Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Hot in the City (The New 52)

Harley is now apparently the DC female Deadpool... and I'm perfectly okay with that.
The art is solid. I'm a bit disappointed that Amanda Conner only did the covers, but the regular artist are good and of course the writing hilarious.

How to describe the“Harley Quinn – Hot in the City” graphic novel? Light-hearted? Perhaps – it's obvious that the comic doesn't take itself too seriously. (Think the John Byrne-era She-Hulk, while still respecting the 4th wall.) EXCEPT – there's an awful lot of murders, attempted and successful, clean and somewhat graphic, to use that term. Adult? Perhaps, not sure kids would get it, at least not on the same level as their parents would. HOWEVER, the word “adult” when describing entertainment is usually a euphemism for, uh, well, you know …

The first mini-story DOES break down the 4th wall, with basically Harley auditioning talent – getting to see how the squad of DC artists would interpret her unique style, using THEIR unique style. At the end, however, we discover that Miss Quinn has inherited a building in Coney Island, which is where the series shifts (as well as shifting to more traditional comics format, if not content, and sealing off that crack in the 4th wall). Supporting cast – the existing tenants of the building, as well as a certain plant-loving redhead who also finds a place in the tale. PLUS, a number of assassins who discover it's tough to kill the harlequin, no matter the high price on her head (just who offered it is a mystery throughout most of the storyline), but not so hard to be killed by her!

How to describe the“Harley Quinn – Hot in the City” graphic novel? Let's settle for “well worth reading”.

RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded down to 4 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.

Looking at DC objectively right now, besides a great many other, bigger fixes, they need a few things: 1) with the Joker going AWOL at the end of Death of the Family, they need a prominent clown character as they’re kind of known for that, 2) they need a female character series to at least attempt to balance out the overwhelmingly male centric titles, and 3) they desperately need a fun character – too many New 52 titles are dark, grim, gritty and miserable. So it makes perfect sense to give Harley Quinn her own series as she ticks all of those boxes – and whaddayaknow? This is the first (non-Scott Snyder/Grant Morrison) New 52 title in a while that’s really enjoyable… or at least half of it is anyway.

Because while the series starts on a high with the #0 issue where multiple artists draw the comic and Harley has a brilliant back and forth convo with Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, each issue gets progressively worse so that it became a real struggle to make it through the last chapter.

But let’s talk about the good first half because it really is good. Harley’s sat in her storage locker, reading comics and eating junk food before going into a sugar coma where she imagines herself as different things – a rock star, a ninja, a giant robot, etc. – with each page being drawn by an amazing artist. I won’t list all 17 but you’ve got legendary artists like Walt Simonson, Bruce Timm and Darwyn Cooke rubbing shoulders with Becky Cloonan, Tony Daniel and the main artist on this title, Chad Hardin, with the co-writer of the series, Amanda Conner, contributing pages too. Suffice it to say this is a great looking comic and, with Harley breaking the fourth wall a la Deadpool, really fun too.

(This is also the issue where some readers might remember there being controversy when DC asked people to send in drawings of Harley Quinn committing suicide. In the context of this issue, it’s actually a pun on her former team book, Suicide Squad, which is brilliant and suits the silly nature of this issue, as opposed to the idea that DC were making light of the act of suicide, which is how it looked because they didn’t explain it well enough. Oh DC, another ham-fisted PR move!)

From then we get the setup of the series: a former patient of Harley’s at Arkham Asylum has passed away and left her his four storey building in Coney Island. Harley, as new owner, is to be the landlord to a group of misfits who (of course) run a murderer’s museum on the ground floor of the building and a weird avant-garde/violent stage show. She also takes a job as a psychiatrist to help stay afloat and joins a roller derby team because, well, a gal’s gotta have a hobby and she’s pretty much the ultimate roller derby chick already! Oh and someone’s put a hit out on her so she’s got assassins on her tail too, and somewhere in there is a talking dead beaver only she can hear (surprising to find a dearth of “stuffed beaver” jokes made).

Phew, you can’t accuse ol’ Harley for not having enough going on in this book!

The first coupla issues are fun and over the top – Harley meets her new cast of supporting characters and her old buddy (and ambiguous “partner”?) Poison Ivy shows up to help her liberate an animal shelter, moving them into Harley’s new pad. There’s a lot going on here but they’re very enjoyable comics – well written, chaotically creative, delightful art, awesome!

Then the rot sets in.

The Valentine’s Day issue has Harley feeling lonely so she swallows a berry Ivy gave her to make her irresistible to the opposite sex. But it works too well and, wouldn’t you know it, she’s suddenly attracted a group of prisoners who’ll pursue her to death! It’s an ok issue and tonally it’s just right, but it felt too much like the Valentine’s Day issue of Dustin Nguyen’s Li’l Gotham, with Harley in place of Joker, which took away from my enjoyment of it because it no longer felt fresh and original (to be fair, Palmiotti told me on Twitter that he’d never read the Li’l Gotham issue so it was just a coincidence).

Then the next chapter is basically an issue-length joke centring around a senile granny that isn’t funny, and the book ends with a two-part caper as Harley teams up with one of her patients at the psychiatric hospital she works, Sy Borgman, who turns out to be a retired superspy with robotic parts: Syborg.

Harley ends up playing second fiddle to this Yiddish-spouting Inspector Gadget-type as the two kill multiple geriatric characters because… well, I won’t say why but the payoff is really disappointing. And the whole reason Harley’s helping him – to try to get the hit on her taken off – doesn’t go anywhere either. By the end when a group of old gangsters are shooting at this wheelchair-ridden oldie, I realised I didn’t care what was happening on the page – and why’s Harley all but disappeared in her own comic?! What happened to all those other plot threads – why not pursue those instead of doing this dull Cold War cartoonish storyline?

The first Harley Quinn volume is definitely worth a look, if only for being a much more fun DC title than we’ve had from them in a while, but also for the really excellent first half of the book. It loses steam and inspiration from then on in but it’s done enough to stand out from other DC New 52 titles so that, even if I’m not going to pick up the single issues from now on, I’ll probably be back for the second trade paperback to see what she’s been up to.

Giant mallet lovers will adore this.

How to describe the“Harley Quinn – Hot in the City” graphic novel? Light-hearted? Perhaps – it's obvious that the comic doesn't take itself too seriously. (Think the John Byrne-era She-Hulk, while still respecting the 4th wall.) EXCEPT – there's an awful lot of murders, attempted and successful, clean and somewhat graphic, to use that term. Adult? Perhaps, not sure kids would get it, at least not on the same level as their parents would. HOWEVER, the word “adult” when describing entertainment is usually a euphemism for, uh, well, you know …

The first mini-story DOES break down the 4th wall, with basically Harley auditioning talent – getting to see how the squad of DC artists would interpret her unique style, using THEIR unique style. At the end, however, we discover that Miss Quinn has inherited a building in Coney Island, which is where the series shifts (as well as shifting to more traditional comics format, if not content, and sealing off that crack in the 4th wall). Supporting cast – the existing tenants of the building, as well as a certain plant-loving redhead who also finds a place in the tale. PLUS, a number of assassins who discover it's tough to kill the harlequin, no matter the high price on her head (just who offered it is a mystery throughout most of the storyline), but not so hard to be killed by her!

How to describe the“Harley Quinn – Hot in the City” graphic novel? Let's settle for “well worth reading”.

RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded down to 4 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.

Looking at DC objectively right now, besides a great many other, bigger fixes, they need a few things: 1) with the Joker going AWOL at the end of Death of the Family, they need a prominent clown character as they’re kind of known for that, 2) they need a female character series to at least attempt to balance out the overwhelmingly male centric titles, and 3) they desperately need a fun character – too many New 52 titles are dark, grim, gritty and miserable. So it makes perfect sense to give Harley Quinn her own series as she ticks all of those boxes – and whaddayaknow? This is the first (non-Scott Snyder/Grant Morrison) New 52 title in a while that’s really enjoyable… or at least half of it is anyway.

Because while the series starts on a high with the #0 issue where multiple artists draw the comic and Harley has a brilliant back and forth convo with Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, each issue gets progressively worse so that it became a real struggle to make it through the last chapter.

But let’s talk about the good first half because it really is good. Harley’s sat in her storage locker, reading comics and eating junk food before going into a sugar coma where she imagines herself as different things – a rock star, a ninja, a giant robot, etc. – with each page being drawn by an amazing artist. I won’t list all 17 but you’ve got legendary artists like Walt Simonson, Bruce Timm and Darwyn Cooke rubbing shoulders with Becky Cloonan, Tony Daniel and the main artist on this title, Chad Hardin, with the co-writer of the series, Amanda Conner, contributing pages too. Suffice it to say this is a great looking comic and, with Harley breaking the fourth wall a la Deadpool, really fun too.

(This is also the issue where some readers might remember there being controversy when DC asked people to send in drawings of Harley Quinn committing suicide. In the context of this issue, it’s actually a pun on her former team book, Suicide Squad, which is brilliant and suits the silly nature of this issue, as opposed to the idea that DC were making light of the act of suicide, which is how it looked because they didn’t explain it well enough. Oh DC, another ham-fisted PR move!)

From then we get the setup of the series: a former patient of Harley’s at Arkham Asylum has passed away and left her his four storey building in Coney Island. Harley, as new owner, is to be the landlord to a group of misfits who (of course) run a murderer’s museum on the ground floor of the building and a weird avant-garde/violent stage show. She also takes a job as a psychiatrist to help stay afloat and joins a roller derby team because, well, a gal’s gotta have a hobby and she’s pretty much the ultimate roller derby chick already! Oh and someone’s put a hit out on her so she’s got assassins on her tail too, and somewhere in there is a talking dead beaver only she can hear (surprising to find a dearth of “stuffed beaver” jokes made).

Phew, you can’t accuse ol’ Harley for not having enough going on in this book!

The first coupla issues are fun and over the top – Harley meets her new cast of supporting characters and her old buddy (and ambiguous “partner”?) Poison Ivy shows up to help her liberate an animal shelter, moving them into Harley’s new pad. There’s a lot going on here but they’re very enjoyable comics – well written, chaotically creative, delightful art, awesome!

Then the rot sets in.

The Valentine’s Day issue has Harley feeling lonely so she swallows a berry Ivy gave her to make her irresistible to the opposite sex. But it works too well and, wouldn’t you know it, she’s suddenly attracted a group of prisoners who’ll pursue her to death! It’s an ok issue and tonally it’s just right, but it felt too much like the Valentine’s Day issue of Dustin Nguyen’s Li’l Gotham, with Harley in place of Joker, which took away from my enjoyment of it because it no longer felt fresh and original (to be fair, Palmiotti told me on Twitter that he’d never read the Li’l Gotham issue so it was just a coincidence).

Then the next chapter is basically an issue-length joke centring around a senile granny that isn’t funny, and the book ends with a two-part caper as Harley teams up with one of her patients at the psychiatric hospital she works, Sy Borgman, who turns out to be a retired superspy with robotic parts: Syborg.

Harley ends up playing second fiddle to this Yiddish-spouting Inspector Gadget-type as the two kill multiple geriatric characters because… well, I won’t say why but the payoff is really disappointing. And the whole reason Harley’s helping him – to try to get the hit on her taken off – doesn’t go anywhere either. By the end when a group of old gangsters are shooting at this wheelchair-ridden oldie, I realised I didn’t care what was happening on the page – and why’s Harley all but disappeared in her own comic?! What happened to all those other plot threads – why not pursue those instead of doing this dull Cold War cartoonish storyline?

The first Harley Quinn volume is definitely worth a look, if only for being a much more fun DC title than we’ve had from them in a while, but also for the really excellent first half of the book. It loses steam and inspiration from then on in but it’s done enough to stand out from other DC New 52 titles so that, even if I’m not going to pick up the single issues from now on, I’ll probably be back for the second trade paperback to see what she’s been up to.

Giant mallet lovers will adore this.

The New 52 Harley gets negative opinions from fans but I love the new 52 Harley Quinn.

I'm reviewing the paperback

Basically Harley gets left a place in Coney Island and she becomes the owner of the place and she meets Big Tony and Queenie plus others becomes a therapist for the elderly, skating, saving puppies with Poison Ivy, hilariously terrorizing a family from not visiting their grandmother. She helps Sy Borgman rid of a Russian gang from his past. See Harley and Ivy in bathing suits and bikinis.And most importantly there's a bounty on Harley and she fights many through the book.Who put the bounty on her you won't believe who.

A very good comic book/graphic novel. Some of the other New 52 characters were depressing me with all of the tragic events going on in their lives, so I picked up Harley Quinn for a respite and found a fantastic read with a lot of wit and humor.

It has enough plot so it never gets boring, but unlike some of the other New 52 books, Harley doesn't take herself too seriously. For example, she teams up with an elderly man, does some roller derby, and still maintains a job as a therapist by putting on tan makeup.

A warning though: this is still Harley Quinn. She still is a murderer and though nothing revolting is drawn in the comic book, it is clearly implied that she does dispatch some people in gross ways.

I definitely recommend you read this. Fun, witty, noteworthy, and thoroughly enjoyable.

It's no surprise that since her introduction in Batman: TAS back in the 90's, Harley has become one of the most popular characters within the Batman mythos and arguably the entire DC universe. Harley's had her own solo series before, but this is the first time she truly stands on her own within the New 52.

My initial concern picking up this title was that with Marvel's success with their own resident psychopath Deadpool, DC would try to mimic their formula. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was not so. Yes, there is a lot of fourth-wall breaking within the opening issue (#0), but that's where it stops. The writers know that they're working with a truly unique character and it shows in their work. The art is fantastic and never boring, while the story is crazy, zany and exactly what I expected from a Harley Quinn comic book.

The best part of the whole book for me was the fact that nothing was ever taken too seriously, with quite-obvious pop-culture references, self-referential humor, and moments that made me grin or even burst out laughing while reading. It was nice to see a more light-hearted story (despite its violence) within the usual doom-and-gloom of The New 52 universe. So overall, an excellent graphic novel. I'll be giving the next volume a read when it's released.

Contains SPOILERS for Batman: Mad Love

Read some New 52 Harley Quinn comics written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner recently. Issues #0-#8, specifically. Whilst her origin I believe remains Joker influenced, it is rad to see this character to have well, more autonomy. Finally.

Some of my favorite episodes with Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn from Batman: The Animated Series were the ones which featured her not being connected to the Clown Prince of Crime. Usually that meant she’d be paired with her gal pal Dr. Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy instead. The popularity of the diabolic duo lead to their own comic book mini-series titled Batman: Harley & Ivy in the the late 2000s.

I initially loathed her costume re-design since I feel it takes away from her trademark “harlequin” one. Then I got to thinking. Really thinking. Perhaps that’s the ultimate point. It is part of her transformation, her symbolic transition of continuing to sever her connection to Joker who nearly killed her in the closing moments of #0. Elements from classic Harley Quinn are represented, but the overall presentation for them has been changed.

In the Eisner Award winning narrative for Mad Love (1995), penned by Paul Dini and illustrated by Bruce Timm, it is made very clear that Dr. Harleen Quinzel, (before ever donning the red and black outfit to bust Joker out of Arkham Asylum), was willing to do what she had to succeed. In her sessions with Joker, he did everything he could, told what he had to, for the purposes of manipulation. One of the most famous facets of Harley’s character is the recurring theme of her extreme adoration towards her puddin’. Despite the fact that she’s remaining in an abusive relationship with someone that never/rarely reciprocates similar feelings of love back. Because of this she is, essentially, a walking tragedy.

You feel sincerely bad for her. Joker isn’t good for her! Alas, here she is seconds away from killing Batman (Mad Love) to gain something that’s pure fantasy, a shipping that will never be. As in, if Batman hadn’t convinced her to contact Mr. J, The Dark Knight would of died. Cleverly, Dr. Quinzel had managed to utterly defeat the legendary Batman when others, including her beloved Joker, had failed repeatedly.

How was she rewarded for her remarkable feat?

By being savagely knocked out of a window and landing hard on the pavement below, courtesy of her enraged pseudo-boyfriend. Joker warped her mind and molded Harleen into what she is: a delusional but still sadly devoted to him henchwoman. Bedridden from her sustained injuries within the walls of Arkham Asylum, scolding herself and insisting that she is completely through with Joker this time, Harley notices the flower with his note of “Feel Better Soon” next to it inside of her cell. A flower was how this web of madness and misery had begun before. The destructive cycle would now continue, once more, unabated.

Under Conner and Palmiotti, her solo series comics are zany, kind of dark, and quite unpredictable. She’s no longer a lovesick victim. With the exception of Joker being out of the picture, Harleen Quinzel retains everything else that brought this originally planned for one episode animated character (eventually becoming a fan favorite in the process) into the realm of mainstream comic books. Jimmy and Amanda have done a splendid job further adding to her while keeping it believable with a side dish of psychotic fun! As you read their run, witnessing Harley’s growth makes you fully realize just how detrimental her life was with Joker.

If he does ever show his revolting face, you genuinely hope Harley responds by giving him a deserved taste of his own medicine.

I don't really like silly characters, i prefer the serious stuff...But this book seriously changed my view on them. The story is pretty good, funny, violent, silly. And the art is some of the best I've seen. I'd recommend this to anyone 15+

This graphic novel brings you into the world of Harleen Quinzel without the joker. She is fun upbeat and shows you her best side of insanity. Reading this will make you want to read more of her fun adventures.

Love having a series that focuses on just Harley and her life rather than the Joker (though I miss his appearance) or Batman. I love how it introduces you to her character. Its exactly what I wanted; a series based on her that really had nothing to do with the series she came from. Interesting and funny read. Art is great and though Im not one to talk because I can't draw for nothing but some panels made her look super manly or overly goofy. However, its not a big deal to me because the whole thing was great. Glad I bought it.