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Tuesday 14 February 2012

Suicide Squad - The Search for the Quinn


I have to say that volume five of the Suicide Squad was sorely lacking in Harley Quinn. That's fine, I know they got their plot lines going and what not.. wait. Do they? Many of the compliments about the series that I've read have been about the time frames - how it jumps back and forth, keeps things fresh yadda yadda. Whatever. It sucks when you open issue six and you think you've missed a couple of issues because it COMPLETELY jumps things.

Keeping in mind that this is not a steady group, it's whatever unlucky chump has to work off their debt to imitation-Waller, but still? No word about what happened to El Diablo? Black Spider?
I mean, I'm personally glad that they skipped the boring road trip to Gotham but first page, they're right on Harley's tail with three 'newbies', a pair of which I had to google because I had no bleedin' idea who they were at all.








This is Lime and Light, two knock off B-grade Green Lantern villains. The panel above, really creeps me out and usually I love spooky blank stares complete with evil twins but not in this case on account of the fact that they look like extremely vapid and rapidly aged babies.

O.M.G. <-- Well, when the limelight shines.... etc.
Scenes like this make me despair for the Secret Six... where King Shark has awesome and often hilarious battle cries.



 This is what bugged me about the 'no sense of time passing in suicide land' - the army of reject Joker henchmen/circus folk AKA the 'transvestite Harleys'. Lovely non-PC name there. Edgy. Good work DC. Anyway, my point was that we've seen superheroes and villains repair their own costumes or visit the Tailor but how much time and money would all those specialised Harley imitation suits have cost? Did Harley herself sit down and dye all their hairs? The only thing I'm sure about is that there would probably be excess amounts of greasepaint in a circus orientated gang.
 These reflective scenes back in Arkham Asylum show that Batman's not on the ball - didn't he install his own cameras and other security for these type of occasions?
Ah well, he's covered in owl droppings, or rabbit droppings - one of the two and hey, what's Gotham without a good old fashioned Arkham breakout....err, break in?

Ten points for the hilarious monologue comment.

With this new Harley, I was never quite sure if her eye makeup was just that or part of her new 'skin condition' but I guess I have my answer now.
 I didn't love or hate the new vision of the Joker/Harleen therapy interchange, but I have to say I did like how her ballsy attitude impressed the Joker into not stabbing her, and instead cutting off someone else's finger.

She's hard as nails here, refusing to be intimidated or tricked by the Clown Prince of Crime, despite what her superior thinks about Harley (or anyone else) not being ready.)

It was pretty funny how she didn't really laugh at his jokes as well, but that was a pretty bad one.
 Here Harley has turned a little bit insane, trapping and stabbing her former superior. While she looks cute in the third panel at the top.. I can't help but be reminded of Wednesday Addams.

Not a bad thing, I'm a huge Addams family fan - it's just something I had to point out.

I'm not really sure why she had to stab the doctor. Again, going with the hardcore, I guess.
I mean, she didn't find the Joker at Arkham - not surprising because she's heard he's dead but anyway.

Harley didn't seem to have any anger towards her previously..

Also this doctor is the only other person we see in this whole freakin' asylum. What's going on there?
 Yo-Yo, you poor stringy bastard, so that's where you've been! This is another bit where a time frame would come in handy. How long has Yo-Yo been in there?

He lost a lot of blood, so everyone thought he was dead... but it couldn't have been that bad if he's still in fairly good condition. Why hasn't he been digested? Why can't he climb out? How come he hasn't super bloated himself and killed King Shark?

Was that his only cameo or will we see him again? Does King Shark even know he's in there?

The wannabe criminals - who I'm surprised were in Belle Reeve, frankly - chirp in with a generic eBay comment.
 A quick look at the upcoming M-Dc's Cribs show featuring the Ha-Ha-cienda.

Loving the decor.. it's all very Martha Stewart.*

Harley has a point about the behind the scenes life of a clown, and of course her random cape is back again but for how long?

She definitely looks prettier with a wicked smile, that last panel seems to have given her back all the years that the 'reboot' took away.

Joker shows his touchy feely and touching yet creepy side in comforting Harleen with a gentle hand on her shoulder, and a sawn off finger in her hands.

You see fellas, it's all about trying. That's what makes the womens happy. Although for a friendly heads up, if you give us a ring please make sure that you empty any previous owners out of it first.

And.... dramatic last panel with super panda eyes. I wish they'd get some general agreement on how to draw her. I got the feeling they changed her outfit because they could never remember where those pesky diamonds were meant to go but that can't be it.












GCPD showdown in the next book, so I'd better not be disappointed!

I'm still trying to work out whether or not the imitation Harleys were originally part of the plot or as a kind of in joke nod to the male versions of the women of the new DCU's costumes?Yay, multi coloured balls!

Well, that's what I thought anyway. How else would you find several men willing to jump into Harley's anti-gymnastics chest receptacles?

Oh well. At least the cover art was gorgeous and eye catching - not something I can say for the rest of the covers I have seen.


*Aww yeah, Love on the Lam TPB!

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