BOOK REVIEW | JOKER / HARLEY: CRIMINAL SANITY | KAMI GARCIA, MICO SUAYAN, JASON BADOWER, MIKE MAYHEW & ANNETTE KWOK

 

BOOK REVIEW | JOKER / HARLEY: CRIMINAL SANITY | KAMI GARCIA, MICO SUAYAN, JASON BADOWER, MIKE MAYHEW & ANNETTE KWOK

DESCRIPTION

In Gotham City, heinous acts of violence occur daily. Harley Quinn, forensic psychiatrist, consults with the GCPD on its worst cases. But one unsolved murder still haunts her—her roommate was the last victim of the notorious serial killer known as The Joker. Five years later, that case remains unsolved, and as Harley’s past and present cases collide, she must decide how far she is willing to go. Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity introduces readers to a Joker and Harley Quinn unlike any they’ve seen before, utilising forensic psychiatry, behaviour analysis, and psychological profiles to create a true-to-life take on these iconic characters that is more terrifying than any psychotic fantasy.

REVIEW

Collecting issues 1 – 8, this collected edition of Criminal Samity by Kami Garcia takes a different perspective on the Harley /Joker relationship.

Harley Quinn (she has changed her name from Harleen Quinzel to distance herself from her family) is a forensic psychologist consulting with the GCPD on some of their most heinous crimes. Harley specialises in the profiling of serial killers so that the law enforcement agencies can detect those killers whose modus operandi falls outside the usual array of bank robbers and petty criminals.

When she gets the call to be involved with the investigation of a series of horrific murders by a serial killer known as The Joker, memories of the death of her room mate come flooding back. Could this be the same killer.

Kami Garcia takes the origin story of Harley Quinn and twists it into a cat and mouse thriller  that will eventually lead her to answers.

In Criminal Sanity, Garcia uses the true crime narrative to tell a cerebral tale of trauma and obsession. Gone are the cries of ‘puddin’ and the chaotic romance that often defines the Harley / Joker relationship. Instead, Garcia presents something closer to Se7en or Manhunter, creating a stylised nightmare as The Joker’s crimes become increasingly brutal and disturbing. .

The story is fairly straightforward, and anyone familiar with serial killers will know what to expect. That said, the book deserves credit for taking the time to explain the difference between psychosis and psychopathy, two terms that are frequently misunderstood and misused. It’s a small detail, but one I appreciate and wish more writers would take the same care.

The artwork is interesting, using a black and white format to create mood and atmosphere for the present day and colour photorealism to portray incidents from the past that creates a jarring and often terrifying look at past events. It doesn’t always work, but it is a bold choice to increase the impact to the story.

Be prepared though if you want to read this, as there are a number of content warnings that are worth being aware of. There are graphic depictions of physical child abuse and the deaths in it are pretty gruesome. At times resembling some of the more gory and extreme portrayals of violence in something like Hannibal.

The narrative can feel a little stilted as both Harley and The Joker can come across as one dimensional. Harley’s personal trauma and The Joker’s brutality often define them to the exclusion of much else. Leaving less room for nuance than the story perhaps needs. Likewise, soem of the multimedia elements, such as police reports and case files don’t always integrate smoothly into the narrative and can occasionally disrupt the flow.

Despite this, it is interesting to see the changes in the power dynamic of Harley’s origin story. While the book doesn’t quite reach the heights of Stjepan Šejić’s retelling of Harley’s origins, it is an interesting read if you have the stomach for it.