DC Universe Originals: Harley Quinn Episode 1

What's it about?

Series overview: The series will focus on a newly single Harley Quinn, who sets off to make it on her own in Gotham City.

Episode Specific: 'Til Death do us Part

Following an unsuccessful yacht robbery, Harley Quinn is sent to Arkham Asylum while deluded that her boss and lover Joker would break her out. A year later, Poison Ivy manages to get Harley out during a prison break and tries to convince her that Joker does not love her. Despite Ivy's support, Harley's attempt to break up with Joker fails after he sweet-talked her into staying with him. The Riddler, who also escaped Arkham, provokes Joker in sending Harley to kill him. But she and Batman are both captured with Riddler forcing Joker to choose who to save while the other is submerged in acid. Joker ultimately chooses Batman with Harley realising she never meant anything to the former, learning the ploy was devised by Ivy and Riddler to drive that point home. Following a costume change, Harley officially breaks up with Joker while declaring her intention to make a name for herself in the criminal underworld.

What's good about it?

The animation is good. Colours are nice, physiques aren't too bad... Harley has some amazing gymnastic moves that look great and not cheaply animated at all. There are some smart/funny lines but not nearly as much as I expected.

Jim Gordon was a horrific example of mis-characterisation, but he was funny and entertaining so that can slide a bit. 

The ton of references that weren't in our faces:

• The 'Mad Love' nightie
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The 'Mad Love' waltz
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Harley getting a grenade pin as an engagement ring
  
  
• That scene in Batman Forever where the villain has two characters trapped in an individual  glass dome and forces one character to chose who to save while in the Riddler's lair.

• The 'taste of piss' bit reminded me of the 'you eat pieces of shit for breakfast?' gag from Happy Gilmore. Except that was funnier.
  

DC Animated - Hush Trailer

So the trailer for the animated adaption of DC's Hush dropped the other day and wow was I... disappointed.

Which sucks! I really enjoyed the Hush comics and when I saw a trailer for the adaption - which I didn't even know they were doing - I clicked straight away. But oh boy was my enthusiasm dampened. It was like that classic Libra advert where the woman uses a pad to absorb the murder victim's blood so there was no trace of any wrong doing by the time the cops got there. It was like my niece's food at snack time. All gone!

Before, we could proudly say "Well the DC live action movies suck hairy donkey balls but at least they're killing it in the animated movie department!"
Only now it's like the animated department is going the way the Disney live actions are, like basically remakes just to keep the trademarks but with little, insidious changes made. Also Will Smith is getting his filthy little fingers into all of these pies. ANYWAY - we know why The Killing Joke and Batman and Harley Quinn etc were weird or bad movies... what's happening with Hush?


Okay - so for those who don't know, I don't want to spoil anything so go and read it! But in bare bones, Batman finds several of his enemies from varying ranks seemingly teaming up against him, but in odd ways and being led by someone he can't pin down. He starts to get suspicious and paranoid, so he searches to find out what's happening while his relationships - old and new - come back to him. Also there's a lot of cameos.

The comics were great, the art was nice and it was really cinematic in the way it was laid out and the way they did flashbacks etc. It kept you guessing, and made you look for little connections. It was like Lost but with comic characters and a better ending.

So... the trailer opens with the Batman/Catwoman rooftop chase/flirt which was fine... only the way they cut the dialogue kinda weird so it's like Catwoman's all sultry "We've being doing this dance for a while..." cuts to "LIKE THE VIEW, YA CORNDOG? IT'S ALL YOU GON' GEEEET" before she yeets herself off a building.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay #1

2018
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Matthew Dow Smith
Colours: Tony Avina
Cover: Ryan Benjamin

Wow, look at that scene! Think it'll appear in this issue? Mmmmmm....... no.

My husband and brother weren't keen on this cover - calling Harley mongoloid looking, doubting if she could take on Bane and generally being dismissive of an obvious sell out cover featuring Harley.

True, she does not look her prettiest here but I don't mind that too much. I mean, it's a fight scene. Looks don't matter too much. I do question why Harley is fighting Bane of all people, why her corset is barely hanging on by the tiniest of threads, and yeah, why she's on the cover when she was barely in the movie this comic is based off.

Yes, this is a sequel to the animated movie Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay - even though the comic came out just before the release of the DCD/Blu-ray for some reason. Didn't a similar thing happen with the Batman and Harley Quinn movie? Well, at least this movie was better than that one.

Anyway, after procuring the 'Get out of Hell Free' card, Waller wants to check it's authenticity so she goes to speak with Jason Blood AKA Etrigan and Madame Xanadu... all the way followed by a mysterious Spectre. Heh heh... see what I did there? Subtlety. Yeah.. nailed it.

Neat trading card collection!

Batman: Harley and Ivy #1

Today I thought we'd take a trip down memory lane and look back at the classic three part Harley and Ivy mini series.

1/3 June 2004 'Bosum Buddies'

Script: Paul Dini
Pencils: Bruce Timm
Inks: Shane Glines
Colours: Lee Loughridge

Now the cover art is classic Bruce Timm - cartoony, kind of caricature like figures that are over exaggerated but work well in their animated like setting. Sometimes it gets a bit much like here, where the gals look like they're squeezed into tube like corsets and Harley Quinn looks a lot bigger than Poison Ivy. Naturally, in the main stream comics Ivy was always depicted as more of a voluptuous seductress but in the animated series, they went with making her more garden-pixie like for the most part. Especially when it came to the new animated series.

But, the cover is definitely eye catching, humorous, the colours are beautiful and basically, it sums up the character's relationship pretty well.

Opening on Harley and Ivy scaling a wall in anticipation of stealing a rare zombie root prior to it's exhibition the next day, their plan falls apart when it's discovered that they were a day early. Nevertheless they manage to pilfer the item in front of a  startled mass of hoity toity types.

Unfortunately, and somewhat predictably... a Mr. Wayne happens to be amongst this crowd.

Now I'm re-reading this issue, I'm questioning why Ivy just took Harley's word for it that the Botanical Society was showing this item on a certain date. I mean, is it likely that Ivy hadn't heard of some plant related exhibition and hadn't thoroughly researched and plotted their plan?






Not in my eyes, no but I suppose there wouldn't be much of comics if logic lead the way.

DCAU: Suicide Squad - Hell to Pay

First things first - this hasn't come out yet, but we already know it's going to be better than actual Suicide Squad. Time will tell if it's as good as Assault on Arkham. Speaking of... this new Suicide Squad animated movie won't be in the same.. "universe" .... so it's not a sequel.

Yeah, that's right. This Suicide Squad is DCAU while Assault on Arkham is technically more in the Arkham game universe. Which is why everyone looks different.

It's good because Deadshot is not built like a tank in the new one (which I always thought was stupid because he's the gun guy, the sniper... it wouldn't matter if he was skinny or short. Why can I fit two of me in AOA Deadshot's silhouette alone?? Why are his shoulders so far away from his neck?? How is he alive??) I don't like Killer Frost's redesign in HTP as much as her AOA one... it just doesn't seem to have any personality?
Boomerang is pretty much the same.. that's fine. Harley...

Oh Harley.

Harley looked amazing in AOA - even if her modified bodysuit revealed her most dangerous weapon - not the dirty-bomb mallet but the razor sharp bony ass hips she had - and she was blatantly used as a sex object for most of the movie (kinda like Maggot Robbie, but the animated version at least had a character arc and some decent lines!) 

This HTP Harley looks kinda hideous, face wise. You guys already know that I think the blue/pink eye shadow is a terrible costume choice. At least she has face paint on her original flesh tone body, not the Joker dip dye, I guess. It just seems weird that she's wearing evening gloves and matching thigh high stockings.. with generic Daisy Duke jeans and hipster sneakers? 

Harley Quinn and Batman #1

2017

The Last Laugh pt 1

Writer: Ty Templeton

Artist: Rock Burchett

Colours: Kieren Smith

Here we have a Harley Quinn and Batman comic, set before the Batman and Harley Quinn animated movie yet released after it. Why? I don't know. 

The movie was basically a cash grab so this comic based off the movie is going to be basically a cash grab off of a cash grab. 

A few things I noticed... it's in the animated style but it just seemed off. The art and the colouring just looked a bit rough draft.. like the kind of art you see in cheap kids books. Harley's collar seems to be painted onto her shoulders instead of being a movable piece of her costume. 

The story just throws you in, it opens on the Joker's headquarters being blown up and Harley Quinn laughing. Joker himself looks a lot like his Batman: The Animated Series self but with his Batman: the New Animated Series demon face. Everyone else looks like their original BTAS selves.

Yeah, Batman and Nightwing are there, along with some clown henches. Joker doesn't know how they found him but is determined to give them a whoppin' because his poisoned hot sauce spilled. 

Harley seems happy to help - giving him new weapon after weapon. 

Most of these backfire on Joker though, in particular - one blows up in his face leaving him looking like he's dabbling in blackface.

I don't believe that's the intention - they're going for the old blasted off face scorch marks but either the artist couldn't pull it off or it just does not work with B:TNAS demon face. I do like the jab about buying from ACME. Oh, ACME. When will you learn?

It gets a bit weird when the next piece of equipment to use against Batman is a Joker themed giant robot. It's even weirder hearing that he seemed to have brought it legitimately. 

For some reason, Batman and Nightwing focus entirely on Joker and his henchmen and don't even attempt to take out Harley Quinn. Yes, the Joker is the bigger threat right now but let's face it, the clown henches aren't that tough.

Harley Quinn's just getting a pass because her name's in the title.

Batman and Harley Quinn 2017 - A Review

Well, I've watched it. It can't be un-watched. Is that good or bad?

What I will say about the film Batman and Harley Quinn is - it's not that bad. 

Honestly, I was extremely worried when I read the reviews yesterday but even though it's a movie that you don't *need* to see and you could easily forget it, it's not as soul cripplingly terrible as say...

Oh, I don't know.. Suicide Squad? 

I will never stop bashing that useless brain fart of a movie! Never!! Never!!!!

Yeah, that's exactly Harley Quinn's character. Margot definitely killed it at Harley Quinn. 

WELL SHE KILLED SOMETHING OF HARLEY QUINN ANYWAY~!!~

*ahem* *wipes off rage spittle and readjusts tie* 

Batman and Harley Quinn first reactions

My friends, I come to you solemnly, dipped in regret, eating tacos and reading headlines.
What headlines? You don't come here for the news, you come here for the sass and you know it!
Well, I remembered that the Batman and Harley Quinn movie was due to be out - or was out... I may have lost several weeks recently but that's a story for another time when I get nachos and vodka.

No, what I saw today in my search for a fond trip down memory lane was a bunch of ominous news headlines.

Which frankly sucks because even though I knew it was just going to be a slapped together cartoon cashing in on Harley's popularity boom...
Even though it was blatantly a re-do of the classic BTAS episode 'Harlequinade'...
Even though I'd been warned it wasn't classified as BTAS universe continuity..
Heck, I was wary as funk about Bruce Timm's involvement..

That dude just seems to write the characters like it's his own dream diary.

But I was still looking forward to it because it was classic animated Harley Quinn in her classic suit, she wasn't spray painted white and pretending to play vigilante cop buddy slash over powered super bad ass slash someone pretending to play roller derby, she looked like she had moved on from the Joker and was bitter about it and her life now, reduced to playing 'herself' at a dodgy superheroine hooters to pay her bills...

I was genuinely keen to see this version of Harley Quinn.

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.

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:

REBIRTH HARLEY QUINN #19 - Red Meat - Sucking the Marrow out of the Party

Alright, props for the variant cover for at least giving me a laugh. That actual cover seems like it should have been used as a cover for the start of the whole Red Meat saga of doom instead of where it is.

Anyway, here we have Hardly waking up in a pile of bones and talking about Holeee Something or oleees TM. 




She imagines a skull that could be Skipper but probably isn't has a fuller and more interesting life than she does while she callously breaks it's teeth to help herself out.

Then, not only does she pick a lock in two seconds, but she finds hair ties and a cache of weapons, because of course.

Of course she does.

Red Tool does his best/worst Deadpool impersonation and manages to screw himself up, and kill some random dude on the way down, but it's okay because he was misogynistic for the two seconds we saw of him and the woman saved from him thinks it's cool and not a matter of 'how am I going to explain this to the boss and the cops while not looking like a main suspect?'




The hobo stealers have been told to leave town but they're all like, no way man, you're not my supervisor! Not sure why there has been a big deal made over this because it's in their best interest and seems like the plot could have used some incentive like, oh, a time frame or something to make it a bit more compelling.

Hardly busts out and she's ready to wail on everyone, because that's what she does now in her Social Justice Warrior persona.

REBIRTH HARLEY QUINN #17 - Red Meat or overdone hash?

It may fit, but the diamonds and your reflection are both wrong

Same name, different characters

 Why is there Rebirth Hardly Quinn on my blog?
Is there going to be a rant? Probably.

Truth is, it's on here because I wanted to discuss the 'new back-up feature' of "Harley Loves Joker" featuring Paul Dini.

First of all... featuring? does that mean he's in the comic himself? Is he writing it?
Second of all.... ugh.. the comparison of Harley and Hardly makes my heart hurt. Hardly appears to have Friggin' Lucille from The Walking Dead in her hands, and ooh it's a grenade but it looks like a mobile phone the way she's holding it. Shit, they even gave Harley some of Hardly's tacky blue eye make-up.

BTAS: The Joker's Favour

The Joker's Favor (or Favour, if you spell things correct SORRY AMERICA!!) is the 22nd episode of season one of Batman: The Animated Series. It debuted in 1992 and is famous for bringing the fan favourite character Harley Quinn to life. 

It's also a very well written episode - like well, the entire series - and features an interesting premise.  

What happens if, on one of the worst days of your life, when you think that nothing else could possibly go wrong... you happen to cuss out the Joker?

Gods and Monsters: Twisted

Gods and Monsters: Twisted

So today I feel like having a chat about the Justice League Gods and Monster Chronicles featuring Harley Quinn in the episode 'Twisted'. This debuted back in 2015 and features little segments of an alternate reality (or I guess Elseworlds technically?) for DC's big three - Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman.

This episode features Batman and the woman gunning for Wonder Woman's spot in said big 3 -Harley Quinn. She is referred to in the credits as Harlequin though.

Being a short story, Batman has already detective'd his way over to where Harley Quinn is, which is clearly here because there is decapitated heads in the fridge/freezer along with some Grape Soder.
A slight Easter Egg for fans, as Harley enjoys her imitation bubblegum soda. I don't understand if this is a freezer or a fridge. I can understand heads being in the freezer, but putting soft drink in there is just dangerous.