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..

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: Joker/Mask #1

Published in 2000

Story: Henry Gilroy and Ronnie del Carmen

Pencils: Ramon F. Bachs

Inker: Howard M. Shum

Colours: Dave McCaig

Letters: Steve Dutro

Cover: Ramon F. Bachs

This is one of my favourite DC cross overs. I love Harley Quinn, I really enjoyed The Mask movie.. I came to learn that the comic wasn't very close in nature to the movie adaption at all but I still enjoy it.

Now this particular comic is a nice mix of Jim Carey style Mask and the more relationshippy Joker and Harley - kind of like how they were written in their visit to Metropolis to poke fun at another bald guy in a suit. 

Gotham's first mistake was holding an event. No, it doesn't matter that it's at the Gotham City Museum of Art, or that it's a kid's night or even an exhibition about masks... any exhibition or event in Gotham is basically a gilded invitation to any criminal scum in the area.

You think I'm kidding? Man, Penguin turned up to the opening of a new pet store, someone opened a new pack of cards, there was the Riddler and Catwoman was seen at an envelope opening.....

They're out of control man.

Anyway, here's the titular Mask making an appearance, along with.....

Harley, Joker and Snucky! Wait, Snucky? Who's that? Apparently an aspiring pro-football player in Joker's gang and the only one to make it to the museum instead of the mausoleum.
As it turns out, Joker is here not to steal masks or because he knows what power The Mask holds -  no, he wants to destroy the collection of frowny clown masks.

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'

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. 

Birds of Prey Episode 3: Prey for the Hunter

We open on Oracle and Huntress having some girl time... sassy chats in the earpiece while Huntress punches some creepy acid tongue lizard thief guy..... Wow that's pretty specific.
Anyway, Huntress is bemoaning not being normal, that bad guys keep ruining her outfits and the victims aren't even worth helping. Ouch. Bad day much?

Not as bad as her perp's. For one thing, he's got that acid tongue thing going on, then he gets punched a lot, doesn't get to keep his stolen wares, is thrown in a dumpster, and then something else throws him OUT of the dumpster giving him a wicked boo boo in the process.



Meanwhile in our CGI cop shop, a new transfer from Bludhaven does a meet and greet with Reese. Turns out he's chasing a serial killer who never uses the same method twice.

Reese takes on his Mulder Jr. and they decide to take down this freaky deaky killer gorilla. After the shortest working day in history, Reese heads out onto the street where he is promptly scared shitless by Huntress jumping down five storeys in front of him.


Huntress tries out her 'I saved your life, you owe me confidential investigation details' but gets shot down pretty fast. They both have a mini temper tantrum with Huntress vanishing and Reese blatantly jaywalking into traffic playing chicken.

Meanwhile back at the Clocktower, Barbara finds out that the perp was killed via his own acid.

As far as they're aware Metas mostly always have different powers (must not have any knock-offs or sidekicks in this universe then) so they decide to have Helena question some mysterious guy in No Man's Land.

Dinah wants to go too but Barbara denies this request saying not on a school night but here's the address anyway!

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.

Batman - No Man's Land: The Code #1

All of the weird Harley Quinn and Joker shipping lately has made me rather nostalgic for what I consider to be their definitive relationship.
It's funny that with all the improvements and money that's gone into comics these days you really can't beat the classics for quality. 

When I think of the Joker - even though there are so many iterations of him throughout DC - I find myself thinking of this image.

Oct 1999
"Breakin' the Law"
Writer: Bronwyn Carlton
Penciler: Mike Deodato
Inker: David Roach

I just love that. Gleefully sitting in the spotlight in his dinner suit, relaxing and just about toasting us despite the fact that he is literally bathing in the chaos of No Man's Land. That is pure Joker - he just is chaos.. not a wannabe anarchist slash edge lord.

So that's how I picture Joker. Although sometimes admittedly it's more like this:

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #13 Night and Day

Dec 2001

Story: Karl Kesel

Pencils: Pete Woods

Inks: Mark Lipka

Finally getting back into my retro reviews! Shaking off all the crappy new Quinn vibes!

Now this comic I will introduce a little bit because it's a slight departure from our usual fare.
This issue actually tied into an event named Joker's Last Laugh - in which Joker is tricked into believing he's dying and as such, devises a scheme to take the world down with him.

Being the Joker, this mostly involves gassing people or somehow making them Jokerised, but not enough so that they die laughing straight away. He basically organises an army.

Our comic opens up with a husband and wife astronaut team (Rick and Lana Jensen) where we learn their back story. Human during the day but during the evening they become mutated due to the radiation they were exposed to this one time.

She becomes a green alien called Lady Luna with flight powers, the ability to decrease gravity and travel through solid objects.

He becomes this grey, hulking rock monster called Moonrock.. and he is kind of the opposite to her where he can increase gravity, withstand a lot of things and is stronger.

They were kind of trapped in a force field at STAR Labs until a green haired red lipped loony walks in and Jokerises them.





Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Well, to be fair they were planning on double crossing the Joker instead of doing the favour he so kindly asked of them.

Birds of Prey episode 2: Slick

Thus begins our recap of episode two of Birds of Prey. 

Above, we have the cast as predominantly featured in the comic series. 

Barbara Gordon and Black Canary are the main characters followed closely by Huntress. The roster usually varies but here we have Lady Blackhawk (Zinda Blake) as well as Hawk and Dove (Hank Hall and Dawn Granger respectively) 

As you might remember, the television show is only loosely based on this series and I think that's partly why it didn't go over so well with audiences that weren't ready to comprehend alternate universe Bat-characters and bad special effects. 

Barbara Gordon - former Batgirl and current Oracle survived the transition pretty seamlessly. Huntress here is actually the offspring of Batman and Catwoman and is meta-human. Which means she's got half of her mother's random cat powers and all of her dad's gloomy attire and punchiness. 

Dinah is the most random.. she's super young and has mental based powers. 

Action Comics #765 A clown comes to Metropolis

May 2000
Writer: Joe Kelly
Pencils: Kano
Inks: Marlo Alquiza 

Superman Action comics?

Joker and Harley Quinn?

No Batman? No Gotham?

Luthor's bodyguard's name being used as a pun?


Oh my yes.

Ladies and Gentlemen - this is one of my absolute favourite Joker and Harley Quinn comics.

OF ALL TIME!















The opening set up of Metropolis is great - showing you the city and how the residents go about life in this hyper-techno city.

I also like how we have two women with different shapes and different faces.

This is something you'd see if you looked outside the window, read a magazine, watched television... yet so many artists struggle with this.

Kano - probably not the same as the one from Mortal Kombat - does this easily and the facial expressions are ace. The techno-poodles scare me though. To be honest, normal poodles do that too.










Unfortunately, these residents are so absorbed in their own lives they don't realise who they've just crossed paths with until it's too late.

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!

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.

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.