A thought about Suicide Squad...

A thought about Suicide Squad...

So today I was trying to find a certain BTAS Harley Quinn reaction gif but you know who turned up to the party? Margot Robbie, and sometimes the Harley Quinn from the games.
This ticked me off because a) it made me trawl through several gifs of her 'acting' and b) she's a shitty, second rate imitation of a Harley Quinn knock off who fell in a sewer.

Look, movies have a lot of issues with portraying women - I... fail to see why because ARE WE NOT PEOPLE?! If you cut us, do we not bleed? If we take liberties with characters, do they not instantly put on hot pants and stop being hilarious?

Then I realised one movie in particular where I had seen this all before but didn't connect until now.

Mother Funking Space Jam

Harley Quinn: Convergence pt 2

Harley Quinn: Convergence pt 2

2015

"Rabbit Season"

Writer: Steve Pugh

Pencils: Phil Winslade

Where we last left off, Harley Quinn had been selected as Pre-Flashpoint Gotham City's champion, her boyfriend was assaulted, she was drugged by her friends and the battle was looming. 

This issue has a bit of time skipping, we start out in the battle where Harley has apparently killed on of Captain Carrot's team mates after he was sent to warn Cap that HQ was a demon. 

Harley Quinn meet him outside the Hall of Mirrors featuring the Joker's visage and introduces herself comically. Captain Carrot is an all around nice guy and tells Harley politely that he's not here to hurt her. Harley however, has several tricks and traps set to ensure her advantage on top of this. 

Sometimes they work, like her bluff about what super powers she has. Other times... not so much.

Harley Quinn: Convergence pt 1

Harley Quinn: Convergence pt 1

2015

Writer: Steve Pugh

Pencils: Phil Winslade

Along with the collective "uuurgh" of yet another DC wide 'event' there was also a "oooh!" from my side of the planet when I saw the promotional pages and ads featuring an original costume Harley Quinn getting into shenanigans that didn't involve poorly timed bathtub suicide jokes without context or constant fawning over Power Girl. 

Gosh darn, the new Hardly Quinn comics made me hate not just Hardly Quinn but also G-D Pee-gee! Graaaagh!!

*deep breath, sips whiskey*

H'okay. The point I was getting to was that this comic was my ever loving hope for a good Harley Quinn comic in a sea of new fifty-poop. 

Did we get said good comic? Well, one look at the Gotham City Sirens inspired cover and I was already happy but yes, the comic gets much better. 

Batman #663 - The Clown at Midnight

Hi guys, today I've chosen to do a review of a fairly unconventional and to be honest, seemingly universally loathed comic issue of Batman #663 - The Clown at Midnight.

Written by: Grant Morrison

Art by: John Van Fleet

April 2007

Personally, I like this comic but I do understand where the haters are coming from. 

First of all - it's issued as a comic book, but it is actually more like a short story. I feel like some readers felt tricked at that part alone, because the cover art gives no indication that this comic book should be any different than the rest of the Batman ones out there. 

Secondly, it's extremely descriptive. Now me, I love reading so I don't care that there are ten times as many words in this issue than there are pictures. So it's pretty telling that if someone like me has to sometimes stop and re-read a sentence to recall what they're describing in the first place. That said.. I feel that the imagery evoked by the words are essential to the story and they have to be. 

You have a story here where the Joker is unable to talk, Batman's his usual cheerful, talkative self and a lot of the action takes place in cemeteries, or  when one character is all by themselves. The language is flowery but it sure as hell beats outspoken exposition! 

Here though, where you can't - literally can't - actually watch the action unfold, the wording makes it vividly clear what is happening and lets you get inside the Joker's mindset. 

More Ugly Harley Quinn Merchandise!!

More Ugly Harley Quinn Merchandise!!

That's right folks, it's round two of what were they thinking in marketing!

First up at the bat is this bobble head Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad: The what were they thinking of movie creation. This thing actually moving would probably give me nightmares. Look at it's gross spindly legs, the vacant, dead eyes and weird puppet hands. Heck, the thing looks like she's bruised around one eye and her pasty skins blends into her blonde hair.

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.

HARLEY QUINN'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY!

HARLEY QUINN'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY!

Hey guys, guess who is celebrating her 25th anniversary of being alive in the DC universe?

Harley Quinn! Yeah, that's right, she debuted way back in 1992 on the Animated Series and is now pimped out everywhere like at best a cheap version of Deadpool or at worst a gross gangster groupie.

Yeah, you should be sorry alright

So DC has come to the party offering presents for us fans (that you'll probably pay an arm and a leg for) and they actually look great. Probably helped in part by the fact that they're the classic Harley Quinn and not the shitty new Hardly Quinn. 

No, showing your butt won't help but thanks for offering

Review: Bombshells #11

DC Bombshells

"Combat" Part 2 of 9

2015

Story: Marguerite Bennet

Art: Mirka Andolfo

Cover: Ant Lucia

So today I thought I'd take a look back at Harley Quinn's start as a DC Bombshell.
Here she is at the Arkham Ward Sanitarium, working away in a blackout where we can clearly see that all the lights possible in this damn building are on and visible from the outside, but inside it's only dimly lit. Hmmm.

At this point in the story, we're already introduced to Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Stargirl, Batwoman, Mera, Amanda Waller, The Joker's Daughter, Zatanna and Catwoman etc. - some briefly, some are already on or beginning their adventures.

One of the good things about Harley Quinn not being super powered, is that you generally get an idea of her usual way of life. Where she lives, where she works and who she loves. This is no different for Bombshells - and I like that because you get to see more 'civilian' story instead of jumping into Soviet super weapons straight away (which is still cool by me).

Here we get a look at her colleagues discussing her checkered past (snicker) on one hand, but on the other they talk about how devoted she is to her work, and how nice she is.