Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

I’m obsessed with Gotham’s craziest female criminal, Harley Quinn. There are so many layers to her character that it is impossible to not fall in love with her. She is intelligent, funny, and tough. Her style is wild and fun. She may make many poor decisions, but that’s what makes her perfectly human. 

Quinn’s origin story features her as a clever psychiatrist at Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum named Dr. Harleen Quinzel. She falls in love with her patient, the Joker. She helps him escape and becomes more than his accomplice. Many have created fascinating versions of her origin story.

My favorite version though is Joker/Harley: Criminal Insanity, created by Kami Garcia, Mike Mayhew, and Mico Suayan. I appreciated how they made it more like a procedural crime drama than a superhero comic. The story feels more unbelievably realistic than any Joker/Harley story I’ve ever read.

They do not portray Quinn as a love-blinded fool dressed in an outrageous jester outfit. She is a badass forensic scientist for the Gotham Police Department who rocks a black jacket. After the murder of her best friend, she is driven mad by her determination to catch the elusive Gotham City serial killer known as the Joker. 

He is a young artist who turns death into intriguing performance art. His desired admirer is Quinn. Garcia added more depth to the Prince of Crime by giving him more real-life serial killer characteristics, she also turns Harley into Joker’s biggest threat.

She is his challenge. He doesn’t believe that she will catch up, but he lets her get too close. Basically, he is the one who is driven by lust and makes impulsive decisions. It’s refreshing to see how the tables are turned.

I love how Quinn’s childhood trauma parallels with the Joker’s. They were both abused by somebody who was supposed to nurture and love them. The Joker had an abusive, drunk father and Harley had a crazy, controlling mother.

Many real-life criminal couples connect over trauma. Garcia did a great job showing the manifestation of Gotham City’s craziest duo. The art is as impressive as the writing. The incredible, jarring shift of the present-day story in crisp black and white and the flashbacks in bright colors is so effective.

It truly keeps readers on edge. Each panel is so vivid that they look like actual snapshots. It would be a great addition to any DC Comics collection. I am so excited to continue reading the series!