Proposal for Harley Quinn: Year One!

Harley Quinn is of course the fan favorite character who first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series episode “Joker’s Favor” (1992) written by Paul Dini and her design is attributed to Bruce Timm.  She was voiced by Arleen Sorkin and also voiced Harley Quinn in the video games; Batman: Vengeance (2001) and Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009).  Harley Quinn first appeared in comics with The Batman Adventures #12 (1993).  Paul Dini and Bruce Timm gave her an origin in The Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994) which features Dr. Harleen Quinzel twisted by the Joker.  Her first name, Harleen, is a nod to the voice actress?  It was adapted in the second season of The New Batman Adventures with a 1999 episode.  A colleague who worked with Dr. Quinzel was Dr. Joan Leland who who was in the episode “Harley’s Holiday (1994) voiced by Suzanne Stone.  

She first appeared in Batman Adventures Annual #1 (1994) from writer Paul Dini and artist Bruce Timm.  She showed up in the DCU with Batman: Harley Quinn #1 (1999).  There was a peek at her college days in Harley Quinn #8 (2001) with the creative team of Karl Kesel and Pete Woods.  In 2009, Harley Quinn helps Joker take over Arkham in the Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) game from Rocksteady Studios.  Her family was seen in Gotham City Sirens #7 (2010) by Paul Dini and David Lopez.  Dr. Harleen Quinzel was seen in live action form in the Birds of Prey tv series played by Mia Sara.  Recently, Margot Robbie played Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (2016).  Her action figure was in the Electrocutioner and Lady Shiva Arkham Origins set.  Of course seeing her in person at the Escape from Arkham Asylum house at Warner Bros. Horror Made Here was an inspiration.  This is a proposal for a six issue limited series that expands on her origin and focuses on Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s first year working at Arkham Asylum. 

Dr. Harleen Quinzel at Escape from Arkham, photo by the author.

The series is called “Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s Little Black Book” which of course is a nod to the series of one-shots Harley Quinn’s Little Black Book from Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti with various artists.  The first issue is titled “Down the Rabbit Hole”, by the way I dislike writers that use one title with part 3, etc., it just looks like it is meant for a trade paperback and not a comic book issue.  We see Arkham Asylum, formally named Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, founded by Amadeus Arkham.  It is currently run by Dr. Jeremiah Arkham.  We see the peaked towers of Arkham Asylum and the forbidding gate.  It is morning and the sun peeks out from behind the towers as Dr. Quinzel walks up in her coat.  

The narration is by Dr. Harleen Quinzel who tells us it is February and it is her first day at Arkham.  Dr. Joan Leland meets her and gives her assignment, a standard evaluation of Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter.  She says he is a paranoid schizophrenic with an obsessive compulsive disorder and highly delusional.  Dr. Quinzel starts to write in her black book about her thoughts on the new job.  She thinks back to her days in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn at age 7.  Little Harleen is busy with a coloring book.  Her father, Nick, is drunk and cuffs her.  She cries to her mother, Sharon, who tells her to watch some television.  

Harleen leaves to watch television, a live action Punch and Judy show, Judy smashing Punch with her bat makes Harleen laugh.  This of course refers to Harley Quinn's weapon of choice.  Dr. Harleen Quinzel brings in the chart of Tetch to his cell.  He smiles and asks Alice if she has found the white rabbit.  Dr. Quinzel says she’s read that book.  Jervis says the door is now too small for her.  Dr. Quinzel asks general questions, how is he, his day, but Jervis responds with nonsense.  She is frustrated at the lack of progress and thinks back to her family going to the circus.  Young Harleen sees a woman clown in the red harlequin outfit.  She is struck by three clowns with foam bats.  The woman clown kicks one away and takes his bat to pummel the others.  Note: the Joker has told Dr. Harleen Quinzel that he visited the circus at age 7.  

Harleen claps at her triumph.  Dr. Quinzel smiles.  Later, Tetch is brought into the room and sees a table with a tea set and remarks, “Curious.”  He takes his seat and Dr. Quinzel enters.  She explains that she thought they would start with a little social formality.  Tech says, “Clever, but no room!”  He tries to shove her away.  She pours tea for the both of them.  He settles into his chair.  Dr. Quinzel holds up a chart and reads that when he was brought in, Batman was forceful even when Tetch pleaded for him to stop.  Tetch stares at her.  She adds that he can get more formalities with his cooperation.  Later, Dr. Quinzel walks in with the paperwork, Dr. Leland asks about the evaluation.  She hands over the completed evaluation and Dr. Leland congratulates her.  

Issue two, “Little Girl Lost”, a regular title for television including the 1962 Twilight Zone episode.  Dr. Harleen Quinzel notes that is April and starting to find her place at Arkham Asylum.  Her new patient is Arnold Wesker, known as the Ventriloquist, who developed a dissociative identity disorder when his mother was killed.  He vents his aggression through his dummy called Scarface.  She is assigned to administer 1.25 mg of the medication risperidone to Wesker.  He is in a room, a humble looking, bald man with glasses, with a guard.  Dr. Quinzel brings in a cart with the needles and medication.  Wesker looks at the needles and is frightened.  Harleen says she doesn’t like shots.  

The guard, Aaron Cash, is a burly man with a crop top of dark hair, asks if she needs help with Wesker.  She tells him she will be fine.  Harlan flashes back to her teenage years at age 15.  She attends New Korova High School and is friends with Alexis Romano.  Teen Harleen has two pony tails on the side of her head and wears a red jacket.  They pass another friend, Georgie, and she holds the side of his face and gives him a quick kiss after saying hello.  Alexis tells Harleen that she has to meet with Mrs. Drew.  Harleen says, “Yeah, anothah appointment, see ya toots!”  At Mrs. Drew’s counselor office, Harleen slouches into a chair, Mrs. Drew, her long, dark hair parted with glasses, greets her.  She says Harleen has complaints from all of her teachers, three fights with students, and broken clocks and tables.  Harleen is proud of her record.   Mrs. Drew says that she still sees potential in Harleen especially her performance in gymnastics.  Harleen says she might as well join the circus.  

Dr. Harleen Quinzel is working with the guard Cash as Wesker struggles.  Cash puts pressure on Wesker who gasps in pain.  Dr. Quinzel tells him to stop.  She tells Wesker she understands   releasing his aggression.  Teen Harleen is playing softball and is at bat.  Georgie pitches a fast ball that zips past her.  Harleen sneers.  The next pitch, she swings and there is a crack as the base ball flies away.  She taps the bat in her hand.  Later, school is finished and Harleen is joined by Alexis, Georgie, Antonia Robinson, and Erica Lee.  They all have bats and Harleen swings her bat smashing a beer bottle on top of a post office box.  

She calls her gang the Drew-oogs, the others laugh and begin smashing everything around them.  A police officer starts to chase after them and the gang scatters.  He catches hold of Harleen’s jacket, there is fear in her eyes, but she flips away in a roundoff gymnastics move.  Cash leans against the wall and says that the usual procedure is to force Wesker to take his medicine.  Dr. Quinzel she knows all too well about giving in to aggression.  Wesker gives her a questioning look.  Teen Harleen is at school in her red leotard for gymnastics class.  Alexis, Antonia, and Erica are also waiting.  Harleen is up and then runs into a Yurchenko Vault off a vaulting horse.  Mrs. Drew walks up to Harleen as she finishes and tells her college scouts have been watching her.  Harleen may have a chance for a full scholarship and leave for some other city.  

Dr. Quinzel says to Wesker that there is a way out of the pain for him.  Wesker nods and Dr. Quinzel administers the drug.  Cash says, "Nice work, doc."  Dr. Leland sees her later in the hall and notes that Dr. Quinzel is making great progress at Arkham.  The major part of this series is tracking how a girl from a broken home could have the dedication to become a psychiatric doctor.  Also, that the inspirations for her super villain time are found in her early life.  The other point is that she has female mentors at most parts of her life.  Her teen years are of course inspired by A Clockwork Orange.  This is something I saw teaching high school and it is of course the perfect teenage rebellion story.  Note that her teenage gang is of course a nod to the Gang of Harleys that she later forms.  The point was whatever Joker put her through regresses Harley to this point in her life.  The dedication and intelligence she has to become a doctor is still in there somewhere.  This covers the first two issues, if you would like to read the other four, like and leave a comment!  

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