Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #2 is written by Tee Franklin, penciled by Shae Beagle (pgs 1-10 with layouts on 11-20), inked by Beagle with Roberto Poggi and Scot Eaton on pgs. 11-20, colored by Lee Loughridge and lettered by Taylor Esposito. It’s published by DC Comics. Harley and Ivy continue on their new career paths, as Ivy seeks out new members for her Legion of Doom while Harley wrestles with being a hero (or, in this case, an anti-hero). When the duo decides to hit up the new Gotham mall for a shopping spree, they end up running into several obstacles, including Black Mask, who seeks to take over Gotham’s criminal underworld.
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Similar to the first issue, Franklin continues to build on the events of Harley Quinn’s third season while also telling an original story. She also has an excellent grasp of what makes the characters tick. While the first issue was more focused on Ivy and her attempts to form the Legion of Doom, this has Harley questioning her new role as part of the Bat Family. One page captures this perfectly: Harley is talking to Ivy about how she fears her new hero role will alienate the friends she’s made. Her words are perfectly juxtaposed with her thoughts, with Esposito’s black and red coloring scheme highlighting Harley’s various worries.
But Ivy eventually reassures her that she’ll always be in her corner, no matter what. The “Harlivy” relationship is another element woven throughout Franklin’s script, and it’s beautiful. She writes Harley and Ivy like an actual couple, with all the ups and downs that might entail — but at the end of the day, they still love each other. It serves as a nice counterbalance to the raunchier elements of the comic, which include a cluster of expletives sprinkled throughout and a thorough exploration of Harley and Ivy’s sex life.
And the book looks gorgeous, thanks to Beagle’s artwork. A good rule of thumb while working on tie-in comics to animated series is that the art should match the style of the show. While Beagle’s style deviates slightly from this role, it’s no less expressive. Harley’s motions feel less like a series of drawings and more like a set of fluid movements. And her facial expressions are utterly adorable: whenever she sees something she likes, stars appear in her eyes, and whenever she kisses Ivy, hearts float over her head. The issue’s standout is a two-page fight scene between Nightwing, Batgirl, and Lady Firefly. Thanks to the fire-themed villain’s armored suit, the entire fight scene is surrounded by reddish-orange flame. And Loughridge’s color art brings the bright, vibrant, candy-colored chaos one would expect from a Harley Quinn story.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #2 continues to feature all of the character development and outright debauchery that made the animated series a hit while putting its spin on the Batman mythos. Once again, I recommend reading it if you’re waiting for Season 4 of Harley Quinn or if you want to know why the show’s so beloved.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #2 is available now wherever comics are sold.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #2
TL;DR
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #2 continues to feature all of the character development and outright debauchery that made the animated series a hit while putting its spin on the Batman mythos. Once again, I recommend reading it if you’re waiting for Season 4 of Harley Quinn or if you want to know why the show’s so beloved.
