Comic Book Review: Harley Quinn #1
Since her debut in Batman the Animated series, Harley Quinn has been a fixture in the DC universe. Her romance with the Joker has been one of legends which fully displays the extremes in which a relationship can exist. As the years have passed we have seen Harley grow into herself, first as just a sidekick for the Batman’s arch-nemesis, to now, being her own fully developed character running off with her own story arcs. In [easyazon_link identifier=”B01G2F1IO8″ locale=”US” tag=”bounintocomi-20″]Harley Quinn #1[/easyazon_link] this trend continues to play out. As you begin the comic you are treated to a quick bio of Ms. Quinzel, which gets you up to speed with basic information on the character. It’s nice little refresher as well as a good jumping on point if you are unfamiliar with Harley Quinn.
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Writers Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti do an excellent job with the dialogue. It was so good that you can’t help but read each piece of dialogue in Arleen Sorkin’s iconic Harley voice from Batman: The Animated Series. While the dialogue is fantastic, the first part of the comic is a little rushed and a touch clunky. However, once you get past this, the pacing smooths out.
While Harley may be the focus and Conner and Palmiotti do an excellent job with her characterization, they also excel with the supporting cast. For example, Poison Ivy’s anti-human and pro-plant mentality is on full display. As for the other characters and their dialogue, it was simple, and easy to read as you went from one panel to another. Not one time did I feel I had to tax myself in keeping tabs on where my eyes were. Palmiotti and Conner captured exactly how you would imagine Harley acting in each situation throughout the story.
Artist Chad Hardin played an important role in capturing Harley’s character as well as creating an intriguing environment with well done panels easily captures the writing done by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. Each little detail he adds enhances the story. He includes a number of flashy elements typical to Harley’s character, but he is able to balance those flash moments with more grounded scenes. Hardin does struggle in amping up the gore when zombie-like creatures are introduced into the story. They could have been a little bloodier for my taste, or at least they could have had a bit more detail.
Colorist Alex Sinclair adds to the unique world Harley inhabits. Sinclair superbly adds in a dark tone to the otherwise realistic environment.There is one panel where the colors shine through really capturing the story and bringing it out. It depicted an Alien Cow discovering the uses of beef. The art and colors depicted a number of innuendos for the cow’s fate. It was an absolute riot.The art really made the joke in the story work.
The Verdict
[easyazon_link identifier=”B01G2F1IO8″ locale=”US” tag=”bounintocomi-20″]Harley Quinn #1[/easyazon_link] is some good fun. From one thing to the next, the story seems to go as quick as Harley’s chaotic mind, which for me was a nice way to keep my attention. The writing is pretty good, though the beginning felt rushed. Luckily it improves as the story progresses. The art and the coloring are both flashy and on point with the character, and provides some solid footing for new readers as well as veterans to enjoy.
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