Harley Quinn: Make 'Em Laugh #1

2020
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Laura Braga
Colours: Luis Guerrero
Cover: Andrew Robinson

It’s hard out there for a freelancer! Looking to make some quick cash, Harley takes on odd jobs in her many wheelhouses—therapising bad guys, tracking down stolen art from the Gotham Art Museum...but when it turns out the thief has his own mental baggage to unpack, Harley’s got a real Thinker on her hands!


First things - not sure why this series is called 'make 'em laugh' and honestly I thought the sub title of 'Head Shrink' meant that this story was going to be about Harley seeing patients all day.

Gotta say, when I saw yet another Harley title I did get a bit aggro about it. I mean, it's really over kill at this point. Plus the cover did not grab me at all - Clayface is hyper-realistic but Harley doesn't match that at all, looking like a rough sketch with weird stick arms and severe Miley Cyrus tongue. The background is juvenile looking with the stars and visual onomatopoeia. I've seen worse covers but this one is a bit mismatched. Apart from that, I do like the poses and Clayface does look good.

Thankfully the interior art is beautiful - it's detailed, proportioned, the colours are amazing and the people all gesture, move and look like.. well, people! And this artist is Braga - who I previously panned for the weird art, backgrounds, poses and faces in Harley and Ivy meet Betty and Veronica. Well, what a damn turn around! You go girl!

However, the best part of the book is actually Harley. More on that later, let's have a look at the story.

Harley is using her psychiatry skills to pay the bills but is also taking up freelance work, like looking into an art thief for the Gotham Metropolitan Museum of Art. I like that the museum staff aren't too sure - one outright suggests this is crazy and Harley could even be responsible for the crime, the other doesn't seem to mind Harley too much but admits they're desperate. This is a nice change because when Harley did this freelance lark in her solo series it was either Harley forcing her way onto jobs and solving everything with violence or people being so far up her butt they couldn't tell she was the worst person they could have hired.

It doesn't take Harley long to figure out who the culprit is... and I mean really, the cover kind of spoils it anyway. My issue is that the comic goes with Clayface (impersonating The Thinker) changed hands so that Harley noticed and became suspicious. This is fine, only the hand changing happens off screen so we don't see Harley noticing it. I personally would have gone with the face that The Fake Thinker seemed to be in a different room every time we saw it.

I mean.... they might if this cheap museum had cameras in the room with the expensive stuff in it. 

Harley cleverly traps Clayface via kiln and gets him to monologue his plot under threat of painting.
She finds out who has been taking the stolen paintings and it turns out to be none other than Head Shrink who just wants people to notice him for a good reason. I would like to know what got the other guests there. This is a pretty weird scene where no one really seems to be speaking to each other directly.

Like... I assume Head Shrink knows who the reporter is.. and I assume he's the one who invited him. This is a bit silly as obviously the stolen art would then be documented but ignoring that, why have the reporter say "excuse me, I'm a reporter!" instead of something like "This would be a great feature for Lair magazines's next issue!"

Anyway, there are a few speeches but nothing terrible - they're readable and make an effort to have you see both sides of the story. Harley is the voice of reason here - a feat in and of itself - but it doesn't sound forced or preachy. She sounds SMART and caring, not just doing the job she was hired for but taking some pride in her city, and being a decent human being instead of complaining about people only seeing her past.

The ending is resolved happily - Harley gets paid, the museum gets to avoid another superhero themed exhibit, Clayface is hilariously punished and Head Shrink finds a new artistic hobby.

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

Earlier I mentioned the best part of the book was Harley - and I honestly mean that. Her character is just so on point that I did a double take, but yes, despite the Rebirth threads, this is classic Harley Quinn at work. Her accent isn't a complete over-exaggerated joke, she's actively using her psychiatrist skills, she works well with people, uses her brain and even though she does get to use her baseball bat, she skimps on it in favour of showing people a better way and being there for them. Also she has the sense to wear a suitable work outfit in the museum - fifty points for that, and also the detective cap!

My only real issue with the issue was that it was a biiit too saccharine at the end where we get mini sob stories from Penguin/Riddler but it's not a deal breaker over how awesome the rest of the comic was. The other thing I was a bit unclear on was if Head Shrink was an actual character before this issue or if he was someone made for this comic. Honestly I would argue he is misnamed. Like, his head is small, but only compared to his "Into the Spiderverse" Kingpin-esque body. Is he a psychiatrist too? Does he have the power to shrink heads? And are his goons normal size people wearing oversize heads or is that how they actually are... and if so... um, how?  I mean, they have expressions that make me think that these are just how they are but..... like... huh?

A small quibble I had with Harley being Head Shrink's psychiatrist was that she told this giant dude who felt like everyone stared at him whenever he entered a room that he was a bit narcissistic and then ended the session. I mean... this dude's massive, even for a comic book he's exaggeratedly massive.. I think people looking at him would be a valid concern and an obvious problem for him that he can't really do much about short (ha!) of growing a new body somehow. So that seemed a bit less helpful than it could have been as a professional.

Also, she had two framed pictures of Joker in her office with hearts beside them. I really like the altered version of the classic jester cap in the background.... and while the premise of the comic is that she's doing freelance work due to excess free time, I can't help but notice she a sizeable collection of clients and appointments.

Eh, still enjoyed this issue. Viva la Good Harley Quinn! Long may she reign!

Wotta Comedian!

Harley: Show me the Monet! Ha! Ha! Get it? Jerry Maguire. I been savin' that one up. 
Museum Employee: Please make her stop. 

Janet: Our security teams are at a loss. We're desperate. That's why we called you.
Harley: Awww. That's sweet!

Janet: Interested?
Harley: Depends. Does this count towards my community service?

Museum Employee: For all we know, she's the one robbing the museum! Sorry, but I'm just being honest. 
Harley: Welp. Honesty IS the rudest policy. 

Harley: And their security was tighter than Batman's abs. Even their security guards had security guards!

Harley: Ya could be out there stealin' anything! Why art?
Clayface: What does it matter?
Janet: Watch out for the Basquiat!

Clayface: Did you really think you could take me down with your baseball swing? You need a better hobby. 

Thug: Yeah. Art museums are deeply problematic.
Harley: Better a museum than some rich guy's rumpus room!
Thug: They're unnecessary *ungh!* cultural gate-keepers! Run by *Ungh!* Arcane elites!
Head Shrink: Not the Basquiat!

Riddler: Wait. He stole these paintings from a museum?
Penguin: Awk-awk! How gauche!

Harley: It's called The Pot of Living Despair. As painted by Head Shrink!
Clayface: I think I'd be happier with the dolphins. 

Thinking about the Thinker

Ahhh.... solving the case means having access to unseen panels and inferring from the cover as to who it is. Gotcha.