Review: Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1
Harley Quinn is probably the most bizarre of all supervillains across the entire medium of comics. Although she is presented as certifiably insane and pure evil in some contexts, in other she is presented very differently. In a way this is maybe even comparable to her major nemesis, Batman, who at times is presented very differently in his own titles, versus those of the bigger universe. So Harley is either a murderous psychopath or a mischievous anarchist more interested in fun than harm. It would seem as those that are big fans of the character regard her more as the latter, as a fun-loving character with the morality turned off.
For those fans of the latter, they are likely to enjoy the Harley Quinn Holiday Special (given #1 as an issue number, does DC plan to make this a yearly thing?) This issue contains three stories, all of them loosely tied together with the concept introduced in the first one. And those expecting to find a murder-themed Christmas special are only going to find puppies here instead. Lots of puppies. While the characters is not particularly Christmas themed, it is handled well here as her own neuroses and 
psychoses are melded well into the stories, two focusing on Christmas and one on New Year’s Eve. In so doing she is shown to capture somewhat the Christmas spirit, even when the match doesn’t seem natural.
In terms of quality this is probably a bit far off of what most readers expect out of mainstream superhero comics, although fans of the character are likely to find this issue exactly on mark. DC deserves some credit though for trying something a little different here. Although trying new directions was lauded as one of the inspirations of the new 52, it has often been absent, and despite the previous holiday themed special falling flat (the Young Justice Valentine’s Day special), it is evident here that at times DC does let its creative teams have a wider net in which to catch. This is by no means great comic writing, but it is quaint and fun, which is part of what Christmas is supposed to be about anyway.
Story: Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti Art: Brandt Peters, Darwyn Cooke and Mauricet
Story: 8.2 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Read
It’s no secret that Darwyn Cooke has garnered wide acclaim, including multiple Eisner and Harvey awards, adapting Donald E. Westlake’s world of Parker into graphic novels. But what should catch your attention is that the acclaimed writer/artist is providing all-new illustrations for the classic Parker novels by Richard Stark (Westlake’s pen name), presented for the first time in a deluxe format. The series will be released in chronological order, and launch with The Hunter, the inaugural Parker story. Each book will contain 10 gorgeous paintings by Cooke, and, with the design and typography overseen by the renowned artist, this series promises to be a stylish tour-de-force.
IDW Publishing announced its plan to expand their relationship with Darwyn Cooke and the Estate of Donald E. Westlake to include illustrated Parker novels. Cooke, who will continue producing his award-winning Parker graphic novel series for IDW, will now also illustrate Westlake’s ground-breaking crime novels. For the first time, the Parker novels will be published in a deluxe, hardcover format, and with Cooke designing the series, as well as providing stunning color illustrations to accompany Westlake’s (AKA, Richard Stark’s) crime classics! The first book, The Hunter, will arrive in the first half of 2014. Additional editions will be released in chronological order thereafter.
