Future State – Harley Quinn #2: I Never Did Like Masks

We are back with the second issue of Harley’s very own Future State series which sees the (former) Clown Princess of Crime teamed up with none other than Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow as they try to take down Gotham’s criminals. While the first issue played out like a DC interpretation of Silence of the Lambs, part 2 brings the superhero inspired punches back to tell an exciting story packed with simply stunning artwork.

The visuals from Di Meo, Infante and Bonvillain really are the star of the show in this series. Everything from the design to the color palette gives the issue an overall tone that isn’t just unique, but suits the character remarkably well. There is a futuristic feel that is still grounded, and the pinks, purples and reds bring out the very best of Harley’s aesthetic as she adorns some *incredible* fashion.

The plotline follows through on what we saw in the previous issue directly, pitting Harley and Crane up against the always violent Black Mask. This is an interesting combo especially for new fans of the character coming in from Harley’s most recent live action film in The Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn as it will feel generally familiar. While I doubt this is any sort of coincidence, it also doesn’t lack in any sense of originality. Writer Stephanie Phillips injects a unique brand of more intelligent whimsy into the character that helps her to jump from the page in the best of ways. While the characterization for Harley herself might still need some refinement in some areas like her trademark humor and even accent, there is a noticeable improvement already from the first issue. There is still an emphasis on Harley’s often overlooked intelligence but we also get a chance to see just a bit more of her humor here and it works better in my opinion in this issue than it did in the first.

It’s undeniable to see the charm this creative team brings to the table at this point.

The best part of the DC Future State event has been the accessibility and overall quality of stories being told across the board at DC. It’s great to see Harley Quinn get such a high quality treatment during the line-wide event and issue #2 seems to hit all the notes you might want in an entertaining story. It’s got intrigue, action and just enough wacky antics set within a curious vision of Gotham to keeps you engaged all throughout. And what it lacks in crucial character development for Harley it more than makes up with pure entertainment value.

There is a striking balance worth noting in how the issue handles three higher tier characters like Harley, Crane and Sionis where no one really gets lost but Harley remains the prominent focus as well. It’s always great to see such tact in a very limited format with just a couple of issues at hand. This creative team obviously had a clear intent and direction for this story and the execution is spot on. It isn’t groundbreaking or revolutionary, but it’s undeniably strong storytelling that knows how to keep you eager to turn the next page.

With Stephanie Phillips taking over the ongoing series duties as writer after this event, it’s safe to say the character is in great hands. DC Future State Harley Quinn #2 succeeds in not just telling a fun story that you don’t want to put down, it actually made me wish for a continuation of this world and vision of the character beyond what we see in this event. For fans of Harley Quinn both issue #1 and #2 are certainly worth your time and money!