“Kill The Messenger”
Writer: Elliot Kalan
Artist: Mindy Lee
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Review by: Kendra Smart
Harley Quinn #46 is out and leaves a mark, to be sure. When last we left our lost in the past pathways princess, she was moved back into her college apartment and setting up shop for a Destructive Agency. Harley has put her stock in the belief that Throatcutter’s Hill was better before the reconstruction and veneer being forced. But the thing is, where the past has always helped Harley through a present issue, or at least offered clarity, this time things are different.
The main cover features a tagline of ” Buy this comic or the monkey gets it.” It has the nostalgic charm of other I.P.’s who have done this route. Elizabeth Torque and Dave McCaig have given a stellar, action packed cover showcasing Harley in her place of power, the center of the action…and probably the mitigating factor as well.
Up Yours, Yuppies
When readers rejoin Harley Quinn as Harley Quinn #46 opens, she is in possession of not only a new mix-tape but also a note requesting a secret meeting with the THRMA. With that, we get the premise for this issue, THRMA stands for Throatcutter’s Hill Retail Merchants Association. The members of this association want to hire Harley to stop the monotony of delivery vans that arrive almost hourly, causing the customer pool as well as every day interactions to cease or slow to a crawl. But Harley has reservations as she too imbibes in the online shopping scene.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take much convincing by the group to get Harley on board. Thus a war on delivery vans and smoothie shops begins. An attack on all things deliverable as they try to pass through Harley’s blockade. THRMA makes a good point, without the Mom and Pop shops, there is no neighborhood. But Althea isn’t having it and has retained a contractor called “Customer Service”. He says he has his best man on the job to take care of Harley.
Mercy Sake’s Alive, Looks Like We Got Us A Convoy
I won’t lie, this review is really rough for me. I have watched Harley Quinn’s story unfold with fellow readers for years. Through highs and lows, a variety of mediums and different art teams as well as writers. The artwork by Mindy Lee and Triona Farrell is superb, varied and exciting in action and detail. The thing of it is, this new series arc has everything it needs in order to succeed. Our hero has a conundrum, she is delving into her roots, finds a new purpose fighting for the nostalgia. We even have a new costume, job description, and villain figure.
Speaking of good old Althea, can we please talk about the elephant in the room? It has bugged me since the first part of this story arc, when Elliot Kalan took over as writer for the series, the almost forced active love life. I almost had to message Fay Clark, who does the reviews for Poison Ivy for Dark Knight News, to exchange notes because instantly I was lost in Harley’s main continuity because not only was Ivy suddenly in hiding, but even after all the recent events leading to Harley and Ivy FINALLY being together…now we are open?
Make it make sense.
Conclusion
There is charm in Harley Quinn #46, and even humor in parts such as the poor delivery driver who dared to do his job. But then there are scenes like Althea being like ” the frustratingly sexy woman” at a press release/stockholder meeting…neighborhood watch? Wild. Guess we will see if the thrill is gone next issue friends, see you then.
Images Provided Courtesy of DC Entertainment.