Elseworlds: Batman - Thrillkiller

Published: 1998 

Writer: Howard Chaykin

Art: Don Brereton

Letters: Bill Oakley

Originally published as three single issues in the name of Thrillkiller '62, this collected volumes remains my favourite Elseworlds story and one of my better Batman related stories.

If the name didn't give it away, it's set in 1961 for the first part and then 1962. We're introduced to two vigilantes, Batgirl and Robin who seem to always show up wherever dirty cops make an appearance.

The art is pretty unique, dramatic and although it's more reminiscent of painted posters there's a definite feel of movement in it which is something that most modern artists fail to capture.

Batgirl has an exposed midriff but she's not oversexualised. Her physique and strength is the focus even though she's defined as so gorgeous she could give showgirls a run for their money.

This is something else most modern comic artists suck at portraying.

In case you're not familiar with it - the entire Elseworlds concept is to take existing characters and put them in different settings for a standalone story. For example, Gotham by Gaslight features a version of Batman that chases down Jack the Ripper.


So in this incarnation, Batgirl is the main hero with Robin as her sidekick. Her father is still the commissioner while Bruce Wayne - having lost all his families money in the depression has since found work in the GCPD.

Naturally, the world's greatest detective in bat ears is good at his job but never quite fits in with the others but gets along with and respects Jim.

Our introduction to the Joker is in the form of a green haired, red lipped, white skinned woman who looks like she's lighting up the room with her cigarette instead of her nightmarish smile.

She tries to bribe Bruce but Bruce does not even, and he lights the money on fire in front of her.

Named Bianca Steeplechase, she has a oddly relaxed demeanor and doesn't appear manic like her mainstream namesake but does indulge in purple suits and other similar attire.

She does rely on sneaky tactics like poisoned nails but unlike Joker she's not afraid to jump into a fight and get physical.


Bianca is also incredibly smart - instead of fart arsing around like her incompetent goons she gets to the point and directly attacks her foe and then uses the ensuring chaos to secure her escape.

Using a combination of circus memories and deductions she also figures out Robin's true identity and lays a heartbreaking trap to bring him down.

This sort of attack ultimately leads to Barbara and Dick abandoning their no guns rule and flat out aiming at Bianca and the people who caused their pain.

Sadly, Robin does not emerge from this encounter unscathed.

Bruce, now a fugitive from the crooked cops joins Batgirl as Batman. He mooches off Barbara who purchased his family home but to be fair he brings his own butler.

Alfred's role doesn't change much. Alfred is still cool anyway.

Our heroes gaze turns towards busting a drug ring. Their product is Nicotics, an illegal substance that causes nerve damage and manic behaviour.

Well now, who do we have here?

Hayley Fitzpatrick - a school girl interested in bad boys like Roy Harper but moreso in the Nicotics he's able to obtain.

While Hayley may not jump out at you as an obvious character, a lot of people may recognise Roy Harper as either Speedy, Red Arrow, Arsenal, that guy with the drug habit, or the guy that was hanging around creepy sex robot Koriand'r in the new 52.

Now he's creeping around underage teenagers peddling drugs.

Damn it, Roy!







Here the story falls onto the shoulders of our two drug loving tweens, caught up in a bust and the ensuing showdown.

 
 

Here the innocent captured girl trope gets turned on it's head when Hayley takes her obsession with Bianca - fuelled by the Nicotics - one step further and becomes Harley Quinn.

In this costume, formerly owned by Bianca in her circus days, she aids and abets her Joker by knocking out Batman with a classic Joker crowbar and gleefully looking forward to his torture.

Their new friendship doesn't last as Bianca is dragged (literally) into a final confrontation with Batgirl and Batman 'rescues' Hayley.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, no one believes Hayley's turn to the dark side (or technically, more colourful side here) and keep insisting she'll be okay after her ordeal as long as she gets some therapy.

Well, therapy/training may help young Roy become an aspiring archer but does little to help young Hayley Quinn or more specifically, her family.

Batman thinks she's stopped going to therapy and has vanished leaving her family worried. Boy did he drop the ball on that one!

Hey look, even in an Elseworld comic she's got the right number of siblings.

Our last look into this world is the unrepentant, smiling face of Harley Quinn as she runs off into the night to wreak more chaos.

Verdict:

I picked this comic up initially because there was a Harley Quinn cameo (you know, back when true fans had to dig through piles of comics to prove she existed somewhere in them) and was not disappointed by the comic. Having Batgirl as the lead hero in this time of revolution was a nice move. Her relationship with Robin is bitter sweet but engaging.

There are plenty of other bat cameos too, like Selina Kyle, Edward Nygma, Two-Face, Killer Croc and Black Canary. Even possibly Mr. Freeze? It's great that it's not forced - all of these characters seem natural in their environment and they interact well.

Hayley is a shocking turn - we don't know if her change of style is due to purely the Nicotics or the drug exacerbating underlying issues.. I personally suspect the latter. Her choice of bedroom decor is pointed out specifically and it includes all sorts of larger than life characters like Bianca and Batgirl as well as circus themed toys.

We're told she felt the same way she did when she first saw Elvis as soon as she lays eyes on Bianca in person. Bianca definitely has charisma but is off the rails, into her own product as well. I wasn't sure if these two were supposed to be lovers or not but coming back to the comic a few years later I think it's more of an idol worship thing. Bianca is someone that Hayley has looked up to for who knows how long and is finally meeting her in person. She's manic enough to do anything to please her idol including changing her entire look, her name, her approach to violence.

Even before she turned she seemed pretty fearless - flirting with the 'bad boys' , smoking, lying easily and dropping all pretence of being scared and grilling a giant crocodile man about scoring drugs.
All through the book are hints of people not being able to adapt to a woman breaking out of stereotypical roles - the main one is Batgirl of course, beating grown men senseless but the other one is Hayley/Harley. Several people, Roy, Batman etc. all mistake her for someone who is traumatised instead of what she really is.

I've mentioned this before but I like that aspect of Harley - that at first glance you think she's someone who's coerced or enticed into abetting a criminal only to find she's there for the fun of it all. I think she worked much better as a character when she was underestimated and overlooked - able to slip between personas as easily as a change of clothes - than she is now in her current comic and in the DCEU movies.

All in all - awesome book, awesome art, definitely worth checking out if you can.

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