Retro Review: Harley Quinn #21 Hell and Highwater!

August 2002
Writer: Karl Kesel
Cover: Terry & Rachel Dodson
Art: Brandon Badeaux
Inks: Dan Davis
Colours: Guy Major

When we last left off, Harley found out she was literally in Hell alongside some former partners and after a few failed attempts of reasoning with the powers of the underworld, decided to bust out.

This issue brings a new card into play - Ulysses Highwater - a damned bounty hunter, who we see chasing down a bank robber seemingly intent on not just getting his man, but also finding out information on a certain Nathan Drumm. His current prey can't help him but when Ulysses is summoned to see Etrigan - rhyming demon of hell - in order to capture Harley Quinn and her gang... Ulysses wonders if she might know.

Without a doubt one of the best wanted posters I've ever seen!

Speak of the devil - Harley and her gang isn't doing too bad - stealing a tank, and running down Pettit (no doubt revenge for the knee capping from earlier!) with a satisfying 'sklonjtch' noise.
Eventually they get cornered, but keep going and smash through a gate and into a hidden metahuman containment facility.

Retro Reviews: Harley Quinn #20 Wouldn't be Caught Dead There!

Last issue, our dominoed dame was the victim of an exploding, stolen jet-pak incident. The Dodson's cover is eye catching - just Harley falling, her terrified face looking back up as she drops into a black void.

July 2002

When this comic first came out, I admit that this story got me. I was like - wait... Harley's a comic character. She can't just die! What-what-what?!
Had only just become a fan, the comic had only recently started, the internet - well, it did exist in my life but certainly not to the extent it does now. Like, I was on MSN, Myspace, college sites and some fan sites for animated series. I didn't have the comic resources I do now. Back then, finding useful information about Harley Quinn on teh interwebs was about as rare as unicorn crap. Wow, there's a redundant comparison as these days unicorn crap is actively marketed and purchasable in mainstream stores.

I'm also a bit wiser about how often comic characters shuffle off their papery mortal coil only to mysteriously pop up again on the other side when it suits the writers. In saying that, I do quite like this afterlife special. Just like Harley herself, she doesn't follow the trend or do exactly what you'd expect of this kind of story, which makes for an interesting and unique run.

The actual story continues on from the cover, something I recently complimented in Gotham City Sirens, I just really enjoy the transition when done right. Really can't stand the overt, fourth wall breaking ones that somehow take you out of the experience.

Anyway, after a fairly rough landing onto her back, Harley stares up wide eyed as Lewis talks to her. Yes, THAT LEWIS. He warns her away from the windows because the police have a sniper outside. Harley is so overjoyed to see Lewis that she misses Nixon Two-Bear's snarky comment about how "She never missed him before." Ruh-oh.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #19

June 2002
"Going out with a bang!"

I gotta say it, this is one of my favourite covers ever. Even my non-comic reading extended family loved it. It is an absolute classic, like something you'd see in a Looney Tunes comic.

Now, when we last left off, Harley was 'helping' her buddy Bizarro find the perfect mate, until things got a little too.... involved. With an onomatopoeia parody of Rice Bubbles, Harley is zapped from behind with the Bizarro ray by the Dr. Chance. Meanwhile, Bizarro has a tantrum but calms down enough to be told that the Doctor needs Harley in the target area again. Harley on the other hand, thinks it's high time she skedaddled.

Of course, not before she ticks that one thing of her Metropolis tourist hit list...

Yep, officially meeting the Big Blue in the Red Underoos. Although most folks don't get to do it up, up in the air. ................Okay, I'll behave.

I like how NICE Superman is. Batman would have straight up Batarang-clothesline'd her. Harley takes to the skies to try to evade him and thinks she succeeded... but..

Countdown 39-30

Back into a long shitepost about Countdown again! 

Here's Una and Karate Kid flying around Metropolis and dreaming about some sweet B&E. 

Wait, what? They're going to break into Oracle's Metropolis hideout? Goooood Luuuucccck...

Speaking of hideouts, Pied Piper and Trickster and finding a change in their circumstances. Penguin treats them to some fancy wine and some nice chow. Trickster accepts it gladly but Piper has some reservations. Trickster mocks Piper for his negative view on things but sure enough, Penguin has the Suicide Squad ready and waiting  to take out the rogue Rogues. 

Meanwhile, Donna Troy and Jason Todd and flying through the sub-quantum something or other when Jason makes the mistake of asking how much weirder stuff can get. 

Yeah, that's like an unwritten rule in comics, or even life. Just... don't. 

Now we've mentioned weird, we have to mention Jimmy Olsen. Oops, I mean Mr. Action. He thwarts a mugger and gets a smooch, then some aspirations into a team dynamic one week into his solo crime fighting career.

Maybe instead of dreaming big, Mr. Action could have stretched his way into Gotham to help Penguin save his expensive wine cellar because things are NOT going well over there.

Trickster hilariously yells about being rat catchers while running through the Iceberg Lounge - referring to the Pied Piper and his rat affinity, while also working double to embarrass Penguin.

The Suicide Squad get shown up, and hard, despite Deadshot's best attempts. Through a combination of boomerangs and forgetting about the electro chain tying them together, Trickster and Piper barely scrape their way out of there. 

Talking about scrapes - man, how good am I tying these things together? - we meet up with Harley and Holly back over at the Athenian shelter, scraping away at the patriarchy and dodging rioting mobs. Last time, Holly saw Harley rejecting a single mother's application for refuge and she is now digging for answers about this. 

Yeah, Athena will see you now.. ABOUT THAT BURN!

Seriously, Holly. I love this scene. She's hauling herself up from the bottom of society and has been doing it rough - I don't blame her for asking for good reasons why they're putting someone vulnerable right back down the ladder. However, she's really judgey and stuck up when she goes about it, especially to someone who is clearly working on their own past and faults. I like how Harley doesn't go off on a tangent about it (something I clearly have trouble with!) but instead delivers a snappy retort and leaves with a cheeky grin on her face.

Holly goes in more politely with 'Athena' and ultimately ends up back where she was - no real answers - but now with a ticket to a self esteem workshop.

Joker/Mask #2

June 2000 2/4
Story: Henry Gilroy & Ronnie Del Carmen
Writer: Henry Gilroy
Pencils: Ramon F. Bachs
Cover: Ramon F. Bachs

Back to Bighead.. or The Mask's joint rampage through Gotham with Joker.

The cover certainly gets the theme of the issue across even if I don't get - and probably never will - the logistics of those physiques. Plus.. Bighead's teeth just..

The only teeth to parody other giant, unnatural teeth. 

Last time we saw Joker/Mask and Harley, they were on the lam after 'killing' Batman, but here it picks up three days later where it's apparent that no one realises that Joker is involved.. everyone just thinks it's Edge City villain Bighead with some vague Joker connection. True to her roots, Harley gets miffed at her Puddin's snub but then forgets about it on account of putting one too many fingers in the candy jar.

We've all been there, skintight bodysuit and all. 

Meanwhile, GCPD (looking a little worse for wear) is discussing the matter and introducing Lieutenant Kellaway who is here to help with the situation. Kellaway realises that Joker has the Mask while the GCPD are only just beginning to suspect Joker having a more solid hand in the the game.

Batman... or a sneaky imposter - appears and wreaks havoc.

Gotham City Sirens #8

March 2010
Plot/art: Guillem March
Dialogue: Marc Andreyko
Colours: Tomeu Morey

What better time to get back into Gotham City Sirens - and an Ivy-centric issue to boot - after reading about the lobotomised, bland, green place holder in the last review and the recent dramas I had in the comic store.
Givin' me the heebie jeebies just thinkin' about it. Even more so than opening up to the severely emaciated and shrivelled up form of Poison Ivy.

Jump cut to two weeks prior, showing Pam as beautiful as she is vengeful and deadly. Scorning the humans for doing things in her park. No, not THOSE things.. (that we know of, anyway) but rather children pulling up daisies, dudes thinking about their chances with her, people daring to exercise or sit on a bench.

Just imagine this face looking at you... it'll shave seconds off your run time!

Now as much as this is about Ivy's time in the spotlight, the issue shows us what's really happening within the team as a whole.

This scene for example. One look and you might think, oh that Harley, buying random shit in her name and having it delivered to their hideout?? What a card!

What we're really seeing is Selina not only ticked off at the breach of security.. but Harley's lounging on the couch watching TV, Ivy is nowhere to be seen until the last panel and Selina is picking up the slack in the kitchen. This hideout is a tinder box and it's about to explode.

The spark comes from Ivy strolling in from her saunter about Robinson Park at the same time a plant related murder that happened there is being reported on the news. 

Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn

"The most important day of the year"
August 2010
Writer: James Patrick
Art: Joe Quinones
Colours: Alex Sinclair

Here's one of my favourite comics to wash the taste of the last review out of my mouth.

Now, I love Quinones art when it comes to Harley Quinn. Maybe it's the similar surname, but he just seems to GET her. A lot more than any squad working on any Harley solo's since her original run.
The interior artwork and all the expressions are just ace. The cover's nice too. A very powerful, somewhat provocative stance (without being exploitative) but damn, look at how much detail there is on the scene. The messed up door and the smoking gun with blood on it, the light hitting Harley from below and casting Batman's shadow... just great.

Being Joker's Asylum, we open with Joker introducing the tale, a la Tales of the Crypt while in a plush chair, a dressing gown and holding a puppy. Our first shot of Harley is her bare feet showing out of her Arkham oranges while she's running down the hall and deftly evading guards and fail-safes. We don't get a good look at her face until she stops at a cliff.

Props to Arkham staff - they really tried. They pulled out every move in a rare attempt at being efficient. I wish they tried this shit whenever Joker feels the need to escape because there's no way he'd make this at all.

Now we see her face, Dr. Arkham desperately tries to understand what has motivated Harley to do this right now of all times but we all know what would make Harley do anything criminal, don't we?

Yep, the siren song of her obsession, her Puddin' and her devotion to him means that even though she could have been out, free and clear if she'd just waited a few weeks but now she's going to be on the lam with Batman and the cops and everyone hunting for her. She can't though, because she wants to be with her beloved cohort on Valentine's Day.






This is the classic Harley we know - the one that would jump off a damn cliff after baking cookies to be with someone that doesn't actually love her.
She arrives at an abandoned YMCA which was their hideout... apparently? I'm not sure what's sadder, the fact that there are several young men who will not be able to use the YMCA services anymore or that the hideout doesn't even have a proper pool.
She meets the one surviving but severely wounded hench man Spider who tells us why Joker's not there himself.

Harley is ticked off that Falcone has taken Joker on today of all days but she's already got a plan and is preparing for when she gets back with her beau.

Detective Comics #837 - Honour Among Thieves

Countdown tie-in
Dec 2007
Writer: Paul Dini
Pencils: Don Kramer
Inker: Wayne Faucher

Hot off the heels of Harley's previous release from Arkham incarceration is Detective Comics #837!

We open on the Riddler lamenting being a bit on the poor side since going legitimate but still loving the thrill of the investigation/lifestyle. The thing I like about Dini's writing is that - as well as being witty and entertaining - he genuinely seems to care for the characters he writes.

Riddler going legitimate could have been the corniest shit from the cob in anyone else's hands but here you are invested. You *want* him to do well as you see him struggling yet resisting the obvious pull back into the criminal lifestyle.

You can say the same for Harley. Dini is the best writer for her, apart from perhaps the Injustice guy. In this one book, she deals with going legitimate as well, finding her own way solo, running a team and taking down the bad guys.. and she does it with humour and without losing any of the charm that made us all Harley Quinn fans. Best of all, you get her accent without being drowned in a vat of marble mouthed exaggerations of English.

Bruce Wayne offers Riddler a gig which he readily accepts. It's to find a missing employee who seems to have absconded with a new drug that affects stamina and cellular regeneration. This gig leads him out of Gotham and into Metropolis and into the Athenian Women's Help shelter... from which he readily gets kicked out of courtesy of everyone's favourite reformed jester.

Told you. 

Yep, like the last Detective Comics issue I reviewed (here) it's another villain cross-over/team up, only this time they're both reformed.

Harley still has her trademark pigtails but has traded in her jumpsuit and prison trackies for an Amazonian stola/robe. She hasn't quite got a hang on the peaceful Amazon way though.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #17 - #1 Am The Loneliest Number

Even if you're not a fan of the original Harley Quinn run, you have to admit that the covers are completely ace.

The only issue I could really nitpick is that Ivy - while extremely buxom and bordering on only wearing leafy pasties - has a really.. really small waist. That and her shoes look kinda dorky. But like I said, that's being picky. I love that both bad girls have attempted to beat poor, oblivious Bizarro with gusto, but he is happily enjoying their company and I really like the candy hearts background done Bizarro style - it is a nice touch.

Now, last issue we say Harley zipping away on her pilfered jet pack only to be stopped by a red and blue blur - suspected to be Superman but revealed to be Bizarro!
Harley's internal Harley pops up again to explain why Superman couldn't cameo himself - but sets it up in a way that leaves a bit of intrigue.

The nice thing about Internal Harley is that she's cute, funny and is a useful replacement for the stock standard editor notes. Have I mentioned I'm not really a fan of editor's notes? Eh, probably not.

The credits box here reminds me a lot of The Simpson's Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials where they edit the names to be a bit more thematic.. it's not obnoxiously done and you can easily read the comic without taking note of this but if you notice it it's a fun little Easter Egg of sorts.

Even if you aren't too familiar with Bizarro's origins, you can easily pick it up without feeling like you're being given the Cliff Notes versions of the superheroes/villains backstory.
It also gives the idea that Harley is at the moment, completely nutso so Internal Harley is basically not an imaginary construct but her rational mind giving her a heads up.

Honestly I much prefer this to the 'split personality' thing they gave us in Suicide Squad. Harley is Harley - that's why her rational self is also dressed like a harlequin because she doesn't see herself as being part crazy skank and part rational boring psychiatrist - she is who she is without being a cliche split personality. I mean, Joker may have seduced her but I think it would take someone who's already a little bit off the rails to fully embrace the villain lifestyle, even if she's not an all out villain villain.

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.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #16 - Look! Up in the sky...!

March 2002
Both Sides Now

Time again to join our delightful dame of demented mischief on her adventures in Metropolis!

This time around, we open on S.T.A.R Labs where Jimmy Olsen and Holly Chance are lucky to be alive after a siege of some sort.




Inspector Turpin asks them for any information about the siege or how many people are still inside following evacuation. This leads into a flashback where it's revealed both Holly Chance and Harley Quinn were in the same room together!

Say Whaaat?! Aren't Holly Chance and Harley Quinn the same person? Yes. Yes they certainly are.

Let's flashback to what actually happened. Jimmy Olsen looking out for his new buddy Holly (oh wow, that's an accidental pun!) by getting her a morning coffee - even though she's three hours late for work - and saving her bacon (or not, Jewish pun!) with the boss. Jimmy is sent to get photos of a new jet pack being developed at S.T.A.R. Labs and Holly wheedles her way in to coming along as well... after nipping home for a quick costume change.





Don't worry, there's still plenty of time for a dumb Superman gag. Oh Clark, will you ever learn?

Meanwhile, Harley/Holly is putting on her own disguise under her day wear and trying to convince
Ivy to come with her but her green thumbed roomie is more preoccupied with some baby plants and their tender developmental stages.

Holly and Jimmy meet up at the labs and are shown the device. Jimmy wants to get a picture of the jet pack on someone normal looking (and maybe more attractive than the older cantankerous doctor) but Holly has vanished!

In all honesty she's been dragged through a side door by Poison Ivy - and that's what she tells the inspector... just omitting the fact that they're partners in crime.

Harley threatening her boy toy 'Freckles'

Gotham City Sirens #6

Jan 2010

When we last left off, original Joker sidekick Gaggy had been released from the big house (no pun intended) and was dead set on reliving the good old olden days.. you know what he means. The days with no Harley Quinn.

This cover... I like. Poison Ivy looks very powerful and the neon-ish petals are a nice touch.

Inside, Harley's getting dragged off to a nicer moider spot or maybe a retro death trap. Poison Ivy took a bubble thing (?!) to the face and now she can't adventure no mo'. Catwoman did not, I repeat, did NOT land on her feet when falling into the hyena enclosure, leaving thousands of fans and cat enthusiasts disappointed.

On the way to her certain doom, Harley catches Gaggy by surprise and he begins to villain monologue. It's nice to know that some things never change.










Selina and Ivy escape their own personal death traps only to fall victim to another one. They delay their painful deaths momentarily but end up calling for back up in the form of one Jenna Duffy the Carpenter and her Tools of Compounding Invoices.
That's pretty much how you know the Sirens were desperate. They may leave with their lives today, but my gosh they will pay through the nose now if they weren't already!

The thing I like about the Gaggy saga is how it quietly parallels Harley's story and gives a new insight to the Joker before she arrived.

The Second Harley Quinn: Marian Drews

Further to my last post, I just wanted to have a little chat about how she's come about.
Writer of Batman: White Knight Sean Murphy has been positively interactive with fans and it seems to be going pretty well.


Old & New Harley Quinn Are TWO Different Women 01/12/2017 Andrew Bryce

Batman: White Knight just dropped the biggest twist on Harley Quinn in years, turning the classic Harley and the new Suicide Squad version into two completely different women. It’s a bombshell that will ring true for the older fans who always preferred the jester-suited Harleen Quinzel of Batman’s animated series to the more scantily-clad, downright psychotic version born in DC’s New 52 Universe.

First things first: yes, ‘Marian Drews’ is yet another play on the clown motif, with both merry-Andrew and harlequin meaning someone who “clowns” for entertainment. But even if Murphy makes the distinction between the two women from the start, Joker doesn’t. When freed from prison on trumped-up charges and finally the man Harley always dreamed he could be, he heads to her apartment – coming face to face with the modern incarnation. Showing plenty of skin, a frail grasp on the reality of the situation, and a preoccupation with sex (all criticisms of the modern incarnation of Harley), Jack’s apology and marriage proposal are met with disgust and denial.

Harley doesn’t want Jack: she wants Joker. And as much as fans might take offence at the implicit bias, Murphy’s depiction of Harley isn’t far from her personality in DC’s ongoing Harley and Suicide Squad comics. To her, there’s never a reason to desire anything but chaos. And judging by the ‘J’ on her belt buckle, she takes pride and pleasure from her total devotion to the madman called Joker. He was broken and brutal, just like her.

The scene is short-lived, but as Murphy explained on Twitter, Marian’s story is far from over. She may not be the original Harley from Batman: The Animated Series… but there’s no reason fans can’t have both:

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #15 Metropolis Mailbag

Feb 2002

A really nice cover here - Harley just layin' around... picking um, a lot more than a a few flowers. Is she playing Love me Love me not or just spelling out her name? Let's hope Poison Ivy doesn't see her doing whatever this is or it may just be convenient that she's in a graveyard. 

I really like that Harley Quinn carries a hand bag around. It adds a fun level of realism to these larger than life comics. 

This issue opens with someone sending in their mail to Chance@Love - Holly Chance's romance advice column at the Daily Planet. This is a recurring subject in this issue, so watch out for our our guest star later on. Meanwhile, Harley Quinn herself is out robbing a garden supplies store and mocking it's employees. 

She's having a bit of fun doing this and doesn't want to leave until Poison Ivy formally advises her that their business there is concluded and Harley can drive. There is apparently nothing more that Harley Quinn loves more than racing around erratically in a drop top. Yep, even more than puddin'.


But there is something else missing from her life.. she says it's Thorn but she pretty much just symbolises a challenge. 

After a hard night's larceny, Ivy goes out for a sun-bake but warns Harley not to be late for her new job. It's fine though! Harley assures Ivy that she has a built in clock and for her, oversleeping is a physical impossibility!

So naturally she's several hours late for work - Harley truly is all of us. 

BTAS: Harley's Holiday Statues

In the mixed bag of joy that comes with Harley Quinn's 25th Anniversary celebrations, there is at least one bright, shining feature.

Not one, but two amazing statues based off the Batman: The Animated Series title card from an extremely Harley-centric episode titled Harley's Holidays, aired in 1994.

For those who aren't in the know, this is an episode from the third season. Harley is given a clean bill of health and celebrates by taking her hyenas for a spin. Yes, a spin. She is on roller skates before they were done to death. Honestly, if I had pet hyenas as well as good balance this is how I'd travel anywhere.

Anyway, while trying to buy a pretty dress - a small misunderstanding causes her to flip out and she ends up kidnapping Bruce Wayne's girlfriend Veronica in their car. So not only is Batman after her but so is Veronica's father... General Vreeland. Aaaaand because it can't be that simple....
Bullock from the GCPD is also on their tail as well as the smitten crook Boxy Bennett.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #14 Bright Lights, Big City Pt 1

January 2002

Welcome to Metropolis

When we last left off, gal pals Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn were making their road trip from Gotham City all the way to Metropolis in order to avoid the chaos gunning for our sweet little jester's head. This cover is great - while I don't believe that's the Harley Davidson that Harley stole in the last issue it's kitted out in perfect Harley Quinn colours and looks great.

I like that they even have a personalised plate, and that they stopped for a bit of random graffiti. 

If you've ever watched the animated series, you'll know that Harley is a good, if somewhat erratic and dangerous driver. 

Here she shows that with gusto, driving into head on traffic while Ivy chastises her for it. 

Two things stick out here - Harley's defence that Metropolis has changed since she was here last (what, like amending basic road rules?) and the two country bumpkin tourists in the bottom panels. 

Superhero sight seeing. They're distressed because they came all this way and didn't even see Superman or the Daily Planet, and now they're lost. They do, however get their map stolen by a certain criminal duo which makes Elmer and Arleen's (oh, I see what you did there) day complete.