Harley Quinn #75 Review

by Carlos R. on August 18, 2020

Harley Quinn #75 Cover Image
“Happy Birthday, Harley Quinn!”

Written by: Sam Humphries
Art by: Sami Basri, Nicola Scott, Emanuela Luppachino & Ray McCarthy, Ramon Villalobos, Ngozi Ukazu, & Joe Quinones
Colors by: Hi-Fi, Annette Kwok, & Tamra Bonvillain
Lettered by: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics

“After the Laughter”

Written by: Sam Humphries
Art by: Riley Rossmo
Colors by: Ivan Plascencia
Lettered by: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics

Today marks the bittersweet release of the final issue of the Harley Quinn series. With Harley being such a staple DC character I’m sure we’ll see her in another series soon, but it’s still a bummer to no longer have this waiting in my pull list. Humphries’ run has been such a treat and Harley Quinn #75 is no different either.

This issue finds Harley trapped on her birthday, surrounded by alternate versions of herself. And they’re looking to celebrate the only way one can celebrate the Maiden of Mischief, with a roast! And topping off this monumental issue is a tie-in to the Joker War with the aftermath of Harley’s run in with Punchline.

Humphries ties together his take on Harley by giving her closure on the fragility she’s faced with her identity and loss of family and friends. Harley is traditionally presented as a happy and silly character, and while Humphries’ run still has loads of Harley hilarity, I enjoyed how he wrote Harley into situations that would allow her to feel vulnerable and confused and question her place in the fantastical world of DC. And while the backup story slightly jolts the mood of the story, it definitely adds weight to Humphries’ central theme: that Harley is a resilient character capable of surviving all that the world can and has thrown at her.

There is a slew of artists in this issue and by golly do they nail it here. Having different teams approach the various phases of Harley’s history is so fitting for this story. I love the way each of the art teams tackle the different eras of Harley and how they subtly differentiate her, like how the Suicide Squad version charges through the action, how the animated Harley has more of a bouncy, dance-like movements, and how young Harley’s art and color are less textured and cleaner evoking her more innocent state of mind.

This final issue blends everything that’s made Humphries’ time with the character phenomenal. If you’ve been following the series thus far, then this will make for an excellent closing chapter and if you have yet to pick up this run, I implore you to check it out. Till next time all you hopers and dreamers, hustlers and schemers!
 

Our Score:

9/10

A Look Inside