Harley Quinn's Monstrous New Patient is Redefining Her Origin
Warning: contains spoilers for Man-Bat #2!
While she's currently thriving as Batman's new ally in Gotham, Harley Quinn's criminal origins infamously began with her attempt to treat the Joker as his psychiatrist. While that fateful encounter destroyed Harley's life, a recent comic sees her taking on another Gotham villain as her patient, showing that while she may have not have been able to heal DC's most depraved criminal mastermind, her instinct to study and help super-villains is far from delusional, and could be what transforms the deadly Man-Bat into a hero.
In Man-Bat #2 - written by Dave Wielgosz with art by Sumit Kumar - Dr. Kirk Langstrom’s wife has finally left him due to his addiction to the metamorphic formula he invented, and he’s on the run from the authorities while trying to work out a cure for the gradual loss of his humanity - a problem even Batman hasn't been able to solve. Enter Deadshot, Killer Croc, Boomerang, and Harley Quinn, as the Suicide Squad are tasked with taking Langstrom down. As Rick Flagg instructs the Squad not to kill the scientist, Deadshot argues, "Idiot broke himself and now just wants to be put out of his misery" - a comment that seems to strike a chord with teammate Harley.
Man-Bat #2 culminates in Man-Bat defeating the more offensive members of the squad but then being ambushed from behind by Harley, who intends to offer him some much-needed therapy. Given that Harley's most famous attempt to help a super-villain ended with her turning to a life of crime herself, readers could be forgiven for thinking that this therapy session can only end in trouble. However, this time around, fans already know the outcome, even if they don't realize it.
Early in Man-Bat #2, a caption notes, "This story takes place before the events of Metal and Justice League Dark." This is essential information, since in 2018's Justice League Dark #1 from James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez, Kirk Langstrom is a member of Wonder Woman's eldritch team, now in a smaller Man-Bat form but retaining his intellect and fighting on the side of good. Harley Quinn might have had a terrible experience with the world's worst criminal mastermind, but that doesn't mean she's not a capable psychiatrist who can see when a super-villain is genuinely in need of some immediate therapy.
The Man-Bat miniseries is a strange prequel, in that it takes place only a few years back in DC continuity, depicting Langstrom as an addicted wretch who will eventually become a contributing member of meta-human society. Whether or not Harley's therapy is what directly sets him on that path, it's fascinating to see her identify that a monstrous Gotham villain is capable of change and be totally correct. Man-Bat likely has some more acting out to do before he's Justice League Dark material - and he doesn't become a perfect person just because he's working with heroes - but it's revealing to see Harley Quinn's instinct proven right when not applied to the absolute worst of the worst.
Many stories have treated Harley's desire to help Joker as a terrible mistake on her behalf, but even for Batman, the World's Greatest Detective, Joker is an exception to every rule. Given that working with the Joker completely derailed her life, trying to help another super-villain in the same way shows Harley's compassion shining through, while Man-Bat's upcoming transformation into a Justice League hero proves that her initial belief that even monsters can heal was right all along.