It’s Harley vs. Harley in this interdimensional travel piece that crosses regular continuity Harley Quinn with her Bombshell counterpart–and let’s just say that despite a big kiss, these two aren’t at all on the same page.
In fact, in a fun turn of events, Bombshell Harley actually seems to play the “straight” role to Continuity Harley’s hijinks. The contrast is fun and funny is the style we’ve come to expect from team Conner and Palmiotti, replete with a (by now almost) requisite dream sequence featuring Harley’s latest distortion of the Joker, a flying vampire called Count Jokula (complete with Hitler-stache, no less).
Crazy enough for you?
“Where Bombshells Dare” is another great single-shot tale full of wackiness and action that doesn’t sacrifice itself on the shelf of pointless plotlessness. While the premise requires many grains of salt, if you like a little Harley now and then, it’s the perfect bon-bon. And with double the Harley you get to see her in so many more guises (including a retro look from Batman: the Animated Series).
So, apparently, in a future issue, Harley is going to have a run-in with Superman and steal some of his balls (and don’t think for a moment that Conner and Palmiotti won’t make the most of that innuendo). But these balls allow Harley to travel into this alternate dimension where she immediately is mistaken for her alternate dimension counterpart (because of course, right?).
In the Bombshell dimension she’s supposed to be doing some serious espionage for Amanda Waller, but instead she gets caught up in trying to infiltrate a German bunker with Catwoman, Batwoman, and Big Barda. We get a brief cameo from Zatanna as well. They’re supposed to sneak in dressed as entertainment girls (an excuse to put them in even more silly outfits) and await some signal for the attack. Their objective is to rescue a captured general.
What Harley doesn’t know is that her alter has already infiltrated the bunker on Waller’s secret orders as a double agent, and it’s her job as the “Slaughter Daughter” to interrogate the general so as to put the Reich off track.
This Harley is focused on her task.
Interloper Harley just wants to kill Nazis.
You know this can’t end well
The book quickly becomes a Tarantino-esque wish fulfillment fantasy in which Harley just wants someone to give her a gun so she can pop a lot of caps in the jerries. Of course she’s going to get her wish (and more: her heart’s desire to give Hitler himself a piece of her mind features prominently in these pages).
But first she has the misfortune of being literally run into by her alter, leading to lots of confusion among the team, and getting Harley a one-way ticket to a locked closet, a chair, and a bunch of rope to hold her to it.
Of course she’s going to get away, but if you want to see how it all plays out, you’ll have to read it for yourself. And what a read it is!
Did I mention Harley gets into fisticuffs with the Führer himself?
The real stand out in this book is the artwork of a triumvirate of contributors who, despite their distinct styles, manage to pull together a book that feels contiguous and is a joy to look at. Billy Tucci, Joseph Michael Linsner, and Flaviano bring a whole lot of Harley varieties to life, from multiple dream versions, to her Bombshell avatar, Slaughter Daughter, and more; each one distinct and yet on model demonstrating just how broad a spectrum Harley really can encompass–even between the pages of a single book!
And major props to Paul Mounts as the colorist, who is key in giving this issue its unified glow–seriously the character work looks gorgeous under his soft shading and highlights. And the snowy backgrounds and castles and wonderful German vehicles circa 1940s are all just gorgeous. This is a book full of love; the kind about which you can say “there are no lazy pages here!”
Recommended If…
- You would enjoy opening up a can of whooptie on a bunch of Nazis–Harley sure does!
- You love the Bombshells and the Bombshells aesthetic.
- Beautiful, rich artwork and coloring make your day! This is lovely stuff!
Overall
Harley’s Little Black Book has yet to disappoint. These free-wheeling fantasies of Harley intersecting with everyone else in the DCU (and in this particular case, an alternate universe of the DCU) make the most of Harley’s interactions with key cameo characters. And if a one Harley isn’t enough for you, this one’s got two! A far-fetched premise nonetheless leads to a rather satisfying sequence of lots of bad people getting their comeuppance. Not quite as gory as your usual Harley fare, but still gratifying, particularly for the combined efforts of Tucci, Linsner, and Flaviano (with captivating color from Mounts), pick this one up if you hate Hitler. That should be everybody, right?
SCORE: 9/10
