“Bat-Harl”
Artist: Jon Mikel
Color Artist: Andrew Dalhouse
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Review by Kendra Hale
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #5 arrives this week with a heckuva climax. Okay, to be fair it’s a highly expected climax because where there are secrets, they can’t remain hidden for long.
When last we left our girls, both were feeling mass amounts of guilt, though for different reasons. Harley’s been hiding that, not only is she a good guy now, but that she’s joined the Bat family. Ivy’s been keeping it secret that her ex is not only in town but that there have been secret meetings between the two.
There’s a lot to unload this issue, so let’s dive in!
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?
The issue opens with Ivy having quite the dream session. Pam’s dreaming of having it all with her lady, in the physical sense, but is quickly woken by a call from Harley, complete with an apologetic naughty selfie. Harley states that she’s having a therapy session with Bruce Wayne but the truth is that she’s seeking out advice for how to tell Ivy about being a part of the Bat clan, without losing the love of her life.
Meanwhile, the Bat family’s training new recruits Cassandra Cain and Tiffany Fox. Nightwing’s located Black Mask through his informant, Shimmer, and is fighting not only his personal demons but also to regain his sense of pride from Bruce. However, a frantic call from Peaches leads Ivy, her Ladies, and Non-binaries of Doom to the same location as the Bat clan, due to the kidnapping of Mia. All cards are on the table as the two teams clash and everything comes to light.
Words Hurt
The cover and variant covers showcase the talents of Yoshi Yoshitani, Dan Hipp, and Chad Hardin with Jason Wright. Each cover has something amazing to it as all the art is so different from the other and each is a fun take on our group. Whether you choose the two teams facing off, vampire Harls or, my personal favorite, Harls riding the Adam West bat-mobile while Frank drives and Ivy’s a joy riding passenger… fans win.
I’ve said it before, but these comics really do carry the tone of the animated series. The writing by Tee Franklin is translated into beautiful art by Jon Mikel and Andrew Dalhouse. There are really some great moments in this book, like Damian Wayne falling for Cassie during practice. There are now many emotions to contend with and I look forward to seeing this team, with expert letterer Taylor Esposito, rise to the occasion.
Conclusion
Everything comes to a head this month, and it took 6 full issues to get there. Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – Legion of Bats #5 proves to be a catalyst issue, with readers waiting to see just what could be around the corner. What could possibly happen next? Will Harley and Ivy’s relationship survive? I guess we’ll see next time in, “Where Do We Go From Here?”
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment