Review: Harley Quinn #41

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Frank Tieri

Artists: Inaki Miranda & Moritat

Review by Philip Clark

Summary

“Angry Bird" - Finale sees the return of Harley. She’s back in town, and here to take down The Penguin and his goons. After making up with her friends, Harley confronts Cobblepot in an epic battle.

 

Positives

This issue is all action. From first panel to last, the comic is jam-packed with fight scenes. Harley’s commentary of the surrounding events as they unfold, make the comic both fun to read and to look at. It’s not all sunshine and happy times when Harley returns however, having to give a speech to her ex-friends that is heart-felt and emotional.

Frank Tieri does a brilliant job of writing this issue. Having Harley showing her kind, genuine side in tandem with the usual crazy Harley we’re accustomed to seeing. It’s refreshing to see Harley written in such a heart-warming way. This is the Harley Quinn that I enjoy reading, the one that has heart and emotion. But you also know that if she gets pushed too hard, she’ll go absolutely bonkers. I find characters like that to be highly entertaining to read, and Tieri does a great job of blending all of Harley’s personalities together.

The artwork within the issue isn’t to be scoffed at either. Inaki Miranda and Moritat do an excellent job at creating lively and vibrant scenes, to match the personalities on the page. Miranda is the main artist throughout the comic, with Moritat drawing the art on pages 12, 13, 14, 18, 19 and 20. Honestly, I can’t tell that the artist changed for a few pages, they both do such a good job at incorporating the art styles of each other into their work.

Negatives

There is, at times, too much going on in one panel. With the epic conclusion of this run, there is an epic battle. Both Harley and Penguin bringing in some aid from their friends, means a lot of people on one page. Leading to somewhat confusion, it can be easy to loose yourself on a page playing a weird game of “Where’s Waldo?” the DC version. These are however, only a few panels that have this issue.

Verdict

Overall, this is a fine conclusion to the “Angry Bird” story arch. With Harley back in her old stomping grounds, with her crew back in toll and a lesson well-learnt. That she can’t do what she does alone.

Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment

(This review was originally published on the DC Comics News website on April 6th 2018)