DC Future State: Harley Quinn #1 - DC Comics
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Art by Simone DiMeo
Colors by Tamra Bonvillain
Letters by AWL's Troy Peteri
Cover by Derrick Chew
It shouldn't be a huge surprise that, even in the future, Gotham is in complete disarray. Normally someone like Harley Quinn would be at the center of the madness, right? Let's face it, even when she's on the right side of things, there tends to be an explosion or two. So which side is she on in this Future State?
Before I start this review, I do think it would be helpful for you to check out DC Future State: The Next Batman #1 to help put Gotham into context a bit better heading into this issue. Not a complete necessity, but it will help. We find Harley in a very compromising situation with The Magistrate, and this will force her to team up with someone that you might not expect. I won't spoil who it is, but you might not recognize him. The name, that you'll know for sure. Now Harley will actually be helping to round up some of Gotham's most notorious, masked criminals. The one thing that always gets lost in the shuffle is that you should never underestimate Harley's mind. That is on full display in this issue. Once you find out who the prized villain is, that will seal the deal on you wanting to pick up Issue 2.
The last time we saw Harley (Joker War), she had it pretty rough. You'll see that on display a bit here, but that same old Harley vibe is still there. DC Future State gave the impression of change, and we do get some of that, but Phillips keeping Harley who she is at her core was a very smart move here. What Phillips does with the supporting characters here is really where this book stands out. Yes it's a Harley book, and you'll get what you want, but it's much more than that. So you'll come for the Harley hijinks, but you'll stay for what surrounds it. Well, that and the incredible visuals from DiMeo and blast of color from Bonvillain. The biggest change is Harley's look, and it's as playful and vibrant as you'd hope. As a big Harley fan, I'm definitely on board for whatever ride this creative team has in store.
RATING: 5/5
With stunning visuals and a solid foundation, this is a great start to a new chapter for Harley Quinn.
Photo Credit: DC Comics