’t restrained by continuity. I like that this isn’t a story about superheroes, but instead is a fascinating detective story that features one of DC’s best characters in Harley Quinn. On the flip side, its version of the Joker is terrifying in a completely different and modern way. Prepare to be disturbed as you explore a version of Gotham that could very well exist in our own world in this taut and terrifying DC thriller.
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity by Kami Garcia, Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, Mike Mayhew and Annette Kwok is available in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers as a softcover graphic novel. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.
Sami DeMonster writes about superheroes, horror and sci-fi for DC.com and reviews comics every week on social media. Follow her at @samidemonster on Instagram and Substack.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Sami DeMonster and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
