Bad days: we've all had them. But in Harley Quinn #14 we get to sit back and watch as everyone's favorite supervillainess has to deal with her own 24 hours from Hell.
When last we saw Harley, she was begging Power Girl to forgive her for lying about the superhero's identity when she had amnesia. It seemed that Power Girl still chose to call Harley a friend (sort of), but in this issue the Kryptonian isn't around to help Harley with her miserable day.
That's a shame, too, because the two made one of the most fun crime fighting duos since perhaps the 1960s Batman and Robin. The digs Harley always took at Power Girl's costume (and boobs) were hilarious, as was the entire scenario of Harley and Power Girl as a crime fighting team. Hopefully there is more to come from them in future issues.
In Harley Quinn #14, though, things take a more serious turn. First Harley awakens via a very loud alarm clock and hops in the shower, where there's no hot water. So starts her day, and it only gets worse from there.
Things almost look up for Harley with Mason, Madame Macabre's hunky son, but even that succumbs to her bad luck. Poor Harley can't catch a break, even with romance. But considering her last romance was with The Joker, what more could we expect? Maybe Mason is a little too normal for the Clown Princess of Crime.
Work is also hectic and Harley finds herself overbooked, her life out of control with everything chaotic.
Harley does pull one superhero move during the day, but most of this comic is about her frustrations with life, which is evident in her facial expressions and dialogue. And it almost makes this particular issue frustrating to read, because Harley isn't one to succumb to bad days and usually just beats the crap out of anything that crosses her.
But this time she only gets in on one fight, and it's a disappointing one. We get another glimpse of the potential superhero residing in Harley's insane mind, but that's about it. After the issues featuring her fighting beside Power Girl, it feels like there is something missing in Harley Quinn #14.
The artwork and dialogue here, though, are still on-point and set each panel's scene well, building the tension through the story as Harley's day keeps getting worse. However, the humor from the previous issues isn't quite there and there are no laugh-out-loud moments to kick back with, at least when compared to the hilarity of the past few issues.
This issue almost feels like a filler, a set-up to what comes next, so here's hoping that the next Harley Quinn issue is a bit more substantial and takes us back to the irreverent humor we've come to expect from this title.
Story
★★½☆☆
Art
★★★★☆
Overall
★★★☆☆
[Photo Credit: DC Comics]
