Harley Quinn Black + White + Red #8: Not an Ambiguous Ending

Another week, another dose of Harley Quinn Black + White + Red! In issue #8, we finally leave behind the trauma of her toxic relationship history to kick back and enjoy a nice and relaxing ride on the NYC subway.

Or something like that.

There is no getting around it, Harley Quinn Black + White + Red #8 is just a ton of fun. I was so happy to see the Joker was nowhere to be found here, allowing Harley to enjoy the spotlight with her predictably wild antics and lighthearted quips. While I admittedly enjoy plenty of stories that dive into her complicated relationships, this is the type of Harley Quinn story that I can simply have a lot of fun with.

The subway ride quickly spirals out of control after a quick little nap from Harley. She wakes up to an entire train full of random and hilariously named “gangs” like the Manspreaders that have occupied certain areas of the train for themselves. This kicks off an awesome sidescroller-influenced sequence that shows once again Harley is one of the most versatile characters at DC Comics today. She’s a fashionista and a fighter, and this story plays to the best aspects of her character without relying on her past trauma as a catalyst.

While Kibblesmith does pull off an excellent script with some truly funny jokes, the artwork from Sauvage sets this story apart from anything else you might find with Harley involved. The Black + White + Red series has been uniquely adept at presenting very different visions of the character, and issue #8 continues that trend in a great way. The simplicity in the colors works well with the character design and Harley steals the show on every panel she’s in. With some quite strong lettering from Andworld, the issue takes a more dialed back approach visually to tell an exciting story.

Harley Quinn Black + White + Red #8 pulls the series out of a bit of a rut by returning to the whimsical roots of the character. The pop culture references, wacky circumstances and wonderful characterization of Harley herself all work to make this issue one of the best in the series yet. It’s not the most consequential of stories, but it captures the heart and fun that has made Harley one of the most endearing characters on shelves today.