Gotham City Sirens #7

Gotham City Sirens turn Holiday Story on us when we see Catwoman wailing on some jerks in Santa costumes. She laughs it off to the new Batman (Dick Grayson) but her bravado hides that little bit of fear we saw in the fight scene - she's still concerned about her heart.

Dick asks if the other sirens are staying out of trouble and Selena mentions that because the shelter was damaged recently, Ivy has gone to Central America and Harley is visiting family. Dick's pretty surprised as he can't picture her sitting around being jolly with family. What a weird thing to say, come to think of it. I mean, yeah, the new Hardly Quinn murder-go-round sex doll would be a weird, uncomfortable person to have around a Christmas tree, but sweet ol' pre-Flashpoint/New fifty-poo Harley Quinn?

Robin (Damian) busts in the room angry as hell, calls Selena a tramp, calls Dick a lazy douche and storms off, warning he;s going to take the Batmobile if Dick holds him up more than two minutes.
At least no one's surprised about THAT characterisation.

The other weird thing is when they do that obligatory holiday special thing where they cheers to friends who can't be there with them. 

So, Brucie is a given, but Alfred? Alfred just served you a drink two seconds ago, Dick! He's probably outside in the hall crying his butlery eyes out, man! Also not sure if that's meant to be Catwoman's semi-side kick Holly Robinson in the middle or if it's Jenna the Carpenter. Is the baby Catwoman's from that random side story she had once? Ivy looks pissed about being in the fire. That's fair enough. 

Moving over to Central America - Ivy is relaxed, footloose and fancy free in a jungle. Also clothes free, but that's fine because she can manipulate plant censors like a Disney Princess entrances small animals to do her bidding. 

She's wondering why they hell she doesn't just live here instead of the stagnant filth hole Gotham. 

It's a fair question.

In a moment of reflection she realises she misses Gotham, and that with her being half plant half human if she strays too long on one side of the fence, she would sorely miss the other side. 

Naturally, being Central America, a super hero/villain story and a comic book, some shit goes down with some drug lords harassing eco-tourists. Ivy realises they're as good as dead and doesn't want to bother saving the humans but then gets a rage boner when she realises that the thugs will just keep destroying everything green.... so she turns everything red. 

Over in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn - Harley knocks on her mother's door and is swiftly denied entry to the premises. 

Eventually her mother relents but only because it would bring shame if her wicked daughter was to freeze to death on Chauncey Street. I assume that's where the house is. I'm not familiar with Brooklyn past what I've read here and in Spiderman comics. 

We see Nicky and Jenny, Harley's beloved niece and nephew and then we get to meet Harley's brother Barry. Barry is a tool. Don't be like Barry. 

This is probably the most realistic part of the comic.. even though Barry is a deadbeat dad who squandered a good deal of money given to him by Harley for the purpose of bettering his life and that of his children and is a lazy, lousy, useless sack of shit.. both he and his mother look down on Harley for her criminal associations and her past. 

Fair enough, I suppose it's not something you can easily let go of when you know your daughter has been involved with probably the worst murderer in the DC universe and may even have blood on her own hands..her family would have had to live with this reading all the news, all the questions their friends would have had, it may have even affected their careers.

But that said, this Harley is nowhere near the bloodthirsty villain she is since New52 etc. This Harley has been though abuse and mental illness, and has been working on redeeming herself. She can't even get acceptance from her own family - which just perpetuates the cycle of crime really.

Harley and her ma hash out their disagreements - Harley's hurt after being compared to other super heroes who probably have proud parents, and laments the fact that her mother gives other people plenty of chances but not her. 

Her mother snaps back that all she does is give second chances to people who don't deserve it and won't change. 

And speaking of....Harley goes to visit her father. 

My what a big smile you have.. 

An unrepentant con man with a big, cheesy smile who calls her pumpkin and tries to manipulate her when she visits him in prison. 

I think they just made the Joker thing a partial daddy issue. It works though. 

We've just seen that Sharon, Harley's mother has had issues accepting her daughter's reformation because the people she's given second chances to - namely Barry as well as Harley's dad - have not changed their ways at all. Having a second criminal in the home must have been such a blow, shaking some trust foundations for sure. 

With the daddy issues thing, personally I think it's a load of bullcock that 'every girl wants a man like her father' and if you're a bad girl it's because of daddy issues, dancing around a stripper pole because you want your father (or someone like him) to give their approval of you. Sometimes it happens, but I don't think it's the rule. Also it's kind of creepy. 

But Harley's unnamed father is clearly a set up for the Joker relationship later in her life. Like her mother, Harley wants to believe in him and that he's seen the error of his ways but he just manipulates everyone with the intent of screwing them over. 

Absolutely frustrated, Harley makes her way back to the shelter not caring if it's still a burnt out dump. She comes across Jenna who apparently works the holidays with  he intention of tacking on after hours costs to their bill  - the home is restored and looks like a lot more than one person was working on the place. 

Vines on the pillars, cats on the banisters, playing card decals and stained glass windows/shadows that have an 'S' featured prominently... it's them but not in your face. 

Ivy and Selena arrive back in time to meet Harley just inside the door. Selena is now wearing a tux.. did she steal it from Dick? Anyway, they're all in good spirits so they give Harley the grand tour. 

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

A holiday special that wasn't chock full of after school sentiments and cliches - so you don't barf up your candy canes while reading it. Prior to this issue, Harley's past had never really been explored. Now, depending on which New52/Rebirth version you prefer apparently her parents are either both uncaring jerks or they're super relaxed Jewish stereotypes, but either way there's like three younger brothers and they're all jerks. In Injustice she has a sister, but that's probably because she leaves her own daughter with her and wouldn't trust any of those jerk brothers. 

I like how they included a toy room for Harley in the redecoration - I thought it was a nice touch seeing as how Ivy and Selena would never see the point of a room like that but to include it just for her must mean they're getting closer as a group, and more understanding of each other. 

Wotta Comedian!

Ivy: Perhaps it's the power I effortlessly exert over others than keeps driving me back. I like a challenge and I can't rest when I feel I haven't won. 

Nicky/Jenny: Aunt Harley's here!
Harley: Hi, monkeys!
Nicky: Did you kill Batman yet?!
Harley: Working on it!

Ma: He's a hero. Also Wonder Woman, and the Aqua Man, and that girl with the thing. 
Harley: What girl? Who? Wonder Girl?
Ma: No, the magic thing. 
Harley: Zatanna?
Ma: No, the little girl with the big gold thing. 
Harley: Stargirl. 
Ma: Stargirl. 

Harley: Damn it, pop! You were going to do it to me, weren't you?! Trick me into telling you where the money is so you could snake it away from me!
Pop: My baby girl is smarter than ever. 

Selena: Now tell us about your trip. Was it good seeing your family again?
Harley: It was terrible. Horrible beyond all human comprehension.