5 Hoots

I have been a Harley Quinn fan forever! I mean she is one of my favorite villains/anti-heroes because there was so much more to her. People focus on just the “love story” between her and Joker but not the fact that she was a Psychologist that was manipulated and eventually driven mad. Her character has many layers and we finally get to see a side of her that we really didn’t see before. This volume shows how she started, got the job at Arkham, and finally fell in love with the Joker but that wasn’t all. It showed you Harleen…not Harley Quinn, the women who wanted to make a difference/help people and ultimately had that turned against her.

So let me begin by reviewing the artwork! It was beautiful. I loved how red and black was used repeatedly in Harleen’s outfits. I mean even her umbrella had those colors. It was a wonderful way to foreshadow her future…..and also they used her shadow in one cell it was brilliant. When she was reviewing the different Arkham case files you were also able to tell who each character was just by appearance, yes they looked similar to other comics we have seem but the artist made them his own.

Now, the story…What can I say? I absolutely loved it! I loved the dream sequences, how Harley and Joker met, and how Batman tied into the whole story. In fact without the mighty Wayne corporation our dear Harleen might never have become Harley Quinn, but you will need to read volume 1 if you want to find out how. The story showed you how hard Harley tried to avoid the Joker, how she watched the videos of him manipulating all the other psychologists her interacted with, and how right from the start the Joker was in control of everything. Well, regarding Harley he was in control…the other portion of the comic was that fun of another famous villain…hint he likes to flip a coins 😉

Overall, I cannot stop gushing about this comic because I really think it was done well. It didn’t romanticize the relationship with Harley and Joker. He manipulated her from the start and honestly ruined her life. She was even almost murdered because of her misguided love for him and was saved by Poison Ivy. Why did Ivy save her? Because Harley was actually kind to her. So we really got to see a lot of different sides of Harley and none of them required her to be barely dressed (cough* Suicide Squad Movie* Cough). If you like Harley Quinn or really just want to read a great graphic novel I really recommend this one.