Harley Quinn #2
Harley Quinn #2 is a foundational chapter in the first ongoing solo series ever given to one of DC's most enduring breakout characters — a character who, unusually, had originated not on the comics page but in animation. The issue immediately established the series' tonal formula: Harley attempting to function independently of the Joker, stumbling into alliances with other Gotham rogues (here, Two-Face), and ultimately following her own warped moral compass rather than any villain's agenda. It also seeded a recurring cast of supporting antagonists — the Two-Bear brothers, Frank Surley, Bo Donner, Mr. Zed, and Mr. Able — who would recur throughout Karl Kesel's run, giving the title an ensemble texture rarely seen in villain-led books of that era. Poison Ivy's appearance (in hallucination form) quietly underscored the Harley–Ivy dynamic that would become central to the character's long-term evolution across comics, animation, and live-action.
In "A Heart Broken in Two!", Harley Quinn takes a bold new turn, aligning with Two-Face in hopes of finding a fresh start—only to face a moral crossroads when he targets a vulnerable woman with schizophrenia. Written by Karl Kesel and brought to life by Terry Dodson’s dynamic art, with Rachel Dodson’s inks and Alex Sinclair’s colors, this 2001 issue captures Harley at a pivotal moment, where loyalty clashes with conscience. The cover by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson perfectly frames the tension of her fractured choices.
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The Harley Quinn ongoing series was launched in December 2000 by writer Karl Kesel and artist Terry Dodson, with Rachel Dodson on inks — a creative team that would define the character's first major solo chapter. Kesel, a seasoned DC writer and inker known for Adventures of Superman and Superboy, brought a screwball-comedy sensibility to the book that distinguished it from the grimmer corners of the Batman line. Issue #2 continued directly from the oversized debut, deepening the world-building and introducing the recurring bounty-hunter figures who would thread through subsequent issues.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Story title: 'A Heart Broken in Two!' — written by Karl Kesel, pencilled by Terry Dodson, inked by Rachel Dodson, colored by Alex Sinclair.
- Cover date: January 2001; on-sale date: November 8, 2000.
- First appearances of Kennedy 'Kenny' Two-Bear and Nixon 'Nix' Two-Bear, two brothers who recur as antagonists throughout Kesel's run (both characters reach their final appearance in issue #12).
- First appearances of Frank Surley and Bo Donner, bodyguard characters connected to the Cartwright kidnapping plot who continue as bounty-hunter foils in later issues.
- First appearances of Mr. Zed and Mr. Able, antagonists introduced in this issue's subplot.
- Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley) and the Joker appear in hallucination/flashback form — not in person — illustrating Harley's psychological break from her past relationships as she tries to go it alone.
- The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot) makes a cameo appearance; the Iceberg Lounge serves as a key scene location, grounding the story in the broader Gotham villain ecosystem.
- The issue has been reprinted multiple times, including in Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes, Harley Quinn By Karl Kesel and Terry Dodson: Deluxe Edition Book One, and DC Finest: Harley Quinn: The Birth of the Mirth (2025).
Cast · 12 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in DC Präsentiert #2 (2001), Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes #[nn] (2008), Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes #[nn] (2009), Batman - Harley Quinn #1 (2014), DC Comics Graphic Novel Collection #9 (2015), Harley Quinn by Karl Kesel and Terry Dodson: The Deluxe Edition #1 (2017), DC Finest: Harley Quinn: The Birth of the Mirth #[nn] (2025)
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