Harley Quinn #57 Review and **SPOILERS**

Who Frames the Framers?

Written By: Sam Humphries 

Artist: John Timms 

Colorist: Alex Sinclair 

Letterer: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Guillem March & Arif Prianto 

Variant Cover: Frank Cho 

Editor: Alex Antone 

Assistant Editor: Andrea Shea 

Group Editor: Brian Cunningham 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 9, 2019

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

You know, I don’t see why Streaky the Supercat can’t be in modern-day Supergirl comics. All the variants have Supergirl and Krypto, but it doesn’t make any sense. No dis to Amanda Conner, of course, the covers are beautiful. But it’s like Streaky gets swept under the carpet. Check out my review of Harley Quinn #57, why not?

Explain It!

Harley is hanging out on Coney Island, bumming out. Then, an orange-skinned woman on roller skates from Tamaran named Mirand’r tells Harley she’s been selected to undergo some cosmic trials. Harley Quinn agrees, and with a zap they’re off! Then, we cut to an entirely unrelated story, where Batman and Commissioner Gordon find a cadaver with a rictus “Joker” grin. This obviously points to the Joker being the culprit, but Batman uncovers some evidence pointing to Harley having done the deed…which actually reminds me of a certain other series going on right now…so he’s off to Coney Island to snatch her up! 

And at Coney Island…she’s at the hospital visiting her mom? Didn’t she just go to space with Mirand’r? Folks at the hospital don’t want Harley there, being that she’s a criminal and still apparently wanted for several crimes, and after a little fuss, she splits to give her mother some rest. Outside, Harley is intercepted by Batman, and the two fight across Coney Island for a while, Batman telling Harley what a piece of shit she is all the way, until she internalizes his abuse and hugs him. I am not making this up. Then, Batman cuffs Harley Quinn and they go back to Gotham where, in the city morgue, the Joker-ized cadaver wakes up and reveals this to be all part of a sinister plot! 

Why is this book being produced? Who does this comic book serve? It was once a fun, silly kind of series, with lots of homegrown humor and off-the-wall characters. It wasn’t high-brow stuff, but you came to Harley Quinn for a certain kind of goofball experience, and you always got it. I don’t know what this is about. Taking Harley off-world on one page, then having her back on Earth a few pages later is just bad storytelling. I’m sure she warped in and out of the same moment or something, but it went unexplained and that’s amateur shit. John Timms’ art is great, but as with the last time he drew for Sam Humphries, there are a lot of little panels that are difficult to read. Get it together. Or cut this series loose. Please.

Bits and Pieces:

There's the introduction to one story and the start of another story featuring Batman for your sloppy seconds. The firsts were sloppy enough. Have mercy and end this series.

4/10

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