Harley Quinn #4-5: No Good Deed Conclusion

As we covered Part 1 of the “No Good Deed” arc in the latest Harley Quinn series, we saw a vision of Harley still trying to find direction in Gotham, learning to start small in her extrospective redemption. That leads her to the rescue of Kevin, a victim in the Joker War and though just a single person, he is a person who is worth saving.

As we close out the “No Good Deed” arc, we follow Harley as she puts her wishes for redemption into action as she tries to do some good in the world.

Harley Quinn #4 and #5 offer a great chance for us to do a back to back review because the issues play out in a near direct continuation. Issue #4 sets the stage for a grand rescue in a wacky way that only Harley could pull off. It’s this issue that honestly gave me the first bit of whimsical vibes I’ve missed from the series. From playing chess in the sewers with Solomon Grundy to dressing up in as a makeshift hero, it’s a story that leans into the silliness of the character and finally breaks her out of the more serious tones. Then, in issue #5, the creative teams throws almost everything out of the window and gives a twisty story where almost nothing goes to plan. Together, they work wonderfully well in telling a memorable Harley story.

Stephanie Phillips brings a flair to the character that maybe we should’ve been able to see beforehand, but one that caught me off guard in its deliberate success. It’s a psychoanalysis of one of the most off-beat personalities in the DC Universe, but it’s also one that is remarkably self aware. Not just in the meta moments of Harley’s captions explaining the narrative process such as a great climax and what a cliffhanger is, but also in the actions and behaviors of the titular character herself.

Harley isn’t wacky for the sake of wacky, and this series has done well so far in showing what’s behind the persona that we’ve all come to love so much without destroying it entirely. It’s a complex look at the character that, while may be hit or miss in certain arcs, is quickly becoming required reading for fans of the character to better understand who she is in today’s publishing lineup for DC. Phillips brings an intelligent approach that seems to work much better for this character when channeled into a more precise narrative direction, such as what we find in the “No Good Deed” arc taking on Hugo Strange to rescue Kevin, because it’s allows her to examine the character’s motivations from a more traditional framework.

When it comes to the artistic direction, Rossmo is clearly an artist who draws varying opinions. While I may not think this decision works quite as well as his work with Orlando on the Martian Manhunter series, I am beginning to understand better how Rossmo’s visuals align with what Phillips is undertaking in the writing. There is a finesse to the design that shines through at just the right moments, from Harley’s fashion to the fluctuating tone that helps add whimsy. While the somewhat chaotic structure works well on the villain side of things with Hugo Strange’s rather strange plan that involves a new syringe full of stimulants and a bad cosplay of Batman, it hinders Harley’s character moments more than it elevated them in my reading of issues #4 and #5.

But there is no denying that there is some awesome design work happening here. I know I mentioned the fashion already, but just looking at how many instantly iconic looks we’ve gotten in just five issues makes me so excited for what’s to come. And that’s a great representation of what this arc brings to the table, as it leans into what this creative team hopes to achieve with the character from a larger perspective confined within just three issues. It’s a great beginning, middle and end and even Harley knows it, she says so in the comic!

Is the “No Good Deed” arc going to bring in a ton of new readers jumping into the series? Maybe not. But maybe it should. It’s the arc that convinced me this is a series worth sticking with even for its indifferences, taking what we love about the character with an intellectual spin that is honestly refreshing. Though there may still be some problems to be found, it’s clearly an example of the creative team using many different strong suits, playing with a lot of different narrative threads and showing just what a personal story of redemption can be. With all of it’s questionable antics, hilarious one liners and unpredictable twists and turns that only Harley Quinn can make work so well.

Harley’s inspiring plan to rescue Kevin may not have gone so well, and likely is leading to something far worse, but it sure hooked me to come back for more!