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. 

It's Scarface and his new ventriloquist Sugar. Harley asks about Arnie, the original Ventriloquist but is advised that he isn't doing to well. Scarface introduces the two ladies but the atmosphere is icy. They explain their plan and Harley tries to figure out why she's been involved. 

I love the way Harley's gymnastic ability is worked into the story so effortlessly - even after a blow to the head -  she's still got it. She can also change clothes really quickly - but not as fast as her current/previous rendition!

Yeah, this still pisses me off. Blink and ya miss it!

Speaking of, it's Harley's talents that are required for getting into the building for the heist due to high security levels. Harley gets in easily and makes an excellent banking joke as well. 

Next she intercepts the goons and what follows is one of my favourite Harley Quinn pages ever. She calls the cops. No, seriously!
I've also learnt that in Yiddish, Ver Derharget means something similar to drop dead.

Anyway, now the police know, Batman also knows which is surprising because Batman's apparently got so many cameras and contacts around the place, he should have known first. Buuut then we wouldn't get the awesome u-turn Batmobile. 

Harley in the meantime continues the job so she doesn't raise suspicions. They offer her a cut but she notices their goon sneaking up on her and puts paid to that. 

This is why they used Harley and not say, Catwoman - an actual thief. As well as likely refusing to help if they kidnapped her, she's also more established in this world. Compared to her, Harley seems easy to dispose of afterwards. Well, not in this case. She easily dodges bullets, expertly aims a dustpan lid at Sugar, punts the car keys away, subdues the goon and even has time to make a self discovery comment. 

Not a very dramatic Batman reveal but it's highly effective. Harley and Bats team up with a trust you don't normally see from him. Plus, he didn't punch her in the face even once.

He gives her a lift back to the Asylum and Batman quickly cottons on to why Harley wasn't a Sugar fan.

We flash back to what we never usually see in these comics - the villain's in jail or the asylum and feeling vulnerable. For Harley, both Joker and Poison Ivy were still out and she was so despondent about the transition from doctor to patient on her first week there that she was considering ending her life when the original Ventriloquist - Arnold Wesker - made a kind gesture to her.

After an impromptu puppet show, he introduces himself and tells her that once you're in, you're in. Kind of like family. The chat doesn't last long before Scarface arrives and starts bossing Arnold around. Harley perhaps recognises the abusive relationship he's stuck in as well and knows how much of a risk he took reaching out to her.

Batman takes it with a grain of salt - telling her that even though Arnold may have been nice to her won't ever atone for how many deaths he caused with Scarface. Harley knows this, but responds that it proved that there was still a person trapped in there and she was sorry that he never had the chance that she did - to get out.

Days later, Wayne changes his vote and Harley (once pried off the ceiling of her elation) is free to go.


The Good:

* The Art. As I mentioned before, it is gorgeous! Not just the characters, there is amazing attention to detail in the background and people who don't even have lines. The shadowing and lighting is appropriate in every scene and everything looks realistic.

* The teamwork between Harley and Bats. They've done it before in the BTAS and were shown to have a pretty good rapport. This is something the New52 Harley cannot do - which is a shame because ceasefires between Bats and Villains are few and far between - and it shows that Harley is not a completely lost cause. When she's taken, the heroes worry *for* her, not because she might go and blow up some kids if left unattended.

The Bad:

* Pet peeve - when the hero replays the cameras show scenes that couldn't or shouldn't be recorded, or recorded at that exact angle. I know it's just to make sure we know what the hero's looking at but still. Pet peeve, y'know?

* Harley is shown with springs on the soles of her shoes at some times, and sometimes it looks like she's wearing boots with no springs attached, and it makes me wonder. Also her jester ruffle neck-piece vanishes briefly in the Batmobile and boy does it make her outfit look weird!

The Ugly:

* Apart from Moose and Peyton/Sugar - nothing ugly here!