“Back In Town.”
Writer: Elliot Kalan
Artist: Mindy Lee
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Review by: Kendra Smart
Harley Quinn #44 is a movement forward by retracing Harley’s roots, Gotham City roots to be exact. Harley finds herself in a bit of a pickle after the events of Harley Quinn #43, Absolute Power: Dream Team, and Poison Ivy #26′s happenings. Also in Harley Quinn #44 we get a new writing/art team. Elliot Kalan takes the lead on writing, Mindy Lee provides art, Triona Farrell brings us color, and Lucas Gattoni rounds our team out as letterer.
The main cover is brought to us by the team of Elizabeth Torque and Dave McCaig. I love this first look at what the new costume and vision for Harley Quinn is. The mixture of the old style and gravitas, while heralding in new form and character. I really dig the new palette colors, especially the purple.
I Find Myself Vacillatin’ Wildly
Harley Quinn finds herself pondering on an all too familiar ponder, stuck in the middle. She isn’t bad enough for the bad guys to recognize her, and the good guys don’t see her as good enough to be claimed as a true hero. It is a doozy of a rock and hard place to be between. Harley realizes that even amongst the day to day that life is bringing her way she, like a Slayer before her, is just going through the motions. Alone, in her apartment, she looks back on her time here in Gotham, when she moved to the city to study psychology and wound up living in Throatcutter Hill. A place even Batman stayed clear of, but with fond faces and memories for Harley Quinn.
Harley decides to check in on her old stomping ground and see what time has done to it. But the gritty neighborhood she remembers is now shiny and polished. Now called NOWEGOSOE, money and investment seem to do what even the Bat couldn’t to help save the neighborhood. But to Harley, all the soul has been ripped out of the pavement by newcomer Althea Klang. Along with Harley’s common sense too for a brief time. But while all seems well with this new shiny veneer, Harley knows the Hill deserves the character that made it seem like home. It is time to help Chicken Fingers.
Where Everyone Knows Your Name
Harley Quinn #44 is a new beginning on many levels. Harley is yet again searching her past to figure out her future. But I won’t lie, NOWEGOSOE made me chuckle because it is very reminiscent of SoDoSoPA from South Park. I think the new team has hit wonderful notes as they tell their first part of this story arc in the main series. Elliot Kalan is a very witty writer. One of my favorite lines references opera and has Harley saying, “I am the thief that robbed Pagliacci.” . The artwork is also astounding and I like seeing the whimsy as well as the serious, the lines are wonderfully defined by Mindy Lee and Triona Farrell.
Conclusion
It will be interesting to see the voyage in store for Harley and her Destructive Agency. With all the work Harley has recently put into herself, it remains to be seen what the path forward has in store. But I look forward to seeing it with you, friends. Til next issue, be well!
Images Provided Courtesy of DC Entertainment.