Review: Harley Quinn Vol. 3- Red Meat

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storylines feature a great blend between comedy and wholesomeness, with some successful social commentary and action thrown in as well. The volume closes by delivering an exciting premise for the next volume.

Cons: The artwork is not as appealing as usual.

Overall: The Rebirth era is treating Harley Quinn right, as volume after volume of entertaining adventures are published. This collection highlights some of the best aspects of this series, with social issues, comedy, wholesome interactions, and a bit of action reading wonderfully. Then, it closes with plenty of potential still on the table, building more excitement for the next volume. All in all, this is another collection fans of this series will really enjoy. 

Story

Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Red Meat, by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, once again, proves that this is a series worth reading. The first half of the collection deals with a powerful being’s attempt at world domination, a situation that leads to some tense action, several humorous interactions, and a bit of emotion here and there. The second half deals with a group of villains threatening NYC, a situation that also has action and comedy but includes a meaningful social message as well. Before closing, this volume also sets up several compelling storylines for the future, all of which I am interested in seeing progress. Overall, this volume gets a lot right and it shows.

(spoilers start here)

The first half of Red Meat has Harley Quinn accidentally awaken an ancient and powerful evil, Zorcrom, who goes on to attempt to conquer the world. However, he is opposed by Harley, Power Girl, and newcomer, Atlee. The heroes clash with the villain on a few pages and generate some moderate excitement.

However, the real draw in this story arc comes from the interactions between the characters. Zorcrom has been locked away for a long time and, before attempting a takeover, is convinced by Harley that he needs to see everything he missed. In some places, this leads to pure comedy, as Harley feeds him NYC street food and he attempts to date Power Girl. In other places, it leads to some serious reflection, as Harley explains some of the contentious points in modern society. Then, after Zorcrom is defeated, there is a wholesome moment when Power Girl, despite her misgivings, shows Harley some appreciation for everything she has done. The characters here are all great and their presence in this arc helps establish the wonderful blend of comedy and wholesomeness that makes this comic so enjoyable.

The second half of Red Meat has Harley dealing with a group of cannibals eating the city’s homeless, a plan put in action by the mayor’s office. Once again, this leads to a situation with some moderate suspense and action. Harley is put in direct danger as she is captured by these cannibals and then goes on an action-packed rampage when she takes them out. The despicable nature of her adversaries’ actions also make Harley’s ultimate victory even more satisfying.

However, once again, the real appeal comes from the wholesome message behind this action. The entire story arc makes a statement about how terribly America’s homeless population is treated. Harley assures readers that these people are not lazy degenerates; they are normal human beings who happen to have been dealt a rough hand in life. It is a great message to see and one that fits perfectly with Harley’s character.

Finally, Red Meat closes by setting up the next volume for some more success. It shows that one of Harley’s old enemies is currently threatening two of her old friends. It introduces a woman from the future and explains that Red Tool is from the future as well, both of which are sure to have a big impact on Harley’s life. Then, it teases the first appearance of Harley’s parents, whose arrival may have plenty of unforeseen consequences. All of this is on the table as this collection moves into the next volume, which is pretty exciting.

(spoilers end here)

Art

In many places, the artwork in Red Meat is as good as ever. Art from John Timms and colors from Alex Sinclair are able to equally capture Harley’s lighthearted moments and her horrific battles. These visuals match the series well and definitely enhance the reading experience.

However, there are also places throughout this volume where the quality of the artwork dips. Visuals from Khari Evans and Joseph Michael Linsner look too grim and heavy for a series that is mostly fun and fancy free. There is also a chapter from John Timms where the linework is less tight and ends up looking worse. The volume, as a whole, still looks alright but fails to live up to the artistic expectations set by the rest of the series.

Continuity

Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Red Meat continues the story from Harley Quinn Vol. 2: Joker Loves Harley (Review).

The story here continues in Harley Quinn Vol. 4: Surprise, Surprise (Review).

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• Harley’s friend entered witness protection back in Harley Quinn Vol. 2 #26, collected in Harley Quinn Vol. 5: The Joker’s Last Laugh (Review).
• Harley’s team-up with Power Girl occurred across Harley Quinn Vol. 2 #10-13, collected in Harley Quinn Vol. 2: Power Outage (Review), and in Harley Quinn and Power Girl (Review).
• Harley Sinn was placed in Arkham after the events of Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys (Review).
• Atlee met Power Girl across the Power Girl Vol. 2 series, collected in Power Girl: Power Trip.
• Harley Quinn #21 makes a reference to Harley Quinn’s encounter with someone from way back in Harley Quinn Vol. 2 #3, collected in Harley Quin Vol. 1: Hot in the City (Review).