Summary
- The Joker's breakup with his self-proclaimed best friend tugs at emotions he rarely shows, revealing his true lack of care for Harley Quinn.
- Batman/Dylan Dog #3 sheds light on Joker's failed partnership with a deranged surgeon.
- The gradual breakup of Harley Quinn and Joker in the mainstream DC Universe saw its official end when Joker infected her beloved hyenas with rabis.
WARNING: Potential Spoilers For Batman / Dylan Dog #3!It’s no surprise to most fans that the Harley Quinn. However, the Clown Prince of Crime going to hell to resurrect his “kindred spirit” and then being genuinely upset when he is broken up with might make a few jaws drop. This failed relationship underscores just how little Joker truly cared about Harley. But who is the man that broke the Joker’s heart? Hint: It’s not Batman.
Roberto Recchioni, Werther Dell'Edera, Gigi Cavenago, and Giovanna Niro’s Batman/Dylan Dog #2 revealed that the Joker was on a quest to resurrect his self-proclaimed best friend, Christopher Killex. Killex was once one of England’s greatest neurosurgeons before becoming a deranged serial killer, infamous for skinning and dismembering his victims in search of the physical equivalent of the “human soul.”
The Clown Prince of Crime saw Killex as “a kindred spirit, someone like-minded, someone he [could] play with.” Despite successfully resurrecting Killex from Hell, the Joker soon becomes the victim of heartbreak when Killex ends their short-lived partnership in issue #3.
Joker’s Break-Up With His Self-Proclaimed Best Friend Forever Proves He Never Cared About Harley Quinn
The murderous duo's newfound 'friendship' reaches its breaking point when the Joker pushes Killex too far by taunting the orderly serial killer to give in to disorder. This results in Killex backhanding the Joker and accusing him of taking away everything he knew by resurrecting him. The Joker retorts that he just “wanted a friend to play with,” which Killex counters by saying, “Sorry, I’m no longer a child…” before wishing the Joker farewell and leaving him crumpled on the ground.
Later, when confronted by Batman, the Joker tells him to go away because he is having a terrible day. This shows that the breakup with Killex did, on some level, emotionally impact the Joker, which is in sharp contrast to the clown’s usual apathy regarding his breakups with Harley Quinn across various media. The Joker itting that he wanted to be Killex’s friend and being put in a bad mood after the breakup shows an emotional response that the clown rarely exhibits. Hence, his breakup with Killex only further underscores how much he didn’t care about Harley.
How Did Harley Quinn and Joker Break Up in the Mainstream DC Universe Continuity?
Some fans may be wracking their brains about how the duo actually ended their relationship in DC’s mainstream continuity. Like most breakups, it was gradual and hard to pinpoint when things started to go wrong. However, most would point to the Death of the Family storyline as the beginning of the end. This arc saw Harley start to see the Joker as a monster she could no longer excuse, with their escapades losing their “fun.” However, Harley Quinn officially ended things with Joker in 2012’s Suicide Squad #15 when he infected her beloved hyenas with rabies.
Batman / Dylan Dog #3 is now available to read from DC Comics!
BATMAN / DYLAN DOG #3 (2024) |
|
|---|---|
|
|
- Alias
- Dr. Harleen s Quinzel
- Created By
- Paul Dini, Bruce Timm
- Franchise
- D.C.
- First Appearance
- Batman: The Animated Series
- Alliance
- Suicide Squad, Gotham City Sirens, Quinntets, Gang of Harleys, Secret Six, Justice League of Anarchy, Batman family
- NAME
- Arthur Fleck
- Alias
- Red Hood, Clown Prince of Crime, Ace of Knaves
- Created By
- Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson
- POWERS
- Criminal Mastermind, Expert Chemist, Weaponized Props, Psychological Manipulation, Combat Skills, Unpredictability, High Pain Tolerance, Charisma, Escape Artist
- RELATIONSHIPS
- Batman (archenemy), Harley Quinn (former psychiatrist, on-and-off girlfriend), Penguin (frequent collaborator), Two-Face (frequent collaborator)
- HISTORY
- The Joker's history has been depicted with various origin stories, the most common being his transformation into the Joker after falling into a vat of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white, turns his hair green, and lips bright red. This disfigurement drives him insane, leading him to become Batman's greatest nemesis.
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman's order and justice.
