REVIEW: ‘Harley Quinn,’ Issue #27

Harley Quinn #27 is published by DC Comics, written by Stephanie Phillips, art by Matteo Lolli and David Baldeón, colours by Rain Beredo, and letters by Andworld Design. This is the last issue featuring this creative team, and the final issue of the Who Killed Harley Quinn arc. With Ivy held captive, Harley must take drastic action to save her beloved and the lives of the other Quinns.

This is a momentous finale, with a story that encapsulates almost everything great about this series. It has energy, gallons of it. That is something that follows Harley wherever she goes. This comic actually uses something that it has been siphoning off of for a while: the multiverse. The threats and the problems of this last arc have come from other Earths, but primarily we have been centred on Earth-1. Harley Quinn #27 jumps in order to reach the cause of the threat, flipping the comic with an unexpected change of tactic. And yet it makes a huge amount of sense and taps into the heart that Phillips has filled the comic with. It latches on to the most important themes of the series, love, and friendship. This direction seems natural within the book and it helps feed into a really sweet ending. The end is definitive but leaves glimpses for continuation.

This book has been absolutely beautifully written in terms of its script, with stunning dialogue and narration. In the captions, there have been 27 gorgeous monologues within the Harley Quinn series. In this issue, it allows Harley and Phillips to discuss endings. And with Harley being able to breach the fourth wall, it can be toyed and played with beautifully. These monologues largely play out without much direct influence from the panels, making it seem like a journal entry or just a train of thought. But the dialogue in the word balloons is also phenomenal, brimming with character and personality. The last panel is something so special for the character, linking back to the first issues of this run and is something concrete for a character who has been through so much.

The art is absolutely gorgeous and much more adventurous. One criticism I had in the previous issue was that some more variety would bring the best out of the arc, which both Baldeon and Lolli add superbly. The Harley’s look similar at a glance but some have more noticeable differences. Then Baldeon creates a different Earth, one that is dark and dystopian. This is where some of the more extreme varieties come from, not just from a Harley. There is a massive fight—a multiple-page brawl that still captures the frantic chaos of Harley Quinn. But it is the small details and affectations that have shone throughout the series, from little gags to facial expressions that can tell a story more efficiently than any amount of words could.

The colors are terrific. Something I noticed just within this issue is that the pastel colors of Earth-1 Harley are exclusive to her. There is a lot of vibrancy and rich tones in this book, but She has a specific lightness to the colors in her hair that no one else possesses, highlighting her as an individual. But Beredo’s style does allow for slight variations in techniques to the colors, so certain characters do seem unique within the panel itself. The lettering is extremely easy to read.

Harley Quinn #27 is a warm and loving ending to a really remarkable run. Harley Quinn has been a magnificent comic from Phillips’ first issue. And every single chapter has brought with it a bundle of energy and heart. The cast has never really expanded but has led to some stunning character moments and development. The dialogue and the script are second to none, with some of the most hilarious and heartbreaking scenes coming within the same page sometimes.

It’s a beautiful comic about finding a new home, about finding friendship and family, and about toxicity too. And whilst the art team in this issue has been spectacular, special mention has to be given to Riley Rossmo and Ivan Plascencia, the first art team of the run. They set a tempo and a template which can still be noticed in this last issue. Harley is still in good hands going forward, but this creative team will certainly be missed.

Harley Quinn #27 is available where comics are sold.