Sirens: Love Hurts #3 is written by Tini Howard and published by DC Comics. Artwork and cover are by Babs Tarr, colours by Miquel Muerto, letters by Becca Carey, and breakdowns by Xanthe Bouma.
Sirens: Love Hurts #3 is available today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
The holidays are here, but not every Siren’s feeling the cheer! Sure, Harley and Ivy’s friendship warms to a romance, but Catwoman and millionaire Bruce Wayne go ice cold when Bruce attempts to define the relationship— wasn’t he supposed to be a playboy? And then there’s the matter of Black Canary’s bachelorette party, where the Sirens and the police commissioner’s daughter, Barbara Gordon, are all on the guest list. Tensions ride high…and Gotham’s most elusive serial killer, Horoscope, is happy to cut right through them. Literally.
Review
Issue three of Sirens: Love Hurts opens with a drawing from the one and only Harley Quinn…because of course it does. It turns out she has been writing DC-inspired fanfiction between two members of the Justice League. Can you guess which two? It is a brilliant little opener that tells you everything you need to know about where this issue is headed: funny, self-aware, and completely unhinged in the best possible way.
We are now three issues deep into this comic run, and I continue to be absolutely obsessed with the character design in this series. The issue kicks off with our trio sat in a coffee shop, and from the hairstyles to the hair colours, the makeup to the outfit choices, everything is perfectly suited to each character while feeling completely and unapologetically modern. Harley’s pink braids, Ivy’s Sabrina Carpenter bangs, Selina’s effortless outfits. It is all so considered, so right, and so genuinely stylish. Babs Tarr is doing something really special here, and it only gets more impressive with each issue. After David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, it was hard to imagine how Harley’s style could evolve past the iconic pink and blue ponytails, but across her own comic run, Sirens: Love Hurts, Sirens: Unfit for Orbit, and Harley and Ivy, her style has been on quite the journey.
Dinah comes in hot this issue, as the wedding stress finally starts to take its toll. It is great to see her and Ollie together in this setting. Much like the Sirens, both Dinah and Ollie’s styles, the way they are being brought to life, and the chemistry between them on the page feel fresh and modern, and the two of them complement each other beautifully. Dinah remains an absolute highlight of this series, and this issue gives her more emotional weight than ever.
Meanwhile, the serial killer is still very much at large. Harley and Ivy do some digging to figure out who is behind it all and what their next move might be. A couple of breaking and entering incidents later, they are in the suspect’s apartment, and they find a new clue. A date. Dinah’s wedding. Things escalate quickly from there, and what starts as a late-night investigation turns into a genuine fight for survival. It is a brilliant showcase for both characters, and it is crystal clear that Howard and Tarr understand exactly how to make these two pop. My personal highlight of the issue: Harley’s phone ringing mid-fight, and Ivy shouting, “If that is your ringtone, I swear to God.” I actually laughed out loud. I will not spoil the song, but it earned a very real chuckle from me, and it is exactly the kind of moment that makes this series such a joy to read. Sharp writing, perfectly timed, completely on-brand for both characters.
The issue builds to a full Sirens showdown with the story’s villain, and it is genuinely brutal. Without giving anything away, this person is not afraid to kill, and it raises the stakes considerably. The playful tone does not disappear, but it gets a harder edge here, and the tonal shift is handled with real confidence. Things are getting very serious in Gotham.
Verdict
Sirens: Love Hurts #3 feels like the series shifting up a gear. The humour is still very much present, fanfiction, ringtones, Ivy’s withering glances, but the danger is now real, and the emotional stakes are higher than ever. Howard and Tarr continue to strike that rare balance: chaotic and joyful on the surface, with genuine heart and tension running underneath. It is colourful, sharp, funny when it wants to be, and brutal when it needs to be. Completely addictive. This series just keeps getting better.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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