A YA graphic novel reimagining of Harley Quinn as Jekyll and Hyde?
Okay, then. Though it has the potential to go horribly wrong quickly.Thankfully, for the most part it doesn't.
'The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley' is an entertaining medical-horror and crime story, and queer AF story.
Seriously, it is a huge Harley and Ivy love story. They're already in an established relationship at the beginning. These bi girls do crimes and save lives together, hopelessly in love, and devoted to each other. They are each other's number one person. It is sweet.
This version of Harley is a smart and shy high schooler, who in an unfortunate, tragic turn of events is put on probation for something she really didn't have anything to do with - her boyfriend at the time murdered mean girls for her. The comic is aware of how fucked up all this is; the system is broken and misogynistic. Her family (where she has an older brother and a younger sister) is poor, broke, bitter, resentful, and full of criminals (i.e. her father) and religious hypocrites and enablers (i.e. her mother), but they stick together and put each other first, so they're fine, I guess (?).
Long story short, Harleen Quinzel's life is a mess. She must be good at all times, and never get involved in any crimes, for any chance of getting a car, a gymnast coach, and a collage scholarship.
Even longer story short, she and her girlfriend Pamela Isley volunteer for sketchy medical experiments in a big corpo lab, mainly for money, and anxiety treatment, and then sneaking in to free the animal test subjects. Pam's side effect: plant and horticultural powers, of course. Harleen's side effect: a split personality, Harley Quinn.
Harley has no inhibitions, and is wild and free. She is all risk and violence, and enacting justice in an unjust world.
Disaster - and also paths towards long-term freedom and taking down corrupt corporations - ensue.
'The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley' may be unhinged and chaotic (I don't want to carelessly use the term "schizophrenic" in an ableist way) in its tone, plot beats, pacing, character progression/development, and even dialogue, but maybe that's the point?
The biggest issues for me are that Harleen's mental health crises, including memory loss when she turns into Harley, should have been taken much more seriously; like, Pam should not have been blasé about, and even turned on by, the split personality crisis, either; and Harleen's dysfunctional family situation isn't given the proper time, gravitas and resolution it should have, and it is shrugged off by the end. At least Pam's abusive family situation is taken care of.
The artwork is lovely, and fantastically detailed. Very high standard and effort for a DC YA graphic novel.
A DC YA graphic novel that contains themes of poverty, classism, the corrupt US law and justice system, cruelty in the name of "science", the opportunistic evils of, say, mental health "progression", systematic greed and depravity in our capitalist society ("WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY!" - sorry, couldn't resist), domestic abuse, environmentalism, and surviving bigotry and judgement in said corrupt society.
It knows and presents Harleen as a victim, above everything else. Whether she is Harleen or Harley, she is sick of too much unfairness and evil in her life, and the world. She will see violence and the destruction of establishments as a necessity for survival. She will remain strong, and her future hopeful, thanks to the ceaseless support of her rock, her loved one: Pam, aka Ivy. I don't entirely trust, nor forgive, her family.
So, while the content is far from perfect, and more than a little irritating, I like 'Harleen and Harley'. Like I said, it's an entertaining and interesting Harley Quinn tale, and strangely cute and endearing.
Both Harley's and Ivy's goth girl/bad girl chic outfits are to die for!
DC has really leaned into the Harley and Ivy ship now, and that is a good thing. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Harlivy forever.
Plus, the Joker in 'Harleen and Harley', called Jack Napier, is a POC, and cool and sexy as hell. He brings to mind the musical version of 'Beetlejuice' on multiple levels. I have found the sexiest version of the Joker in 'The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley', an "edgy" YA comic! Though he is more of an antihero here, and he is definitely not involved with Harley in that way. Because she's with Ivy, and because he's an adult and she's a teenager.
Mental health, domestic abuse, crime, corrupt justice systems, cute fashions and hair, and LBGTQ love, all in 'The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley'!
Go check it out, along with 'Poison Ivy: Thorns', 'Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass', 'Harley Quinn: The Animated Series, Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour', and 'Harleen' (in that order).
Final Score: 3.5/5
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