Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner
Art by Joseph Michael Linser; Hi-Fi; & Dave Sharpe
Cover Art by Amanda Conner & Alex Sinclair
SUMMARY:
Designed as Harley’s off-the-wall team-ups with DC’s major players, Harley’s Little Black Book ran a total of six issues. Entitled “Dispirited Spirits,” DC Comics released this 48-page issue for June 2016.
Primarily told in flashback, the intro and epilogue bookends presumably occur a few days later, At Harley Quinn’s Coney Island apartment building, she is hosting her four loutish British pals dubbed the ‘London Legion a’ Superheroes.’ Booked by Harley’s associate, Big Tony, as a guest performer for his Freakshow, a motorcycle-riding Zatanna Zatara is assigned the building’s second-floor spare room.
With their century-long sanctuary facing imminent demolition, three ghosts from a 1911 carnival desperately need Zatanna’s help to evade a demonic presence stalking them. In the spirit realm, Zatanna & Harley face off vs. not one but two hellacious demons to defend their new spectral friends. Yet, even the veteran Justice Leaguer is startled at what impulsive stunt her new ally is willing to pull off to win.
Notes: Linser produced the variant cover (no image available here). There’s also a continuity glitch: despite what this story claims, Zatanna has previously encountered Harley (i.e. 2002’s Harley Quinn # 24).
REVIEW:
Justifying the T+ advisory label, co-writers Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner evidently had a blast depicting Harley’s supernatural comedy hijinks with Zatanna Zatara. Through Harley’s boozing British cronies are walking clichés, Palmiotti & Conner spin the haunted-house premise into an undeniably wacky caper – with several risqué innuendoes.
More so, Zatanna’s unpredictable ‘Odd Couple’ chemistry with Harley is well-played. The sole risk is overplaying Harley’s deviant charm for a whopping 48 pages.; hence, her incessantly childish antics may start grating on readers as it understandably does Zatanna.
The art team’s cartoony visuals, however, prove enjoyable compensation. Hence, one should consider Harley’s Little Black Book # 3 a guilty pleasure read for adults and mature teens.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Though the writer isn’t identified, the “DC All Access” column hypes Scooby Apocalypse.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
