HARLEY QUINN #3 (REVIEW)

Harley Quinn #3
Writer: Amanda Conner
           Jim Palmiotti

Artist: Chad Harden

Cover: Amanda Conner
           Dave Johnson





The Rundown:
We begin issue number three, with what initially appears to be Harley Quinn watching a horror movie with zombies and gore, which reminds HQ of her puddin' The Joker and that it is Valentine's Day. When a shotgun blasting assassin (who loos like Moloch from "Watchmen" fame) comes in a takes a shot at Harley. Missing her of course, and she then turns the tables on him, and kills him with his own shotgun. Turns out she was actually on a horror tour, and she informs the employee he has a "mess" to clean up inside the ride.
On her walk home she can't help but be put off by all the "love" around her, even telling a kissing couple to get a room. When she arrives at her recently acquired apartment, she see's Big Tony sitting with a bouquet of flowers, and assumes are for her. He gives them to her, even though they were meant for Queenie who was on a date with someone else. While taking a bath and still feeling down on love while missing Mr. J there is even Superman and Wonder Woman kissing on the television. Her talking Beaver, Bernie, tells her she needs to get out and meet someone new. Harley notices that one of the plants Poison Ivy left after her visit (see last issue for Ivy and Harley's reunion) has started to sprout berries. Which of course she decides to ingest one without knowing if they are even safe to eat. Other than they smell better then they taste, she notices nothing out of the ordinary. She receives a phone call saying that she got a job at as a therapist at an old age home and decides to throw on a new dress and head out to celebrate.

While out on the town, we see that there are fumes or an aroma coming from her. Her scent reaches the nostrils of a bus driver and causes him to crash his bus. Which contained criminals en route to prison, who then escaped from the bus. They too "smell" her, and we see it's effects, which is to cause them to become infatuated with her. The baddies begin to chase Harley down, who runs into a hardware store and convinces the now "intoxicated" clerk to fend off the guys chasing her. Naturally he agrees and attempts to take them on by himself, quickly being overwhelmed and has his neck snapped by one of them. Enter, "Hardware Harley", equipped with a variety of tools from a weed whacker to a nail gun, as well as a welders helmet. She proceeds to take them out with what she's equipped with as well as some classic corny one-liners. Finishing the last one off with a monkey wrench. While exiting the hardware store, she is confronted by a female officer who then proceeds to plant a kiss on Harley. Both are a bit shocked, the officer stating she didn't know what happened as she was about to arrest her, but couldn't resist because of how good Harley's scent was. It is then that HQ realizes that whatever is happening must be from the berry she ate earlier.

Rushing home all eyes are on Harley as everyone catches a whiff of her. Once she arrives back at home, the scent wears off and she sling shots the plant out the window and into a seal den at the zoo. Big Tony comes in and asks if he could get those flowers back as he's decided to fight for Queenie. Harley agrees but also gives him a leftover berry from the plant to "help" him out with his "mission". It ends with Harley sharing her thoughts on Valentine's Day and how it is "sad if you're alone, debt inducing if you're not". The final panel shows Big Tony being "molested" by a man and woman who caught his new scent.



The Review:
I have been loving this series so far. I wasn't sure how she would hold up on her own, as she is a great character, but is even better as a co-star or part of the squad (pun intended). But, those worries have been put to rest so far with pretty good writing. The lighter tone is an added plus in an otherwise dark DC Universe. Hopefully this isn't lost down the road, or if it is, only briefly. The innuendos through out make laugh and of course think of the Batman television series back in the 60's as well as Harley's corny one-liners. So far it has been a nice even blend, another thing I hope continues and doesn't just become a book of one-liners, as her character does have a lot of depth. Speaking of innuendos, Bernie the talking Beaver. When he was first introduced I wasn't sure what to make of him, he is after all Harley's stuffed beaver *ahem*. But, he has made a good "side-kick" for HQ in the verbal department.

As for the art? Also something which has been pretty good, and continued in this issue. Was a bit worried about who they would choose after a group of them were on display in "Harley Quinn #0", but very pleased with their choice. Although there have been scenes where she's in a bathtub, or getting dressed, but hasn't been "sexual" art wise like female titles tend to be, which is also a nice change.
Over-all a decent issue. Even though Valentine's Day is not high on the list of favorite holidays, I am a sucker for "holiday themed" things for all holidays (okay the more commercial ones) like they do with television shows. And they did a good job at not making it too corny, despite how easy it is on Valentine's Day. And looking forward to next issue even though this one wasn't leading up to anything, which says something about the title and everyone involved.


Stay Nerdy!