Harley Quinn the superhero! That’s one of the fun themes bounced around in Harley Quinn #15, another entertaining entry in the franchise. The action kicks off 150 years in the future where Devani, a Batman inspired Arena fighter, is suiting up with her friend and getting ready to kick some ass. Something Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti have done well all run is to set up multiple subplots well, and this is obviously setting another one up for future issues. I’m definitely feeling this could a cool future adventure for Harley!
Stepping back 150 years prior, Harley and Atlee are getting their collective A’s handed to them by the monstrous creature Zorcrom which was released from captivity last issue by Harley. (Kind of by accident) As the creature swears to destroy them both, Harley can’t help but quip her way to the grave, wondering if she has to time to make a will, say farewell to friends, and probably delete her browser history. Luckily her constant stream of consciousness spell intrigues the creature and as Atlee goes in search of other aid to defeat the creature, Harley talks to him, encourages him to wear some pants so people will take him more seriously, and they go for a fly and eat some (six) hotdogs together.
The creature’s “powers and determination are endless”, and he will fight all until the last human is destroyed, but Harley can’t help but run him through the wringer with questions about what happens if all the humans are dead and there is no one left to enslave. What if the humans are all dead and there is no one to make and deliver hotdogs? She’s also slightly piqued that he won’t make her a Queen, just a member of his Council!
Interestingly, during their conversation, a rabid squirrel bites Zorcrom on his hand, making him bleed. Zorcrom tosses the creature across the city, but it’s interesting to see that it wounded him, while cops bullets bounced off him. Across town, Atlee has enlisted the services of Power Girl, Harley’s former BFF, whose eyes roll when she hears the name Harley Quinn is attached to this latest little adventure. She catches the flying squirrel and is indeed quite concerned about its origin as Atlee and Power Girl circle down toward Central Park.
In the meantime of all this action, there’s MORE subplots boiling, one of which has the vampires who are killing the city’s homeless, AND also that of the escapee from Arkham who is mirroring Harley in her twisted way, as she targets Harley’s former boyfriend for termination. There’s a lot going on inside these pages!
Once again the art team is just as important in telling the story in this issue. Consistent, attractive art is corner piece of the Harley Quinn title and this issue delivers. I like the solid and still cartoon-like nature of the art, a cleanness and a crispness which suits the book. The opening shot of the Batman statue holding a Bat torch in a future Gotham City is attractive and settles us nicely in a postmodern version of the present – like most good sci-fi, it’s really an image that feels five minutes into our future. The art in the opening section is particularly strong and locates Devani and her friend with some power – I get the feeling that what Conner and Palmiotti have some plans for this future scape and I can’t wait to see it!
This issue made me chuckle several times and it was another entertaining issue in a solid series. Excited as always to see what the future holds!
Editor’s Note: David Finn is the author of The Asanti Series. Demorn: Blade of Exile, Demorn: City of Innocents and the latest book, Demorn: Soul Fighter are currently available on Amazon here.
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