Arkham Asylum Joker Doctor Harley Nurse Design Origin
R/
R/BATMANHere's a fun bit of Arkham Asylum trivia: the Joker was originally supposed to wear a doctor's uniform in the game, which explains why Harley Quinn rocks a nurse outfit instead. It's the kind of design detail that reveals how interconnected their visual identities are—complementary costumes suggesting an institutional dynamic between the two characters. The choice to go with Harley's nurse look instead of both in medical garb suggests Rocksteady went for more contrast and visual distinctness. It's a small detail that actually says a lot about character design thinking in video games, where differentiation matters as much as thematic coherence.
ComicsBuzz Take
That unused doctor outfit concept might be why so many fan designs still lean toward medical aesthetics for Joker—the idea stuck in the collective consciousness even though it never made the final cut.
💬 Fan Reactions
"This explains so much about their dynamic in Suicide Squad"
— u/BatmanGameWiki on Reddit