Review – Harley Quinn #3 (DC Comics)

Publisher: DC Comics
Writers: Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti
Artwork: Bret Blevins, Chad Hardin & John Timms
Release Date: 7th September 2016

This issue brings to a close Harley’s madcap ride of the previous issues, in which she and her band of misfit brothers are defending their home and bodies from the local neighbourhood, transformed into zombies by the consumption of deli-processed alien DNA. Yes, you read that right. Despite the obscure premise, the story is easy to pick up and doesn’t require the reader to be versed in what has came before.

Continuing the New 52’s characterisation of Miss Quinn has been a subtle masterstroke by DC. While many of the titles have been focused on the changes in the lives of the main players in the DC-verse, Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti have quietly and efficiently been allowed to continue their fine work in developing this character. Accompanied by artwork as colourful as the title character herself, Bret Blevins, Chad Hardin & John Timms share duties in bringing this larger than life anti-hero to the page. A task which I may say they accomplish in spades.

This is very much a “check your brain at the door, sit back and enjoy the ride” type of comic and I have no doubt that with the issues to follow (and of course the subsequent media attention the character is going to get from a certain movie) we are going to see more of Harley Quinn.

The Clown Princess of Crime has came a long way from the animated vision of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, however, while I feel that Harley Quinn is finally coming into her own as a character who can carry her own series, I don’t believe we have seen the best of her yet. There is a darkness in this character that has yet to be fully revealed. There was a hint of it back in ‘Death of the Family’ and is an aspect I’d like to see more of.

Rating: 4/5.

PREVIEW ARTWORK
[Click to Enlarge]