Batman and Harley Quinn issues 1- 4

Alright, remember that Batman and Harley Quinn animated movie that came out? Then the prequel comics that came out? Then these ones that came out at pretty much the same time? Yeah.. it's a bit confusing. Even I get the whole Batman and Harley Quinn or Harley Quinn and Batman titles mixed up a lot. 

Geez, even DC is getting confused because they're selling the 5 issue prequel and the 7 issue sequel as 'Batman and Harley Quinn' and advertising it solely AS said sequel in a collected graphic novel. 

Let's have a look. 

So already we can see that the art style is basically the same - as in Batman the Animated Series but just bad enough so we don't get sued by WB. 

This issue opens with the suspicious note of '6 days since Harley lit the match' and the title of this issue is 'Busted' which ties into the Solit for the series which was :

Batman's been back in Gotham for almost a week, and that means someone is about to get "Busted"!
Wow! Is it Harley!? Nope. she ain't even in this issue. That's why I'm doing two posts on this run so I can breeze through the majority of it. The chump getting busted is Blockbuster. So.. is that a pun or what? Not sure.

The entire issue is just Batman trying to fight this dude and also making his butler run errands in plain sight... while he's dressed as Batman. Damn man, at least try and make the secret identity thing work!

Of course, backgrounds aren't exactly a priority in this series so for all we know the people that were being attacked by blockbuster probably just evaporated.

Besides, I'm sure Batman chased Blockbuster away from all the citizens of Gotham. Nope. There are two chumps just watching as Alfred pulls up in his unique automobile, probably with personalised plates - just rocks up and talks to Batman.

Hmmm. 

There are some things I like about this issue though. For one, the spinny Bat, and for another, the coffee joke.

When I heard about him only asking for two shots of coffee, I for sure thought that it was gonna turn out that Harley - Queen of the extra large triple shot, extra caffeine with sprinkles - was behind it all. But no, the only hint of Harley in issue one is that she lit the match a few days ago and Batman is posting a letter to her.

Onto issue 2 and wow, the art's taken a cleaner turn here. My only fault is that the guard has no eyeballs and appears to be wearing compression tights instead of work pants. 

Her first meal is steak... and. only steak. Not even some measly veggies or pasta or a salad. Not even any chips! Plus she's allowed to cut her own meal up with the sharp cutlery that.. probably shouldn't have even been allowed in Ivy's ward. Neither should the newbie Ken who's instantly attracted to Ivy and even magic's a chair up so he can sit by her side and discuss what else he can get her.

Oh, just girly things like... plants... dessert... your security pass...

What could possibly go wrong?










Predictably, Ivy breaks out but Batman's there to put a stopper on that.

Arkham residents do break out more than Ivy's hair parting changes sides.

Also, side note - they are really still pushing that whole food is everything but plants angle for Ivy aren't they? Does that mean she'd let an apple go to waste? I AM CONFUSION.

Also very confused as to why Arkham Asylum just lets the inmates chill in their villain attire. Sure, it looks cool - much like this amazing backdrop here - but it can't be good for rehabilitation.

Which is the point Batman's trying to make I guess but it's a bit of a sore point when all the examples Ivy tries to use are all people known for their criminal alter-ego and even when they are trying to be remade into model citizens, they're not allowed to change out of their suits.

Clayface owns as Poison Ivy

Ivy makes a comment about not being committed enough to be not as bad as the others..
and I ask myself yet again... IS THIS A PUN TOO?!

Batman is going to try to secure work release for Ivy to keep her out of Gotham and encourages her to look to Harley Quinn for support.

Wait... this is two days after the match was lit... so.. this timeline is a bit weird. Did Batman not arrest Ivy? Did someone else? Ivy was ticked at Harley in prequels, they kind of made up in the movie.. they weren't even hanging out for a while since then so how does Ivy know about Harley's struggles to go straight??

Okay, I tried to take this seriously, I really did but here I am laughing because Floronic Man is burning alive, calling out his enemies and amongst the Bat, Jester and Traitor we have... The Wing?

I mean, yeah, Nightwing, but who calls him The Wing? The chicken wing? The buffalo wing? The winged eyeliner? That moronic floronic guy sure is pretentious.

There's a parliament of green headed by Swamp Thing - an actual government - and even IT manages to be less stuffy and much more human. Like, damn!

Naturally (ha!) the trees either pause to kindly make sure that everyone gets a chance to speak or they just speak really slowly.

Which gives Floronic Man plenty of time to look shifty, then casually get out of dodge.

....and Swamp Thing's like WOAH WHERE'D HE GO?! 

So...Floronic Man derides Poison Ivy because she 'betrayed the green' - read: disagreed with him.
Now he's crying because his green powers don't work as well as the head of the Green Government's.

Nightwing: A Dark Wing. Sorry, couldn't resist.

So here we get back to the non-swamp and Nightwing is chasing a zombie-like Catwoman. I like how her clothes have no external bits - no zippers, no pockets, no creases, no layers... but her ears. Good gravy! Those things could skewer ten chickens at a BBQ!

Also, the only scene that seems kinda realistic is the jumping bit, but I gotta see I'm disappointed in Catwoman's landing. The rest of the action seems really... really stiff for two master level acrobats. Gets the point across but still, Nightwing's expression at being kicked across the roof is comparable to if someone didn't pass the salt at dinner.



Same goes for him lying there like limp spaghetti. Damn. Batman's bat-boner isn't even impressed with Catwoman and just leaves her handcuffed to a pole. Suppose it's just as well they ended up on street level. Oh no wait, the Bat-Boner is alive and well, Dick is using it. Oh my.

Yep. Dick wants to go to Superbabes. Also, the FREAKING BATMOBILE is parked outside a superhero themed restaurant and no one looks up from their hotwings!
Plus, 'Harley's'costume has changed from what she was wearing in the movie. Licensing issues within the franchise, or laziness? I still had questions about that and her varying skin tones.

Well, The Wing himself busts out a lame pick up line and then gets shot down over pudding. I often wonder exactly what pudding is in America. I know it generally means dessert but I always picture Angel Delight. American things keep talking about pudding cups and I'm like... do they actually mean pudding or is it like cake pops? Who knows. Now I'm hankerin' for some Angel Delight.

Anyway, The Wing leaves his Wings and goes for some karaoke at the sidekick hangout. Shrubby tries to act tough but everyone knows he's just making up for the fact that he's some broccoli themed disco thug. Again, they pummel the occupants and drink milk. I feel like there's a meme in here somewhere.... or at the very least some kind of milk commercial. 

Batman and Nightwing manage to lose Alfred to the allure of the music box and Batman gets his cape in a twist about the amount of blush he uses under his cowl.

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

Not gonna lie... this is a weird comic that doesn't seem to think it's plots out more than a few pages, yet at the same time seems like it's having too much fun to just be a blatant cash grab.

Everytime I see Nightwing mooning over Harley, I think of her original solo series where Nightwing was rightfully horrified and angry when he realised Harley was scampering around in Batgirl's old garb. I guess maybe Barbara doesn't exist in this particular universe or is too busy banging Batman creepily in the other part of town.

I think pushing the Nightwing/Harley romance angle was a bit much - it seems to come out of nowhere and gets there fast as well.

Wotta Comedian!

Blockbuster: Me trash bat. Heh-heh. Is good joke.

Batman: He keeps going after people. How close are you?!
Alfred: Quite close -- there's a lot of traffic coming from your direction, as you might imagine.
Batman: No hurry, it's just a catastrophic rampage.

Mark/Blockbuster: I told the barista only two shots of espresso...
Batman: That's it -- your picture is going in every cafe in Gotham.

Poison Ivy: And thank you, Ken! I hope you enjoy your work here. Though I don't think you're going to last long.

Clayface: Look who gets special hanging-out-with-Batman privileges.

Riddler: Riddle me this: when is a plant not a--
Batman: Shut up, Riddler.

Poison Ivy: It's nice up here. Can you get them to move my cell?
Batman: I was thinking something like that.
Poison Ivy: What... Really?

Batman: Don't tell Harley I said she wasn't the worst. 

Alfred: Against my better judgement, might I suggest that you give the lady a call? We've only room for one brooding hero in this cave. 

Nightwing: Alfred, how would you like to join me for a night out?
Alfred: Do I have a choice?

Nightwing: Bru--
Batman: No. 
Nightwing: Well, then can I take the--?
Batman: No.  

Nightwing: Are you sure you don't want to do "Ain't no sunshine" next?
Batman: You told me you couldn't hear anything when I'm in the shower.