DC's Black Label is following in the footsteps of HBO Max's Harley Quinn but adding a more provocative twist in the process. Like the streaming service's Harley, her story is tearing away from her toxic relationship with Joker to blaze a new trail towards her own identity. It's just a shame that one of the most empowering moments for Harley is confined to this stand-alone Black Label title.
Many fans would undoubtedly agree that a time when Harley was especially vulnerable to Joker's influence took place during their first meeting in Arkham Asylum. It's a no-brainer. When a person is compelled by an insane psychopath to throw away a respectable life in order to create a whole new criminal identity that revolves around the other, this person is by no means resilient. But Black Label's Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity seems to have stripped Joker of this power over Harley on more than one occasion.
At the start of Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #7 by writer Kami Garcia with art by Jason Badower and Mico Suayan, Harley has already been subjected to the story's more ruggedly handsome version of Joker numerous times (including a break-in where he ties Harley up in her own home). But Harley soon engages with Joker in a manner that best replicates her character's most vulnerable moments with him: an interrogation. However, she maintains control throughout the interaction, even smacking away his hand when he tries to connect with her on a physical level. Later on, she goes further by breaking the rules so that she can take the law into her own hands and hunt him down.
Despite losing track of the Joker (allowing him to create another shocking crime scene), the language Harley employs during her search keeps her in control. She's not succumbing to Joker's charms. Nor is she thinking about helping him stage his next twisted display. She wants to kill him. Some of her more colorful comments include such gems as "he'll be the only casualty" and, when coming across his note that says, "seating is limited. You'll want a decent view," she responds with, "I'll get one when I'm standing over your corpse."
While this series channels more power to Harley than most, the creators simultaneously robbed her of other ample opportunities to amass even more. One of the main contributing factors that spur Harley towards seeking justice against Joker is to avenge the death of her lover, Edie. From what's been revealed, Harley has no interest in men. While Harley's sexual preference makes her inherently immune to Joker in a way her counterparts never could, a more effective way to empower Harley Quinn would've involved her overcoming feelings for this Joker and destroying him regardless. But, then again, comics unquestionably need more diversity and thorough representation of every possible demographic. So, it's okay. Now, the next problem is moving these themes beyond Black Label and making them canon. But that's a whole other story.