At long last, we're finally getting the Murphyverse Harley Quinn series! With six issues spanning from October in to 2021, there's no way I was going to miss out on reviewing all of them as they premier. I'm posting this, in the first place, about a week after the first issue came out, due to a buys week, but my fervor for the issue still remains as bright. Here's an excerpt of what I thought: "Not to sound dramatic, but this is easily one of my favorite #1 issues of a comic series I have ever read. The team is absolutely brilliant, and reading it was nothing less than satisfying. Coming from DC Black Label, the creative team was able to take full advantage of the layout of the comic. It feels a touch short, which isn’t to say abrupt, I just really wish it had been longer! But in exchange, there is a plethora of extra material at the back."
Continue Reading to find out more about Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn! And as usual, spoilers will be included in each review!
JUMP TO:
Issue #1 (out now!) Issue #2 (out 11/24) Issue #3 (out 12/22) Issue #4 (out 1/26/21) Issue #5 (release TBD) Issue #6 (release TBD)
Issue #1: AVAILABLE NOW!
The first tie-in to the White Knight universe starring Harley Quinn was a stunning first issue from top to bottom, but that’s not surprising in the slightest. A DC Black Label mini-series, White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn is an absolute delight, cover to cover. Personally, this comic book is a bit of a dream—a Murphyverse Harley Quinn tie-in series that’s drawn by an artist more than capable of keeping up with Sean Murphy’s character designs, and is written by a female writer with insight to the Murphyverse—romance novelist and Sean Murphy’s own wife, Katana Collins. As I understand it, Murphy comes up with the story, and Collins writes the actual comic scripts. Matteo Scalera’s art is shockingly perfect for being the first Murphyverse tie in not drawn by universe creator Sean Murphy. His art is like a direct cross between that of Murphy and Simone Di Meo, although the coloring is a like the former, making that the work of colorist Dave Stewart. Either way, I could spend a ridiculous time going over the pages of art again and again, loving it more each time. Their teamwork is fantastic, drawing Murphy’s now well-known character designs in a muted, smooth color palette. Whomever to credit on each creative aspect, this issue held up to my expectations and far more, and the only thing that would make me happier is more content, ASAP. I'll go over the story, first, before discussing the issue as a whole. The story starts two years after the final events of Batman: Curse of the White Knight. To sum that series up, Joker was taken out by Harley, Azrael killed a majority of the villains in Gotham, and Bruce Wayne turned himself in for the charges against Batman. Now, two years later, Harley has been scrambling to make ends meet while raising two new bouncing babies, and taking care of her pet hyenas. She’s been down on herself lately, it would seem, as she explores a flashback of one of her first times meeting Jack Napier, before fully becoming the Joker. As she narrates, Harley seems to believe that despite appearances, she was Jack’s downfall, not the other way around. With this thought, I can almost see what she means, already. When the flashback shows Batman breaking up a fight of mobsters at Harley’s club, including Jack, the Caped Crusader stops to warn Harley of the path she’s going on with Napier. Even then, Bruce saw Harleen’s true worth, and didn’t like the idea of selling herself short. When the flashback ends, Detective Duke stops by Harley’s house to check in. He knows she’s been looking for work, and has a job for her—come help the FBI on a serial killer investigation. Azrael took out most Gotham’s biggest villains, so this killing spree is actually unique. Plus, the former Doctor Quinzel was requested specifically by a Dr. Hector Quimby, who thinks she’d have insight on the case. Harley shows obvious uncertainty in her own abilities, claiming she’s a loose canon, untrustworthy, and only causes problems. Duke leaves unhappily, but the idea of the case sticks with Harley. She heads to the prison where Bruce Wayne is being kept, something she clearly does on a regular basis. Their interaction is easy, comfortable, and light, but it gives her the firms answer she needed: help the case. In terms of Harley’s concern over her mental state, Bruce calms those fears as well. She may have lost Jack, but she has more people in a support system now, than ever before. She’s working for the right reasons, supported by the best people. She can do this. Before leaving, Harley draws a heart with her finger on the visitor’s glass between her and Bruce. He smiles as she leaves, and all this newfound affection, while warming my heart, makes me think the road will certainly be harder than either of them thinks. Arriving on the scene of a fresh murder, Harley is introduced to Dr. Quimby, who cites himself as a big fan of her both as a doctor and a study. Inside the scene, it only takes moments for Harley to decipher who the murderer is. They copied the way the Joker would tie up victims, victims who were stars of movies the Joker had liked. Before anyone can even question her logic, she tells them the serial killer has to be Neo-Joker—the henchwoman the Joker picked up after Harley couldn’t take his insanity anymore. She was like Harley Quinn on the surface: an overly obsessed Joker sidekick, but there’s bound to be far more to her than that. The issue wraps up with Harley heading off, stating plainly that she would find Neo-Joker, alone. The final page is a beautiful splash of Harley and her babies (her hyenas, that is), in full Harley Quinn getup, off to find a criminal. Not to sound dramatic, but this is easily one of my favorite #1 issues of a comic series I have ever read. The team is absolutely brilliant, and reading it was nothing less than satisfying. Coming from DC Black Label, the creative team was able to take full advantage of the layout of the comic. It feels a touch short, which isn’t to say abrupt, I just really wish it had been longer! But in exchange, there is a plethora of extra material at the back. Sean Murphy is known for showcasing behind-the-scenes features on the art at the back of his comics, so I’m thrilled that tradition is continuing here. Not only is it a cool little insight into the making of the comic, it’s a testimony of the skills of all artists involved. If you pick up the issue, make sure to check that extra material out! Also as a Black Label comic, there were no unrelated ads, and no distrust is ads. One ad in the back mentions the previous Murphyverse series, Curse of the White Knight, but there is no other ads in the whole comic. It’s worth noting that everywhere Harley goes, she brings the hyenas with her. Even when visiting Bruce in the prison, she talks—or underhandedly threatens—the guard into letting her bring off-limits “dogs” into the facility. In her house, at the crime scene—everywhere Harley goes, so do her pet Hyenas. In part, this makes me think that she is using them to satisfy her codependency, now that Jack is gone for good. She even mentions to Bruce that she thinks she’s a terrible mother, since she spends so little time with her actual children, and even then, doesn’t enjoy the time she does spend with them. I don’t want to think that the hyenas are going to be in any grave danger, but maybe removing them would give Harley an opportunity to attach to other actual children a little more. With Neo-Joker coming up in the series, I have to wonder what might be about the happen! In following the creative team on social media, I’ve come to believe that Poison Ivy has shacked up with Neo Joker somewhere. This makes a world of perfect sense, honestly, because Ivy was always attracted to the Harley who wasn’t totally in touch with her humanity, IE, what this Neo-Joker character basically is. In a world where the real Harleen was actually in love with the sane side of Napier, she wouldn’t have shacked up with Ivy, or likely even been as close of friends with her. But Neo-Joker fits that bill a lot closer. Romantic setting or not, them teaming up is an excellent idea. Truth be told, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an Ivy-centric romance, always. Finally, that leaves me with the mysterious Doctor Quimby, and the truth behind the horrific silver screen murders. When first reading the issue, I immediately recognized the similarities between the names Hector Quimby and Harleen Quinzel--both HQ, and both a little off the norm. With that thought, I couldn't help but theorize that Dr. Quimby is another obsessed psychopath, with his target being the once-infamous Harley Quinn. After further thought, Hector Quimby could also be the Murphyverse Dr. Hugo Strange. Murphy is known for rewriting famous DC characters as similar-but-different, putting smart and unique twists on familiar, and often old, characters. Azrael, Harley, and the Joker are all excellent examples of this twist of characters, and it tends to work brilliantly. Since Dr. Quimby has shown such interest in Harley's villainous career and inner psyche, I can definitely see him being the Murphyverse Hugo Strange. As for the illusive serial killer, there have already been social media postings and hints that Neo-Joker may not be the actual killer, just a stop on Harley's journey of discovering the truth. With that in mind, I'm even more curious about the future of Neo Joker's role in the Murphyverse as a whole. There isn't long to wait--she'll be featured in the next issue, in stores November 26th! By the time this series is on its fourth issue, we'll be well into the new year, and the main DC universe will be showcasing their Future State event. Stay tuned for more White Knight Harley Quinn!
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