DC Finest: Harley Quinn: The Ballad of Harley Quinn

Every disaster is a love song when Harley Quinn’s involved. DC Finest: Harley Quinn: The Ballad of Harley Quinn traces Harley’s journey from Joker’s wayward henchgirl to chaotic, complicated leading lady—through friendships,  romances, near-death experiences, and a whole lot of questionable life choices.

The comprehensive collection of Harley Quinn’s merry misadventures kicks into high gear as legendary talents Karl Kesel and Terry and Rachel Dodson take over the Clown Princess of Crime’s first solo series.

After a too-close call with the GCPD, Harley and gal pal Poison Ivy try to lay low in Metropolis, but their best-laid plans draw unwanted attention from a whole gaggle of do-gooders—and Bizarro as well! But the fun doesn’t stop there, as Kesel and the Dodsons are joined by a cadre of other high-caliber collaborators—including Judd Winick, Joe Chiodo, Paul D. Storrie, and Jennifer Graves—for even more long-form fun with the Maid of Mischief and her ever-expanding social circle!

Collects Harley Quinn #9-25, Harley Quinn: Our Worlds at War, Harley and Ivy: Love on the Lam, and Gotham Girls #1-5. | Karl Kesel is one of the most successful artists to come out of DC’s New Talent program, and counts Jack Kirby as a major influence on his work—while having a fondness for Kirby’s quirky character creations. Kesel has built a solid reputation as a respected inker on such titles as Superman and Suicide Squad in addition to his efforts as a writer on Harley Quinn, Adventures of Superman, and Superboy.

In 1993, Oregon-based Terry Dodson first gained industry attention with his distinctive illustrative style on Mantra for Malibu Comics. He next moved on to Marvel Comics where he worked on X-Men titles as Storm and Generation X. Shortly afterward, Dodson launched Harley Quinn for DC Comics with writer Karl Kesel, starring the Joker’s deadly female sidekick. Dodson collaborated with writer Mark Millar on the year-long blockbuster Marvel Knights Spider-Man, and then with writer/ filmmaker Kevin Smith on Spider-Man and the Black Cat. He returned to DC Comics to help re-launch Wonder Woman, working
alongside noted writers Allan Heinberg, Gail Simone, and Jodi Picoult.
Dodson remains a popular artist in the industry, a status he attributes in large part to the contributions of his wife, Rachel, who adds her masterly inking to his work.