This page may contain one or more affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through that link, I may receive compensation. The links will be identified with the text "affiliate link". Click to learn more.
It may seem crazy, since Harley Quinn has a history of being absolutely obsessed with The Joker. However, their history has not always been a bed of roses, especially when it comes to Injustice stories. For example, Quinn wasn’t so keen with Joker killing Lois Lane, which put her in a bad spot as an accomplice. But there was also that confession she told Black Canary about how The Joker got her pregnant but never acknowledged her disappearance when she left to give birth. So there are quite a few reasons why we should have expected Harley Quinn vs The Joker coming from a far distance.
During the story Injustice: Ground Zero, we get a taste of what fans have been aching for, and that is Quinn holding a shotgun to Joker’s head. It takes place in issue 3 of the printed series, with the story called “The Joke’s on Harley”. It combines part 1 and 2 of the story from issues 5 and 6 of the Digital First versions of the comic. Confused yet? I know I am.
Right away, we see the two of them fighting. While Hawkgirl and Hal Jordan capture Batman (from another universe or something), Harley is present and finds who appeared to be The Joker. Since basically the entire Injustice storyline hovers around the death of Joker early on in the story, it doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that this couldn’t be the real Joker. Harley is offended that someone would impersonate Joker and attacks him. After Joker stabs her with a knife, she notices that he seems to be acting like the real deal.
Joker trips Harley and then headbutts her, causing her to lie on her back. At this point, Joker explains that this isn’t his Gotham, but he is still The Joker. This implies that he could have come from another dimension or whatever. This puts an end to the fight, as they hug it out. She makes a grave mistake by giving him her stash of green super-powered pills. (These are the same pills that Alfred used to beat up Superman.)
Hawkgirl and Damian Wayne (as Nightwing, since he killed the old Nightwing) come to arrest Joker and the gang that Harley was leading. Joker smashes Hawgirl’s face into the ground, and Nightwing proves to be stronger than ten men who were piled on top of him, who were trying to hold him down. When Batman and Wonder Woman show up, Nightwing and Hawkgirl retreat. Batman beats up this Joker. Meanwhile, elsewhere at Stryker’s Island Prison, we see the alternate Batman that was captured earlier in the story. Superman decides to torture him for information, and that’s how the comic ends.
So there you have it, Injustice Ground Zero, issue 3. The whole situation with them fighting didn’t last particularly long, but you have to understand that Quinn is a slave to The Joker. He is her biggest weakness and is the only thing that keeps her from being good, as explained through her narration in this story. Be smart and buy this right now (Affiliate Link) because this sort of thing doesn’t happen often in any variation of the DC Universe. Plus, the cover has Harley Quinn in a photorealistic painting, looking luscious with her revealing outfit. What more reason do you need?
The Absurdity
On one side we have The Joker, the notorious baddie and Batman’s arch-enemy, whom everyone has known for his maniacal idiosyncrasies and lunatic sense of humor. On the other side, Harley Quinn, a retired psychologist gone wrong and sweetheart to The Joker. As a result, these two end up being one of the most outstanding and off-kilter couples ever documented in comic book history.
So, why are these two characters, who are supposed to be deeply in love with each other, fighting? I mean, why would love not connect them more and facilitate understanding and empathy instead of violence?
The incongruity of Harley Quinn and The Joker battling with each other further highlights their intricate dynamic. As a matter of fact, The Joker has a notorious reputation for his physical as well as emotional abuse that he exerts towards Harley; this is often seen when he forces her to act as a tool in his power games. Given all the devotion she shows to the Joker, why should Harley fight against him?
The Joker and Harley Quinn have their own fighting styles that differ so much from each other. The Joker is known to rely on his mind and being quite a strategist, while Harley takes pride in her acrobatic skills. It seems highly improbable that they could have a fair physical match, let alone such an event occurring at all.