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Stjepan Šejić Explores Harley Quinn’s Origin Story in DC Black Label’s “Harleen”

By | June 14th, 2019
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Cover by Stjepan Šejić

DC Black Label is tackling Harley Quinn’s origin story with a limited three-issue series, coming this September. “Harleen,” created by writer and artist Stjepan Šejić (“Aquaman,” “Suicide Squad”), is being billed as a reimagined, modern take on Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s transformation into Harley Quinn, including, of course, her tragic love affair with Joker:

Dr. Harleen Quinzel has discovered a revolutionary cure for the madness of Gotham City—she just needs to prove it actually works. Through her studies of the criminals and sociopaths that pass through the halls of Arkham Asylum and the GCPD, Harleen is seeking to end the growing apathy among the citizens of Gotham. 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.

Following an attack on the city by the villainous Joker, Harleen will come face-to-face with one of the many criminals she hopes to heal—but she will soon find herself drawn into the madness and insanity that plagues him. Witness Harleen’s first steps on a doomed quest that will launch the legendary super-villain Harley Quinn in this stunning reimagining of Harley and the Joker’s twisted and tragic love affair.

According to Šejić, “‘Harleen’ is a story of a flawed person who meant well, a doctor who fell in love with her patient. It is a story of her road to hell—paved with good intentions—and a smile that cost her her soul. More than anything it is a tale about good people falling. Falling in love, falling from grace, and falling apart.”

DC Black Label has released a sneak peek of some of the unlettered interiors, which you can check out here. This is the second Harley Quinn/Joker-focused comic to be announced by Black Label; earlier this month, it was revealed that Kami Garcia, Mike Mayhew, and Mico Suayan have a nine-issue series titled “Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity,” which debuts in October. And if you just can’t get enough of her, yesterday DC also announced yet another Harley Quinn comic, “Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy,” from Jody Houser and Adriana Melo.

In the meantime, you can read DC’s solicitations for September, which have been released here.


Kerry Erlanger

Kerry Erlanger is a writer from New York whose accolades include being named Time Person of the Year 2006. She can be found on Twitter at @hellokerry.

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