Injustice - Ground Zero ch 11 Review

             

Black Hearts Part 1

Plot: Brian Buccellato

Script: Christopher Sebela

Art: Marco Santucci

Colours: J. Nanjan 

Letters: Wes Abbott

Cover: Renato Guedes

Assistant Editor: Rob Levin

Editor: Jim Chadwick

Release date: Dec 2016

Opening up with Harley in her getaway present Batmobile with Shazam in the passenger seat, harassing Oracle/Batgirl/Barbara Gordon. That Fwunk sound is not Harley's questionable driving skills (we've all seen the animated series!) but rather Black Adam landing on the car, in search of Batman and finding our favourite jester instead. 

They exchange pleasantries before Black Adam declares he doesn't like Harley, and attacks. 

I like this little dialogue. Everyone else in this comic who uses the pills only really discusses their use in combat, or how much stock they have. Harley tells us just how much they mean to her - it's not the power as such - but more the confidence boost. Which probably explains why this Harley is so much more awesome than her other incarnations, as well as being a hell of a lot more relatable/likeable. 

Meanwhile, back at Wayne Manor the super friends are discussing their battle - which apparently ended in between scenes? 

The Green Arrow in this series is also hilarious. 

Unbeknown to them, Nightcreeper (Damian) is fully stalking them. Back in Harley's story, a familiar group comes to her aid! It's her henchmen! Yay! An Terry/Jerry is getting a raise! Yay!

Shazzy is stirring in the vehicle while Black Adam abuses his power in the face of non-powered opponents, and still disputes it when Harley calls him a bully. Yes, that is Harley Quinn still sparking after being electrocuted. I'm not sure if her henchmen have had any green pills lately but they seem to have survived which is fantastic because if something happened to these guys it would break my heart.

Harley again calls out Black Adam for what he is - a coward as well as a bully. I'm usually a lot more sympathetic to the black sheep of the Shazam family but he's usually written as a bit of an unrelenting if smart, jerk character. Here is no exception. I'm pretty sure he got a pretty ruthless beat down from Superman and Wonder Woman back in Injustice Year One so I'm not sure why he's back on their side, or if this is an alternate universe Black Adam. 

This panel I like a lot. It's very Harley. 

"Things'd be so much easier if I could turn my heart off. Walk away from all this, travel the world in a submarine (presumably named Gunther). Instead, I'm stuck here babysitting my army, Billy, the entire world."

So very Harley. She would normally run away, she doesn't have to be involved with this but she can't just up and leave because she knows people are depending on her. This Harley is someone who loves a lot, even when it's cost her dearly but she can't stop doing it. Harley makes friends easily, even in somewhat unorthodox ways and although people claim to be annoyed by her, they find themselves caring for her too. 

She's chosen her side and is doing what's right for herself and the people she loves - especially now she has the back up and confidence to do so. 

Again, this Harley is ten times the character she's portrayed as in her own comic and in the Suicide Squad movie/books and is a lot more like the original character I fell in love with. 

THE GOOD!

Harley Quinn's characterisation - have I mentioned I like?

The part when she can't abandon her allies no matter how much she wants to. This is what makes her such an interesting villain because she's not purely bad, she's got into this life for love and that hasn't changed. Her character can evolve and develop and she's easy to relate to. 

THE BAD!

I felt like Black Adam just randomly started wailing on Harley Quinn. I get it, he was after Batman, and he's not one for small talk. So him starting a fist fight is believable, but I feel like he would just as easily fly away to complete his task. I dunno, it just felt kinda forced.

THE UGLY!

Man, Batgirl was kinda snarky here. This feels weird because while Harley Quinn and herself are never going to be best buddies - we have seen them hang out and Batgirl seems to tolerate her or understand what she's doing. Here it's kinda like "butt out, I'm playing my vidja games!"

THE VERDICT!

I loved this comic. Harley's interactions with a variety of characters is believable and interesting. 

Whether it's with the captive Shazzy that she cares for, her fairly easy going henchmen, the kinda catty Batgirl, the antagonistic Black Adam, dialogue flows easily and it feels realistic.