Harley and Ivy

Hey Everyone, B@girl here. We’re going to shift moods a little and focus on a funnier comic.

Today I will be reviewing one of my personal favorites: Harley and Ivy

It’s a nice, simple, light-hearted comic to break up the dark and brooding mood that Batman comics can create.

Harley and Ivy is composed of several short stories starring the works of my two personal all time favorites; Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.

The first story, The Bet, is only a few pages long, but you will remember it for years to come. It is the simple story of our two main characters making a bet that Ivy can kiss every single man in Arkham Asylum. At the very bottom of each page in the story there are several wordless frames of Batman beating the snot out of the Joker, simple, but it plays a part when Ivy wins the bet by kissing all the men in the jail except Joker who was dragged in by Batman. Batman only has one line, but it is a golden one. So Ivy tries to kiss the Joker, but it seems that Ivy can’t kiss him because she is put off by his talk of missing his “poopie-kins.” However Dini always has to end with a funny moment, so we find out just what Harley had up her sleeve.

Story two is called Love on the Lamb. The art leaves much to be desired, but the story is well written if a bit predictable. Joker and two-Face art trying to steal the same artifacts from a museum and Harley makes them compromise. On the way home, Joker tells Harley that she needs to earn her own money and throws her out of the car. Harley runs to Ivy to help her pull off a scheme to get back in “Joker’s good graces” as Ivy so aptly put it. So they sneak into a party that Bruce and Tim are attending to transfer the host’s profits into their overseas accounts, at least that is until they figure out that Harley messed up the bomb and is now teaming up with Batman to try and get all the people out. They succeed of course and both the girls’ bank accounts are filled to the brim. Harley goes back to the Joker only to be kicked out again. It may be predictable, but it is a refreshing change of view into the lives of Harley and Joker…and their messed up romance.

The third story, and my favorite, is Bosom Buddies which is written by Paul Dini and illustrated by Bruce Timm. The story begins with Ivy and Harley scaling a skyscraper to break in so that they can get a plant called “Zombie Root” that can turn people into slaves. Batman gives chase and in order to get rid of him, Harley throws the plant at his head losing it in the process. Needless to say, Ivy is a little pissed off.

It shows them two weeks later in Arkham Asylum with some of the funniest pages of Batman comics ever drawn. It is page after page of Ivy dreaming up Harleys demise; including Explosion, hanging, and the good ol’ guillotine.

Oh, and there is a shower scene in there too, just for kicks. Of course Ivy is quickly hauled away by the guards for attempting to kill Harley.

Eventually, Ivy breaks out, but she forgets Harley. Okay,

so she didn’t really “forget” Harley, but can you really blame her?

The next day we find Ivy on the deck of a large cruise ship ready to launch. She is taking in the scene only to find Harley on the dock waiting for Ivy to help her aboard, which she does, kind of.

Part 2 of Bosom Buddies called Jungle Fever is not quite as amazing as the first part, but it does have its moments.

Our girls head out to Costa Verde to get a new Zombie Root and win an audience with the President himself. It’s not as glamorous as it sounds, we do however get to see some butt kicking. After a kiss, the girls head out to the jungle to get the root only to be met with a pair of men ordered to burn down the surrounding area. After a few fights they manage to make their way out, but not before having one last conversation with the President.

The last story in this wonderful trade paperback, Hooray for Harleywood, is probably one you should read first. Unfortunately it is not a great or original story to end the book on. The plot is a simple one; the girls try a new mind control device in Hollywood. However it just so happens that the people controlled are the ones in charge of the new “Harley and Ivy” movie. The script doesn’t do the women justice so Harley has to fix it, of course, and gets sucked in to the alluring role of director where she gets all-to-easily- carried away. The story, for everything it lacks, does end on a cute note however, when Harley wins an Oscar.

Overall, this comic gets a 4.5/5. Yes, it has its flaws, but they are made up for by the sheer greatness of the comic.

NEXT WEEK: Hopefully next week I will be reviewing one of my favorite Scarecrow stories; Year One: Batman Scarecrow

Unfortunately I have to wait for the second book to be mailed to me since I lost it somewhere I the move to my last home.