Origin Of The Fake Harley Quinn Revealed In 'Batman: White Knight'

Batman: White Knight #4 has revealed the origin of Harley Quinn's doppelgänger.

White Knight tells the tale of Jack Napier — a seemingly reformed and now sane Joker — who opts to serve as Gotham's "White Knight" as restitution for his offenses as the Clown Prince of Crime.

The series' second issue introduced Harley Quinn II, an imposter who sported a getup resembling that of Margot Robbie's Harley in Suicide Squad, in lieu of the real Harley's traditional red-and-black court jester costume.

The issue, now in stores, reveals fake Harley to be Marian Drews, a suicidal bank teller-turned-criminal.

Marian, having slit her wrists, encountered the Joker during a bank robbery, only for the make-up-wearing villain to stick a gun in her face.

"Suddenly, I wanted to live," Marian says, in a flashback with panels depicting her first run-in with the Joker. "I would do anything to live, even if it meant helping him rob the bank."

"Halfway through," Marian explains, "a funny thing happened: he started calling me Harley."

Acknowledging the resemblance to Joker's sidekick-slash-lover, Marian plays along with "Mr. J," embracing her role as the new "Harley Quinn" in the hopes Joker wouldn't kill her.

According to her, the Joker saved her life — tending to her wounds and supplying her with a classic Harley costume — giving the depressive Marian a reason to live.

Marian, who has admitted her ties to the Joker come by way of Stockholm syndrome, has since adopted the identity of "Neo Joker," making it her mission to return Jack Napier to his villainous ways.

The eight-issue miniseries is ongoing.