Comic Review: Harley Quinn vs Zatanna

In this review of DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna #1, it’s Round Five of the event as the crazed anti-hero faces off against the famed magician. Ohw sniw siht thgif?

DC K.O.: HARLEY QUINN VS. ZATANNA #1
Written by LEAH WILLIAMS
Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO
Main Cover: JORGE CORONA
Variant Covers: FRANK CHO, JAMAL CAMPBELL, MIRKA ANDOLFO, DAVID NAKAYAMA
Page Count: 48 pages
Release Date: 12/17/25

DC K.O. continues as this time Harley and Zatanna duke it out to see who will take on Darkseid to fight for the fate of the DC Universe.

Zatanna sees that Harley is in the same area that she is and runs up to her and asks to agree on a fair fight. As Zatanna is asking for fairness, Harley whacks her in the throat with her mallet.

Harley does it so Zatanna can’t use her magic because she figures he can take her in hand to hand combat.

Harley makes quick work of Zatana and wins the first round of the best two out of three in this matchup. After the win, Harley is granted some abilities to do a quick costume change. Harley baits Zatanna into fighting a bit more dirtier because the stakes are so high. Zatanna takes the bait and wins round two. Now it is winner take all.

For the final round, Harley powers up with some magic to make it a true fair fight with one of the DC Universe’s greatest magicians. Harley is ready for her killshot and keeps taunting Zantana about how she is always in the shadow of her father and John Constintine. This enrages Zantanna to a point where she kills Harley to win the match. Harley tells Zatanna that it’s ok and she has a chance to win the tournament but she just has to be more ruthless.

Zantanna says that she will use the power to bring Harley back and stands, ready to fight and shouts “who’s next?!”

Analysis

For a tie-in to a big DC crossover event, Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna #1 was pretty good. It was different to see Zantanna really let loose and lose control and kill someone but that is what the Omega Tournament is calling for. Harley carries much of the dialogue in this issue. I haven’t read many comics involving Harley but she kept breaking the fourth wall. Is this a thing? Are they making her DC’s version of Deadpool? I guess it could work but it seems out of place in a DC book. Very strange.

Harley doing all the costume changes reminded me of the scene in Holiday Knights where her and Ivy do the same during the shopping montage. Maybe that’s just on my mind because its the holidays or maybe Williams was intentional with it.

Like I said Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna #1 is a DC K.O. tie-in one-shot. This isn’t exactly going to be Watchmen or Dark Knight Returns but for the people who read all the ties in every event, they won’t hate this. I have bought and read worse issues than this one. 

BJ Shea

BJ has had two passions in his life: sports and comic books. Specifically Batman and Robin. Not a day has gone by where BJ hasn’t watched or read something Batman-related. Currently, his goal is to collect as many Dick Grayson (his favorite character) issues as he can. Doesn’t matter if he’s Robin or Nightwing or Agent 37, he wants them. Another goal he has is to collect the complete Robin run of Tim Drake’s classic series. Raised on reruns of Adam West and was there for the animated series, BJ is down for any version of Batman. The Dark Knight is his favorite movie ever. On any day, BJ is most likely watching sports, watching anything Batman, or The Office.