Harley Quinn #64 is written by Elliott Kalan and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Carlos Olivares, colours by Marissa Louise and letters by Lucas Gattoni. Main cover art is by Brandt & Stein.
Harley Quinn #64 is available now, 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
It’s me, Harley, versus my own greatest enemies of all time—the Harley Quinn Revenge Squad! They’re so bad you couldn’t find a hole deep enough to lock these folks away in! We’ve got the legally distinct hunter guy, the backward arms guy, the penny pincher, the corporate art security man, the tech bros, and the worst of the lot—the squad’s shadowy leader! This one’s so evil they’d make Lex Luthor’s secret flower garden wilt with just one glare! One glare! Don’t get me started on what’d happen with two!
Review
Nothing quite says “you’ve made an impression” like your victims forming a support group about you. This issue felt like one big love letter to Batman, as ‘Batquinn’ goes full Bruce, accompanied by her very own rogues’ gallery… of B, C and D-listers. Affectionately referred to as the revenge squad.
And credit where it’s due, watching this ragtag crew of has-beens and never-weres finally get their act together is one of the funniest ideas the series has had. These aren’t A-list threats plotting a takedown; they’re the also-rans, the ones Harley’s steamrolled without a second thought, and there’s something deeply satisfying about petty grudges finally boiling over into an actual plan.
Batquinn goes up against this mini rogues’ gallery one by one, and the structure alone is a hilarious jab at the Dark Knight himself, that same relentless, one-by-one takedown energy Batman’s known for, except here it’s played for laughs rather than grim inevitability. Speaking of which, Harley is still split into two versions of herself, and Batquinn has seen better days, honestly. At the top of the issue, she’s already battered, bruised and barely alive, running on spite and whatever’s left in the tank.
I often like to call out a bit of dialogue or a moment that really stuck with me, and in this issue, it goes to this quote, “My soul cries out for justice. My body cries out for morphine. Both are getting on my nerves.” That line took me out. It’s such a perfect distillation of who Batquinn is right now, exhausted, aching, and still cracking wise through gritted teeth. Plus, it’s a little bit of the ‘old’ Harley showing her face, despite Batquinn’s attempt to prove she’s nothing like her counterpart.
All in all, I’ll say this: the commitment to Harley’s interpretation of Batman is genuinely funny, because it spotlights just how ridiculous the things he (Batman) says and does can be when you strip away the mystique. When Bruce does it, we don’t question it; it’s just Batman being Batman. When Harley does it, filtered through her chaos and clapback energy, you can’t help but cringe a little, and that’s clearly intentional and very well executed. It’s a sharp bit of commentary, poking fun at the ideals Bruce has held onto for so long, refracted through her wonderfully unhinged lens.
Verdict
Batquinn takes a beating this issue, literally and narratively, but the fight choreography and gallows humour keep it firing on all cylinders. The Bruce-through-Harley lens continues to be the book’s sharpest trick, turning Batman’s usual gravitas into something you can’t help but side-eye. A scrappy, funny instalment that proves even a mini rogues’ gallery can pack a punch.
⭐⭐⭐
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