Harley Quinn #3 - DC Comics

HARLEY QUINN No. 3, July 2021

Delving deeply into the disconcertingly dark dealings of Hugo Strange’s S.A.F.E. programme for Gotham City’s hapless citizens, there was surely plenty for fans of Stephanie Phillips’ penmanship to enjoy inside “No Good Deed”. Yet whilst the American author does a great job in depicting Bill Finger’s utterly insane co-creation, it is her treatment of Harleen Frances Quinzel’s seldom-seen psychiatric skills which cleverly help to really show the sheer murderous insanity of one of Batman’s most deadly super-villains; “But, after performin’ experiments on severed prisoner heads with electricity…”

Indeed, the contrast between the two head-doctors during their “war of wellness” almost literally leaps off the page, as the supposedly legitimate professor unsympathetically increases the chemical dosage of some poor experimental test subject securely strapped to a state-of-the-art medical facility bed. Whilst the penniless, oft-times criminal titular character holds her first poorly-attended “support group meeting” with the promise of coffee and donuts, but genuinely seems intent on trying to help the likes of Eric who is depressed at the thought that “maybe the Clowns don’t deserve normal.”

Similarly as well-written is this publication’s extensive fight sequence, which involves Strange’s “right-hand man-child Lockwood” successfully infiltrating Quinn’s low-key session so as to detain all its attendees, including Harley and her loyal helper Kevin. This chaotic punch-up is as crazy as it comes, courtesy of “Arkham Asylum’s most sadistic guard” bringing numerous reinforcements to the party in an effort to detain the Joker’s ex-girlfriend, and is packed full of mean-spirited orderlies zapping innocents with numerous shock-rods.

Pencilled with plenty of dynamic pace and action by Riley Rossmo, the Gotham City Siren’s brutal battle against “my favourite [person] to imagine beating savagely with various pieces of landscaping equipment” really is the book’s highlight, especially once the fighting escalates outside and the “expert gymnast” is able to literally get her hands on her bald-headed assailant. However, what is also enjoyable is that Phillips fails to fall into the trap of having our colourfully-costumed heroine readily overcome such significant odds, and resultantly ends this particular twenty-two page periodical with Quinn having to save just herself by retreating into the metropolis’ dingy sewer system.

The regular cover art of "HARLEY QUINN" #3 by Riley Rossmo