The character of Harley Quinn is often criticized for her role of being the love interest of Batman’s nemesis, The Joker, through her dependence on him and the sometimes abusive relationship. Returning to her article, “Batman’s Female Foes,” Shannon Austin claims that strong women, in order to keep their power, “use a mask of femininity to survive in a male-dominated society, forcing them to sometimes use typical female displays of sexuality and seduction to fight back” (287). Austin continues on to say that Harley Quinn uses said mask through being the love interest of The Joker. Being The Joker’s love interest provides her with power in its own sense. Not only is she associated with him, but there are instances in Batman comics where The Joker admits to caring for Harley, thus creating a potential weakness within him.
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In Gotham City Sirens, Harley Quinn’s identity in association with The Joker does appear to overshadow her individuality at times. In a particular set of panels, Harley is walking down the street and is noticed by two men. One of which makes a lude comment to the other, “I like me some of that” (Dini). The man is warned by his friend not to touch Harley. Interestingly enough though, his reasoning is that “She’s The Joker’s girl” (Dini). Initially, Harley’s identity appears clouded through the men’s reasoning that she should not be touched, not because she is a strong woman who would react negatively to that kind of assault, but because she is “The Joker’s girl”. Despite this though, it is significant to point out that in these panels, Harley Quinn is not in her traditional jester costume. As a matter of fact, Harley Quinn wears street clothes throughout most of Gotham City Sirens. While her choice of clothing is often skimpy and form-fitting, Harley Quinn is flaunting her sexuality, but through a style choice that is her own. Dini makes this even more clear on the particular whole-scale page of Harley Quinn walking down the street. By having her superimposed on one of the few whole-page panels in the comic, Dini is emphasizing Harley Quinn’s power outside of her previous role as The Joker’s love interest, and instead, re-directing that towards her newfound identity alongside two fellow females in Gotham City Sirens.
