The Good
Each month I enjoy this series more and more. Harley Quinn is a special character and we've seen over the years that not everyone can write her to her full potential. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti are taking her to a new level. In an almost strange fashion, this series pushes the boundaries for a comic set in the New 52 universe. The comic is definitely headed in its own direction. Conner and Palmiotti are being given a lot of room to tell fun and over-the-top stories that wouldn't work with other characters.
In honor of Valentine's Day, we find Harley a little saddened over spending the day with her true love. Thanks to Poison Ivy, Harley gets a gift that changes her world. She experiences things that she's probably never experienced before. Harley's never seen such attention and longing like she does here. (Yes, I'm purposely being vague here).
Chad Hardin's art really captures the essence of the series. This is one of those times when you stop and realize it would be hard to imagine this series drawn by a different artist. Alex Sinclair's colors really highlights the art as well and really makes this series stand out from other books.
The Bad
Things can get pretty crazy here. I'm not saying this comic is a parody or anything but it'd almost be hard to see this fit into the same continuity as the regular BATMAN series. The good thing is it doesn't have to. The violence gets a little too over-the-top.
I'm often leery of holiday-themed issues or ones that cite specific moments in time because it tends to date the story or age the characters.
The Verdict
A Valentine's Day themed issue feels like something that would be simply a novelty. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti show us that they can take the idea and turn it into a great moment in Harley's series. This is the type of story that others would not be able to pull off. Conner and Palmiotti and making this book shine with the moments of absurdity and it makes you let go of any hang ups over continuity and other comic-reading complaints. Chad Hardin's art is top notch and really he manages to capture each crazy moment in the story with ease. This title is quickly becoming one of my favorites each month. It's not often you can dive into a comic and fully enjoy the individual issue without having to worry about the rest of the comic universe. Let's hope this series continues for a long long time.