Coney Island has a zombie problem.
Let it not be said that the relaunched Harley Quinn comic doesn't deliver what it promises. There's plenty of wacky carnage to go around as Harley and her pals fend off a zombie outbreak on Coney Island. This story arc doesn't seem to be striving for much more than that. But as often as the previous volume felt bogged down by competing plot threads, this "back to basics" approach has a definite appeal.
Issue #2 opens on a strong note, with Harley belatedly recognizing her mistake and trying to prevent the barely conscious Red Tool from smashing into the side of a hospital. Watching Harley and Big Tony repeatedly fail to clear a path is easily the highlight of this chapter. From there, issue #2 settles into a more predictable zombie movie routine. Harley's antics continue to be amusing, but those expecting more than the basic "stay alive while hungry undead bang on the walls" will come away disappointed. However, the cliffhanger provides hope that issue #3 will take the conflict in newer and less predictable directions.
The book also suffers a bit from the reliance on unnecessary narrative captions. This issue is hardly as bad as the previous chapter in that regard. But there is some unnecessary recap on the first page and a brief monologue that fails to convey anything the art alone isn't capable of.
Speaking of the art, count Harley Quinn as yet another DC Rebirth title that couldn't even make it to issue #2 without resorting to fill-in art. But at least regular artist Chad Hardin remains on board in a reduced capacity. This time, Bret Blevins steps in to provide layouts while Hardin and John Timms divide up the pages and handle the finished art. That arrangement does help reduce the gulf between Hardin and Timms' respective art styles. Colorist Alex Sinclair also provides a firm helping hand, going to great lengths to give this issue a foreboding, apocalyptic tone. The storytelling and page layouts remain fairly consistent throughout (though Timms does tend to deliver a lot more splash pages than Hardin). Both Hardin and Timms have helped mold this series into the fun, raucous book it's become, but they never quite jibe working together on the same issue.
The Verdict
Given how cluttered and poorly paced the previous volume of Harley Quinn could be at times, there's something to be said for the more simple, straightforward approach this relaunch is taking. Issue #2 isn't particularly deep, but it offers plenty of entertainment value as Harley and friends fend off the ravenous undead. It's just a shame the series is already relying on fill-in art. Maybe the switch to the twice-monthly schedule wasn't the best move?
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