The Harley Quinn animated series has quickly become a fan favorite among DC Universe subscribers, thanks to show's dark humor, relatable banter among the supporting cast, and deep-dive knowledge of DC Comics history. And while Harley Quinn features many staple characters from the Batman franchise, it also showcases esoteric villains, like the Napoleonic telepath Doctor Psycho. A newcomer to most... but a seasoned sicko for fans of DC Comics.
While Batman fans will be familiar with most of Harley Quinn's cast, many will likely not be familiar with the little villain--mainly because he's not actually a Batman villain at all, but a nemesis of Wonder Woman. And one whose adaptation will come as a surprise to those who know him only as a trusty bit of comic relief.
Since the show takes a satirical approach to DC's supervillains, Psycho is portrayed as a parody of his otherwise dark and serious comic book counterpart. But while he might not compulsively blurt out slurs that get him kicked out of the Legion of Doom, his comic book counterpart was earnestly intended to be a metaphor for the ugliness of misogyny.
The Origins of Doctor Psycho
The creators of Wonder Woman, Professor William Moulton Marston, his wife Elizabeth, and their girlfriend Olive, were very active in the feminist movements of the early 20th Century, and their Wonder Woman comics reflected their political beliefs. Pulling inspiration from reality, Marston partially based Doctor Psycho off his undergraduate advisor, Hugo Münsterberg, who adamantly opposed the Women's Suffrage Movement (and also studied metaphysics).
First appearing in Wonder Woman #5, Doctor Psycho is one of the Amazon heroine's oldest and longest-running antagonists, consistently opposing Wonder Woman for nearly eight decades. His original backstory depicts him as a former medical student framed for a crime he didn't commit by a college athlete who was in love with his fiancee. Wrongfully convicted, Psycho spent years in prison plotting his revenge, and developing a hatred towards women (believing his fiancee was a willing accomplice in his framing). Upon his release he murders his romantic rival and, through hypnosis, imprisons his ex-fiancee to use as a lab rat in occult experiments.
The Harley Quinn series alludes to more of his supervillain career in the episode "You're a Damn Good Cop, Jim Gordon," as Psycho must reconcile with his son Herman, living with his ex-wife Giganta (another Wonder Woman villain) and her new boyfriend Brad. While Doctor Psycho has worked with Giganta on previous teams in various comic book story lines, the two have never been romantically involved. In fact, many writers portray Pyscho's personality as so off-putting that he typically has no romantic partner at all. It should be noted that Psycho's relationship with Giganta is later revealed to be the result of telepathic persuasion--a terrific payoff for comic book fans who know just how unlikely a romantic partner would be.
Does Doctor Psycho Actually Have Powers?
The show takes further liberties with Doctor Psycho by portraying him as having advanced telekinesis, which he repeatedly uses to save Harley and crew from mortal danger (as well as lay the beat down on several physically imposing foes like Wonder Woman and Maxie Zeus). However, in the world of DC Comics, Psycho merely has advanced telepathy. Though he can't physically smash heroes with large automobiles, he can hypnotize and control even the strongest of minds, including other telepaths, and create detailed illusions at will. On several occasions, he has even invaded Wonder Woman's subconscious--a power he also uses in the Harley Quinn episode "Being Harley Quinn" in order to get his boss out of a catatonic state.
Despite having a prickly personality, Doctor Psycho is typically part of a larger group when written into stories. During the events of 2005's Infinite Crisis, Pyscho served as a recruitment officer for Lex Luthor's Secret Society. He would later go on to work for the immortal supervillain Vandal Savage in hunting down a rogue group of super criminals calling themselves the Secret Six. A mission that saw him nearly stabbed to death by fellow hypnotist and Batman rogue the Mad Hatter (what can you expect when psychic minds gather?). After the events of DC Rebirth, Doctor Psycho is kidnapped and recruited by Amanda Waller to hack Brainiac's mind, leaving his current whereabouts unknown.
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Although having no ties to Gotham City, Doctor Psycho fits perfectly into the wacky world of Harley Quinn. With Wonder Woman 1984 adding even more of the Amazon princess's villains to the big screen, it will be interesting to see if director Patty Jenkins and Warner Bros. decide to eventually bring in a cinematic version of the telepathic terror. But until then, at least fans have him in animation!