by Alan Rapp on July 1, 2020
in Comics
With so many different versions of Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey recently released, it took me a minute to remember which version this one was. The first issue left off with Harley returning to Gotham. Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey #2 focuses the first several pages on Renee Montoya attempting, unsuccessfully, to convince Harley to leave Gotham. Harley has other plans which involve ratting out the Joker‘s favorite hideouts to the cops (and getting her puddin’ arrested) all as a diversion that allows Harley to hit the Joker’s vaults.
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- Title: Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
- IMDb: link
I had much the same reaction to Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn as to Suicide Squad. There’s low-rent fun to be had here in this crass tale of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) striking out on her own after leaving the Joker. Robbie reprises her role from Suicide Squad, but is forced to carry much more of the story this time around. The script makes Harley the film’s narrator, often telling events out of order or forgetting key points. The idea is fun for a few minutes, but this isn’t Rashomon or Memento. It’s a B-movie with delusions of grandeur.
On the bad side of mob boss Black Mask (Ewan McGregor), and no longer under the Joker’s protection, Harley finds herself working off a debt by tracking down a young street thief (Ella Jay Basco) in possession of a diamond far more valuable than anyone realizes. She’s also got to stay one-step ahead of Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), the film’s cliched one good cop in the city.
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by Alan Rapp on June 9, 2020
in Comics
Originally conceived as the start of a new series for DC’s Black Label, this giant single-issue from writer Brian Azzarello and artist Emanuela Lupacchino features Harley Quinn‘s return to Gotham City where she quickly becomes involved in the Huntress stalking a brutal crime syndicate and a trio of assassins. Of course, Harley sees circumstances as fate pushing her in a new direction.
Reading this all at once, you can tell very quickly that the story was meant to be broken up into several issues with climaxes every 22 pages or so. I’ll admit I was a bit confused what versions of each character we’re getting here as well as when exactly this is supposed to take place.
I also have some complaints over Dinah mooning over a former friend-with-benefits (who gets way too many pages here) she admittedly didn’t even like and introducing Renee Montoya as a dirty cop with questionable allegiances. The scenes of Dinah rolling around in bed or in just a towel also feel a bit forced (perhaps trying to fit into the more “adult” themes of the Black Label?).
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by Alan Rapp on May 28, 2020
in Comics
Birds of Prey: Sirens of Justice #1 offers a team-up between Harley Quinn, Black Canary, and Huntress when Harley brings information about a hospital lost in a sync hole and its connection to the local mob. The pairing of Harley with the Birds of Prey is obviously inspired by the recent film, but for the storyline of this comic DC turns to Gail Simone whose history with the characters is well-established (even if most of the Birds she usually writes don’t make an appearance here).
The issue offers some mystery and misdirection as Black Canary wants to trust Harley but rightfully deduces she’s not telling the whole truth about her interest in the case. Huntress is less inclined to give Ms. Quinn the benefit of the doubt. And when Poison Ivy shows up all hell breaks loose.
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by Alan Rapp on February 19, 2020
in Comics
