Harley Quinn and Batman #5

The Last Laugh pt 5 of 5

Alright, the conclusion of this mini prequel-sequel... thing.
Haha the editor's surname is Quinn.. now that is funny!

Page one of this comic has me interested again because there are so many things I like here. One, Arkham Asylum shown in the daylight, and it's not raining? Whaaaaa?
Secondly, Dr. Leland still exists. Woohoo!
Bruce Wayne isn't on the board for a change.. woohoo!
Asylum hiring heavies from ex-boxing rings and putting them beside normal size wardens/security staff. I like how the biggest one there even has a stick for protection.
Asylum staff talking like actual doctors, and even clarifying a medical/legal distinction for insanity.

What I don't like is the art dramatically decreases in quality again.. on the next page with the facial expressions... Plus Harley is clearly wearing non-regulation inmate booty shorts. Come on!


Okay, so it's one year later apparently. Exactly one year later. Boy, that'll make Calendar Man happy.
Remember when Harley lead Batman and Nightwing to Ivy's hothouse outhouse hideout .. place.

We haven't been shown Harley telling the Caped Crusaders about Ivy's crime spree, so as far as we know in this comic she's going to be dragged back to an asylum just for existing. Hmm.

Also, I honestly doubt Batman would follow Harley Quinn straight in through the front door. Nightwing's all 'oh, now I don't think it's a trap' and that's just swell because you numbskulls would have walked right into it if it was.




Ivy is pissed at Harley, and that's fair enough. Batman throws a Batarang and smashes some empty beakers which Ivy exclaims has aided her by freeing her babies... I'm not sure how exactly but hey whatever. It gave us this sweet image of evil Ivy.

Awesome. Then she turns into a weeping, hang wringing shrinking violet once Batman and Nightwing burn her vines.. you know, like they always do. She's angry and threatens to snap Nightwing's neck. This could probably be avoided if she attacked them herself instead of sending in soldiers but okay. Harley does a bodyguard dive into Ivy's gut to get her to stop.

At least, I think so. I expected this but with an impact:

Buuuut I got this instead.

I don't know why but I expected a bit more from an expert gymnast than a weird floppy ragdoll pose that makes it look like she's conjoined with Ivy. Also she seemingly comes out of nowhere so there's no sense of where anyone is... it's weird.

Speaking of weird, is Harley intentionally not making eye contact here or what? Plus check out Batman's evil grin at destroying plants. That's a bit.. hmm. Guess someone who wears all black doesn't have a green thumb, aye?

The chair is not where I thought it'd be, following the girl's tumble. Ivy has clean gloves in the first panel here, then the next one makes it look like she's literally fighting her way out of her own vines because she's covered in sap/poison/icky stuff.

The following page has Harley try that stupid teary eyes thing but Ivy - looking like a drug crazed maniac freezes and then launches herself away on her vines telling Harley that those tears didn't save her life - it's definitely her *last laugh*. (roll credits!)

This is all it takes for Harley to decide she's done with everything and she submits to going back to the asylum... Probably a good idea to avoid both Catwoman and Poison Ivy.

She does some reflectin' on her relationships and then.. ruins it all by flirting with Nightwing. Gah! Stop trying to make fetch happen!

Back in 'present day' I guess, or one year later - for want of a Batmanesque term, Harley is able to describe what sanity is to her, and that's good enough for the esteemed doctors of Arkham.

That and no contact with former associates (which is a given seeing as how she's on the inside) and no meds to speak of. And turns out she's not wearing booty shorts, she's got some sort of short dress, or some inmate assigned shirt but no pants. Is.. is this better or worse than booty shorts?
Either way she had to sit like a pretzel to keep from flashing her panties earlier so you take from that what you will.

Kinda nice farewell for Harley from the doctors but no one to meet her at the gate. Bit weird the thing about expecting Batman. It would have been the icing on the cake but then again.. it's daytime and there is no crime here.. why should he be there? He probably has all the release dates mentally categorised anyway but if something urgent happened and Batman needed to save the day, well priorities, you know?

I think this one nameless doctor is the one good doctor at Arkham because damn is he cheerful, positive and encouraging. Harley seems to take the new direction her life is heading in well but then when she walks off she's like a new depressed person? That sucks.

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

Well this issue - aside from the sometimes weird art - was much better than the other four put together. I get it's meant to tie in to the movie with the Nightwing flirting, Poison Ivy hating Harley's tears, Harley being more jaded about life and then her being released from Arkham officially..

It just sucks to end on a depressing note. Harley's normally a lot more cheerful but again, I see where it's going.

Which is apparently down a long ass driveway to the end of Arkham Asylum and to the road outside. Damn, the docs couldn't spring for a cab???

Wotta Comedian!

Ivy: You brought Batman to my house?! Like I'm the Joker?! 

Harley: First, Mistah J doesn't want to kill me.... and now what's left of Ivy does. I ain't livin' my life right.