Catwoman Vol1 #81 Review

Catwoman Vol 1 #81 Review: It's a Wonderful Life

Published June 2000

Writer: Bronwyn Carlton

Pencils: Staz Johnson

Inks: Wayne Faucher

Stunning truths are revealed in what may be the strangest, most disturbing issue of CATWOMAN ever. It's a pivotal chapter in the life of DC's Feline Fatale. If Selina thought being in prison was bad, wait'll she tries a few days in solitary confinement. Making matters worse, this confinement isn't exactly as solitary as it's supposed to be, and someone very dangerous lurks in the shadows, revealing truths about Catwoman she isn't prepared to face.

Wait a minute! This is a Harley Quinn Blog! What are you doing writing a review of an old Catwoman comic?? 

Well, dear ones, this is one of my favourite Harley Quinn cameos/story arc. 

True story, I was a massive Catwoman fan as a kid! 

 It started with this comic in my local library. It was amazing to read something so unabashedly gritty and dark (well, to me anyway at that time in my youth) about a bad ass woman who didn't back down. Also cats. Yes, I really liked cats. I now know that I would like to be a cat (I would love to have a tail. I don't care how awkward the pants wearing would become) but that cats themselves are Satan incarnate.

Anyway, Selina Kyle was firmly cemented in my mind as an icon alongside Wonder Woman in DC Mythology.

Comic Review: Batman Detective Comics #831

Comic Review: Batman Detective Comics #831 KIND OF LIKE FAMILY

June 2007

Writer: Paul Dini

Penciller: Don Kramer

Inker: Wayne Faucher

Today's review will be an older one where I know I can keep my anger in check.
Paul Dini - co-creater of Harley Quinn penned this issue - and it is excellent.

So first page we see is a bit reminiscent of a re-cap page from Harley's original series - she's at a hearing out of costume and dancing around her head spouting both encouragement and puns is a little Harley Quinn. The art is lovely - it's realistic enough without ruining the comic book feel (look at those lips and the detail in the eyes!) and Harley Quinn capering around mentally is awesome.

So far the hearing isn't going well, she tries to explain how she fell victim to Stockholm Syndrome when treating her charismatic patient, but admission of research on the Joker, and her past history work against her, even when she bats her eyes and promises to never do it again? 

No dice, Mr. Wayne on the Asylum board (because of course he is, despite not even being a doctor - votes against) and Harley is bummed that she has been turned down yet again when her guard takes her hostage, knocking her out to quell her protests and kidnapping her. 

When viewing the security footage, Batman agrees it seems to be real and that Harley had been trying to secure an honest release. They suspect the Joker of breaking her out and are worried that she might fall back into her old ways if he's around. 

Harley wakes up in the meantime to meet the masterminds of the whole scheme. 

Bombshell Harley Quinn: Little Black Book

Bombshell Harley Quinn: Little Black Book

What would happen if Volume 2 Harley Quinn travelled back in time and met up with her Bombshell universe counterpart?

I assume that was the general premise for this issue of Harley's Little Black Book series but it's more than likely (like the rest of the series) an obvious cash grab by marketing Harley with other characters (or Harley's in this case) 

Harley Quinn isn't a major character in Bombshells but she's certainly an interesting one, which is a lot more than what I can say for Volume 2 Harley.  

Alright so the cover is nice - both Harley's having a tantrum - probably because V2 Harley has copied most of the Bombshell's outfit, but Bombshell Harley for some reason, has forgone her own eye shadow and adopted V2HQ's stupid two tone one. But oh, it's nice having a flesh tone Harley again, not snow cone. 

The backdrop is well done, even if some of the other Bombshells have a bit of a creepy vapid, vacant look on their faces. 

Harley Quinn New 52 Bishoujo Statue

HARLEY QUINN NEW 52 BISHOUJO STATUE

Harley Quinn has made another appearance in the Bishoujo (read: pretty girl) statue collection only this time she's in her New 52 digs.
Original is on the left up top, while the one on the right is the NY Comic-Con variant.
Pretty much the same statue apart from a few small tweaks.

Obviously the colour scheme is different, the weapons are different and the bases are distinct but I think the biggest change is really the face. The variant has Harley's original Suicide Squad emo-make-up bath and a bit of a creepy sneer while the original is softer, and going for a more Bishoujo look, I guess.

Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad - The Costume

****HARLEY QUINN IN SUICIDE SQUAD - THE COSTUME****

Oh yes, it's another click-bait opinion piece on Harley's revised model in the Suicide Squad!

Wait, if I get money out of it, then that's great but this is just going to be my opinion. 

I've been pretty patient with not blasting this crappy outfit to smithereens verbally, but now, it's time. 

Alright - so why so serious?

This is Harley Quinn. She's a former psychiatrist turned felon when she fell for the Joker. Notice how she's dressed like a harlequin? She's also got a red/black theme with diamonds... does it remind you of a playing card or a Joker's Wild casino?

Now, it's common place these days for Miss. Quinn to have a new costume for every new gig she has. I remember reading an interview with Jim Lee who was talking about how coooool it'd be if she had a new costume in every issue and I was sitting there like... do you even read comics? She already does!

Comparison chart of costume changes. 

Anyway, the reason I brought up the diamond playing card thing is that someone saw this character (or her game counterparts/or her new fifty-poo mutation/or her solo comic shitstorm/or ... whatever) and thought "how can I bring this character into, like, the now?" The answer? A baseball diamond. 

Yeah... a baseball diamond. Of course. Sports jacket, Adidas heels, carrying a bat and always chewing gum? What else is she meant to be? 

Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad - The Characterisation

Alright, everyone else on the internet has had their say - now it's my turn.

***SPOILERS in case you actually care***

Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad.

"Now you're playing Harley, I want you to picture your vagina as a clown car..."

We will just talk about her for now, as the stupidity of the whole movie thing cannot be contained to one post.

To be fair, a lot of the reviews that I've read have slammed the movie itself, and then went on to praise Harley Quinn's actress Margot Robbie, Deadshot's actor Will Smith and Amanda Waller's Viola Davis for saving what could be saved of the cheesy, lame, popcorn flick.

"But the trailers were so promising!"

So -  one thing to ask ourselves is... was Margot Robbie in fact worthy of the praise?
Another - is this actually Harley Quinn?

Honestly, I've only seen a few of her movies. Even though I'm Australian, I avoid both soaps Neighbours (that she was on) and it's beachy counterpart Home and Away like the plague on wheels.
She was good in Focus - alongside Will Smith and I saw her in a bit part in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot where she was frankly a backstabbing bitch.

THE CHARACTERISATION

I've been told she was great in the Wolf on Wall Street so good for her! Because of this I went in with an open mind when I watched the Suicide Squad film, but if I hadn't been aware that she was supposed to be Harley Quinn, I would have not known otherwise. People keep saying that she killed it as Harley Quinn in this role but in my opinion.. there were a few bit parts that resonated with me as Harley Quinn and the rest was just over-sexualised, generic,  unfunny bullshit.

It kinda reminds me of all the group or quartet sort of shows you see growing up - where there are so many boys and usually only one girl. It's her job to be a lot of roles because we just can't have too many main female characters, ya'know. So she ends up being among other things - the love interest, the sex symbol, the ditz, the brainiac, the "mom" or if we're very lucky, a strong female character.

Belonging is fun!

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #6!

HARLEY QUINN #6 - WHO WANTS TO ROB A MILLIONAIRE

COVER DATE: May, 2001

WRITER: Karl Kesel 

PENCILER(s): Terry Dodson 

INKER(s): Rachel Dodson; Wayne Faucher 

COLORS: Alex Sinclair 

LETTERS: Ken Lopez 

EDITOR(s): Matt Idelson 

COVER: Rachel Dodson; Terry Dodson

Ahh, Harley Quinn issue 6... also famous for appearing in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back!

Wait, not that one...

There we go! To the top left behind Jay's sweet tresses. Of course, this being a movie I went to as a young teen not knowing it was mostly drug and dick jokes, I was not at that time a Harley Quinn fan. I became a Jay and Silent Bob fan though! Anyway, my point is it was a nice little Easter Egg for me as I was expanding my personal fan base.