Is This All Harley Is Now??
This is the first time I have picked up Harley’s title. She has been showing up in enough stuff I was curious what was happening in her title. This is NOT what I expected at all, and in some way left me confused. Is this Harley Quinn, Mr J’s right hand girl, or something else entirely? This issue might as well be called Women and their issues.
I have always known Harley as a smart mouthed, sassy tool of Mr J. She threw down with Batman and any other heroes who crossed her path. So what is this issue all about? Internet popularity. She is a damned Kardashian wannabe!
The world, including J’onn J’onzz, has become infatuated with her vlog. Her new nemesis, Minor Disaster, captures her cussing out her followers and then posts it. Harley whines about how she is ruined and will lose her followers. MD stands over her and gloats before leaving.
The next pages are her whining and complaining to her mother and friend as she towels off from the shower she needed after having garbage dumped on her. Harley complaining to her mother about having her internet career ruined. Did i miss something? Tina walks in the front door covered in weapons, and my first thought is – here we go.
A Father’s Abuse
The next part of the issue is Minor Disaster interacting with her father. She attempts to show him how she ruined Harley, but as the numbers start coming in, Harley is a bigger hit than ever. Her fans love her even more! MD’s Father, Major Disaster, is ashamed of his daughter. In fact he never would have come had MD not lured him with the promise of Green Lantern being present. Major insults her and treats her like crap as he walks away.
MD is obviously in tears. She accidentally uses her disaster dial to cause an earthquake that tears Coney Island away from the mainland. In her state she doesn’t care what happens or who gets hurt. She is too devastated.
A New Harley
What comes next was cool, but unexpected and interesting. Harley mobilizes the rescue! Of course she is thinking hot dogs and donuts, but Tina jumps in and uses a ship anchor to keep Coney Island from floating into the whirlpool. As a show of support citizens help her hold the island.
Harley, meanwhile, confronts MD. Instead of beating her up or otherwise immobilizing her, Harley confronts her and tries to cheer her up as she had witnessed the entire exchange between the Disaster family. Harley actually does a good job of not only waking Minor up to what was going on around her, but also gets her to use her disaster dial to stop the cataclysm.
If Harley were some sort of independent, anti-hero like Selina Kyle, I would believe that, but Harley’s actions are the actions of a true hero!
Final Thoughts
When this issue started I nearly put it down right away. If the great Harley Quinn has been reduced to a whiny, internet blogger, why would her title be of any interest? By the end, I am highly curious where Harley is going. Will she just be a loud mouthed, anti-hero like Red Hood or Catwoman, or is there something else, something bigger for her?
The answers may be coming in the next few issues. Harley may be teaming up with a certain hero you would not expect. Read about this new team up HERE.
