“Harley Quinn: Villain Of The Year”
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Mike Norton
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Review by Kendra Hale
Show Time
Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1 came out this week, and what a show it is. Literally. Harley’s hosting the awards show where the upper echelon of DC Villains come out of the woodwork. They’re dressed to the nines and ready to mingle. As an awards show for the Villains of DC, with the winners picked by the fans, there were already bound to be great moments just in seeing who won what. This book was for pure fun and it does deliver.
More Refreshing Than A Freeze Gun
While Harley Quinn: Villain Of The Year #1 doesn’t have the biggest of plots: Flamingo is upset at losing every year in categories meant for him. His solution? Why not blow everyone up? Harley’s our awards show host on a night where so many have turned out for an evening of fun. Complete with outfit changes, video excerpts, and enough who’s that villain to have your head-turning.
What this book lacks in a story, it makes up for with jokes, attention to detail, and just plain fun. The in-memoriam starter is priceless, as Harley gives us wisecrack after wisecrack. She does do a good job of hosting the awards, not only with her humor but also with her costumes, taken from real actresses and then changed into easily identified Harley versions. Because such a good amount of detail is there, going through the night is wonderful.
Solomon Grundy’s Trend-Setting Style
Mike Norton’s attention to detail, as the artist for this book, is amazing. His ability not only to bring to life all the fashion, but to have a literal room full of the who’s who of villains made this enjoyable. Writer, Mark Russell, did an astounding job of giving us a tale full of jabs and roast like humor. Watching Flamingo go through a flashback of villains who had beaten him out in previous year’s categories was an absolute treat.
Hi-Fi and Dave Sharpe continue with their gold standard of work on colors and letters. One personal touch I loved was that we get a readout of the categories and their winners. It makes for a nostalgic touch that hits the bullseye.
Conclusion
Harley Quinn: Villain Of The Year #1 may be just a one-shot comic, but I hope it’s something that becomes an annual event. It was a rare treat to add some fluff to some serious times in the Harley Quinn universe. I, for one, was happy to have some respite. For me, I give it a 9 out of 10 for the sole purpose that I wanted just a bit more from it, but all in all, it was enjoyable and well worth the read.
What were your thoughts readers? Did you like the winners? Leave us a comment below and let us know which villain was your favorite to spot and what you thought of Harley Quinn: Year Of The Villain #1!
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