Gotham City Sirens #21Peter Calloway continues his Harley-centric story in Gotham City Sirens 21, “Hell Hath No Fury.” Harley has been infiltrating Arkham, using carefully selected items that are a major part of the various psychological flaws of the inmates and staff. When we last saw her, Harley was confronting the head of security, with a rusty nail as her piece for him. Calloway did a great job in this arc of remembering that Harley started off as a psychiatrist, and was a very good one, as well as being former staff here.
We gradually learn that Aaron Cash, the security chief, lost his son years ago. Harley tells him that the source of the tetanus that killed the boy was from a nail that scratched him when no one saw, wielded by the Joker himself as petty vengeance for some slight or other. Tetanus, the doctor tells the grieving Cash, makes the victim’s muscles tense and display a grin. Again they use the clever bit of the item’s shape being the frame for the art in the key part of the story. Aaron goes from refusing to let Harley free him, to shocked and almost pleased when he learns she’s there to kill him. Cash, heartbroken after Harley’s revelations, stands aside and even gives her keys and his gun.
There are various scenes of Ivy and Catwoman outside, plotting how to break in and bickering. After seeing many police cars rushing off to Devil’s Square, her old neighborhood, Catwoman runs off, leaving Ivy to aid Harley, or not, on her own, after they exchange ominous good-byes. As Harley finally gets to the Joker’s cell, there’s a multi-page series of various flashbacks of their time together, executed with some really odd looking art.
I was saying from when I first heard about this story, that there are ceratin parameters you know going in. It’s a given that Harley is not actually going to kill Joker. He’s too big a character, and I suspect he’ll be around as along as there’s a Batman. So, the trick here will be showing why Harley doesn’t succeed, and what happens along the way. In this, I feel we were let down, as Joker tells her he missed her, and she tosses aside the gun to leap into his arms.
The weak point of this title has always been why Catwoman, who’s more of a grey/neutral character, was with these two killers. There have been various strains in the relationships along the way, starting from the first arc where Ivy and Harley held Selina captive to try and force the Batman’s name from her. It seems they keep drifting farther apart, despite the odd moments of suddenly rallying around each other for no real discernable reason. Catwoman has helped save Ivy at least twice in this title I can think of, and there’s no real reason for Ivy’s continued disdain of her.
What I liked and what I didn’t:
As I said last issue, it was nice seeing Harley given credit for being something besides a goofy clown girl. She’s highly intelligent, however hard she works to hide it, and was very good at her job. Calloway seems to have a good grasp on who she is and what makes her tick.
Three is a hard number to juggle, and this is apparently no exception. Harley is center stage, and the others don’t really do a lot. The non-stop bickering between Ivy and Selina is getting old, and their big build up to that “good bye” feels rather meaningless. Unless they’ve kept the book’s cancellation a secret, a near impossibility these days, we know they will reunite eventually, likely next issue to save Harley from the Joker. Again. Which brings me to my other big let down this issue. Of all the twists and turns they could have done here, it’s just the same old Harley can’t resist the Joker? There could have been a great story here, and I felt there was, right up to that point. Maybe they’ll really surprise me next issue, but I confess to disappointment in this so far.
A COMIC BOOK BLOG RATINGProsConsHarley dangerous and manipulativethe Joker/Harley scene, the Catwoman/Ivy break-up Rating75% You might also like...
Gotham City Sirens #20 Review
Gotham City Sirens #19 Review
Gotham City Sirens # 17 Review
Gotham City Sirens #15 ReviewBy BlogsdnaTagged with: Arkham Asylum Catwoman Gotham City Sirens Harley Quinn Joker1 Comment
catsmeow12Posted on March 31, 2011 at 1:17 pmCatwoman’s old neighbourhood is the East End, not Devil’s Square. Devil’s Square is where all the action in Batman #708 takes place, so I’d say this issue leads directly into that one, which kicks off the Batman/Sirens/Red Robin crossover.
Calloway does not understand the character of Selina or her relationship with Bruce, which was made obvious two issues ago when he tried to put a knife in their relationship. At least Dini and Morrison are continuing to write them romantically in their books. DC, please cancel Sirens or at least remove Selina from it—she deserves better!
ReplyLeave a ReplyClick here to cancel replyYour name (Required)
Your e-mail (Your email won't be published) (Required)
Your website
-->The Author
This post was added on 31 Mar 2011, 7:38 by Wayland who has contributed 275 posts to this blog.
InformationPosted in Batman Blog, DC ComicsThis post has 1 Comment. Write your own comment.213 views on this postSubscriptionSubscribe by RSS feed or by e-mail address to receive latest news and updates.
Subscribe by RSS feed
Hot topicsRecent TopicsMost ViewedMost DiscussedReasonably Priced Comics #2 ReviewKick-Ass 2 #2 Review5 Ronin ReviewTeen Titans #93 ReviewZatanna #11 ReviewGreen Arrow #10 ReviewCaligula #1 ReviewThe Walking Dead #83 ReviewCaptain America and the Secret Avengers #1 ReviewBlake Lively Cast As Carol Ferris In Green Lantern viewed 62,313 timesTop 10 Best Superhero Movies Ever viewed 47,530 timesGreen Lantern Movie News: 5 Candidates For Carol Ferris viewed 38,681 timesTop 10 Hottest Marvel Heroines viewed 17,321 timesWonder Woman Movie: Brent Strickland Interview viewed 14,909 timesTop 10 Comic Book Girls I’ve Crushed On viewed 14,098 timesTop 10 Worst Marvel Superhero and Villain Costumes viewed 11,860 timesStar Sapphire Corps: Corps Profile viewed 11,423 times10 Non-Obvious Batman 3 Villains viewed 10,752 timesTop 10 Lamest DC Comics Villains viewed 10,209 timesGenecy #1 Review discussed 48 timesTop 10 Best Superhero Movies Ever discussed 35 times10 Non-Obvious Batman 3 Villains discussed 24 timesWhy There Can Never Be a Successful Batman and Robin Movie discussed 21 timesTop 10 Worst Marvel Superhero and Villain Costumes discussed 14 timesUncanny X-Force #5 Review discussed 14 timesTop 10 Lamest DC Comics Villains discussed 13 timesTop 10 Hottest Marvel Heroines discussed 12 timesRundown On Blackest Night Ring Promo discussed 12 times10 Needs For Smallville Season 10 discussed 12 timesAll Our C2E2 Coverage
See All Our Favorites From 2010!
All Our Comic Book Reviews
All Our Top 10s Lists
Follow us on Twitter
A COMIC BOOK BLOG wants to know…Are you sold on digital comics yet? Yes NoView ResultsMost Recent CommentsNataniel on Caligula #1 ReviewJericho on Top 10 Best Superhero Movies EverTommy on The Walking Dead #83 ReviewVictor Kutsenok on Wolverine #7 ReviewTommy on Wolverine #7 ReviewPopular TagsAvengersBatmanBlackest NightBrian Michael BendisCover of the WeekDeadpoolGail SimoneGeoff JohnsGreen LanternHulkIron ManMarvelPreviewsreviewReviewsSiegeSmallvilleSupermanThorTVWolverineX-MenArchivesApril 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010Copyright © 2011 A COMIC BOOK BLOG. All rights reserved.
Powered by WordPress. Developed by Deluxe Themes
0 comments:
Post a Comment