Joker's new girlfriend punchline

So Joker is getting a new sidekick and girlfriend to replace Harley in the comics and her name is Punchline.

https://screenrant.com/joker-new-girlfriend-punchline-batman-comic/

She will make a cameo in Batman#89 and a full debut in Year of the Villain #3

She is said to be the devil to Harley Quinn's angel.

Smells like fanfiction to me.

The design doesn't look bad.

Soooooooo...where’s that The Three Jokers book🤨

@mazahs117: https://www.cbr.com/batman-three-jokers-gutsy/

Harley finna smack a bitch when she finds out.

Not gonna set my expectations up yet. She looks fine, though.

For some reason she brings to mind Dr. Girlfriend from Venture Bros. I just know she’s going to sound like Harvey Fierstein in my head.

I'll only accept this if both the Joker is abusive to Punchline and Punchline lets him get away with it. The toxic relationship dynamic between Harley and Joker is surely missed so if they can bring that back 👌

Ehh...I dunno....I mean she looks good, but...I really have a hard time seeing Joker with anyone else but Harley. I'm still kinda annoyed that DC keeps pushing them away from one another...I get that their relationship isn't the best, but that's what makes it interesting. It isn't normal.

@wolfrazer: I hear what you are saying, but the problem is Harley has become widely popular; possibly the second most popular DC female character. Continuing to keep her in a physical and emotionally abusive relationship sends a message to young girls is that such behavior is acceptable. Even if it’s seen as wrong and dangerous, it’s okay because she is voluntarily choosing to be a victim for the sake of romance. Whether DC planned it or not, Harley became a fictional role-model and therefore had to be liberated from the domestic-violence by her own actions.

That is ironic given that she was a bad influence since she is an anti-hero and still does some shady stuff. Not to mention killing people.

@Penguin-Dust: I guess...I don't mind it I suppose. It's just...I dunno, I guess her original incarnation within B: TAS is still the best one for me. The comics when they started changing her appearance and then breaking her away from Joker, never really got that same Harley vibe. I'm not big on her becoming a sort of anti-hero either, but that's more a minor point.

I get that she's popular, so DC would wanna try to make her as a solo character. But without Joker? It seems like half a completed puzzle to me frankly, it's not like she can't be her own character with Joker. But I get it, cause the whole relationship between the two isn't the best...but then remember, they're crazy supervillains, of course their relationship wouldn't be all sunshine and roses.

But I'm rambling on and on, so moving along then. We'lll see what's what with this new girl, but I don't have too high expectations.

She hasn't even made her debut and she's already in a quarter of a dozen books.

She's going to be in Batman, Hell Arisen, Nightwing, the Joker Special and likely other books once Joker War kicks off.

DC's Joker obsession legit makes me physically ill.

I feel like she is going to die horribly.

Harley beat Joker senseless last time they met, so she will probably just shrug if she finds out.

@morpheus_: well punchline is stated to be more evil than Harley Quinn and is just as psychotic and abusive as joker. Punchline is the twisted devil to harley’s twisted angel:

I think a confrontation is bound to happen. DC would be crazy not to do it.

@morpheus_: She's always like that. Still can never have enough.

It's sad, but you know in real life, a psycho like Joker would attract impressionable young women who think he's hot.

Harley hasn't been into the Joker for a long time now. Giving her a series of her own and helping her character progress past "Joker's girlfriend/sidekick" has been good for her. And since she is not really villainous any longer they cannot have her associated with Joker. Joker was about to kill her when she had enough and stomped him. She acknowledges him as a significant part of her past but knows he's just that - the past.

Granted, status quo is god in comics so someone might reverse that.

@morpheus_: That's interesting. I completely gave up on Harley back when New-52 hit. But if they're taking a 180° with her I might as well get back into it.

I honestly didn't know her new show was inspired by her current arc in the comics - not that I've watched it but you know.

@anthp2000: It has good aspects and negative ones. The character moving in a different direction is in the former category, but DC effectively using her as their answer to Deadpool falls under the latter. She also had a fling with Deadshot from their time together in the Squad, which transitioned into an on-again, off-again romance in her series. But it's been a while since I read her solo series myself.

When it comes to relationships in comics I like to hold off judgement till a story arc or two she looks good but not sure how they will play it

Also Harley had a fling with poison ivy too since you know they both are bi.

@toxin45: idk Harley loved living in chaos whereas punchline loved sowing it. I think her reluctance to play things 'the long way round' will be their relationship's downfall.

I though he pointed out she was only his sidekick.

So this random girl from college whose only credential is being a Joker fangirl shows up and beats up Harley and Babs without problems and is even toying with Bruce in their short encounter. DC isn't even trying anymore, they could at least have shown where her fighting prowess comes from.

All new comic book characters do that. She only beat batman because she drugged him. it would be pointless if they introduced her and she was easily defeated at every turn.

Anti Harley character with edginess and being over pushed. She is not designed to be a standalone villain against Batman but more of replacement for the spot that Harley left and probably to push Harley into a more important role. Punchline's dialogues remind me of the 90s "I like pain" Poison Ivy. From a writer's perspective, there is no risk for Tynion in putting in a new character to make a legacy for himself in Batman comics.

Joker is popular so its a given that he is the main villain in the most interesting story lines.

@toxin45: tbh I think comics need to learn that sisterhood and bromance exist without a romantic attraction.

Having her beat big names is even more mary sue. Even though the term mary sue is often more used for heroes than villains but in terms of character's popularity, Punchline is an underdog being written as a mary sue. I wouldn't be surprised if writer is gonna have her commit mass murder and make her a schemer that outsmarts heroes to make her look like the big bad that needs to be taken seriously.

Also her origin story does not give much insight into her character than "I just want to be chaotic evil". I don't see any villain should boast about killing homeless people. lol. No motive but just thrill of the fighting, killing & causing anarchy. A killing & fighting machine alone doesn't make a character interesting and being an anarchist is typical for many villains. Even when she kills people, she is not being sadistic in how she kills people, she is more of being edgy about how she kills people. And its somewhat nonsensical that she got away from killing a school dean.

maybe in the future. right now they are just introducing her. like I said every new character gets the same treatment. Remember the red hulk? He was unbeatable at first. The Batman who laughs got the same treatment. I hope that she doesn’t become walking PIS like he did.

Everything about this character seems way too try-hard.