WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V #7!Harley Quinnjust found herself a new rival—one of the Bat-Family’s own. Normally, it would be a no-brainer for Batman’s allies to side with one of their own, but theDC vs. Vampiresuniverse has put the surviving members of the Bat-Family in an awkward position. With Harley facing off against the evil vampire queen, Barbara Gordon, there’s no doubt they’ll be rooting for her instead. So much for Bat-Family loyalty.
Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt’sDC vs. Vampires: World War Vreturns with issue #7, and the war between humans and vampires just got even more chaotic—because now, Darkseid has entered the battlefield, turning a two-sided war into a three-way bloodbath. As revealed in the previous issue, Darkseid arrives on Earth-63 in the midst of an all-out battle between humans and vampires.
However, issue #7 makes one thing clear: there won’t be a winner among Earth’s factions. As soon as Darkseid unleashes his Parademons, both sides start retreating, realizing they’re hopelessly outmatched. Amid this escalating war,Harley Quinn—who has been largely absent fromWorld War Vso far—finally steps back into the spotlight.
Comic Panel Comes From James Tynion IV & Matthew Rosenberg’sDC vs. Vampires#12 (2022) – Art by Otto Schmidt
Before diving into the new developments inWorld War V#7, a quick recap may be helpful—especially since Harley Quinn has been largely absent from the narrative for over three years. While she’s made brief appearances inWorld War Vbefore issue #7, her last significant role in this universe was back in 2022’sDC vs. Vampires#12 by James Tynion IV, Matthew Rosenberg, and Otto Schmidt.That issue ended with Harley being captured by the newly crowned Vampire Queen, Barbara Gordon. Before her capture, Harley and Batgirl had been allies, working together toward a shared goal:killing the Vampire King, Dick Grayson.
Harley played a pivotal role in the originalDC vs. Vampiresseries because her blood contained a potential cure for the vampire plague. Thanks to a serum created by Lex Luthor, her blood was not only lethal to vampires who drank it but also key in Dick’s downfall. In a dramatic twist, Barbara—having just been turned into a vampire by Dick—tricked him into drinking Harley’s blood, killing him and usurping his throne. SinceDC vs. Vampires#12, Harley has remained Batgirl’s prisoner. However, Harley’s prisoner-status changes inDC vs. Vampires: World War V# 7.
Harley Quinn Vows to Kill Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon, Kicking-Off Epic Rivalry
Comic Panels Come From Matthew Rosenberg’sDC vs. Vampires: World War V#7 – Art by Otto Schmidt
During the chaosunleashed by Darkseid’s ParademonsinDC vs. Vampires: World War V#7, Batgirl is briefly knocked off her feet—giving Harley the perfect opportunity to arm herself and make her escape. Before leaving Barbara to fend off the incoming horde, Harley delivers a parting message:“Hey, Barbie, if you survive this, come find me… so I can kill you myself.“With that, a new rivalry between these two Gotham icons is officially set in motion. And given that Harley’s blood poses a serious threat to vampires, it’s more than likely that Batgirl will take her up on that invitation.
With Harley free and vowing vengeance if she ever crosses paths with Batgirl again, a future showdown between the two seems inevitable. And when that battle does happen, there’s little doubt thatthe remaining Bat-Family members will be rooting for Harley over Barbara.After all, Batgirl betrayed them all when she took up the mantle of Vampire Queen. The surviving Bat-Family members—including Luke ‘Batwing’ Fox, Helena ‘Huntress’ Bertinelli, Stephanie ‘Spoiler’ Brown, Alfred ‘Green Lantern’ Pennyworth, Damian ‘Robin’ Wayne, and Cassandra ‘Black Bat’ Cain—may very well join Harley in her fight against Barbara when the time comes.
Batwoman Officially Dies, as The Bat-Family Faces One of Its Biggest Death Tolls Ever
The Bat-Family is falling fast in their latest crisis event, with Batwoman joining the fallen, sacrificing herself to save one of their own.
What’s Next For Harley Quinn in theDC vs. VampiresUniverse?
Fans Could Be Seeing a Harley Quinn & Robin Team-Up in the Near Future
Among the Bat-Family members, Robin is the most likely to cross paths with Harley next, given his lead role in the series and his vendetta against Batgirl. Ever since Barbara killed Nightwing and took the vampire crown for herself, Damian has been determined to end her—despite being a vampire himself. Unlike most who lost their humanity after turning, Damian has managed to hold on to his, making him one of the vampires’ fiercest adversaries and a key ally to the human resistance. A vampire-killing team-up betweenRobinandHarley Quinn, withBatgirlas their primary target, would undoubtedly be legendary.
Harley Quinn Has a Brand-New Costume That Turns Her Into DC’s New Superman
Harley Quinn is stepping into the spotlight with a bold Superman-inspired costume, giving Gotham City Siren cosplayers their next big inspiration.
DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V #7is available now from DC Comics!
