Written by Paul Dini
Art by Bret Blevins
Paul Dini returns to his creation, Harley Quinn, in a two issue mini-series, Harley Loves Joker. Issue #2 is on shelves this week but it makes sense to review the story as a whole, it is likely your store will still have issue #1 or download both on the DC Comics app.
Harley and Joker are living in what seems like domestic bliss, but there is a new threat stealing Mr. J’s attention. The Grison is a cat burglar in a weasel suit based on a South American ferret. Ferret and weasel jokes run a plenty, and this story exists in the pocket of Batman: The Animated Series territory with one foot in the current Rebirth DCU.
Issue #1 deals with the introduction of The Grison and her laboratory origin story and Joker’s new obsession with her.
Issue #2 gives us Harley’s revenge and it starts out with a vignette inside Harley’s hamster wheel thought process.
Dr. Harleen Quinzel attempts to analyze Jester Harley while her (previously unrevealed) mother sits in judgement having cocktails at the bar!
All of this daydreaming is happening as The Grison is leading the gang on a boat heist! Joker abruptly snaps her out of it!
Batman makes a cameo in the book, as does Alfred when Harley drops a dime to Wayne Manor with an anonymous tip that Joker and Grison are about to break in to a Wayne Tech building. Alfred is not fooled by Harley’s Mrs. Doubtfire impression!
When the Quinzel personality pushes its way to dominance in Harley’s dream sequence, with crop top and spiked collar, we’re reminded that Harley is not just a one-dimensional clown. Harley is as schizophrenic as Joker himself. What started as the animated series character is something else entirely to a generation of fans. Perhaps this is Dini’s attempt to resolve that for himself. I think this short story was a success.
Does Harley fall back in to Mr. J’s good graces by the end of the book? You’d be crazy not to find out!
