Warning: Contains spoilers for Harley Quinn: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour #6!
The comic spin-off of the Harley Quinn and the world around her has become one of the most open and inclusive versions in the DC character's history. Now, a new character has entered the story, and with her comes a spotlight for those in the disability community.
The sixth and final issue in the series picks up with Ivy discovering that Harley has been kidnapped by the newest supervillain on the block, Mephitic. Unsure where to go and what to do, she seeks help from the one person she can think of: attempted to control Vixen. It's not until Elle, Vixen's girlfriend, steps in that things take a turn for the better both in of story and representation.
Elle was originally introduced with Vixen in Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour #4, but this final issue is where she really shines and plays a much bigger role. Stepping in at the sound of Vixen and Ivy awkwardly conversing, Elle questions what's going on. When she discovers that Harley has been kidnapped, she convinces Vixen to work with Ivy and leads the two upstairs to suit up for the rescue mission. The interesting part about Elle's appearance though is that she's missing her right leg. Her appearance is never brought into question by either Vixen or Ivy. It's just a part of who she is, which is a huge step forward for people in the disability community. By casually introducing a person with a limb difference, the writers and artists are reinforcing the fact that all humans come in many shapes and sizes and walk multiple different paths in life.
What's even more exciting is the decision to make Elle the catalyst for the final act. Without her, it's possible that Vixen could have turned Ivy away to rescue Harley on her own. It would have been so easy to just make Elle a background character to show that Vixen has a love life, but no. The writers cleverly integrate her into the story to show that a person with a disability has every right to be a part of the plot and can do anything to help. Yes, her disability may not play a role in how she persuades Vixen, but the inclusion of it is what's important. It represents a largely overlooked group of people, showing that they're just as capable as anyone to benefit society. The point is to show that her disability isn't a hinderance, and doing so breaks what has become a common negative stereotype in popular media.
The inclusion of Elle in this final issue of Harley Quinn and Ivy drive back to Gotham.
