Review: Harley Quinn- Breaking Glass
Quick Summary
Pros: Harley shines as the book’s main character, bringing her unique brand of humor and fun to the work. All of the book’s characters are great. The main narrative is interesting. The book does a nice job in addressing several social issues. The artwork looks good and suits the narrative.
Cons: One of the subplots feels disconnected from the main narrative.
Overall: This is a fresh, innovative, and enjoyable take on Harley Quinn. The book has all the charm, humor, and heart one would expect from Harley while also featuring several other imaginative reinventions of classic DC characters. It also contains a compelling main narrative that does well in addressing a variety of social issues. Plus, the artwork is beautiful. Overall, this is a book for readers who like great characters and stories about social issues or for readers who simply want to see a new take on Harley Quinn.
Full Review
Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Pugh, is a fun and thoughtful book. The story here features Harley Quinn learning about the ups and downs of life while her neighborhood deals with gentrification.
The main focus in Breaking Glass is on Harley Quinn. In this regards, it is a huge success. The book contains everything one could hope for from a book about Harley. Here, she is strong, dedicated, and fiercely loyal to her friends. Her compassion for those around her and her story of discovery forms the centerpiece of this book. Harley’s unique brand of humor also pervades the entire book, giving it a unique writing style that makes it genuinely funny.
Harley isn’t the only character who stands out. Almost all of the characters in this book are written well and bring something to the table. Tamaki does a fantastic job in making these characters feel lifelike, giving each one passions and struggles that drive them. This makes the good guys shine even brighter while the bad guys excel as villains. The only downside here is that Ivy’s battle against the Film Club felt disconnected from the main narrative, which is weird because these two narratives should have been complementary.
When it comes to the actual conflict, Breaking Glass also does well. The battle against gentrification is interesting and leads to a solid conclusion. However, where this conflict really succeeds is in its overall message about social justice. The battles taking place within this book broach the topics of income inequality, race, gender, class, environmental concerns, and LGBTQ+ issues. Each issue is well-written and fits well into the book’s overall narrative.
This is further enhanced by the artwork. Pugh’s visuals are realistic and lifelike, while still maintaining a unique style. This allows them to adeptly express a complex range of emotions, without dipping into the uncanny valley. The colors also add to the experience, helping to emphasize specific characters or items.
Continuity
Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass is, currently, a standalone book. It does not continue the story from any other comic and the story here is not continued in any other comic.