We all Have the Same Punchline

 

This is one of the newest Batman villains to be introduced. James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez created Punchline seemingly as a replacement for Harley Quinn following her upgrade to anti-hero status. Punchline's first appearance is in Batman #89, February 2020 as part of the Joker War storyline. 

Punchline could have been just another Harley Quinn clone. Harley Quinn, after all, has become enormously popular, even before the Margot Robbie portrayal made her a household name and a cosplay staple. Aside from the Joker connection, their stories diverge greatly. 

Alexis Kaye (no clunky name allusion this time) develops a crush on the Joker all by herself, and seeks him out. This reminds me of Charles Manson fandom among young people, even up to his death in prison, including this story of Star from Missouri from 2013. Unlike Harley Quinn, the Joker doesn't need to manipulate Alexis Kaye's emotions to twist her into a psychopath. She already is one, and the Joker's protégé isn't something she needs to be brainwashed into becoming. Her fictional character pulls from real life issues, like the Columbine Kids, the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shooter, and appropriately, the Aurora Cinema Shooter who idolized Heath Ledger's Joker. 

Sure, another female villain tied to another male villain. I wrote about this before. However, she seems to stand on her own, apart from the Joker, and her story is far from finished. Themes of radicalization, sociopathy, the cultural glorification of evil (i:e serial killer docs, and murder destinations), and how all these things can twist a young mind are sure to be included in future stories. Harley Quinn, after all, rose to eclipse her boyfriend. Certainly Punchline can do the same.