Harley Quinn #30 is published by DC Comics, written by Tini Howard, with art and colors by Sweeney Boo and letters by Steve Wands. There is a backup story written by Nicole Maine, art and colors by Mindy Lee, and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. After Harley made a sacrifice to gain a multiversal protection ward, her hyenas began talking to her. In this issue, the true identities of her pets are revealed, threatening to send her back out into the Multiverse.
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The storytelling of this issue is brilliant, playing with tone and structure. The book starts on another Earth, the cozy and fun world of Captain Rabbit. It unfolds into a charming tale featuring the parodical, zoological superheroes. But that is very quickly and shockingly subverted, instantly flipping the comic. From there, the comic returns to many of the subplots. The huge revelation about Bud and Lou is even more ridiculous in Harley Quinn #30, taking side characters and elevating them in a way that could never be expected. Some of the conversations are long, with the space between crucial moments pretty lengthy. But it should be said it raises the cheeriness and energy of the comic again. However, the twisted sense of humor this comic has soon comes back around.
The dialogue in this book is mindblowing. There are times when the topic and the conversation is pitch black. Sometimes, these come out of nowhere and are fatalistic and utterly horrifying. And occasionally, these are punchlines. Something I’ve noticed about Harley is that she can’t really lie, and that honesty can be brutal, especially towards the end of the issue. The blending of funny and devastating can make your head spin. Then there’s the stuff from the hyenas, where the pure insanity kicks in. This issue just breaks any rules, taking the concept of a Multiverse and taking incredible risks with it. But there is also room for depth and integrity in the dialogue, coming through the voice of Harley’s student, Summer. She is more grounded, providing sense to a book that often goes spinning off into chaos.
The art is so lovely. Boo’s art is so full of personality, matching brilliantly with a character who is loud and emotive. She can curl up and shrink when she feels guilty or afraid but also be open and exuberant. When she’s lively, that movement is captured beautifully with flips and twirls. Her huge hair and beaming smile often mask the darkness at the core of the comic. This is especially true with the Captain Carrot parts, which makes the scenes even more tragic. The world changes in the background, losing life to match the darkness that cannot be avoided anymore.
The colors are really special. Like with the art in general, the pastel tones invoke positivity, with pink and blue being the primary colors used. The whole book is filled with vibrancy, but I noticed there was a detail that could easily have been missed. When Harley is in her own space, it has that brightness and intensity. Then at her day job, her surroundings are much calmer and natural. The lettering can struggle with the amount of dialogue at times, but I like the different colors used for the two hyenas now that they talk.
The backup story is a really sweet take on a fairy tale, with Harley and Ivy at the centre. It’s an adorable, interesting medieval dreamland adventure about a woman trying to get to her girlfriend but continuously getting sidetracked. Lee does a superb job of making the world look dirty and unpleasant whilst the characters are beautiful and unblemished.
Harley Quinn #30 is a weird and wonderful world. Constantly fluctuating from gentle to savage, this is a book that absolutely shatters normality. Conventions go out of the window in a Harley Quinn comic. The rollercoaster of emotions and unpredictability maintains the energy of this ever-changing and never sitting still.
Harley Quinn #30 is available where comics are sold.
