Harley Quinn (2021-) #2

Harley Quinn (2021) (Single Issues)

by Stephanie Phillips, Ivan Plascencia (Colorist)

Ya sure you wanna double down on this gimmick? Awright already-I’ll do it! Harley Quinn back again to tell ya that my mission to help heal Gotham City has already hit some bumps in the road. The awful Hugo Strange-psychiatrist, fitness freak, and expert on tiny glasses-is trying to deal with Gotham City’s clown problem, and get this! The city is endorsing him while everyone keeps giving me grief! The only person who believes in me is my new sidekick, Kevin. You’re going to find out some real dark stuff about him in this issue, too! We’re both going to have to keep our guard up, ’cuz Hugo has an army of creepy orderlies he’s about to send after us.

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

26 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2021

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am honestly having a difficult time with this run of a Harley Quinn. I think that it deals heavily with the fact that Harley Quinn is being re-written as a morally gray DC character. And it’s super unfortunate because I think that most avid DC readers are used to seeing Harley Quinn as a villain essentially the sidekick to Joker. But coming fresh off of the Joker War Harley Quinn wants to change her life around and help out and Batman and save Gotham. What’s even more interesting about this is that I enjoy Harley Quinn when she makes appearances in the current Batman series that we’re getting however I think that this solo one that she has is not really that strong. She is on the weaker side to be honest. And it makes her not as interesting as a character has been in the past. Now of course there is a lot of reference to her skills as a psychiatrist and I really really appreciate that because I think that most people do forget that Harley Quinn is a highly educated woman. But at the same time I think you can have a balance of a villain and a strong educated woman. I don’t think it has to be either or. And what we’re seeing now is that because Harley has this huge educational background she is going to try to do better and save Gotham and it’s not really working out. I am thinking that I may end up taking this one off of my pull list and possible wait for the trades to come out. I haven’t made my final decision. I also do not like the artwork at all. It comes across very amateur in style. The coloring is great but I don’t like the child like illustrations that we’re getting so far with this series. I did enjoy the introduction of Doctor Strange. I think that Harley makes some interesting notations of him being a psychiatrist that is power-hungry. I think that’s going to come into play with later issues. I am also liking that we are once again seeing the connection between future state and what’s happening now and how it’s going to lead to what Gotham looks like during future state. But this is one of the weaker Harley Quinn runs that I’ve read in my life.

[Roland Baldwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s okay but still really disjointed from what has gone on in the past. I don’t find Hugo Strange to be that compelling an antagonist. Harley has been better and deserves better.
Riley Rossmo’s art style is a jarring departure from Sam Basri and Paul Mounts and Amanda Conner. It reminds me of a child with a colouring book. It’s not appealing to me at all. Mediocre but not mind blowing.

[scribble · Rating 4 out of 5]

“One Master’s Degree... a year of doctoral internships... multiple counseling certifications... and one way-too-expensive PhD in Psychology.” Turns out the real villain was academia all along.

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good, like, really good. I like how it focuses on Harley as well as things as taking accountability and making amends, while still being funny, silly, and over-the-top. This issue is better intertwined with the batman series as well, as we see more of Doctor Strange practices in this volume as well. Thankfully we don't have any Ghostmaker here.

[Sid · Rating 4 out of 5]

this version of harley is just too adorable,, i love her so much

[alia · Rating 4 out of 5]

| "My mother may have created some developmental issues via childhood trauma that I am still struggling to process."

Harley Quinn redemption arc. Kevin is a welcome addition I think she deserves a himbo sidekick. Hugo Strange looks so nasty so that's a bonus.

I think I'll need to go back and read the Joker Wars to get a full grasp of this, but it picks up well and leaves context clues that are easy to follow if you've read a summary of that run.

4 stars? I guess I don't really know how to rate comics yet this is a work in progress but overall very funny.

We love you Harley Quinn.

[s. · Rating 4 out of 5]

the scene with kevin and harley talking about how to be good really had me tearing up i will not lie

[spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is gearing up to be a very exciting Harley series. This is another energetic, fun issue thanks to Phillips’ great writing. I hope this momentum continues. I also love whats being set up with Kevin and his role in the Joker War and how him and Harley are both trying to atone for their previous actions. Kevin views his one quick stint in crime —even as he tried to help someone during it — equal to Harley’s long resume of crime and it makes a hilarious, sweet dichotomy between the two. It’s the art that’s still preventing me from giving this a perfect score. The quirkiness of it sometimes fits the wild energy of Harley, but the odd scales and disjointed features of characters is too jarring sometimes.

[Samhain · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art hasn't improved one bit, but everything else is pretty solid! Kevin is a nice addition, he balances Harley's impulsive tendencies and ruthlessness quite well, and it's nice to see someone like him (both in his looks and personality) gifted with some "screen" time. I still don't understand why DC keeps cutting Harley off from her friends and family, but I quite like him and I hope he's in for the long run. It'd be nice if Harley had a solid and consistent support system for once!

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a drop off from the first issue. Harley and her "sidekick" Kevin meander through similar identity crises together as things build towards confrontation with a lackluster Hugo Strange. The cartoonish artwork lacked some of the previous energy. While I appreciate the uniqueness of this style I also feel it may be somewhat limited in its range of expression.

[Devin Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main thing for me with this issue is that it feels like less than the sum of its parts. I like the art. I like the new threat. I like Harley and Kevin.

But it's not really coming together to be anything especially dramatic. Not yet.

[PixieART · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harley is trying to do the right thing and help Gotham and Batman after the events of the Joker War. But when the city backs Hugo Strange and his S.A.F.E. program to help all the clowns, their goons come to collect Harley and her friends, she has to fight back.

[Parker J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just in love with this series. This is everything I've been wanting in Harley Quinn book for a while. I'm so here for her redemption arc (and this gorgeous art). A+

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

5* art, 2* story.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is actually ok. But I don't like the art or Harley's redesign.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Wongi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cool read.
Although I feel like I need stop reading this series for now and go back and read the Joker War series, which is exactly what I'm going to do.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some setup, with Hugo Strange as the big bad.

[Amanda Mangham · Rating 5 out of 5]

15/10

a promising start to what’s going to be an incredible run, can’t wait to read more! a must read for any Harley fan

[Julio Bonilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

But I guess it doesn't matter how many degrees a girl's got...

Though this was my first issue in years, I thought it w as different from the prior Harley Quinn comics I've read.