Review: Harley's Little Black Book

Harley's Little Black Book | Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, John Timms, Mauricet, Joseph Lisner, Billy Tucci, Neal Adams, Simon Bisley

Published by: DC Comics, August 8th 2017

Genre: Comics, Superheroes

Pages: 256

Format: Ebook

Source: DC, via Netgalley

The fan-favorite creative team of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti joins forces with a slew of superstar comics creators—including Neal Adams, Simon Bisley, Joseph Michael Linsner, Billy Tucci, John Timms and more—for HARLEY’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK. 

She’s the psychopathic psychotherapist with a heart of gold and a mind for mayhem. Now she’s uniting with the greatest heroes in the DC Universe in her very own team-up title. Ain’t it amazing?

With the Joker firmly in her rearview mirror, Harley Quinn has become an antihero like no other. But sometimes she runs into threats too, uhh, threatening for any one person to beat. That’s when she turns to a who’s who of the biggest, baddest, most bodacious heroes in the whole universe!

Superman. Wonder Woman. Green Lantern. Zatanna. Lobo. And…Harley Quinn???

Whoever’s tagging along, there’s one thing for sure: Wherever Harley goes, high-octane hijinks are sure to follow!

Flip through at your own risk! Collects the full six-issue miniseries. 

I honestly love these writers; they have yet to write a bad comic. I loved this whole book, start to finish. I was fangirling about Wonder Woman along with Harley. And I wanted to team up with Zatanna too! I loved Harley's little quirks and interactions with the big superheroes (I love her pinching superheroes' butts tbh.) The art in this is so good and just WORKS for Harley, and I love love loved the bombshells comic and that whole style. There's nothing I didn't like about this (not even Prick The Barbarian or whatever his name is from the last comic.) I laughed, I winced, I laughed some more. This was everything I wanted it to be and a whole lot extra on top (Harley in a Ghostbusters costume, anybody..?)

Don't miss this, seriously.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Review: Harley Quinn, Volume Two

Harley Quinn: Volume Two: Joker Loves Harley  | Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, John Timms

Published by: DC Comics, June 27th 2017

Genre: Comics, Science Fiction, Superheroes

Pages: 144

Format: Ebook

Source: DC Comics, via Netgalley

Harley Quinn's punk-rock epic concludes with a BANG. Too deep and not covered enough, their undercover mission comes to an end as the gang takes on thieves and murderers. All the laughs and some of the quacks are all here.

Taking a break comes with unexpected woes when Harley and Ivy head to the Bahamas for sun-kissed beaches and ice-cold drinks.

Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti continue their mammoth run on this New York Times best-selling title in Harley Quinn, Volume 2: Joker Loves Harley!

Collecting: Harley Quinn 7-12

(4.5, should be 5 but marked down because of one comic.)

Let me just say: great story, nice plot twist, awesome canon queer Harley and Ivy, incredible supporting cast, and fun as all hell writing.

K, now I'm gonna talk about something I LOVE about this comic. The non-sexualisation of Harley.

Bear in mind I've read Suicide Squad Vol 1 recently and got kinda pissed about Harley being a dumb, sexy blonde in that. But this series... Harley is smart and quirky and sex-positive WITHOUT being sexualised. In this volume, she wears a bikini without being presented as a sex object, and SHE'S NAKED without being overly sexified (which is a word now.) But in the Christmas comic in this volume (I forget the name, sorry!) this happens:

THIS. IS. RIDICULOUS!!! (and really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this 20-page comic)

Harley's boobs over-exaggerated for no real reason, super low cut top for no reason (she's going into a dangerous situation, why can't she wear the same thing she ALWAYS does???) Oh, and my personal favourite bit: the male scientist in the background looking at Harley's ass through binoculars. This just feels so male-gaze-y, when every other comic I've read in this series manages to avoid it.

This team can do better. I know they can. I was ecstatic and thrilled and surprised when, in the first volume, Harley was drawn and written as this real person, this real WOMAN. I hope this is a blip I can put in the back of my mind, I really do. I still love this series, but I'm honestly, disappointed (and shocked tbh - I never saw this coming.)

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Review: Harley Quinn, Volume One

Harley Quinn: Volume One | Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti

Published by: DC Comics, March 21st 2017

Genre: Science Fiction, Superheroes

Pages: 144

Format: Ebook

Source: DC Comics, via Netgalley

Harley Quinn's crazy world on has gotten even more crazier when an unexpected, contagious enemy comes to town! Protecting her neighborhood just got a little harder, good thing they have chainsaws!

Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti continue their mammoth run on this New York Times best-selling title in Harley Quinn, Volume 1: Die Laughing!

Collecting: Harley Quinn 1-6, Rebirth 

Openly queer Harley is EVERYTHING to me. This rep is a gift.

The art is perfect, the story is as quirky and wild and bloody as I expected (and SO much more - Harley started a BAND!) The only thing is the India storyline didn't fit with the rest + seemed odd, but I still liked it! I just love the characters, they're so unique and memorable and funny as hell. This comic makes me so damn happy. I can't wait for volume 2!

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Reading round up (74)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week.

13th April

I read 13% of Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley, bringing me to 71%. I wanted to finish it today but my reading time got swallowed by writing 5K words.

14th April

AGAIN WITH THE NOT FINISHING A BOOK. Agh. I'm furious with myself and beginning to feel like a failure WHICH IS FUN. So I'm at 86% with Magonia and I do actually like it a fair bit.

15th April

I read 14% of Magonia, FINISHING THE DAMN THING FINALLY. It was great and I loved it but I'm sure I'll love it much more the next time I read. 

I also started Supervision by Alison Stine (19%), which started off bad (with a rly dumb move by the MC) but got better. The MC is Asian and maybe dead?? We'll see.

I also read Molly Danger/Princeless (60-ish pages) and it was full of lady power. Yaaaaaaaaaas girls, slaaaaaay. I love girls.

16th April

Loving Supervision. It's so sweet yet chilling and creepy, and holds a spotlight to parental neglect and abuse. A fab gothic novel tbh. I read 46%, bringing me to 67%. 

I ALSO read a bunch of single comic issues which I can't be bothered to list here, started Fight Like A Girl by David Pinckney and Soo Lee (20% read) and Harley Quinn, vol 1: Hot In The City by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti (13%), which is of course crazy and awesome. I LOVED the first comic.

17th April

Finished Supervision (33%) and I Love it so damn much. The characters have a permanent place in my heart.

I also started Starborn by Lucy Hounsom, though I've only read 3%.

18th April

I read 2% of Starborn. Tbh I didn't even try to read this. I also read 29% of Harley Quinn, vol 1, bringing me to 42%. It's too cool. She's too sweet. I love everything about this.

19th April

Read 8% of Starborn, bringing me to 13%, and 36% of Harley Quinn, vol 1, which continues to be awesome. My love for Harley/Ivy is still very strong.

Books finished this week: 3
Books DNF'd this week: 0

For review:

Too lazy to link but here's what I got for review this week. Mostly Harper+imprints tbh :)

Bought:

Touch of Frost | Jennifer Estep

This has been on my list for what feels like decades.

I also got these AMAZON FREEBIES:

Arena One | Morgan Rice 

(I read the first part of this YEARS ago. Wanted to finish it ever since)

Rat Queens, vol 1: Sass and Sorcery

Molly Danger/Princeless FCBD

Magonia

For The Right To Learn (scheduled for 26th August)

Supervision

Harley Quinn, vol 1: Hot In The City