Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

There is a reason why Harley Quinn is so popular with the fans of the D.C. Comics world and perhaps not for the reason that many people will think of as they conclude that it either boils down to the great characterisation employed by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and their team of diligent creatives or the way in which, for a character within the D.C. universe, she is seen as breath of fresh air; either could be employed to describe the phenomenon of Harley Quinn but arguably they would be lost in the truth somewhere.

It should be seen that the distinct reason why Harley Quinn has joined the likes of Batman, The Joker, Wonder Woman and Superman in the upper echelons of characters created by D.C. is that, and especially under Amanda Conner’s stewardship and direction, she reflects the reader perhaps more closely than any other in the graphic novel home. The split personality that we all have, the urge to do good but never far from the realms of being spiteful, unpleasant and even destructive, is one that resides in the hearts of us all.

That personality is rampant within the pages of the third volume of works Kiss Kiss Bang Stab, the notoriety of being one of Gotham’s most wanted is coupled with the attitude many in her new home find endearing, her compassion is overwhelming and whilst the bleach skin heroine may not always go about solving the situation in the way that would be considered tolerable, she at least has her heart in the right place.

If Batman is the uber hero of D.C. despite using tactics or methods that might be considered selfish, unpleasant or even heavy handed, then Harley Quinn should be seen as his equal, a mirrored reflection whose life is just as created by the forces of others as it is to Bruce Wayne.

Amanda Connor’s work on Harley Quinn is to be congratulated, praised beyond measure. She has taken what could have been a character that was shallow, a foil for the foil and one that could have disappeared quicker than a good Batman film in the 1990s and turned her into one of the most exciting and dynamic villains in D.C. history.

Each story crafted in this volume exemplifies the reader’s fascination, its desire to explore their own dark side, with outstanding precision, the creeping craving to investigate their own mirrored image; there are so few perceived villains in the D.C. universe that have that hold over the reader and it with thanks that Amanda Connor has made Harley Quinn such a fun and brutal fully rounded character.

A knock out of a graphic novel, Harley Quinn scales the heights perfectly.

Harley Quinn Volume Three: Kiss Kiss Bang Stab is available to purchase from Worlds Apart on Lime Street, Liverpool.

Ian D. Hall