Graphic Novel Review - 'Harley Quinn: The Animated Series, Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour' by Tee Franklin (Writer), Max Sarin (Artist), Erich Owen (Artist), Marissa Louise (Colourist), Taylor Esposito (Letterer)

Confession time:

Even though I am a huge Harley Quinn fan, I don't think much of her critically acclaimed animated series. I like the first season okay, but I really, really dislike the second season, for many reasons, and so I had no interest in pursuing anything else to do with it. I wasn't going to bother with 'Harley Quinn: The Animated Series, Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour' at all at first.

But, seeing as I am still a fan of Harley, and Harley and Poison Ivy together, happy and free to be queer, and as I hate how the main DC comics canon is currently treating the pair (just let them be together and happy already! Damn the ridiculous complications, and superhero comics in general hating couples for some asinine reason), plus the huge universal praise this comic was getting, I finally thought, "why not", and decided to give it a chance (that it was compared to 'Thelma & Louise', one of my favourite movies, may or may not have had a contribution, too). I was also able to buy it cheap at a bookshop's online store using a gift voucher I got for Christmas.

And yes, it was, thankfully, a euphoric, no-regrets decision on my part. For 'Harley Quinn: The Animated Series, Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour' is fun, hilarious, wacky, colourful, introspective, even psychological, and super queer and female friendly. The art is wonderful, expressive and cute; not really like the animated series, but that doesn't matter. To me, it is exactly what Paul Dini's immensely problematic 'Batman: Harley and Ivy' comic should have been; come nearly twenty years later.

Taking place right after the end of the animated series' second season, Harley and Ivy are on a highspeed road trip, on the run from the law - which is more "crazy" and "broken" than these ladies are, when they are relentlessly pursued by the unhinged, murderous Commissioner Gordon. All they want is to be free, and go on a passion-filled honeymoon tour, as it were. They seek and acquire (reluctant) help from Catwoman, Livewire, Vixen (I've never been more interested in her character than here, she is awesome), Zatanna, and even Nightwing and Batgirl briefly. Other allies in Harlivy's entourage include a few civilians who are rooting for them, and a stripper called Peaches. Other cameos: Hush (yes, that Hush), Cyborg, Dr. Harleen Quinzel (mind psychologist extraordinaire), and Frank, Ivy's sentient plant. There's something going on with a new toxic waste and gas monster villain, Mephitic, who is also after Harley and Ivy...

Speaking of, they are not the only w/w couple in the comic. Far from it. There is Vixen/Mari and her girlfriend Elle, who as well as providing POC rep and body positivity rep, is there for much needed disability rep. Livewire and Nightfall were dating, but there is every indication they will get back together. And there's that old couple in the second issue, who Harley and Ivy nearly run over, and who Harley sees as her and Ivy's relationship goals. I tell you, 'The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour' is unapologetically queer, and the POC rep is vast and excellent, making up for Harlivy's white-women-troubles-with-the-law plot (Ivy has green skin due to her powers, nonetheless she is strictly of Caucasian heritage and descent; not to mention her white privilege isn't affected in any way). All this should be unsurprising seeing as Tee Franklin is the writer.

Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel and Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley are so cute together in this. They are loving, passionate, and they give each other pet names. They try to do better, be better, for each other; to be more considerate and understanding of each girlfriend's/runaway bride's/bridesmaid's/mistress's feelings, circumstances and needs. To learn to be patient, open and honest with each other.

I like that 'The Eat, Bang! Kill Tour' addresses some things that the second season of the TV show never did. Most notably in exploring Ivy's feelings, thought processes, and development. Finally, a mention that she fricking died in season one! It is one of the things she is beginning to process, in going through PTSD. An acknowledgement - a callout - that she treated Harley horribly in the second season, when the thoughtful, selfless and loving Harley absolutely did not deserve it, was a cathartic bonus, and elevated the comic considerably in my eyes. Ivy fears continuously hurting those she loves, and becoming like her abusive father. She has issues with opening up, admission, and trust - not with others, but with herself and her heart.

I still have no idea what Ivy ever saw in Kite Man - and I never bought that she ever truly loved him - and this is especially a detriment to the show's love triangle, as worthy of any kind of credit a love triangle can earn, at any rate. I would choose Harley fricking Quinn over Kite Man any day and I'm straight! Oh well. At least the two best antiheroines in all of DC are officially shipped together in the end, regardless of how it got there.

On the topic of what I like in the comic better than the show, 'The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour' uses the F-word sparingly, unlike season two which would drop the F-bomb every five seconds to the point of eye-rolling egregiousness, for the sake of showing it is definitely an adult cartoon. Any "adult" violence shown in the comic is even scarcer, and not too extreme in the one or two times it could have easily been gratuitous. I really like the way it went with Tawny's character.

NO JOKER APPEARANCE - NONE, ZILCH - IN THIS HARLEY AND IVY STORY! Yay!

However, Batgirl still barely appears (as Barbara Gordon she contributes a bit more, though). Boo.

As a sidenote, I find it so achingly endearing that heroes, villains and anyone in-between in this book can just text one another whenever they are in need of assistance, at any time. They don't only barge into each other's homes to ask for help. It's a tiny detail, but it makes everything all the more relatable (I wouldn't say realistic in this context, but, ya know). The women in 'Harley Quinn: The Animated Series, Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour' are there for the other; they look out for each other. They are a support group.

Furthermore is actual action: for example, I love how Ivy uses her powers here, and oh how the traumatised woman kicks arse near the end!

While the comic is not perfect - it does end abruptly, with a lame villain "reveal", and Harley is turned into a damsel in distress, and there's an unresolved, forgotten plot thread involving Michigan toxic waste site CEOs, and a tainted water supply - it is an enjoyable treat, in its own right, divorced from the TV series. I have not been swayed to watch the third season of 'Harley Quinn: The Animated Series', but owning this delightful - and delightfully queer and patriarchy-smashing - 'Harley Quinn' comic is enough for me.

Harlivy forever.

Final Score: 4/5

EDIT: I can't believe it took me so long to realise - Vixen/Mari's girlfriend is named Elle. Mari and Elle. The couple in Tee Franklin's acclaimed 'Bingo Love' comic series are named Mari and Elle! What an awesome callback she put in here! Mari is apparently a common enough name that the link could be made.