Ever
since Harley Quinn Rebirth #1
(actually before that), Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner have been at the
helm, along with a rotating roster of artists. So after 26 issues, they’re
entitled to a break, allowing Frank Tieri the opportunity to step in for an
issue.
And I love a
good done-in-one. Or even a bad one. The idea of a writer assigned to tell a
story in 21 pages, without panels of cinematic silence for dramatic effect. Are
modern comic writers versatile and talented enough to tell stories in a variety
of formats and lengths? Or are they only capable of telling six-issue story
arcs?
This issue
features Harley at odds with the Penguin, who is intent on building a casino on
Coney Island, displacing the hipsters, freaks and hookers. (Though displaced
hipsters doesn’t bother me, personally.) Harley’s solution is in one manner
innovative, but once put into action it has the air of predictability.
Eleonora
Carlini’s artwork is a blend of cartoony realism – or realistic cartoons,
if you prefer. In Harley’s case it works well, given the subject matter. I’m
curious to see how it might look with other properties.
For new
readers, next issue might be the perfect jumping-on point, as Harley and her
gang take a run at public office. Could politics get any crazier?
Rating:
8/10