Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy #1

Here it is.

Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect from this comic because the previous taglines were all "Harley and Ivy explore their relationship post Sanctuary" - which can mean a lot of things but my first thought was "pleasedon'tbelikethepalmiottoconnerharleyivyrelationshippleasepleaseplease" because there is no faster buzzkill than my two of my favourite fictional criminals sitting around calling each other pet names, talking about feelings and scheduling spa dates.

Also, the first promo didn't grab my eye.. I wasn't keen on Ivy's 'green variant of female titan' look, and the angle for Harley wasn't especially flattering, and I wasn't excited about the predictable antagonist... although I did like the direct approach of it by having them dance around a map literally between their destinations. The cover they used appeals to me so much more.. although I question why it matters to watch the road when everything's on fire but that's just me.

As you may have guessed, there are quite a few variants so we'll go through them at the end so as not to take up the entire review.


So, what's it all about, really?

Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are taking their show on the road in this new miniseries! They’ll have to evade villains and heroes alike while they explore their relationship and unpack their time and experiences at Sanctuary. Set after the events of HEROES IN CRISIS and smack in the middle of “Year of the Villain,” it’s a journey across the DC Universe that will change their friendship forever... if they live that long!

"Pushing Daisies"

Sept 2019

Writer: Jody Houser

Pencils: Adriana Melo

Inks: Mark Morales
Colours: Hi-Fi

Cover: Mikel Janin

Okay... so it's a mini-series capitalising off the name of a prior popular series smack bang in the middle of two events? Wow, I'm cynical. Let's check it out. 

I KIND OF LOVE IT. 

I didn't think I would enjoy it this much but here we are! I love that Harley is so much more.. well, Harley. Classic Harley. 

Comic starts with a brief (one page. I SAID brief) recap of Heroes in Crisis - the Abridged Harley and Ivy version.

It gets even better when you see that Harley has drawn her own pictures that are supposed to be the flash back we just saw. 

Yaaaasssss, I adore this! 

I'm also really in love with Harley's outfit. It's like in her original solo, or the animated series or Gotham City Sirens where she would wear these amazing outfits that were in her style but also that some random ordinary person could wear on the street. 

It also drives home the point that current solo series Harley needs an actual wardrobe because like the average kid's cartoon character, she will live and die in her one, solo outfit. Which not only is depressing but makes forced drama like if she'd worn this outfit to visit her mama, she probably WOULDN'T have gotten kicked out of the hospital. Ya know? 

Anyway, here she is just taking care of her good pal Ivy in her good natured, yet oblivious way. 

Kinda reminds me of that Batman animated episode where the person we thought was Ivy was a plant clone, so Harley wouldn't be left alone if Ivy left. 

The art is really nice although at times it varies dramatically. I swear the artist has been reading their Mad Magazine because this skip reminds me a-lot of something. 

It's not a a bad thing, Mad Magazine is definitely not a bad place to start a comedic drawing career, it just seems out of place because Harley's form changes comedically but the just reconstituted Ivy stays in her extremely human looking form. Well, until she melts in the change room of a local mall. I think?

Like, the perspective is of Harley looking down on her over the top of the door, so she looks like she's just a Swamp Thing blob, but human size then the very next scene is Harley stuffing some leaves into a shopping bag and absconding? 

There's a weird subplot about a mysterious drone delivery from Lex Luthor of all people that arrived well before the plot of this issue begins. Harley hadn't told Ivy about it, and probably for good reason because gifts from Lex Luthor aren't just because he wants to do something nice. 

Harley has a small, kind of out of place tantrum about being a bad arse but now being a softie. 

I mean... this came out of left field, right? Sure, you were in Suicide Squad and you used to run with the Joker but hadn't she been making steps to avoid being a bad guy? Well, unless you count all of her murderous rampages in her second solo comic. This can't be before that, surely, no matter how messed up DC's timeline is. 

The next day, Harley is either in pajamas she changed into later or it's actual day clothes. I mean, I hope she didn't sleep in her make-up. Unless that ISN'T make-up. Hmm. 

Anyway, she breaches the subject of going full hero with Ivy who probably has enough things going on in her life right now to be dealing with this, but before they can really go through the in's and out's, their coffee table plant decides to explode. 

Harley legitimately spent two pages jumping around this tree and I honestly can't say if she was being attacked, dodging or attacking herself or what. I'm guessing it's to be taken sequentially, like 1) diving championships, 2) spready to the heavens, 3) scott free and 4) the gyaaak! dive by... but only because she gets vined up harder than a hentai star on the next panel and it's the only panel that makes sense going from that last panel, plus the fact that she's fully coloured in. But that last panel... is she supposed to be being strangled or punched or did she just slip I don't even what.

Also she's painted her toenails alternate to her hair and fingernails. In theme, I guess but .. come one Harley, stop choosing lame colours you're wounding me here!  

Then our special guest turns up and surprise, he wants to use Ivy for some scheme or something. 

The Short End of Jester Schtick

A few issues with art continuity, but the drawing are so nice it can be overlooked. 

I really enjoyed the start of the comic where Harley and Ivy were recuperating and we were just getting a sense of how badly Ivy was damaged. The story took a bit of a nose dive when it introduced strange plot devices like the delivery drone from Baldy McBad Guy. Totally called Woodrue turning up. I mean, you can't have a Poison Ivy story these days unless he's in there jabbering on about some green bullcrap. 

Besides, he looks a bit effed up, wearing Elton John glasses on his decrepit and withered tree body while spouting jaws like a hammerhead shark. Harley's angst about being a former villain but not quite a hero also seemed a bit messed up. That must be the villain event they're tying into I suppose. 

That said, it's only a mini series so I guess they gotta scoot the story along. 

The more I think about the story, the less enamoured I am with it but it's still not too bad for a quick read. Much better characterisation than the last Poison Ivy and Harley team up comic. 

Wotta Comedian!

Harley: Harley and Ivy... we were together through it all. The good times and the on-purpose bad times and the actual bad times. 

Harley: Kid's right about the naked part. 

Harley: You don't wanna get murdered, creepy crawlies? Stay away. 

Harley: Am I just jealous because I didn't get a present too? I'm a great bad guy! Or a terrible one. Whichever means you're better at it. 

Ivy: There was something in there...

Harley: Or old Lex just took a crap in a box and mailed it to you. Which IS a pretty good gag, I'll admit. 

Harley: We do usually bat for the bad guys, pun intended. But where has it gotten us? It's the same joke over and over. We've heard that punch line. 

Harley: Y'Gotta admit.... this LOOKS like a you thing.

Ivy: They aren't mine. 

Floronic Man: The Parliament of Flowers lies within my grasp. The Will of the Green is mine to command.

Harley: I didn't vote for you. 

Bonus Panels - Variant Covers Review!

Elena Casagrande:

Main cover - the one I mentioned before about worrying about driving on the road when everything's gone to hell. Harley is also pro dominantly wearing blue and black, her hair colours are backwards....Still, I like it. The fun, Barbie-esque retro car, the clean art, Harley's understated eye make-up... it works for me. 

Tempted to point out that if Harley knows Ivy is still recovering that she shouldn't have let her drive, but we all know what Harley's driving record is like. Harley's hands seem really small compared to Ivy's.. and I can't tell if the cop car is just conked out or is chasing them. It kinds makes it seem like Ivy has been planting up the roads for some time... and now I REALLY question why she is driving this car. Plus there are vines all over the car, it's like they don't know a thing about car maintenance. 

Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau:

Artgerm has done two covers of his usual polished artwork, one of each main character with the added bonus that they're meant to be a conjoined cover.. so you get 1.5 main characters if you only buy one cover. 

Both covers are nice. Harley looks a little.. less expressive than usual but I like her cheeky finger gun, so maybe she's doing a jaded cowboy thing. Ivy's costume is a little unique, but I like of like mesh panels and finger less opera gloves on her. 

Blank Cover:

Well... it's blank but so far none of the major retailers have an image for it?? This both confuses and worries me. 

Like.. do we not just do the title logo on a white page?

Now I'm kinda hyped to see what they come up with for this, and this also worries and confuses me. 

This is awkward. 

Dawn McTeigue trade/sketch/virgin covers for Comics Elite:

So I read this and I was like... virgin cover? Not toooo creepy, but then I realised they meant that there was no logos or text on it. Although I would have called it the Injustice variant, because it is, plus it's not as skeevy as calling it virgin as opposed to the whoreish trade version? 

Like, there's Classic Harley on the trade, sketch of Classic Harley on the sketch variant then there's Injustice Harley on the virgin one. So the 'virgin' cover isn't even a clean copy of the standard trade, so what's with the naming? This isn't anything to do with the artist, just a small rant. 

Anyway, Trade is nice, I like the ivy background, the clear, bright blue of Harley's eyes and how she's doing her pinky thing while hearting a kissy grenade. Obviously, the sketch is pretty much the same but without the colours, also she hasn't written on the grenade. I adore how the Injustice cover is the same but with an Autumn/fall coloured background and a different lipstick shade. My only criticism would be that Harley's ab crease goes all the way up to her boobs, so it looks like she's stuck a piece of wire up through her corset for some reason. Ouch. 

Given her hair's down here, it doesn't make the grenade pin gag so obvious but the playful swing of her hair is too enchanting to worry about this. 

Joshua Middleton for Midtown Comics:

This one is a good concept - a ghoulishly happy jester forcing a smile onto her wilting plant friend. Very in line with the story itself. Loving that they're both classic versions of themselves, Ivy complete with her original leaf crown and wristbands. 

There is a lot of attention on the faces here and don't get me wrong, they are absolutely gorgeous but I think maybe enough time didn't go onto the bodies because Harley's body just vanishes at certain parts of Ivy's body (wow, that sounded dirty as) and I don't think it's just because she's half embracing her. 

That said, Ivy's nails and hair are beautiful, both of the girl's costumes actually look like they're made of what they're supposed to be. Ivy's also gone down like five cups, which is pretty rare in comics. 

Tyler Kirkham individual Harley and Ivy covers for 4 Color Beast

I also really like this concept - Joker having some Bombshell-like ink of our leading heroines on each of his biceps. That said, it's bizarre to think of the Joker HAVING biceps and actually getting tattoos that aren't the main characters being killed off comically. 

Still, it's unique and a cool way to sell two covers of essentially the same thing. Harley's suspender outfit, I think I've seen something similar in a New52 Suicide Squad. For some reason she has Christmas tree toppers for earrings and sports socks over her tights? Also.. ugh. The band-aid. At least it's not on her face. Joker's nails look like they're made of wood, but that wouldn't surprise me anyway. Harley herself is looking a little more bottom heavy than normal, and she's riding her mallet while entwined in ha-ha-ha-ha's. Ivy's cover is still being completed apparently, she's wearing her grass socks and eating a rose which might horrify the actual Poison Ivy. I can't tell if her outfit is bathing suit style or a skort-style dress, but I like it. 

Gerald Parel NYCC / The Iron Lion cover

This one, I really like Harley's dynamic pose but I feel like her face doesn't match with Ivy's. Ivy is in one of her stock standard poses, so it sort of looks like each character was drawn by a different person. The hazy smoke effect is cool and I like Harley's pigtails being up higher on her head like that.. although gurrrrlllll that lopsided fringe needs some work. 

Now I look at it.... is Harley tripping over her mallet? 

Eh, I still like it. 

Lucio Parillo for Scott's Collectables

This cover reminds me of the classic Arkham series with the horror-style art. I am digging the vines on her body looking like veins.. the leafy boots are kinda cool, and the way her arms start of human looking the merge into planty claws is pretty epic. The swampy background with roses thrown in makes it seem very surreal... but I feel like the leaf bikini cheapens it a bit. 

Plus, I think they forgot to add Harley on this cover and substituted a dead Batman. Batman doesn't even like jokes at the BEST of times. 

Ivy also looks really smug for someone who seemingly has tree thorns in her butt. 

Shannon Maer individual Harley and Ivy covers for The Comic Mint

Okay - these two covers are very well done and very pretty HOWEVER ah'm getting some intense Suicide Squad movie vibes from Harley's cover and it makes me wonder if this cover was meant for some other comic but got thrown here instead. That said, this version of Harley somehow manages to pose in the rain, looking like she was in the middle of doing something but forgot what it was, and her make-up is still ten times better than Suicide Squad's. Her glove doesn't look quite right, and I would be much happier if her arms were more substantial, if the red on one side of her jacket matched the red diamonds on the other side and if she was wearing actual pants. Hey, I can dream. 

Poison Ivy's cover is giving me some serious vibes from one of her solo comics from way back when only with a slight overbite. Kinda makes me think of a cosplay Instagramming their version of Poison Ivy. That said, I really like the Venus Flytrap photo-bombing and the lettuce leaf outfit. Both covers are more pin-up material than giving an insight into what the comic is about. 

Jay Anacleto for Unknown Comics

This cover is kinda like a bust statue which is kinda cool... and yes, there is no Ivy on this cover but I believe she gets her own version of this cover next issue. A few things I realised about this cover... I finally found what I hate more than pink and blue hair with a red and black or red and blue outfit. It's pink and blue hair with alternating colour fringes. SIGH. 

She's also got the high pigtails which I mentioned before that I'm kinda digging. Physically, the pose is perfect, Anacleto is really good at depicting humans realistically. I question like I always do why she's got a Puddin' weapon and a background of Joker thugs in a comic where she's meant to be moving forward with Ivy and forgetting Joker but hey, whatever. DC gonna string along HarleyxJoker and HarleyxIvy and Harleyxwhomever shippers all at the same time. 

Can I just say that I love how she's got her mallet on a strap for convenience? SO VERY HARLEY.