Warning: Spoilers for Harley Quinn #45DC just turned fans' biggest criticism ofBatmaninto an entirely new character, and they’ve managed to accomplish in Gotham what Bruce Wayne hasn’t. Harley Quinn is fighting to bring crime back to a sector of the city that’s been cleansed of it, which proves that Gotham being crime-free is indeed possible - Batman just hasn’t pulled it off.
InHarley Quinn#45 by Elliott Kalan, Mindy Lee, Tríona Farrell, and Lucas Gattoni,Harley Quinn embraces villainyagain to combat the gentrification of Gotham’s Throatcutter Hill neighborhood. A businesswoman named Althea has rid Throatcutter of crime with help from her own superhero, the Amenity. When Harley fights the Amenity, she makes a direct comparison between him and Batman:“You think I’ve never dealt with a spoiled trust fund kid with a closet full’a toys? That’s all I do!”
The similarities between Harley Quinn’s new threat and Batman don’t end there;Althea and the Amenity’s mission of cleansing Gotham mirrors Batman’s,except they’ve succeeded where he’s failed by utilizing their resources.
Harley Quinn’s New Villains Rid Gotham of Crime When Batman Couldn’t
Throatcutter’s Renovation Proves Batman Could Enact More Change as Bruce Wayne
Gotham City is known for its perpetual crime problem, but Althea - with help from the Amenity - has managed to do the impossible and shut down crime in one part of the city.Throatcutter Hill, once home to scoundrels like Harley Quinn herself, has been renovated to favor the wealthy as a safer neighborhood- at the expense of its lower-class inhabitants. She looks over the city in a similar manner to Batman as she reflects on the newfound lack of crime, while the Amenity enforces her changes in a more traditionally Batman-like fashion. Together, they’ve rebuilt a part of Gotham by using their privilege.
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Batman’s own goals aren’t far off from Althea and the Amenity’s. His primary mission as Batman is to rid Gotham of its criminal element, so that crimes like themurder of his parentsdon’t happen to anyone else. However, a common complaint is that acting as Batman isn’t the way to bring about such a change. Instead, Batman could do more good in Gotham by leveraging hiswealth as Bruce Wayneto better the city.Althea proves that this fan critique is justified,as she’s easily surpassed Batman by cleansing Throatcutter Hill with money instead of vigilantism.
Harley Quinn’s Villains Show That His Violent Method Won’t Suffice
Batman has devoted years to his endeavor in Gotham, whereas Althea has done what he set out to do in hardly any time at all. Therefore, no matter how muchtime Batman spends fighting crime, it wouldn’t be half as effective as following her example and utilizing money instead of fists. Although Althea’s cleansing is more beneficial to the rich than what Bruce would have in mind, he could still employ her methods without the full gentrification aspect. IfBatmantruly wants to enact change in Gotham the way Harley Quinn’s enemies have, he’ll need to abandon the cowl and share his resources as Bruce Wayne.
Harley Quinn#45is available now from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
