[World of Bats] White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn / Dark Night: A True Batman Story

[Jay_Kay]

Hello and welcome to the World of Bats, the Batman Book Club!

I’m sure everyone who’s reading this has already heard, but actress and voice actor Arleen Sorkin, the woman who first voiced and was a direct inspiration for Harley Quinn has passed away. So with that, and the fact that the characters anniversary is coming up, we’ll be looking at two different books.

First, we’ll be continuing our look at the White Knight universe by checking out the miniseries Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn, with a plot by Sean Murphy, scripts by Katana Colins, and drawn by Matteo Scalera. We’ll also look at the digital comic Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red #6, which is a prequel to this story by the same creative team.

Two years after the events of Batman: Curse of the White Knight, Azrael has wiped out criminals in Gotham, Jack Napier (formerly The Joker) is dead, Bruce Wayne (Batman) is in prison, and Harley Quinn is adjusting to life as a single mother, raising the twins she had with Jack. But as new villains arise, Harley is forced to dance with madness once again and confront her own past with The Joker and Batman while helping the Gotham City police and an eager young FBI agent uncover the truth behind a series of gruesome murders.

Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red #6

White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #1
White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #2
White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #3
White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #4
White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #5
White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #6

Digital Trade (Ultra Exclusive)

Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn

In addition to that, we can take a look at one I’ve been wanting us to read for a bit, that actually includes Sorkin herself in a supporting role, Dark Night: A True Batman Story, written by Paul Dini and drawn by Eduardo Risso.

The Caped Crusader has been the all-abiding icon of justice and authority for generations. But in this surprising original graphic novel, we see Batman in a new light-as the savior who helps a discouraged man recover from a brutal attack that left him unable to face the world.

In the 1990s, legendary writer Paul Dini had a flourishing career writing the hugely popular BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and TINY TOON ADVENTURES. Walking home one evening, he was jumped and viciously beaten within an inch of his life. His recovery process was arduous, hampered by the imagined antics of the villains he was writing for television including the Joker, Harley Quinn and the Penguin. But despite how bleak his circumstances were, or perhaps because of it, Dini also always imagined the Batman at his side, chivvying him along during his darkest moments.

A gripping graphic memoir of one writer’s traumatic experience and his deep connection with his creative material, DARK NIGHT: A TRUE BATMAN STORY is an original graphic novel that will resonate profoundly with fans.

Unfortunately, the book is exclusive to the Ultra tier.

Dark Night: A True Batman Story

Reading will last from 2023-09-09T05:00:00Z→2023-09-22T05:00:00Z, but you can always come back to share your thoughts.

Looking forward to discussing these stories with you all!

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[Jay_Kay]

And if you’re looking for more Harley themed books, check out some of our previous discussion threads!

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Also, check out our previous looks at the White Knight saga!

[World of Bats] CASEFILE 002 -- Batman: White Knight

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[john.21795]

I thought the White Knight Presents and Black + White + Red were both great. The art for both books was fantastic and really works with the story. I loved the idea of Harley intentionally messing up Joker’s plan so that no one got hurt in B+W+R. It adds more depth to the character than the more standard lovesick sidekick you might get with Joker and Harley.

Also the way Harley consistently refers to Jack Napier and Joker as different people was a nice addition. A nod to her history as a psychiatrist and belief that he was sick, not evil. The Starlet and the Producer made for interesting villains and they were good thematic fits.

Harley’s new suit was cool

Unfortunately, I am not a subscriber to the ultra tier so I’m not able to read A True Batman Story. Judging by the cover, it looks great