DC Comics
Review: Harley Quinn #18
By Philip Schweier
April 19, 2017 - 08:47

DC Comics
Writer(s): Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti; Paul Dini
Artist(s): John Timms and Joseph Michael Linsner
Penciller(s): Brett Blevins
Inker(s): J. Bone
Colourist(s): Alex Sinclair and Jeremiah Skipper
Letterer(s): Dave Sharpe
Cover Artist(s): Amanda Conner and Alex Sinclair; variant by Frank Cho and Laura Martin



harley-quinn.jpg
Harley is in a pickle, captured by the cannibals who have been eating NYC’s homeless. Fortunately, she’s got Red Tool coming to her rescue. Lucky her.

 

Meanwhile, the mayor (who once said he didn’t want to know of his aid’s plan to reduce homelessness in the city) wants to know the details. It’s been a successful operation, but now it’s time to pull the plug (assuming nobody is stopping up the drain.).


But that’s not all this issue has to offer. In a veritable sequel to Paul Dini and Bruce Timm’s Mad Love comes the back-up feature, “Harley Loves Joker.” Though co-written by Dini, the feature is drawn by Brett Blevins and J. Bone, who do a bang-up job of channeling the style of the animated Batman series of 25 years ago (Wow! Really? Has it been that long?)


Meanwhile there is a sub-plot that has been building in recent issues, courtesy of Joseph Michael Linsner. Something about a high-tech Batwoman journeying from 2167 to take on Harley. I can’t say I’m terribly excited at this point, because the teases have been coming too small to have much affect on me. Two to three pages is not enough to whet my appetite for more.


I’d grown weary of the Harley series, quite frankly. It’s like when they turn a SNL skit into a two-hour movie, it’s just not funny enough in the extended format. But the flashback to her days alongside the Joker has breathed new life into the old gal. Unfortunately, it won’t last. Soon enough we’ll be back to trading barbs with Red Tool or some other New Yorker on Harley’s block in Brooklyn.