Retro Review: Harley Quinn #21 Hell and Highwater!

August 2002
Writer: Karl Kesel
Cover: Terry & Rachel Dodson
Art: Brandon Badeaux
Inks: Dan Davis
Colours: Guy Major

When we last left off, Harley found out she was literally in Hell alongside some former partners and after a few failed attempts of reasoning with the powers of the underworld, decided to bust out.

This issue brings a new card into play - Ulysses Highwater - a damned bounty hunter, who we see chasing down a bank robber seemingly intent on not just getting his man, but also finding out information on a certain Nathan Drumm. His current prey can't help him but when Ulysses is summoned to see Etrigan - rhyming demon of hell - in order to capture Harley Quinn and her gang... Ulysses wonders if she might know.

Without a doubt one of the best wanted posters I've ever seen!

Speak of the devil - Harley and her gang isn't doing too bad - stealing a tank, and running down Pettit (no doubt revenge for the knee capping from earlier!) with a satisfying 'sklonjtch' noise.
Eventually they get cornered, but keep going and smash through a gate and into a hidden metahuman containment facility.

The gang explore their options - noting that not only would this be a prison for metahumans, but also super villains too. Margo manages to short out one of the cells, releasing Multi-Man - who the gang immediately kill after hearing his power spiel about his ability to gain a different super power with each regeneration. Unfortunately, as he's not alive due to being in hell, he won't get new powers. Nixon settles for using Multi-Man's head to open other cells.

The next guest is Massacre - who Harley siccs on the approaching hell army. Harley peruses the cells and picks Obsession , Terra and Dr. Light. She leaves behind Airwave and Parasite - probably with very good reason.

Terra proves useful in moving enough rock to let the gang run into the open, Obsession is wounded by a stray bullet but is still able to fly off with Harley, Nixon and Lewis - leaving Massacre to take on Ulysses. Terra takes off, figuring that Ulysses is only after Harley and her gang but finds herself pursued instead.

Eventually captured by Ulysses - she answers his question about Nathan Drumm by explaining that she does know him and that they were lovers. This isn't what Ulysses wants to hear, and Terra meets another end shortly after this.


Meanwhile, Harley, Lewis, Nixon, Obsession and Dr. Light find a river with a boat, and a certain skeletal skipper. Nixon tells Charon to get moving as they need to cross, but Charon isn't impressed with this and warns them that there is no redemption and no escape for any of them.
Needless to say this doesn't sit well with our merry band of rogues and culminates in one of my absolute favourite classic Harley moments.

After taking over the cruise, Obsession figures out that something is wrong with the layout of the mythology - something she studied in depth.
Harley takes the time out (in hell and fleeing for her after-life) to get excited about shipping - as you do.

Lewis almost falls for the deadly poison water of the Styx, but after recovering... notices that Ulysses is right behind them - riding his horse on top of the water. Making land, the crew run for the gates.
Dr. Light meets his demise via Cerberus and a moment later, he suffers another poor fate via one of Harley's dad jokes.

Their numbers reduced and backs against the wall (almost literally) - the crew face Ulysses.
To be continued...

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

Not as much of a detailed look into Harley's psyche as it is a fun romp through the landscapes of Hell - still an interesting issue. For me, mostly due to how Harley treats her fellow gang members.
Some of them she throws to the wind without care (Lester) others she uses/takes up their offers of assistance without much hesitation (Massacre) and others she helps carry along when wounded (Obsession). She's also a fairly good judge of character in a crisis - Parasite being an obvious bad choice but also ignoring Airwave who seemed very out of the loop. She was taken in by Terra, but hey, Terra was a boon at first but then fell back into her betraying ways.

Ulysses makes his first appearance here, and although he just seems to be a lackey working for Etrigan - he does have an interesting story beginning about his pursuit of Nathan Drumm. Plus anyone who casually disses Jonah Hex is a-ok in my books.

Wotta Comedian!

Ulysses: Makes no matter to me. You're worth the same living or dead. 
Tommy: Any chance I'd be worth the same captured or not?

Etrigan: "We choose our own hells." No words were more apt. That's the cost of a soul. I'll drink to--"
Etrigan: You never give up. How quaint and how dear, not even in death, not even down here. I couldn't say if she knows where Drumm's hid. Ask Quinn yourself -- but be warned that she'll kid.

Harley: 'Scuze me! Pardon me! Commandeered police tank comin' through!

Pettit: Over my dead body! Aaa!
Harley: If you insist, Detective Pettit.

Nixon: Move over, Quinn -- I know how to handle babies like this!
Harley: Yeah, Nix -- Bet it helps you're such a big one yourself!

Nixon: "Containment"--? Oh, great going, Quinn! We just broke into a prison! And here I thought we were trying to break out! My mistake!

Harley: Okay -- that buys us some shopping time. Let's see who's behind door number one..
Parasite: Let us out! Free us! Please!
OR THE PARASITE WILL SUCK YOU DRY!
No! No we won't. That... that was a joke!

Obsession: Sorry, don't.. don't know what's wrong... Getting weaker...
Harley: Gee, wonder why? Not like you were shot by a satanic bullet or anythin'!
Lewis: Yeah, probably just coincidence. 

Harley: Gee -- thanks for the pep talk, Skipper! Now -- SHOVE OFF!

Nixon: Riding on top of the water?! That's not possible! That's not fair!
Harley: Yeah, I'm sure that's what they're really concerned with in hell, Nix -- playin' fair!

Obsession: Cerberus. The hell-hound -- guardian of the gates. Most vicious creature in existence. 
Harley: Well, maybe he won't be so ornery now that he's had a light snack. So to speak. 

What's a nice character like you doin' inna place like this?

Obsession:  Helped Superman take down some humans that had turned demonic but died in the process, and was claimed by a demonic figure in Adventures of Superman #574

Dr. Light: While trying to do something heroic after years of badness, Arthur was killed by a parademon and sent to hell.

Massacre: Captured by the Tribunal who managed to negate his powers, put him on trial for genocide and after he was found guilty, the families of some of his victims beat him to death.

Terra: A mercenary who joined the Teen Titans in order to give Deathstroke inside information. During a rescue operation by other Titans - Terra mistakenly believed that Deathstroke, who was controlled by Jericho, had turned against her, threw a fit and caused the complex to collapse on her.

Airwave: So this guy (I'm assuming it's the Hal version) didn't seem to know what he was in hell for, and not really knowing who this guy is, I'm not sure either? I would say the Darkest Night business but that was well after this series. Apart from that, dude seems to be a hero so... no idea?

Multi-Man: Look, this guy dies too often to pin-point which time sent him to hell. I mean, this is his whole thing.