Originally created for Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn has since come into her own within the DC Comics universe. Far more than just the Joker’s quirky sidekick, Harley has evolved into a complex, calculating, and compelling character, on par with the Clown Prince of Crime himself and even Batman. One of the best explorations of her more serious and psychological side comes in Kami Garcia, Mico Suayan, and Jason Badower’s 2019 instant classic Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity. The series not only delves into how the Joker became such an outsized influence on Harley, but also explores the dark and twisted path that ultimately led to their eventual romantic entanglement.
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Nearly half a decade later, DC is ready to return to the story it began in Criminal Sanity with the all-new limited series Joker/Harley: Malicious Intent, bringing back the original creative team for another Black Label offering. While Criminal Sanity is a story that fans of Harley and the Joker would do well to read beforehand, Joker/Harley: Malicious Intent nevertheless stands on its own as a complete and satisfying story without requiring any prior knowledge.
Criminal Sanity Was a Harley Quinn Story Like No Other
Harley Quinn’s original story is fairly well outlined. Before turning to the dark side, Dr. Harleen Quinzel worked as a psychiatrist at Gotham’s infamous Arkham Asylum, where she was assigned to oversee the Joker’s treatment. The more sessions she conducted with him, the more fascinated she became — until she ultimately fell in love and transformed from caregiver to lover and accomplice.
In Criminal Sanity, writer Kami Garcia tweaks elements of the story, such as Harley Quinn’s career path. Instead of working at Arkham Asylum as a psychiatrist, Quinn switches from psychiatry to psychology early in her career and works with the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD). This significantly alters her perspective on the Joker. In Criminal Sanity, her focus isn’t on helping the Joker overcome his mental health issues. Rather, she’s intent on understanding his mindset and behavior. Her new focus aims to better inform the police on how he might strike again and how the GCPD can apprehend him before more casualties result from his schemes.
What results is a gripping crime drama set in the heart of Gotham, without Batman. While the story ends before Harley and the Joker form their infamous connection, Garcia leaves no doubt that both characters share deeply obsessive personalities, strongly suggesting a future “meeting of the minds.” With Garcia’s version of Harley — considering her backstory as depicted in the series — that meeting of the minds would not only reveal the Joker’s immense ability to manipulate her, but also just how far she will have fallen. To be sure, the series left more than a few fans wanting more of the Harley/Joker psychological tango it so compellingly introduced.
Malicious Intent is a Sequel That Stands up on its Own
It’s no wonder that there would be a follow-up series to Criminal Sanity; fans were thrilled at the possibility of seeing how Harley and Joker’s story unfolded after their last encounter. This excitement was only heightened by the fact that the new series will be led by many of the original series’ creative team members. However, based on what’s been revealed so far, before Harley and Joker reunite, an even darker threat appears to be looming — one she’ll have to confront first.
Indeed, as described by DC Comics, Malicious Intent occurs a year after the conclusion of Criminal Sanity, where Harley helped the GCPD apprehend the insanely genius serial murderer whom Harley believed was linked to the death of her roommate years before. Now, still focused on identifying and tracking the city’s most serious killers, Harley Quinn no longer works with the GCPD, but rather as a private consultant. But when grotesque crimes in Gotham hint at the Joker’s possible escape, she returns – despite reassurances from her colleague, Jonathan Crane, that it is not the Joker. However, rather than work in tandem with the GCPD, Harley decides it’s better to team up with her more unconventional allies – as a way to maximize her independence and privacy.
Accordingly, Joker/Harley: Malicious Intent is shaping up to be one of DC Comics’ most intriguing releases of 2025. It’s not just compelling as a sequel — if anything, it suggests that Garcia and her team are gearing up for another bold re-examination of comics’ most twisted romance. While Criminal Sanity demonstrated Harley’s cleverness in surpassing the Joker, Malicious Intent might illustrate how her eagerness to resolve crimes could be the very thing that pulls her back into his derangement. Fortunately, one of the series’ strengths is that, despite its connection to Criminal Sanity, fans and readers don’t need to be familiar with the previous installment to dive right into Malicious Intent. In fact, the psychological dimension alone is proving to be a major draw for fans.
Joker/Harley: Malicious Intent will be available from DC Comics on October 8, 2025.
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Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
