Release Date: November 20th 2013 (each issue thereafter published monthly through to current)
Published By: DC Comics
Pages: 32 pages per issue
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: Harley is set to begin her new life, but she needs a job first! Enter the Coney Island Roller Derby! It’s game time as Harley sets out to destroy her competition—literally!

Review: This is the first time I have tried to review multiple issues of comics in one hit (when it hasn’t been published into a graphic novel that is). But I freaking love this series so so much that I really just wanted to talk to you about it and let you know what I thought!

Now I am familiar with the fact that most of you read YA, and I love my YA (obviously). But I also read a lot of comics, and I try to talk about comics here that I think if you like YA you’ll be able to relate or transition to easily enough if you wanted to take an interest. Harley Quinn is one of them.

DC Comics recently (in November last year) decided to give Harley Quinn her very own monthly comic series for the first time. So if you’re new to comics, this is perfect, because you can jump on board from issue #0 onwards and enjoy it the issues at the same time as everyone else without feeling out of the loop!

Harley Quinn is the ex-girlfriend of The Joker who you’ll all be familiar with from the Batman franchise. Harley Quinn was formerly known as Dr Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist working at Arkham Asylum. She was The Joker’s psychiatrist. However, it turns out The Joker was the one to get into her head instead and she fell head over heels in love with him. And she’s a little crazy herself. Going by Harley Quinn (harlequin, get it?) she dresses up as a clown like The Joker and helps him create mayhem. So that’s the back story for those of you who have never heard of her before. She’s one of my favourite characters because she’s mischievous, ridiculous and cartoonish in nature. She’s a lot of fun!

So Harley Quinn issue #0 is basically an introduction. There’s no real storyline, but what is impressive is the HUGE amount of artists they have drawing their version of Harley onto the pages. The art in this issue is mind blowing and I really just loved it for the artists being able to showcase their talent really. But if it’s storyline you want - start at issue 1.

Harley has left The Joker for good (Mistah J or Puddin’ as she calls him), and she’s packed up her belongings and is moving to Coney Island - so fitting for her. She decides she needs to get a job and she tries out as a roller derby chick, and nearly takes down the whole team! She also has hitmen coming after her trying to kill her after someone has put a hit out on her and there’s a fair amount of action happening right in the first issue.

The subsequent issues all follow on from the first, with some highlights for me being in issue 2 where she decides to rescue 50 animals from being euthanised and adopts them ALL (the antics that follow are quite funny), and my favourite issue in general was issue 3 which was a valentines day special, and Harley eats some of Poison Ivy’s berries that make every man fall in love with her, including the criminally insane.

The issues are all a bit of fun, and I actually find myself giggling out loud when I read them - which doesn’t happen a whole lot! The writting is fantastic, I love that even though each issue could be read stand alone with different things happening, there’s an overall storyline that is coming through loud and clear, and that is - who is the hitman who is trying to kill Harley? She is sassy, kicks ass and is strong. Overall, she’s the type of girl that I love in my comics!

The art in this series is also incredible. It’s probably up there with my favourite art in any series, and even though you read for the stories, in comics, the art is so important because if you’re not into it, it can be a deal breaker. I love that we’re seeing a more realistic side to Harley than in previous comics where she’s SUPER cartoony. I liked old Harley. But I love new Harley better.

Even if you’re not sure about comics or skeptical, this is a great series to pick up because it’s light, funny and I dare you to not want to continue reading! There’s a quality about the writing that makes you want more.

I really love this series… and look, normally I would wait until issue 7 or so, when the first “hard cover book” of this series is published as Volume 1. They put all the single issues into one book. But I love this series so much that not only am I buying each issue as they come out monthly (something I don’t normally do), but I want to share my thoughts now!