Harley Quinn #14 // Review
Harley's life is falling apart; she's been framed by a mysterious villain dressed up as her, sentenced to Blackgate Prison for brutal murders she didn't commit. Harley Quinn #14 is written by Stephanie Phillips, drawn by Riley Rossmo, colored by Ivan Plasencia, and lettered by AndWorld Design.
The Gotham PD is confident they've put the correct perpetrator behind bars. But when Batwoman finds another body killed in the same way as the previous victims, she's not sure it was Harley. Because Harley's already been sentenced to prison, how could she have committed the latest murder?
Phillips has a lot going on in this narrative. The perspective jumps from Batwoman's to Harley's, Kevin's, and back to Harley's. Cracks have begun to form in Kevin and Harley's friendship, as Kevin is at least partially convinced that Harley truly is guilty. Batwoman needs to talk to Harley and get her perspective. Meanwhile, Harley is realizing that being considered a villain when you haven't done anything villainous isn't nearly as fun for her.
It's easy to feel bad for Harley in Harley Quinn #14, and it appears that this is how Phillips wants readers to feel. Readers know that she's being framed and that she's genuinely been trying to act heroically. However, it's also understandable that even her friends don't believe her; Harley has a long history of being a villain. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating for Harley and the reader.
Unfortunately, the art is where this issue begins to fall apart. While Rossmo is incredibly talented, his art has begun feeling out of place as the narrative gets darker and more intense. Harley Quinn #14 is an excellent example of this. Harley's cartoonishly over-the-top facial expressions don't feel like they fit. It comes across as almost comical despite the scene being anything but. However, these exaggerated expressions work fine in more lighthearted scenes. And Rossmo has an excellent grasp of form and movement. The fight scenes especially flow well across the page; it's easy to follow.
Plascencia does a masterful job of coloring in this issue. There's a strong contrast between the dismal, dark prison and Harley's bright appearance.
Harley Quinn #14 is a mixed bag; the story is solid, setting up what's to come and potentially dropping hints about who the fake Harley really is. And I look forward to Harley and Batwoman teaming up; they're such different characters that their interactions will be entertaining. However, the disconnect between the art and story, and the stop-and-start pacing drag down what could've been a standout issue.
