Rebirth Harley Quinn #23

Cover one: usual blah versions of Harley Quinn as depicted by Connor. A lot of the images aren't even reminiscent of the versions they're supposed to be - their stock standard Hardly Quinn is front and centre - including their weird 'punk rocker' Quinn. Others like Bombshell Harley are given cross eyes and shoved off centre, Arkham Asylum Harley has the wrong colours (ironically) and none of the attitude that made her popular. The best parts of this is when they rip off someone else's style - like Dodson's Harley Quinn or even the hideous original Suicide Squad Harley Quinn complete with pinprick crazy eyes. They've even given her hyena puppies for some reason. You don't get hyena pups because they're cute... you get them because you are so awesome you rise above conventional pets!!

Which makes cover two look like a piece of gosh darned valuable art. I've often criticised the second covers because even though they're beautiful and they're usually Quinn at her most Harley-ish style wise.. they're bland. The backgrounds are non-existent and Harley's usually doing something that doesn't mesh with her new personality. Like use a bike or a swing set without killing anyone.

This one has motion and looks great. Just don't look too closely or you might ask why they need dance steps to jive to the Batman soundtrack which they aren't even following anyway. They keep shoe-horning that freakin' dog in there too. Can you feed him or something? He looks starved for attention and/or food.

Birds of Prey episode 1: Pilot

Alright - finally time to get back into Birds of Prey: the 2002 TV show that was a bit too far out there or perhaps early for it's time. Heaven knows today is the golden age of superhero shows being green lit left right and centre even if they're corny AF.

I think one of the main problems this show was that it was sort of an Elseworlds story. People would watch it and be all like who's Helena Kyle? Why is Dinah a little psychic kid? Where's Batman? What's a meta? Nothing, what's the meta with you? Haha I joke.

Alfred Pennyworth narrates our intro which shows a lot of CGI city porn... uhm, a lot of CGI city po- I mean, a lot, a lot a lot a lot of CGI city po- there's Loo-LOOOOOTS of CGI city porn, HUGE huuge amounts... ch-gk-gah.... LOOOTS!

Batman Beyond: Comic Adaption

Let's face it - adaptions are hit and miss.

Things are cut out and missed in film adaptions because there just isn't enough time in the movie to include every awesome detail that the books had.

What about comic adaptions of already existing movies though?





In case you haven't watched Batman Beyond... go and watch Batman Beyond. And then come back.

Anyway, Batman Beyond is set in the 21st century Gotham City and features a new Batman - former bad boy turned hero Terry McGinnis who is reluctantly mentored by original Batman Bruce Wayne.
This says a lot about him because Batman Wayne has always been extremely strict with his Batgang and who can represent him and his symbol, even if he is too old to be the Batman himself anymore.
Terry  is enjoyable to watch and seems genuinely suited to the role of Batman. I am personally disappointed in the way he spells his last name, but I guess that's not exactly his fault.

What we're going to talk about today is the comic adaption of the straight to video movie based off Batman Beyond titled Return of the Joker.

Elseworlds: Batman - Thrillkiller

Published: 1998 

Writer: Howard Chaykin

Art: Don Brereton

Letters: Bill Oakley

Originally published as three single issues in the name of Thrillkiller '62, this collected volumes remains my favourite Elseworlds story and one of my better Batman related stories.

If the name didn't give it away, it's set in 1961 for the first part and then 1962. We're introduced to two vigilantes, Batgirl and Robin who seem to always show up wherever dirty cops make an appearance.

The art is pretty unique, dramatic and although it's more reminiscent of painted posters there's a definite feel of movement in it which is something that most modern artists fail to capture.

Batgirl has an exposed midriff but she's not oversexualised. Her physique and strength is the focus even though she's defined as so gorgeous she could give showgirls a run for their money.

This is something else most modern comic artists suck at portraying.

In case you're not familiar with it - the entire Elseworlds concept is to take existing characters and put them in different settings for a standalone story. For example, Gotham by Gaslight features a version of Batman that chases down Jack the Ripper.


So in this incarnation, Batgirl is the main hero with Robin as her sidekick. Her father is still the commissioner while Bruce Wayne - having lost all his families money in the depression has since found work in the GCPD.

Naturally, the world's greatest detective in bat ears is good at his job but never quite fits in with the others but gets along with and respects Jim.

Gotham City Sirens #3

Forgetting how weird I think those turn over heeled boots look on Harley Quinn.. this cover is ace. It sets a sort of Bond girls sort of look, we can see Harley's leg, Ivy is posing looking back at us like we're useless sacks of meat and Catwoman's whip is strewn all over the place. They've got a clear colour scheme going on. The logo of the comic flows over the figures like it's being projected in the sky, Bat-signal style and the question marks in the background give a clever (heh heh) nod to the special guest without being too on the nose.

Speaking of - here he is. Dead.

There's a lot of dialogue boxes here, from the 'current' not Bruce Wayne Batman. They explain why the Riddler was a massive pain in the ass crime wise but that he was gone now.

Clarity awaits on the next page, when we're told that Edward Nygma is still alive, kicking and presumably a whizz at puzzles.

Turns out Eddie has been trying to solve a tricky case in his new guise at private investigator.

His rude interruption arrives in the form of two out of three of the Sirens - Ivy and Catwoman who are understandably concerned because Harley is missing.

Eddie has been a bit focused on his case that he's been almost gleefully ignoring the sirens but when asked directly he bluntly replies, airing his grievances about being kidnapped and brainwashed himself and the sirens were either directly responsible or did little or nothing to help him.

Eddie realises that the murderer is leaving clues to their next murder on the bodies of the previous victim.

Rebirth Harley Quinn #22

Again with the two covers cash grab. This is a constant with Hardly Quinn comics, constantly milking their cash cow. The first one doesn't really work for me but I can appreciate the attempted humour. The classic style cover is pretty, but doesn't offer anything apart from the realisation that the outfit looks weird without the eye piece.

Yes, Hardly's Unusually Jewish Parents have come to visit for.. some.. reason that's crucial to the plot. I think.

They don't introduce them very well in my opinion. We don't actually know how much THEY know about their corpse like daughter and if they - like the rest of the friggin' world - seem to have forgotten that she was kind of an associate to a mass murdering psychotic clown and has put her doctorates to a great use behind bars.

Instead we get to hear about how much they experimented before marriage and how they think she's got a skin condition.

Now even if they didn't realise their daughter is a murdering whack job... do they not even recognise eco-terrorist Poison Ivy?

Harley's Little Black Book #2

Going back to a bit of an older comic in this series featuring yet another gratuitous cameo.... chance for Hardly to completely mess up another character... Hardly both meets and screws up another character's entire premise and also features cameos from other characters that have no importance whatsoever.

The plot - or whatever passes for it - is this parody of some nineties dude bros finding a dead alien and immediately trying to make some money by selling the alien rings on an eBay knockoff.

Then it's just several pages of Hardly trying to outbid some random for some reason. She fails to get the Green Lantern ring but is able to get a hybrid red-black ring because of course.

These writers spend waaay too much time on unimportant backstory and fail to make any cohesive story-line. The first thing I thought of was how easily this would be nipped in the bud. I mean hell, you pick up goods that hot and you put them on eBay?

With no consequences? Sure. I'm sure the Lantern Corps.. any of them... won't mind the ring being sold to some random when it's supposed to assign to the next carrier automatically, even if they haven't bid the highest.



It's... kind of what they do. If these guys even knew what the whole Lanterns thing was about they could have tied this into it but as usual, they don't give much of a rats.

Batman and Harley Quinn prequel

Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn in comics?
Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn in the news?
Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn in the media?
Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn anywhere?

Well damn, son, you better start opening your eyes because she's already everywhere.

Anyway, there's one more comic containing Harley Quinn coming out soon and I wanted to blog about it because I think it'll actually be good.

I'm not talking about whatever fresh hell this is:

but rather this:

Suicide Squad New 52 #3

Okay, this cover is.. a bunch of dudes in armour taken out by another dude with a fascinating groin shield while Harley leaps towards them, boobs first, with no eye balls, and some poor old guy's toupe around her neck.
When I first saw it, I thought that someone had superimposed Black Spider's head on Deadshot's body.



The Squad has 21 minutes until their evacuation but they'd hiding out in a diner and being shot at by some random called Mad Dog.

Black Spider thinks he's the only one to use smoke grenades and heat vision goggles.

Black Spider is wrong.


Black Spider gets shot for his arrogant stupidity.

This image of Harley - even with the New 52 get up - is perfect characterisation. She would totally do this during a siege. So again, not an ideal team member but hey.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #12! Quintessence Pt 4

A Date Which Will Live In Infamy!

Nov 2001

Last issue, Harley had escaped the Bat-gang, Nixon was creating trouble, Batman shed his disguise and the Quinntets had captured Jack and Di Happi... while Chispazo has been taken to a secret room in Harley's hideout.

This issue literally opens with the Happi's perspective... tied together, upside down in an elevator shaft with Mr. Chitters - the vengeful monkey with the razor sharp cymbals for company.

Harley and the Quinntets have more important things to do than hang around and watch where the lift stops at. At least, they think they do, because Harley hasn't told them her exact plans for the evening yet.

Kenny is on Nixon's side.. his loyalty being extremely tested between blood and boss.

Nixon springs his coup just as Bo and Surley bust in - expecting only four or five henchmen buuuuuut.....

Nixon has been a busy little recruiter.. but luckily,  this slight distraction starts a massive free for all battle royale.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #11! Quintessence Pt 3

The Girl is Bats

Oct 2001

Last time we had two Batgirls - one is Harley Quinn in disguise as classic Batgirl and the other is Cassandra Cain, reformed assassin, woman of few words but needs no words to kick your butt - falling to their inevitable demise via the short walk, tall wall, flat street pizza method. 

 Even though the heroine/anti-heroine is in imminent danger, we open with a flash back of classic Batgirl Barbara Gordon in her hey-day, taking out Mad Hatter and his goons.

Speaking of goons, eagle eyed viewers (or every kind of viewer, now I'm pointing it out) may spot our jack of all henchmen Kenny Two-Bear!

Barbara flashes back to the fateful events of The Killing Joke but is brought back to present day by her beau in blue, Nightwing! I know I'm not alone in saying this was a popular OTP and this scene shows it with their flirty yet relaxed banter.

They're interrupted by Robin, asking for help from anyone but Nightwing, but Nightwing ain't taking that lying down (or standing up for that matter) and races out to help.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #10! Quintessence Pt 2

Brilliant Mistake

Sept 2001

When we last left Harley Quinn, Killer Croc has just rendered her unconscious by using her as a bowling ball in her own bowling alley, no less!



Luckily, her subconscious (consisting of Angel Harleen Quinzel and Devil Joker) is here to help her snap out of it.

I love these two. Harley Quinn knows deep down that she should really listen to Harleen and that Joker is a bad influence, but the way these two characters interact with her show that she thinks Harleen is a buzzkill and even though she knows how bad Joker is, and they're all broken up.. he's still the tempting voice of fun to her, and is no way as abusive to her in real life.

That and she's pretty fast in reacting, thoroughly bewildering Croc before stabbing him with some pins and also some blows to his self esteem.

Three strikes, and Croc is out!



Pretty impressive, given that Croc often gives even Batman a headache. Harley has the element of unpredictability as well as the home turf advantage even though she's injured.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #9! Quintessence Pt 1

Shop Til You're Dropped!

Aug 2001

When we last left Harley, she was preparing to go shopping to blow off steam from her encounter with her old college professor. This issue is set to take place straight away and I love the cover. The hyenas look both goofy and threatening, there's appropriate foreshadowing and a bunch of different crowds coming after her while she shops nonchalantly.

This is a thing she does.

As well as the awesome cover, the first page is a recap that's done in a unique nursery rhyme style  while the art is reminiscent of Punch and Judy's style.

Harley's found a nice purse in her browsing but hits a slight hitch when the cashier recognises the name on the credit cards matches the dead fellow on the news.

Before she can provide her other method of payment, she's spotted by some goons (love how they have to have two pictures - one as Dr. Quinzel and one as Harley Quinn to identify the blonde holding a gun to a cashier while her hyenas look on.)

She dispatches them easily with a variety of fashion and shopping puns and also gag weapons.

Suicide Squad New 52 #2

So this cover has issues - Harley's thigh is the rough size of her waist, her arms are comically skinny with - given this is only issue two - a disturbing lack of detail/inconsistency on the gauntlets, her breasts look like popped water balloons and the ridiculous cape is missing.
Deadshot has a weird action pose going on, showing off his weirdly shaped groin protector with legs like a prehistoric beast and I'm not sure if the silly string around his arm is there to hinder him or if he rappelled down into this murky looking battlefield.
King Shark looks way over scale, like someone started drawing him and then realised they made a mistake but just couldn't stop. Which is probably why the rest of his body.. isn't where it should be? Also they weren't sure what a hammerhead shark looked like and just drew a fin wherever.


Believe it or not, this issue gave me hope for Harley Quinn.

Heck, even Deadshot sounds more like Deadshot.

He goes through the first round of several bouts, bitching about his lot (even mentioning the neck bombs that got kind of glossed over in issue one) and introducing his team mates snarkily.

I do like Harley's intro here and I can see her doing this, it's pretty in character and actually funny. Not just the comment itself but that Harley has seen Deadshot scoping them all out and decides to take the mickey out of him.

The art on this page is quite nice as well, although I don't understand how Deadshot knows what to shoot when all his scope shows him is random squiggles.