Harley Quinn #17

Writers: Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Paul Dini

Artists: John Timms and Bret Blevins

Colourist: Alex Sinclair

Publisher: DC Comics

This series has been down in the dumps lately, and this issue is no exception.

The story seems to move at a snail's pace. There's been way too much build-up of this disappearing homeless people story. It's been in front of us for at least a month and a half or so, and only know is Harley being informed about it and actually doing something about it. Paul Dini's back-up story beings at the end of this issue, but there was still filler to be found in the first half, which I found just stunningly bad. If half of the book was the main book and the other half was the Dini story, it would move at a much better, more smooth pace that had less time for filler and needed fun, exciting storytelling that we should be getting from Harley Quinn.

I've never been a fan of John Timms' art. His faces just have an unattractive quality to them that I could never see past, which made the art overall look a bit mucky.

Fortunately, Paul Dini's back-up story was kind of fun. It details Harley's past relationship with the Joker, and is seemingly drawn to reflect the look of Batman: The Animated Series. I had a few problems with the art, though. I didn't see the need to further sexualise Harley. You can see her butt through this night gown she wears, and she's completely naked in another panel as she runs to get changed for a night out with her puddin'. Displaying an Animated Series vibe while showing Harley's ass seemed way too much for me, and gave me the feeling that Jimmy Palmiotti was involved in that somehow since he co-wrote this story. I don't know why DC won't let Dini write the story himself, or the book for that matter, but I digress.

The story was short and simple and on the surface doesn't need to be told at all, but it's fresh.

Paul Dini's back-up was fun but couldn't save this slog of an issue. The cannibal/homeless people storyline fizzled out in the previous arc, so it failed before it even technically began. The art was passable and the story moved very slowly, even at 15 or so pages.