17 ARTISTS 1 BOOK:
1) Amanda Conner
2) Jimmy Palmiotti
3) Charlie Adlard
4) Art Baltazar
5) Becky Cloonan
6) Darwyn Cooke
7) Tony S. Daniel
8) Sam Kieth
9) Bruce Timm
10) Jim Lee
11) Stephane Roux
12) Tradd Hardin
13) Adam Hughes
14) Dave Johnson
15) Dan Panosian
16) Jeremy Roberts
17) Walter Simonson
These are the 17 artists who contributed work to the now released #0 issue of Harley Quinn. It's a book that is similar to Deadpool with it's writing style but a book that was also very different than any other book that I've read.
I really enjoyed this new book for Harley Quinn but it's also going to be the only one that they do of this style. What DC Comics did this time was take those 17 artists and had them draw a scene that Harley Quinn would be in. It's basically their tryout for the book and was a contest that DC Comics put on where DC Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee would judge the winner. It's also the book that cause some controversy because there was a scene that showed Harley Quinn in a bathtub, nude, and surrounded by electrical appliances that where plugged in.
Now at the time of this news being released it was out of context because I had no idea what the exact nature of the story was that put Harley Quinn in a situation like that. Sure there was some talk about it being about her committing suicide but what it turns out to be is a conversation going on throughout the book between Harley Quinn with the writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner where they talk about the artists ideas of Harley Quinn in the book. In one scene it is brought up that she was in the book Suicide Squad, which leads to scenes depicting her in situations that would look like she was trying to kill herself. Though the scene with her in the tub is not in the book there are others that make the art fit the story.
It's a good book and I really enjoyed reading it. Having Harley Quinn break the fourth wall (hence the reason I said it's like Deadpool since he does that a lot in his book) while also having it showing the contestants. There's been similar contests where a publisher has had people submit their work and with the internet, we the fans have been able to see some of that work that's been submitted to some of those contests. This time it was different because they showed most (not all cause yes that panel was removed to be replaced) of what those artiste submitted. Though, what would have been even cooler, DC letting the readers pick who won the contest.
By the way, the winner, Jeremy Roberts, was also the one that drew the tub scene.
They choose a great aritst for the book and his work he submitted is awesome. I like the way she looks, he needs to give her the dark patches around her eyes though because without them she just don't quite look like Harley Quinn. There wasn't one artist in this book that I didn't like, but I still had my favorites. The top of the list being Bruce Timm, of course, considering he co-created Harley Quinn with Paul Dini, so yes his submission of her looking like her original Batman Animated self is my favorite. Second up is Amanda Conner who is able to capture everything that makes Harley Quinn great, the fun innocent look/side she has, the whimsical I don't care, smart, and someone not to mess with. Adam Hughes and Jim Lee compete for third but they really almost are a given considering their level of talent already. But like I said, all 17 artists do a great job on this book and it was one that I now have to find the last variant cover to have them all.
ETERNAL THANKSGIVING:
At the back of Harley Quinn #0 there is a two page splash of Batman and others having Thanksgiving. It's being called the Batman Eternal Thanksgiving and it's got a lot of talk going on about it, which is no surprise considering the drawing. Just take a look.
There is just so much going on in this picture. Alfred is wearing a straight jacket, Gordon is in cuffs, the bones, is that a shining wedding ring on Batwoman, and who is the hooded figure? What is going to happen I don't know, that's what this is a teaser but there are already talk out there about the bones might being a foreshadowing of death and past deaths, why Dick Grayson is not in there, who is the woman at the top of the table with her hand on the bowl, and is that a robin bird on Titus? Also, pay attention to everything on this drawing, the backgrounds (the ice thing in the water), the scenery (ivy growing and roses), small bits (like the bandages in the bowl and Professor Pyg holding toy trains), and line of sights of the characters. If anyone has any ideas post them cause I want to know.