[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Sami Basri
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Summary
“Triumph” Part One is probably one of the best written issues of Harley Quinn that I have read in a long time. After the events of last issue, Captain Triumph is stranded in our time. A Golden Age hero, bumbling his way through our society. As I’m sure you can imagine, chaos ensues.
Positives
I’m a huge fan of a good time travel story. And while this doesn’t specifically state about any time travel. It’s certainly obvious that Captain Triumph doesn’t belong in our time stream. Being transported, and stuck in our era after Harley crashes the DC continuity in the last issue, Captain Triumph is just trying to figure out where he is and what he’s doing there.
Humphries does a brilliant job with Harley in this issue. She’s less balls to the wall crazy, and just slightly quirky, which is how I like to have my Harley Quinn. I really like the relationship between Harley and her mother. I think it’s great that she’s got this strong, loving woman to look up to. I hope to see more of her mom in later issues, maybe going into Harley’s childhood a bit, or what it was like raising her.
The artwork in the issue is great, some of the best I’ve seen in a Harley Quinn issue for a long time. I think Basri does a great, consistent job; which has been the problem with the last few comics. The lettering is a lot easier on the eye in this issue too. Previously I feel that the lettering has been a bit loud, sometimes taking away from the panel and even the feel of the story.
Negatives
Where is my Tina of Apokolips!?! I think the issue could really have done with some Tina. As both a physical challenge to Captain Triumph, as well as an emotional support. Both characters are going through something similar, and I feel that they would have really clicked. I sure hope that Harley crashing the continuity hasn’t wiped her out of this timeline.
I do, unfortunately, think that some of the Harley Quinn issues have been falling into a bit of a similar routine, or story arch. In which, Harley turns up to a situation, acts of the wall crazy and things get a lot worse, and a lot crazier before ultimately getting better. I hope that this one doesn’t do that and Humphries takes this story to the high potential it has.
Verdict
Overall, this was a breath of fresh air from the stale Harley Quinn title. I hope it continues that way. A good start to what I hope is a solid story arch from the creative team.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
