Harley Quinn #28
Tini Howard – Writer
Sweeney Boo – Art and Colours
Steve Wands – Letters
Erica Henderson – Writer/Artist
Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou – Letters
The new creative team is on the scene! Tini Howards joins Sweeney Boo and Steve Wands in their debut issue of Harley Quinn: “Girls in a Crisis”. The colors are incredibly vibrant with these recurring pink tones that give the comic a unique image. Matched with perfect bubbly letters makes for a dream team. The vivid colors are highly stimulating and fun to look at – the issue POPS. Harley’s pink coat was something I was looking forward to since Sweeney Boo released the preview and I’m thoroughly enjoying Harley in an array of different outfits and hairstyles and also love how her shoes are drawn like MSCHF oversized boots. I freaking love the long flowy hair and overall physique for Harley. Safe to say, Sweeney Boo has me in a chokehold for all aesthetic purposes.
Those who know me and those who are any sane Harley fan know having Bud and Lou back is HUGE. For me, it’s great having them around; it settles familiarity within all these new images and storylines. I always believe Bud and Lou should have been kept in most stories, simply because Harley adores them and we do too!
Getting into the storyline – I love how Harley is becoming more mischievous in her path, her redemption arc is still in motion but it’s expected to have Harley slip up every so often. Keeping it fun and surfacing those funny unpredictable Harley traits. An ongoing prank war with Two-Face is very on-brand and reminded me a lot of her 2000s run.
This issue made me think of a few Harley callbacks, be they intentional or not. I couldn’t help but think of the Laughing Fish episode for obvious reasons and similarities to Sam Humphries’ run. This multiverse storyline is becoming quite common for Harley where she must travel through time and space to fix all the continuity errors she’s created in her many misadventures. BUT, I can’t deny I loved the art throughout the multiverse ordeal and I know I’m going to adore Sweeney Boo just as much. No shade – I love watching where these crisis adventures take us. It allows the unthinkable to come to fruition. I’m simply pointing out it’s been done a lot now with Harley’s character.
I am genuinely concerned for Kevin and Harley’s relationship – I understand he thinks he has her best interest at heart but Harley has enough trust issues as it is and her bestie is betraying her?! All joking aside, it was entertaining to have Harley be in a position to stand trial and openly detach herself from Joker.
Harley mentions she and Ivy are still very much in love living in an apartment together while allowing the Poison Ivy solo series to go on. I’m relieved we as readers don’t have to suffer through the “gal pal” ordeal with the new team – overall I think DC is finally getting the message that we want Harlivy to remain solid. I think it’s healthy to have them develop in their own series too rather than one overshadowing the other if they shared a book.
Overall, I am curious as to where this story will be taking us and I’ll gladly glide along on Sweeney Boo’s divine acid trip. I also wonder if they will keep up the backups at the end of the issues – Erica Henderson wrote this anime-styled short; again Bud and Lou make everything better. I can imagine they will keep up similar shorts to fit with the multiverse theme. Harley Quinn #28 is definitely an issue for the collection simply for the art alone!