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Review of D.C. New 52 Harley Quinn Issue # 10

Remember when I said that this series may not make it to issue 100?   Well after reading issue 10, it may not make it to issue 15.   If this were  an T.V. series it would have “jumped the shark.”   For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term it means…when something is declining in quality,  a gimmick will be created to hook fans back in.   If this were issue 75, or 80 I’d have no problem…but issue 10?   Or if you have been technical like me issue 13.   There is no reason to have a “Girls gone wild,” in a Harley Quinn Comic.   She has come so far…only to trip over this lazy finish line?

What happens in Skate Club...ya know.
What happens in Skate Club…ya know.

The issue opens with one of Harley’s tenants leaving for Queens, N.Y.   He’s a Russian strong man.  I guess he’s freinds with Big Tony…I dunno think of it as one of those Archie 3-4 panel Bazooka Joe comics.   Where the joke is building up, but little to no payoff…here Big Tony is upset his friend is leaving…then under his breath he’s stating that he’ll sub let the apartment for double the asking price.   Enough of that, onto the Skate Club parody.   In the last issue,  Harley was kicked off of her roller derby team for unnecessary roughness.

So one of her teammates gave her the address for Skate Club.   If you’re unfamiliar with the ’99 cult film Fight Club…I suggest you watch it.  It’ll take too long for me to explain.   Sy Borgman is back, as he Harley’s coach…biggest fan…all of the above?   You know what let’s go with that.   Plus he decides to place four grand on her to survive.   You see in Skate Club it’s roller derby with no rules.  Two participants to go in…one comes out.    I’m sure it’s also based on the cult film Rollerball…but let’s get back to this plot.

It's nice to see Sy Borgman back
It’s nice to see Sy Borgman back

Harley has to fight this gigantic female from Eastern Long Island, the Massapequa Pizza Princess…yeah.   You see it’s supposed to show that Jersey woman aren’t the only ones that are loud and obnoxious.   You would think that the humor would work.   Harley is a tiny spec…it’ll be like David and Goliath.   Or for that matter something out of Bugs Bunny.   The reader will get none of that, instead it’s just Harley gets kicked around and literally seeing stars.

It's an Eastern Long Island Thing
It’s an Eastern Long Island Thing

It would’ve been nice if this character were a relation of Doomsday.  However  it’s just Harley getting thrown all over the place.   If this were a Daffy Duck cartoon, where he got shot by Elmer Fudd and…well you know I’d chuckle.   Maybe because Harley was in a domestic abusive relationship in the past…whatever it is…it’s not funny and doesn’t work.

The end result is that Sy Borgman  hands Harley an  plastic explosives to kill her opponent.   The last few pages deal with Harley and her new teammates skinny dipping at night in Coney Island.   However that doesn’t pay off either.   It just comes off as woman chattering about nothing.   “Should I skinny dip.”   “I don’t care, the water is not getting any warmer…”   Then Harley goes underneath the water and bites her teammate in the rear end.   It’s not as hot or sexy as described.

There is also a build up for an intergalactic battle…I’m assuming but I’ll save that for next review.

Fein-al thoughts

The writing by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti seemed forced and uninteresting.   The Skate Club story should have worked.   After all we’ve seen Harley handle herself in a fight.   They could have even made the Long Island skater into a Bane clone.   Hell, I would’ve loved to see someone dressed as “Babe Lincoln(again Fight Club reference).  If my memory serves me correctly singer Meatloaf was in Fight Club.   He could’ve had a cameo or something.  Bottom line  this issue comes off as both lazy and dull.  The whole “middle introduction,” to the intergalactic “set up” didn’t pay off as much as one hoped.   As for Harley and the girls skinny dipping on the beach…it just felt like…oh we need five – seven pages to fill up.   They have nothing interesting to say, and nothing is really contributed to the plot.  There’s girl power, and there’s girls going wild.   You can’t have both, and sadly there was no balance in the plot.   Harley getting her butt kicked until Mr. Borgman saves the day…ummm no sorry.  Again, not after what I’ve seen Harley do in the New 52.

The Artwork by was adequate, I like the drawings and facial expressions of the characters.   However nothing felt like it came off the page this time around.

 

Review Overview

1.0

Puddin'...at this point...yeah....

This issue missed a great opportunity for an Fight Club/D.C. crossover/parody. "Girls going wild," towards the end of this issue...just...no. On the plus side, Sy Borgman is back.

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