DC Universe Harley Quinn #56

Okay.. I feel like we have already had a cover like this with Harley recently. Or maybe two if you count the 'We are Robin' "parody" in that. Then it's got the obligatory 'who let the somethings out' asked perhaps un-ironically. Probably wouldn't be too bad but.. the cats.... don't look like cats.

They kinda look like stuffed animals with some poor sod's false eyeballs. Clearly they ran out of poses for said pussy posse and they sneakily amended them slightly with different colours, hid them in the background... maybe moved a limb or two. I just can't get past Harley's freakishly tiny hands. .....urrgh.

Second cover is okay.. makes me wish it was 'who let the hyenas out' because that would be a lot more funny and then maybe, just maybe I could get past that time DC killed Bud and Lou horrifically.* Wait... where's the other hyena? Gasp!!!


So we open up on Harley staggering down the street for some reason. Is this to do with Christmas? Who knows? Anyway she gets some horrible Pepto-Bismol laced hot dog because apparently to be American is to eat partial meat substances with the antidote at the same time. Then it's back to the office! By which we mean her home? So why did she leave in the first place? Who knows..?

Now here's the part I have a problem with. She has...gained a cat allergy! *comedic shenanigans ensue* I know it's not impossible.. why, my best friend recently started reacting to her cat and they've had that furry bastard for like a decade! Harley doesn't act like this is a recent development though.. although she sure didn't mention it when she used to have that whole spare floor filled with dogs, cats, birds and a metric tonne of their poop!

Well it's relevant because she now has to evict some tenant's cats. As we all know, I skipped a good load of these comics because I couldn't stand the bastardising last 'creative' team. So.... who the heck is this guy? Was he in the comics recently? Why does he have to get rid of his cats (who appear to be talented) when Harley herself got to have the aforementioned poop-level filled with dogs that literally ate humans... when she had that poop catapult shooting crap over the city she 'loved' so much.. how she had chickens, puppies and rotting beavers in her apartment...

What a hypocrite!!


This multi-million meowy cat owner has apparently been hoarding and training cats to steal for half a century. Oh and his name is Ferrell Katz... because .... *sigh.*

Okay, not gonna lie... I like this. It's itchy but blingy.

So Monsieur Katz gives an impassioned plea about how he loves his cats, how they're more than pets, they're all he has etc etc.... Harley says you can have one, and I'll find homes for the rest. And Monsieur I've literally trained an army of super Cats just rolls over and goes.. OKAY!

This gives us the spectacle that is Harley 'Ridiculous is an Understatement' Quinn - walking around handing out cats to any old Tom, Dick or Harry. These people don't even seem to want cats.. they may not be allowed pets in THEIR apartment, they could have mysterious allergies that pop up when the plot allows for it, hell, they may not have time or the equipment for a cat. But Harley doesn't care and she won't go to a shelter. Just here, random person I don't know, take a cat!

It's not like Coney Island has health standards anyway, right?

Only after giving out a dozen cats does Harley go "Oh wait, I have a friend who'd totally save a billion sneaky cat thieves!" But oh no, her wallet is gone! Now she can't use the transport system! I don't live there, but I have a feeling that the NY transit system either doesn't allow animals on it or if animals go on there it would be considered animal cruelty but hey! That's just my opinion, as I sit here reading about a murdering criminal who's afraid to hop a train without her ticket.

Then there's these guys... operating men only pet stores? I mean, what?

Men O' Paws? Male Chauvinist Pigs? Mike's Rent-an-Animal? I mean they're kinda funny but as a throw away joke.. not like.. the whole story of this issue. It doesn't even make sense. If pet sales had gone up significantly as a result of this massive.. movement.. - wow, a poop joke? - then why haven't we seen only men running around with their pet pigs or renting Llamas by the hour?
Wait, is that legal?

Harley continues using cats as weapons and giving them out to random cat lady parodies. Then she gets threatened by some MRA/pet store.. I dunno's - and she turns the tables on them by recognising them from places.. that we never saw them in before so it loses the impact. She tells them she did her research... but she's been out all day slangin' cats as it were.. and had never heard of these weirdos before now. So, when was the research done? About the same time Katz moved in?

GEEZ what happened to Harley?? 

Then there's some kind of zombie parody but with MRA's pushing their agendas of... something?
Complete with torches and probably pitchforks. Yeah, I know it's just gone Winter in America with Christmas and all.. but here in Australia it's swelter season and I hate you for making me read about fire.

I hated this scene a lot because it reminded me too much of the last 'creative' bunch. You know - some one note character says something clearly designed to be something we all hate so Harley has an excuse to just straight up kill or maim them and it's all "okay". 

Then some smart ass cat just drones another cat onto the crowd and that's enough to defeat them until Catwoman arrives. Well, a version of Catwoman. I never thought I'd wish for the oversexualised bodypaint costume again but just like Poison Ivy - classic female villains are just ruined when they appear in this new Harley comic.

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

Soo.... that was it. Comic with an agenda. I read some comments about it and everyone was butthurt about the latest Comic-Gate thing or whatever happened.. I get enough drama from reading comics without figuring what the artists and writers are up to as well.

This comic made little sense and it was annoying to me that everything was sooo set up just to fit the narrative. Like Harley wearing cat earrings and a cat collar. Suddenly having LOL-allergies! That cat loving Kat just rolling over despite Harley destroying his livelihood and pastime.

I feel like over the last few years Harley has been evolving into a SJW type character.
You see it in the way she attacks those one note stand up caricatures of stereotypes, the way they changed her sexuality, now she can't swim, has allergies and convenient depression..

Like, they're targeting a certain fan base and it's not me. 
Maybe I'm just evil. Because I'm nostalgic. Get it?

Wotta Comedian!

Harley: Mmmm... Pepto-dog's not half bad! As a matter of fact, it's ALL bad!

Harley: If I could just --
Thug: Mustard's on the counter, toots!
Harley: Actually, I'm here for the -- CAT'S UP!

Pet Store Customer: Excuse me, do you have any chinchillas?
Men O' Paws Staff: Chinchillas are for wussies. Here's a snake!

Thugs: You're in ferret-town, honey!
Harley: Hey, if people don't want your trouser rats, it ain't my fault.






*I will NEVER get over that!!