Leah Williams and Mirka Andolfo bring us another star-studded showdown as part of the action-packed DC K.O. event. This round comes courtesy of ‘All Fight Month,’ DC’s term for tie-in issues spotlighting best-of-three 1v1 fights between the tournament’s remaining contenders.
DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna is the fifth of these fights, and Leah Williams takes the opportunity to give us, at first glance, the most one-sided fight yet. After all, Zatanna is one of the most powerful magicians in DC canon, and Harley is… well… Harley. It’s something she herself recognizes instantly in the first round. While Zatanna confidently approaches with a handshake to a “fair” fight, Harley instantly slams her hammer into her throat, making it impossible for her to speak and thus cast spells.
This gives Harley a much easier round one, but the others don’t follow suit. Harley toys with Zatanna throughout, mocking her and ridiculing her until Zatanna finally snaps and unleashes her magic to kill Harley. Though Zatanna seems horrified for taking a life, Harley explains in her final breaths that it was always part of her plan. She was never going to make it past Zatanna, so she used the opportunity to push Zatanna to the more morally grey. To give her a real chance to win the whole tournament.
Harley Quinn’s Meta-Commentary and Characterization Concerns
The biggest problem this issue runs into is one of characterization. For one, Harley Quinn continues the trend of becoming vaguely Deadpool-ified with winks to the camera and other fourth-wall breaks. It feels especially jarring in the wake of a series like Erica Henderson’s Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes, which presents a much more grounded take on her personality. There are hints of that here, Harley seemingly using her experience with the Joker to fuel her tirade against Zatanna, but it ends up a bit overshadowed by the fourth wall breaks.
Zatanna here also feels notably more naive than her depiction in something like Jamal Campbell’s solo series. While changing characterization between writers is just a part of these characters, this issue feels especially anachronistic. In spite of these differences, the core message of this issue does a good job of justifying itself in the larger scheme of DC K.O. This fight presents Zatanna with a similar conflict to that of Superman in the main series.
Both approach their fights with a degree of honor and care for their opponents. Still, where Superman staunchly refuses to bend, the events of this issue bring out a rage in Zatanna that places her almost as a foil to Big Blue’s experience in the tournament. It’s a compelling take, though it remains to be seen if the main series will pick up on this thread.
Mirka Andolfo’s Art Steals the Show in DC K.O.
In the art department, you can tell that Mirka Andolfo is having a blast with this issue. Zatanna and Harley are both so animated in their posing and facial expressions, and while the style is distinctly more cute than some other tie-ins, it works to the issue’s favor, giving some distinct visual identity and flair.
The cuter style also matches the emotional tone of the issue while providing a fun dose of dissonance with the violent actions on display. There’s also some spectacular staging being done within the panels that makes the otherwise relatively standard fight pop. The colors from Romulo Fajardo Jr. serve to pull the style together perfectly, the lighting and shading in particular adding a dramatic flair to the cute aesthetic that helps ground the stakes. Steve Wands, on letters, also does solid work, never drawing attention from the core conflict and art.
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Final Verdict: Is Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna Worth Reading?
Ultimately, DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna is a mixed bag. As a tie-in, it justifies itself by echoing the main series’ core conflict, yet it’s hindered by character work that feels thin compared to contemporary iterations. Even if the story fails to leave a lasting mark on the event, the visual flair provided by Andolfo ensures the issue is worth at least a casual glance.
KPB Comics’ Zatanna & Harley Quinn Related:
‘DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna’ #1 Is a Star-Studded Anachronism
DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna is a mixed bag. As a tie-in, it justifies itself by echoing the main series’ core conflict, yet it’s hindered by character work that feels thin compared to contemporary iterations.
