This came around sooner than I thought. Perhaps I should just forget that Harley Quinn exists in the time that it takes for her new issues to come out. So far that seems to have worked this time, although I did have some nice shiny Harley Quinn statues and other models/figurines to distract myself with so I'll have to try that next time.
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Still, awesome cover. Harley is back to her gorgeous self, enveloped in bliss as she wraps her arms around her gun totin' Puddin'. Looming in the background is Clayface. Hi Clayface. Yes, the last issue did say he would cameo, but I figured if he made the cover he was going to have a pretty big part in the story but he didn't so I'm not sure what's going on there.
They're probably trying to hook in all the Clayface fans in the same way that a mere mention of Harley Quinn appearing in a panel or two of some book will tempt me. Curse you, comic overlords and your lording! Stop getting at my weak spots!
Anyway, Joker's face is pretty far out, his eyes are reduced to pinpricks of light in his ghastly empty looking sockets, his nose protrudes over his over stretched lips where his pink gums are exposed. A bullet wound rests on his forehead like a pimple. That said, I love it. The heat he's packing looks fantastic, I love the little details like his empty pockets waving around and the white marble sort of background keeps it all from looking too busy.
The first page is nicely thought out as well. Six long panels that work back on each other. The first panel is Harley's hand with dirt running through it while the last one is a clenched fist. An almost passive, non-caring stare is transformed into a light less glare and a mouth set in a mild expression turns into a snarling face.
Her internal monologue about what she knows Poison Ivy thinks of her is pretty thorough, you can see she's had enough of people not understanding her and underestimating her as well. As a former psychiatrist who can get into every one's heads, I bet that must be damn annoying to know that no-one will know you like you do them. Only your typecast role as the Joker's sometime girlfriend, an Amazon minion or Poison Ivy's sidekick.
Harley is always so happy and seemingly carefree, it's rare to see this side of her emerge. At this point readers will probably wonder if this is really Harley, or if this is just the effect the Joker has on the once sane jester. One thing I don't like about her monologue is the 'A doll that's pink and light.'
I understand what they mean, but I wish they could have worded it differently because it doesn't seem to mesh very well.
So Poison Ivy and Harley are having a confrontation while Joker is tied up in vines along the wall. Perhaps Ivy should watch the Incredibles again, because lo and behold, they catch her monologuing!
Harley Quinn: 'This may look haphazard.... a futile, suicidal attempt. But it isn't. This is classic Mistah J and Harley Quinn.'
I love that. Their synchronised, wordless attack is awesome. I really don't like the panel at the bottom where Harley gets back up and asks Ivy how she knows which Harley is the real one. It just.. doesn't look right. Also, fer cryin' out loud I wish they'd stop trying to save ink by making Harley reddy/purpley-grey black.
Then there's a complete 'oh no she didn't!' moment where Harley confronts Ivy about her allegation that the Joker is just using her, asking Ivy what she gets out of the friendship and is she just using her as well? Does she.. love Harley?
With that one comes the sucker punch. Ivy is down. Literally, she fell down while falling down.
Now, I don't usually pay attention to adverts but I want to say that I really hate the Burn Notice ad they placed right here. It's the two stars (I assume) standing on the beach. Okay, doesn't sound so bad. No? Look at their feet. Is there some reason why her heels aren't sinking into the sand and wiping that smug look off her face? Is magic behind the dude's shoes and suit being breeze and sand free? Oh, and cherry on top - their shadows are all wrong for the sand.
Back to another epic art piece, this time two columns mirroring each other. The Joker and Batman are in completely different scenes but have identical dropping poses while Catwoman and Harley complete each other. Cats 'n' Bats break up some random violence and set up a plan with Cash. Their sequence is now over and we now return you to your regular Joker chaos.
He's torturing some poor unseen sod and afterwards casually dropping comedic bombs with Harley. I've just noticed this but in the second last panel he appears to be spitting blood while yelling. Thought I'd point that out. Insert two page Clayface cameo here. Hi Clayface. Bye, Clayface.
Joker makes Harley wear a blindfold along with himself, and they still do a marvelous job wreaking havoc. Catwoman gets hit on (I think? He may have been trying to threaten her but it comes off so cheap) by Zsasz and then starts a super brawl and Batman hits the light. Joker and Harley remove their blindfolds, with their dilated pupils they haven't been as affected as the rest of the inmates.
There's a very arty kiss in the dark and then the pair come across Batman and Catwoman
Not content with just bashing them up, Rat-man lets off a flash bomb and then Joker and Harley get wheeled off in their Hannibal Lecter carts. Catwoman goes to find Ivy and tells her to have a nice life in Arkham. She also has little pellets, probably from Batman's super duper plot device belt that stunt Ivy's plant growing power. That's real interesting that is.
It all looks pretty much over for the Sirens, and I'm looking forward to the next issue. The collected hard covers of the Sirens are still coming out as well so keep your eyes peeled.
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