Harley Quinn's Greatest Hits

by Paul Dini (Writer), Scott Snyder (Writer)

Love makes you do crazy things. And Suicide Squad member Harley Quinn is madly in love.

After springing her psychotic killer boyfriend, the Joker, from Arkham Asylum, former psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel put on a clown costume and said sayonara to sanity. Now Harley brings her own unique brand of psychosis and revelry to whatever she does, whether it’s causing mayhem alongside her beloved Mistah J., saving the world as the nuttiest member of the Suicide Squad, or relaxing with her gal pals Poison Ivy and Catwoman. With her deranged mix of fear and fun, she knows how to leave a crowd in stiches!

HARLEY QUINN’S GREATEST HITS collects eight of the lovesick lunatic’s best stories from such talented writers and artists as Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Jim Lee, Jeph Loeb, Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Scott Snyder and more.

Collects BATMAN ADVENTURES #12, BATMAN #613, COUNTDOWN #10, GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #7, SUICIDE SQUAD #1, BATMAN #13, HARLEY QUINN #21 and HARLEY QUINN AND SUICIDE SQUAD APRIL FOOL’S SPECIAL #1.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes, Fiction

154 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2016

About the author

Paul Dini is an American television producer of animated cartoons. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond and Duck Dodgers. He also developed and scripted Krypto the Superdog and contributed scripts to Animaniacs (he created Minerva Mink), Freakazoid, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. After leaving Warner Bros. In early 2004, Dini went on to write and story edit the popular ABC adventure series Lost.

Paul Dini was born in New York City. He attended the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California on an art scholarship. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a BFA degree in creative writing. (He also took zoology classes at Harvard University.)

During college, he began doing freelance animation scripts for Filmation, and a number of other studios. In 1984, he was hired to work for George Lucas on several of his animation projects.

The episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon that were written by Dini have become favorites amongst the show's fans over the internet, although despite this as well as contributing to interviews on the released box sets of the series, Dini has made no secret of his distaste for Filmation and the He-Man concept. He also wrote an episode of the Generation One Transformers cartoon series and contributed to various episodes of the Ewoks animated series, several of which included rare appearances from the Empire.

In 1989, he was hired at Warner Bros. Animation to work on Tiny Toon Adventures. Later, he moved onto Batman: The Animated Series, where he worked as a writer, producer and editor, later working on Batman Beyond. He continued working with WB animation, working on a number of internal projects, including Krypto the Superdog and Duck Dodgers, until 2004.

He has earned five Emmy awards for his animation work. In a related effort, Dini was also the co-author (with Chip Kidd) of Batman Animated, a 1998 non-fiction coffee table book about the animated Batman franchise.

Dini has also written several comics stories for DC Comics, including an acclaimed oversized graphic novel series illustrated by painter Alex Ross. (A hardcover collection of the Dini and Ross stories was published in late summer 2005 under the title The World's Greatest Superheroes.) Other books written by Dini for DC have featured his Batman Animated creation Harley Quinn as well as classic characters Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Zatanna.

Best known among Dini's original creations is Jingle Belle, the rebellious teen-age daughter of Santa Claus. Dini also created Sheriff Ida Red, the super-powered cowgirl star of a series of books set in Dini's mythical town of Mutant, Texas. Perhaps his greatest character contribution is the introduction of Harley Quinn (along with designs by Bruce Timm) on Batman: The Animated Series.

In 2001 Dini made a cameo appearance in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back during the scene in which Jay and Silent Bob wear ridiculous looking costumes for a film being directed by Chris Rock, in which Dini says to them "you guys look pretty bad ass".

In 2006, Dini became the writer for DC Comics' Detective Comics. That same year, he announced that he was writing a hardcover graphic novel starring Zatanna and Black Canary. In 2007, he was announced as the head writer of that company's weekly series, Countdown. Paul Dini is currently co-writing the script for the upcoming Gatchaman movie. Dini is also currently writing a series for Top Cow Productions, based in a character he created, Madame Mirage.

Paul Dini is an active cryptozoologist, hunter and wildlife photographer. On a 1985 trip to Tasmania, he had a possible sighting of a Thylacine. He has also encountered a number of venomous snakes, a Komodo Dragon and a charging Sumatran Rhi

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear oh dear...whoever termed this HQ's greatest hits seriously needs a slap! These are not HQ's best stories, not by a long shot!

I am bitterly disappointed with this volume involving one of my favourite DC characters and I think this is the reason I have given Amanda Conner's New 52 series a wide berth. I simply don't like what she has done with the character.

I hate the way she talks (all slangy, etc.), I'm not too keen on her "makeover" and I just find the stories pretty boring. They're not funny like they used to be. Harley Quinn's original charm doesn't come through and the whole volume leaves a lot to be desired.

I did quite like the opening couple of stories which focussed on the original HQ and her kick-ass gal pals Poison Ivy and Catwoman but the later stories left me feeling cold.

I don't think I'll be investing in any more of Conner's work, not after this taster. HQ just isn't the same.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favourite piece was the jim Lee illustrated story

greatest hits checklist

girl band- check
power ballad- check
punk inspired chaos- check

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good collection of Harley stories! Some of them did feel a little out of place and didn't make much sense because they kind of required some context to what happened before that issue... but they were all enjoyable! My favourite thing was probably the variety of different artwork and I literally love the cover so much!

[Teya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Harley Quinn, so reading her 'Greatest Hits' was just a brilliant insight into her life. For example, meeting her family, getting to know her best friend: poison ivy, viewing parts of her and 'The Jokers' story and parts of the suicide squad. This was a very fun read.

[Jesse Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one. Harley Quinn is my favorite "villain" and it was nice to see more of her origins and greatest hits. Definitely worth the read if you are a Harley Quinn fan, or want to learn more about her!

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun collection of comics. It served its purpose in introducing Harley Quinn to me, a relatively new fan. I enjoyed seeing the different art styles and portrayals of Harley and I also liked seeing characters that I know from elsewhere interacting with her. While I liked reading this, I just don't think comics are for me, and I have known that for a while, so I'm not surprised that I didn't fall in love with this. I like having it on my shelves, though.

[Steph_d · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's Harley of course I loved it. not my favourite stories personally but still HARLEY!!! 😍

[Jane Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Harley so I would've always given this a 5 stars.

[Jessica (novelcravings) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been on a kick of trying graphic novels and I had a good feeling about this one. However, I found the stories confusing and the story hard to follow. I simply don't know enough about Harley Quinn or DC Comics to be able to enjoy a collection of greatest hits.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the greatest hits by a long shot.

Fragmented and in pieces this was not a good mix tape of a book simple because of the song choices.

World: The art is fine, it's one of the best thing about Harley books you feel the artists having fun and it shows. The world building is not present. Sure, there is the little piece with the origin and the family stuff but that's it's. Weak.

Story: There is no real story, it's a collection of single issues that are part of a larger arc. If they had chosen one and dones it would have made sense, picking issues 4 out of 6 and such was not good at all. There are some good pieces here and the reader does get the craziness of Harley but this is not the best sample.

Characters: Harley is great but the fragmented pieces we get of her make for a janky read. Yes she is suppose to be chaotic but there is supposed to be some method to the madness and it's not there. Also the humor is off its timing.

Not the best intro to her. Mad Love still is and also the 1 shot in No Man's Land.

Onward to the next book!

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was an interesting mix of Harley stories, for sure. I'm not sure it convinced me to read more of her stories, though. I mean, I've got a volume or two more to go, but this wouldn't have convinced me to pick them up.

I think the issue for me is that it felt like there were a couple of different versions of Harley in this book and that's weird to me.

I liked most of the versions, but it wasn't an easy narrative to follow.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing. I guess the point is to get you interested in different story lines, so that you buy the comics that are featured here. But without the context, in many of them I had no idea what was going on exactly. Also, I haven't read anything about Harley but I have to believe that there are better stories about her than these. "Greatest hits" is definitely not the most accurate title (I sincerely hope!)

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely obsessed with Harley Quinn! This book is definitely for anyone who loves comic book or is a fan of Harley. My favorite was the ones involving Suicide Squad.

[Airaology · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN by Scott Beatty. The title says it all.

2. BATGIRL:DAY ONE by Kelley Puckett. As the title suggest, Batgirl takes center stage. Harley shows up with a BANG and chaos ensues.

3. THE OPERA by Jeph Loeb. Cant Bruce Wayne enjoy the opera without someone trying to ruin the fun? No. It’s a fast paced story with lots of action. Again, Harley appears few panels after but she makes one heck of an entrance. I love the single page of Harley’s intro + the comic details. I love the parallels of Batman’s iconic mum pearl scene and his friend Tommy’s mum’s Jade necklace. Joker is absolutely feral.

4. HOLIDAY STORY by Paul Dini. I’m LOVING The art style, splashes of colour and how they correlate to each characters: Poison Ivy, Catwoman and Harley Quinn. With a cute message that home doesn’t mean blood family. The little insights to Harley’s family life makes it understandable

5. KICKED IN THE TEETH by Adam Glass. It’s fast paced with a focus on suicide squad, showing the ruthlessness that is Amanda Waller

6. TEASE by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. One of the shorter pieces and one of the most intense. The darker colours set the somber mood, the subject: Joker and the object: Harley. I love how unhinged Joker’s speech bubbles look in comparison to Harleys.

7. TUG A’ WAR! By Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. Harley doing what she does best: fightin’, bounty huntin’, therapisin’, smashin’ tv across Deadshot. The usual.

8. EVIL ANONYMOUS by Rob Williams. I need more. I need the whole issue. There’s humour. There’s unreliable narrator. There’s slipping between realities and then there’s Amanda freaking Waller. Scheming.

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

You would think that a book entitled "Greatest Hits" would include the character's best appearances in the DC world. Alas, this collection is a baffling collection of stories that don't fit together well, nor do they give a comprehensive view of the character. Well... to be honest, this was obviously put together to lure in fans of Suicide Squad the movie and perhaps it does suggest something about that character... But it's a horrible selection of Harley comics that focuses on how she is sexy and "crazy". It doesn't include the original Mad Love comic, or any of the poignant scenes over the years like that moment between Black Canary and Harley when she reveals she was pregnant. It features a strange choice of comic from her new, headline series, that is quite different compared to the series usual offerings. No mention of her Gang of Harleys or new Coney Island address. It doesn't touch the fact that she's rejected the Joker. Definitely a book to skip.

[Katya Starling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always wondered about Harley and thought that she could be another misunderstood villainess/heroine like my two all-time favorite DC characters, Catwoman and Poison Ivy. Surely enough, Harley is just as complicated and multi-sided in her own way as these two other kickbutt heroines -- and yes, unlike Harley, I do consider the two who would die for cat and plant life heroines no matter what anyone says. For the most part, I really enjoyed this collection, but there was one issue that I had trouble with both for the writing that could have been better and most especially for the poor anime-style artistry. However, that being said, it definitely left me wanting MORE HARLEY QUINN, which all the best comics do. In all honesty, if it hadn't been for that one poor artist, I would've given this one a FIVE.

[Alicia Balliett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did enjoy reading all the comics. However, I feel like some of them could have been replaced with better works of Ms. Quinn. But that's not my reasoning for giving it four stars instead of five. I feel like the cover is kind of misleading.

Let me explain. :)

The cover states that there is a issue involving the Suicide Squad and Of course there is but not in the way I thought. Killer Croc, Captain Boomerang and Katana are only on ONE PAGE. Judging by the cover I expected to see them a little bit more.

I mean...maybe where it says "Featuring the Suicide Squad" they meant other Suicide Squad members. Like king Shark and whatever the other two members names were. And if that is the case than they should have had them on the cover.

[Malcolm Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked most about this was the quick summary of the character at the beginning in a simple double-page spread chronicling her fall into crime and her questionable redemption. Each comic is a showcase set-piece of the run at the time, so each story has a very different Harley Quinn. In some cases she’s the main character and in others she’s merely there. Unfortunately, comics from story arcs did feel a little truncated because there’s already a story in progress at the beginning and the end is not the end but that’s all there is.

[Kristin Katsuye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compilation comic of Harley's greatest hits in comic series. A fun ride but I'll admit some pieces got a bit confusing without more context from previous storylines. It gives a bit enough to get interested in some of the other comic stories though. Gave a fairly good roundabout of things going on for her in the different comics but if this is the only compilation of greatest hits by her I'll be disappointed.

[Jules · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whoever decided this should be called "Harley Quinn's Greatest Hits" was very wrong. I was bored nearly the whole time I was reading this which I think is evident by the fact it took me two days to read a graphic novel. I also thought that it was a little strange that some of the comics weren't based around Harley and that some of the comics needed context from previous issues to make sense. Very disappointed.

[Soraya Bowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This did not disappoint me. I am a huge fan of Harley Quinn and reading this only made me want more. A nice little collection of stories and the different art styles were all really good.

[Gary Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

30th book read in 2017.

Number 315 out of 595 on my all time book list.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Guess I’m more of a Marvel girl... or this was just a weak set for me because there was no coherent story and I disliked most of the art style.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

collection of 8 stories of Harley's considered to be the best! I read most previously but was nice to read through them again

[James Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any easy introduction to Harley Quinn, her exploits and world. Fun and relaxing.

[Tiana Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a “Harley Quinn Sampler” than her greatest hits, but cute and entertaining nonetheless!

[Ebb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some pretty funny stories in this collection.

[Suzette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Considering how much I love Harley in Suicide Squad and her solo titles, this was a disappointing collection. What on earth makes these her "greatest hits"?

[Tonje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half of it was good, half felt like i was reading a "oh and I guess Harley is in this too" story.

[j · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harley's comics are always the best.

(I found an Avengers and Fantastic 4 Easter egg)