Harley Quinn: Black And White + Redder (graphic novel review).
According to Harley Quinn, ‘What is black and white and redder? A nun in a blender.’ Well, that and other things. A lot of these 18 stories are around the 5-page mark until later in this book, with a few a bit longer but all using the three-colour, actually two because white is still a page colour, scheme. It also shows my age, as I don’t recognise any of the creators involved.
A lot of the art is cartoon-like, but when you consider Ms Quinn was conceived as an animation character originally, it shouldn’t be surprising. She and occasionally Poison Ivy bump into various other well-known denizens on DC Earth and off, for that matter, when she gets in the way of the zeta ray for Adam Strange and goes to Rann. Just don’t get too friendly with the plant she brings back to a flu-ridden Ivy.
To some extent, I’m far too used to seeing Harley in continuity, and these are really snippet stories, including her origin again. Picking out favourites with such a variety is tough. I didn’t know that Superman had a cards night when Harley and Ivy visit the Fortress of Solitude for a little light pilfering, but Batman doesn’t attend.
Picking favourites is a lot harder. I do commend one of the writers for using ‘neither’ instead of ‘either’.
The various short stories hint at a lot of the Gotham City villains and even Commissioner Gordon. Harley’s status also fluctuates a lot depending on whether she’s on the loose, having a psychological profile, giving one back or even locked up. I’m still surprised that the villains are taken by plane to prison as a collective, though.
Harley Quinn tends to work in whatever medium she works in, and she does here as well, or she’ll show me what her mallet does.
GF Willmetts
November 2025
(pub: DC Comics, 2023. 216 page graphic novel. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-1-779-52604-5)
check out website: www.dc.com
