Harley Quinn

• Title: Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey #2
• Comic Vine: link
• Writers: Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti
• Artist: Amanda Conner

With so many different versions of Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey recently released, it took me a minute to remember which version this one was. The first issue left off with Harley returning to Gotham. Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey #2 focuses the first several pages on Renee Montoya attempting, unsuccessfully, to convince Harley to leave Gotham. Harley has other plans which involve ratting out the Joker‘s favorite hideouts to the cops (and getting her puddin’ arrested) all as a diversion that allows Harley to hit the Joker’s vaults.

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• Title: Birds of Prey (One-shot)
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Azzarello
• Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino

Originally conceived as the start of a new series for DC’s Black Label, this giant single-issue from writer Brian Azzarello and artist Emanuela Lupacchino features Harley Quinn‘s return to Gotham City where she quickly becomes involved in the Huntress stalking a brutal crime syndicate and a trio of assassins. Of course, Harley sees circumstances as fate pushing her in a new direction.

Reading this all at once, you can tell very quickly that the story was meant to be broken up into several issues with climaxes every 22 pages or so. I’ll admit I was a bit confused what versions of each character we’re getting here as well as when exactly this is supposed to take place.

I also have some complaints over Dinah mooning over a former friend-with-benefits (who gets way too many pages here) she admittedly didn’t even like and introducing Renee Montoya as a dirty cop with questionable allegiances. The scenes of Dinah rolling around in bed or in just a towel also feel a bit forced (perhaps trying to fit into the more “adult” themes of the Black Label?).

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