Warning! Spoilers for Joker #8 ahead!
While the relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn has been a cornerstone of many great stories between the pair, Harley has had enough of the Joker’s abuse and moved on to greener pastures, but Joker has found a new sidekick and potential love interest in Punchline. While on the surface it appears that Punchline may be truly a devout follower of Joker’s cause much like Harley did at the beginning of their pairing, it’s become increasingly apparent that in reality, Punchline is flipping the script on Harley and Joker’s dysfunctional relationship.
In Joker #8’s side story Punchline: Chapter 8 by Sam Johns, James Tynion IV, and Rosi Kampe, Harper Row, Kelly, and Orca are attempting to escape from Blackgate Penitentiary after Punchline has seized control of the facility. The trio finally groups up and begins to work on a plan to fight their way out while Punchline observes from the security room. Before managing to get far, Punchline begins releasing more and more inmates to stop the group, and soften them up before she faces them herself. As the chaos kicks off in Blackgate, Harper and Kelly manage to make it to the outside world, while Orca remains inside holding off Punchline and other convicts.
When the trio reassembles in the abandoned office space that used to be Harleen Quinzel’s psychiatry office, Harper asks Orca about Punchline’s plans, and about the woman herself. While Orca admits that she has no idea what Punchline’s next move is, Harper and Orca swap notes on what they understand about Punchline’s psychology. To Harper, it’s clear that Punchline hates Harley Quinn, and has attempted to distance herself from Harley’s image as much as possible. Furthermore, she thinks that branding is critical. Orca contributes what may be a key piece of insight: Punchline sees everyone as a weapon and plays them against each other to get what she wants. Punchline doesn’t surround herself with people because she believes in strength in numbers, but because that means there are more disposable people between her and her opponents.
While during Punchline’s debut during the Joker War she appeared to be an earnest believer of Joker’s cause, there were always cracks in her façade when it came to how she interacted with the Clown Prince of Crime. She played the role of loyal henchwoman beautifully, yet never quite to the level of obsession and devotion Harley Quinn displayed when she was fully enthralled by Joker. In fact, with Orca’s revelation, most of Punchline’s participation in the Joker War can be seen as her capitalizing on the Joker’s symbolism to jumpstart her own online brand, which she then used to radicalize people and create her own social movement inspired by the Joker. If true, then rather than being manipulated and abused like Harley Quinn was, Punchline is instead manipulating Joker to further her own hidden agenda.
Harley Quinn and the Joker have had a famously dysfunctional relationship for decades now, and they’ve put it behind them for the better. While Punchline on the surface appears to share Harley’s early fanaticism for the Clown Prince of Crime, it’s now much more apparent that she may in fact be using Joker for her own goals.
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