'Suicide Squad' Scribe Adam Glass On The Evolution Of Harley Quinn (And The Return Of The Joker!)
"Where there’s a lot of love, there’s a lot of hate. And when it comes to these two, it’s like nothing else!" – Adam Glass on the relationship between Harley Quinn and Joker
Joker/Harley shippers take notice: issue #14 of "Suicide Squad," hitting stores this Wednesday, is going to be a doozy!
MTV Geek chatted with "Suicide Squad" writer Adam Glass about this chapter of the epic Batman "Death of the Family" storyline, and what impact being on the team has had on the psyche (delicate as it is) of Harley Quinn:
Geek: Are you excited about working on such a big event as “Death of the Family”?
Adam Glass: All the time! When you’re working with such talent as Scott Snyder…you get to play with Scott’s world, and with all these big names working on this crossover. And writing the Joker! That’s definitely playing with the top game – you know you’re in the major leagues!
Geek: Has it been a challenge coordinating your story within the rest of the “Death of the Family” crossovers?
Glass: To be honest with you, it’s actually been really smooth – everyone’s been pretty cool. Scott reached out to me earlier and said “this thing is coming up – what do you want to do?” And we actually spoke – I think it might have been on the Fourth of July – and within about an hour of talking back-and-forth, we figured it out. Scott said: “Go with that, it sounds awesome!” And since then it’s just been little emails back and forth saying “just so you know, I’m doing this,” etc. But it’s all been great, and Scott’s been great.
Geek: A lot of the seeds of what would eventually be “Death of the Family” were planted in earlier issues of "Suicide Squad". How far in advance did you know what was going to happen?
Glass: We knew the Joker would eventually come back…it wasn’t like by issue #14, we suddenly knew he was coming back. We helped keep the Joker’s presence alive when we did that stuff with Harley, and she went and stole his face – which she proceeded to put on Deadshot. And so all that was done to keep the Joker “alive” – and also allowed us to explore the backstory of Harley and Joker and their relationship. And I think what you’ll get now is the evolution of that relationship. Harley has been on her own having her own adventures. Now he’s back – and what does that mean for everybody?
Harley with "the family"
Geek: Do you think that as dysfunctional the team is, being a part of it has helped Harley evolve in some way?
Glass: Totally – it’s become her family. It’s become something that she’s never had before. So I think there has been a few moments during this run where she’s done things you wouldn’t have expected her to do – like go back for a teammate. She’s definitely taken on the role of sister to this group of crazies. It’s the only family she has. And Harley’s always wanted to belong to something. And if not Joker, then the team – and she’s finding herself in all this. She’s finding her place in the world, that she’s not just a sidekick.
Bruce Timm and Paul Dini created such a great character, and she’s been so popular and so beloved. And when she first came on the team, some “Suicide Squad” people had some issues with her. But the truth is, we’re taking what’s already there, and bringing her to the next step of her evolution.
In Harley's world, this is considered "dating"
Geek: Speaking of Harley’s evolution, there’s been a lot of controversy over her relationship with Deadshot, hard-core Joker/Harley fans feeling that Joker can be the only one for her. Do you think there’s room for other men in Harley’s life?
Glass: Going back to Harley, and her relationship with the Joker – he’s been gone, and she didn’t know where he is. She hoped he was coming back, but she was confused and in a whole new situation. She’s finding herself…and I feel these are all very natural things that ground her and make her realistic. And we’ll find out down the line – did she make a mistake, is this OK? Everything’s pretty much on the table now.
So the answer to your question is a mixture – is it right or wrong, her exploring these things? It will flesh itself out, down the line.
What will happen when Harley gets reunited with her "Puddin'?"
Geek: Being that “Suicide Squad” #14, coming out this week, is going to be a "Death of the Family" tie-in, I’m guessing that there might be some sort of confrontation between Joker and Harley. What can we expect?
Glass: Well, where there’s a lot of love, there’s a lot of hate. And when it comes to these two, it’s like nothing else. So somebody might have a fight with their boyfriend or wife, it might go a certain way. With these two, it’s going to be something certainly different. I think there’s going to be a lot of fireworks, and everybody should see it!
Geek: What’s going on non-“Death of the Family”- wise in “Suicide Squad” that readers can look forward to?
Glass: We’re just coming off of a really big cliffhanger finale, and the end of an arc where Deadshot killed himself to save the team and took out Regulus. So you’re going to get a nice dose of Joker and Harley, and also for fans of the book, they will get enough of their storyline. It’s the perfect combination!
"Suicide Squad" #14 hits stores November 14
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