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.


Speaking of, she makes some weak puns and then collapses near Croc. Nixon is first on the scene.


He feigns surprise at the destruction, but not at seeing Croc. He pulls out his gun but is stopped by Matches. Was Nixon trying to shoot the downed Harley Quinn or Killer Croc? Kenny is unsure.

As well as the traditional comic book square panels, there's a few panels that sort of pan across the frame, in a cinematic kind of way which I like.

Tensions wear thin between the gang when Matches accuses Nixon of substantiating rumours about a price on Harley's head and Lewis recommends leaving town, having a nice cool pint and waiting for all this to blow over.

Harley puts the kibosh on that though because unlike any sane person, she's got something she's gotta see through. This is not a vendetta or anything but instead, she's talking about her matchmaking of two of the three stooges. At first her deep attraction to all things love related is cute, but now it's endangering her actual life and her ability to wear clothes, much like being a Star Sapphire.

The conversation turns to wondering who else knows about Harley's hideout apart from Croc and any of those present at Harley's slumber party who may have talked and talk may have gotten back to the Batman.



The scene wigs out in Harley's animated mindset when she hallucinates the Batman crashing through her window - giving her inspiration to become a bat... and giving Matches nightmares.



Another nice scene - watching the reflection of Killer Croc slow his roll onto the windscreen of a police vehicle. Fortunately, they survive.

Love the slice of life from a Gotham cop - complaining about Metropolis and the aliens/mad scientists and how they'd much prefer the actual criminals they can put away themselves.

Rookie cop things Batman is an urban legend.

Rookie cop is wrong. Bat-wrong.

When they look up to see where Killer Croc fell from, they spy the classic Batgirl and call it in for help with the body. The call comes through to that Batgirl - although now working as Oracle. Oracle calls present day Batgirl, Cassandra Cain to see if it was her.







Nearby, Harley continues her hero escapades and deals with a few thugs shooting up a pizza parlour because they'd heard it was Quinn's hideout. Harleybat appreciates that punks are too busy running away to shoot at her.

She chases them and throws a Batarang, missing badly. Luckily, Robin's in the area too and comes to her aid.

She can't resist playing mindgames with him but does correctly point out that it's not fair to call her a fake Batgirl when he's Robin number three.

This works two ways.. Harley - not being part of the Batgang, doesn't realise the significance of putting on this costume but it's a slap in the Batgang's face, especially since the one who crippled Barbara and took her out of this costume indefinitely (or until the next DC re-boot, anyway) was none other than the Joker!





Cassandra shows up as Batgirl and attacks Harleybat - a bit more efficiently than Robin but still gets evaded by Harleybat... at least temporarily.
Robin is still getting his buttons pressed severely by Harleybat, who keeps finding ways to physically injure him as well while trying to fight Batgirl.
Harleybat stuns Batgirl and throws her around by her cape, pointing out that it's way too easy to use against the person it's attached too when Batgirl grabs her cape and they both fall off the building.















Another fun issue showing how warped Harley's mindset is about her own safety. Instead of staying low and skipping town, she decides the best way to remain incognito is to dress up like a member of the Batfamily. Unfortunately, short of a mass murder this is actually the next best way to get noticed by the Batgang. 

There's a nice play on history here - Harley of course having no idea whose boots she's really stepping into and not understanding why the Bats are all out to get her, even when she's not breaking the law. 

The tension in the Quinntets is still simmering but is kept below the lid by the presence of Matches Malone. 

Best lines:

Kenny: The Bat took out four mooks... blindfolded!
Nixon: Kenny - our mother could put down four blind guys.

Harley: Another Bat with issues. Why am I not surprised?

Robin: You made a mistake dressing like that!
Harley: Bet that's what they said about the first Robin!

Love Letters: