Batman and Harley Quinn prequel

Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn in comics?
Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn in the news?
Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn in the media?
Do you ever feel like you don't see enough Harley Quinn anywhere?

Well damn, son, you better start opening your eyes because she's already everywhere.

Anyway, there's one more comic containing Harley Quinn coming out soon and I wanted to blog about it because I think it'll actually be good.

I'm not talking about whatever fresh hell this is:

but rather this:

Suicide Squad New 52 #3

Okay, this cover is.. a bunch of dudes in armour taken out by another dude with a fascinating groin shield while Harley leaps towards them, boobs first, with no eye balls, and some poor old guy's toupe around her neck.
When I first saw it, I thought that someone had superimposed Black Spider's head on Deadshot's body.



The Squad has 21 minutes until their evacuation but they'd hiding out in a diner and being shot at by some random called Mad Dog.

Black Spider thinks he's the only one to use smoke grenades and heat vision goggles.

Black Spider is wrong.


Black Spider gets shot for his arrogant stupidity.

This image of Harley - even with the New 52 get up - is perfect characterisation. She would totally do this during a siege. So again, not an ideal team member but hey.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #12! Quintessence Pt 4

A Date Which Will Live In Infamy!

Nov 2001

Last issue, Harley had escaped the Bat-gang, Nixon was creating trouble, Batman shed his disguise and the Quinntets had captured Jack and Di Happi... while Chispazo has been taken to a secret room in Harley's hideout.

This issue literally opens with the Happi's perspective... tied together, upside down in an elevator shaft with Mr. Chitters - the vengeful monkey with the razor sharp cymbals for company.

Harley and the Quinntets have more important things to do than hang around and watch where the lift stops at. At least, they think they do, because Harley hasn't told them her exact plans for the evening yet.

Kenny is on Nixon's side.. his loyalty being extremely tested between blood and boss.

Nixon springs his coup just as Bo and Surley bust in - expecting only four or five henchmen buuuuuut.....

Nixon has been a busy little recruiter.. but luckily,  this slight distraction starts a massive free for all battle royale.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #11! Quintessence Pt 3

The Girl is Bats

Oct 2001

Last time we had two Batgirls - one is Harley Quinn in disguise as classic Batgirl and the other is Cassandra Cain, reformed assassin, woman of few words but needs no words to kick your butt - falling to their inevitable demise via the short walk, tall wall, flat street pizza method. 

 Even though the heroine/anti-heroine is in imminent danger, we open with a flash back of classic Batgirl Barbara Gordon in her hey-day, taking out Mad Hatter and his goons.

Speaking of goons, eagle eyed viewers (or every kind of viewer, now I'm pointing it out) may spot our jack of all henchmen Kenny Two-Bear!

Barbara flashes back to the fateful events of The Killing Joke but is brought back to present day by her beau in blue, Nightwing! I know I'm not alone in saying this was a popular OTP and this scene shows it with their flirty yet relaxed banter.

They're interrupted by Robin, asking for help from anyone but Nightwing, but Nightwing ain't taking that lying down (or standing up for that matter) and races out to help.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #10! Quintessence Pt 2

Brilliant Mistake

Sept 2001

When we last left Harley Quinn, Killer Croc has just rendered her unconscious by using her as a bowling ball in her own bowling alley, no less!



Luckily, her subconscious (consisting of Angel Harleen Quinzel and Devil Joker) is here to help her snap out of it.

I love these two. Harley Quinn knows deep down that she should really listen to Harleen and that Joker is a bad influence, but the way these two characters interact with her show that she thinks Harleen is a buzzkill and even though she knows how bad Joker is, and they're all broken up.. he's still the tempting voice of fun to her, and is no way as abusive to her in real life.

That and she's pretty fast in reacting, thoroughly bewildering Croc before stabbing him with some pins and also some blows to his self esteem.

Three strikes, and Croc is out!



Pretty impressive, given that Croc often gives even Batman a headache. Harley has the element of unpredictability as well as the home turf advantage even though she's injured.

Retro Review: Harley Quinn #9! Quintessence Pt 1

Shop Til You're Dropped!

Aug 2001

When we last left Harley, she was preparing to go shopping to blow off steam from her encounter with her old college professor. This issue is set to take place straight away and I love the cover. The hyenas look both goofy and threatening, there's appropriate foreshadowing and a bunch of different crowds coming after her while she shops nonchalantly.

This is a thing she does.

As well as the awesome cover, the first page is a recap that's done in a unique nursery rhyme style  while the art is reminiscent of Punch and Judy's style.

Harley's found a nice purse in her browsing but hits a slight hitch when the cashier recognises the name on the credit cards matches the dead fellow on the news.

Before she can provide her other method of payment, she's spotted by some goons (love how they have to have two pictures - one as Dr. Quinzel and one as Harley Quinn to identify the blonde holding a gun to a cashier while her hyenas look on.)

She dispatches them easily with a variety of fashion and shopping puns and also gag weapons.

Suicide Squad New 52 #2

So this cover has issues - Harley's thigh is the rough size of her waist, her arms are comically skinny with - given this is only issue two - a disturbing lack of detail/inconsistency on the gauntlets, her breasts look like popped water balloons and the ridiculous cape is missing.
Deadshot has a weird action pose going on, showing off his weirdly shaped groin protector with legs like a prehistoric beast and I'm not sure if the silly string around his arm is there to hinder him or if he rappelled down into this murky looking battlefield.
King Shark looks way over scale, like someone started drawing him and then realised they made a mistake but just couldn't stop. Which is probably why the rest of his body.. isn't where it should be? Also they weren't sure what a hammerhead shark looked like and just drew a fin wherever.


Believe it or not, this issue gave me hope for Harley Quinn.

Heck, even Deadshot sounds more like Deadshot.

He goes through the first round of several bouts, bitching about his lot (even mentioning the neck bombs that got kind of glossed over in issue one) and introducing his team mates snarkily.

I do like Harley's intro here and I can see her doing this, it's pretty in character and actually funny. Not just the comment itself but that Harley has seen Deadshot scoping them all out and decides to take the mickey out of him.

The art on this page is quite nice as well, although I don't understand how Deadshot knows what to shoot when all his scope shows him is random squiggles.