Spring is in the air here in the good old Northeast. It’s a time in which even the most drab, gray, desaturated urban surfaces can feel renewed— or at least unthawed.
I also think it’s a perfect time for our monthly check in with Gotham’s Favorite Anti-Hero Psycho-Clown.
After an Amadeus-Arkham-journal-style flashback from evil corporate gentrifier Althea Klang (wherein we get a clever send up of brooding, vengeful origin stories) we see that Harley has infiltrated Klang’s condo, hoping to reason with the venture capitalist vulture on behalf of the blighted residents of Throatcutter Hill. Klang is prepared for this contingency, however, and sends in Amygdala to add some muscle to the conversation— and to maybe drive the pesky Harley away once and for all.
For the past several issues, I have been bemoaning this title’s formula: we introduce and parody a new element of gentrification in this neighborhood which Harley is un-revitalizing, we see the evil corporate gentrifying overlord send in some thematically appropriate joke villain of the month, we watch Harley beat up said joke villain, rinse, repeat. This month, thankfully, we do get something a little bit different. Something that I think has been a bit overdue so far in this still relatively new run on the title: a proper verbal non-violent confrontation between Althea Klang, the gentrifying real estate developer, and Harley Quinn, the people’s avenger.
Elliot Kalan’s dialogue really shines in this issue, as genuine laugh-out-loud repartee is balanced with the basic outline of each combatants philosophy and point of view. It’s a change of pace so refreshing and so enjoyably readable that it almost excuses the intrusion of the required big hulking bruiser, which Harley is yet again tasked with besting (after making an aside to herself about things, always ending up being a fight between her and the big guy). Harley’s incessant and one-sided (from our perspective) arguments with her own brain are even starting to warm themselves up to me.
What it can’t quite do is make up for Harley’s outrageous plan for sabotaging the high-rise apartment building which she has infiltrated. Without spoiling anything, as it were, let’s just say that if you’re planning on skipping that inexplicable fart-based Harley Quinn comic also sitting on your LCS’s shelves in favor of something hopefully a little more mature, or at least less toilet-humor-based, you may be in for a bit of a disappointment. It is admittedly a relatively small element of this issue but it’s unfortunately times one regarding publishing.
This structure shake up also lends itself more favorably to Mindy Lee’s artistic talents. Her wacky poses, characterizations, and framing of objects within any given panel elevate what would otherwise be a static dialogue scene. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with narrative or artistic stasis, especially not in an ongoing series, but Lee’s expressive touch is on great display here and makes the inevitable fight scene, which sees Lee slipping back into her muddled, rubbery pencil habits, all the more tolerable. The artistic output on this title as of late found surer footing.
I’m stuck in the middle here on this title. For a while there, I was fairly down on it, but recent efforts have pulled me from those depths and I now am firmly in indifference territory. Whether I can be further persuaded to even flat out liking something from this run on Harley remains to be seen.
Recommend if…
- You’ve wanted a break from this title’s formula
- You like seeing big bruising baddies in silly little costumes
- You maybe secretly do have a tiny interest in the Harley Fart Comic
Overall:
Nothing substantial about this book’s creative team and their techniques have changed, it’s just that they seem to have happened upon a slightly more congenial story beat here in Harley Quinn #49. It’s a modest victory in what has the dangerous potential to become another forgettable run.
Score: 6/10
English (US) · 