Retro Review: Harley Quinn #18

The Bride of Bizarro!

May 2002

Dont'cha just love the cover here? It's random and hilarious but still tied into the main plot. I like how the cardboard character Harley's standing in is reminiscent of Joker's classic tuxedo from the cover of Batman: Harley Quinn, and by her standing in as the male instead of being in the bridal costume shows off her sense of humour and subverts how we see her. Kinda reminds me of her character in a nutshell - she was supposed to be a one note one episode villain but turned that on it's head.

Possibly reading too much into that but eh whatever.

Where we last left off, Jimmy Olsen had just appeared at Holly Chance's apartment to see if she was alright after the whole hostage thing, but in the time that passed between those two instances Harley Quinn had managed to bring a Bizzaro buddy back to meet Poison Ivy and captive Thorn.

The unique way the issue chooses to tell us that Jimmy has stumbled onto Holly/Harley's secret is via Inner Harley interviewing Jimmy Olsen's brain. Yep, you read that right.

Classic.

Turns out Harley had left her 'work' costume sticking out of some trees so Jimmy would find it, then chooses an appropriate time to re-imagine her 'Mad Love' nightie scene, but in a more terrifying way.

I love the reflection in the glass.. small, but nice touch

Jimmy - realising who he was playing with - decided to make a run for it via the kitchen window, even though they were at penthouse level. Harley surprises him by appearing on the other side of the glass, and Jimmy runs for the proverbial hills but ends up running into the remains of Auntie Chance.

And then... Poison Ivy...




Jimmy makes another break for it but Harley calls in her next guest, Bizarro the Backwards Speaker.

Even though he's frozen to the floor near the front door, Jimmy manages to turn around, free one of his hands and appear back amongst all the plants. Bit unclear if he actually unfroze or if Bizarro turned him around or what but anyway.

He questions why Bizarro is aligned with Harley and inadvertently lets slip a way Harley can actually help Bizarro. 

Now, remember when Bizarro followed Harley home like an overgrown clone puppy? Yeah? Now remember when Harley told Ivy she'd clue her in on the whole Bizarro-speak situation? Yeah? Do you remember when she did that? No?

Hmm, well, that's about to bite some two toned tooshies.

The expressions on Ivy's face and her characterisation is perfect.

Even though Harley is her BFF there are some times where she just can't stand her crazy shit

Later on, Jimmy wakes up from his dead faint to discover he's being carried by Bizarro alongside a jet packin' Harley to S.T.A.R Labs.





Harley weighs up the options of finding Talia or seeking out the Bizzaro maker, and ultimately decides to post pone Bizarro's love life in favour of torturing Jimmy some more. When relaying this, she fails to say it correctly.. un-correctly... whatever - and Bizarro shoots off to find the Bizarro-tron leaving Harley no choice but to follow him.

Harley backs Bizarro up and then tries to amscray but isn't able to when a scientist realises what Bizarro is and gets his nerd fanboy on.

Harley finds out the scientist's connection to Chance and demands he makes amends by helping Bizarro out while Jimmy hides in a storeroom, and contemplates making a McGyver style signal watch to alert Superman.
Speaking of the Big Blue - he's alerted by the S.C.U about Bizarro and Harley but is currently no wiser to their location.

Harley misunderstands the inner workings of the Bizarro-tron and finds herself about to be cloned - her declines never quite getting through the language barrier of Bizarro speak.  Jimmy got a working signal maker in time to set off Bizarro, alert Superman but not enough time to stop Dr. Chance!

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

I think we see a bit of a different side to Harley in this issue. Previously, she would do anything to match-make.. risk being captured or injured, shoot her loyalest henchman, break up a marriage that wasn't working..

Here though, she's content with things how they are as long as Bizarro remains her own personal super shield - even going as far as stepping in to prevent or divert progress.

Harley's stalking and threatening of Jimmy is good - sometimes it seemed like she really wanted to kill him and other times she seemed happy just to toy with him. You were never really sure if she was serious about it or not. This for me, added a bit more weight to the debate about her sanity.

The opening sequence with the brain interview kept things light and entertaining though.

Wotta Comedian!

Harley: What ah have in mind won't take long sugah! Come into my parlour-!
Jimmy: I'm thinking spider here - I'm thinking fly --!

Jimmy: Oh Yeah? Then what do you call....THIS?
Harley: Where ah come from, Jimmy, we call that a lady! This particular one happens to be my roommate. 

Harley: Oh yeah -- you am bad, Bizarro! You am very bad!
Bizarro: Aw, Bizarro am betting Harley not say that to all Bizarros. 

Bizarro: Okay. Bizarro not go anywhere. Be right back. 

Jimmy: This is bad! In the video game of life, this is a whole new level of bad! How come things always get worse for me? Why're they never better? What was I -- Lex Luthor in a previous life?

Harley: Well, what d'ya know -- looks like we ran outta friends.. for a while at least. And me the social type! Or is that sociopathic? 

Inspector Turpin: 'Course, we don't got x-ray eyes like you, Superman. Bet you could check the whole city in no time flat.
Superman: And you could tap everyone's phone -- if it wasn't illegal. We both have to respect people's privacy Inspector Turpin. 

Love Letters!