Old Lady Harley #3
Recap
Harley’s barely managed to escape from Gotham City—but going down the river to Blüdhaven might have been an even bigger mistake! The whole city is a prison, held in the grip of the bloodthirsty Bane Twins...and we’re sad to say, they definitely take after their father! And where there are criminals, you know there are Laughing Boys...and where there are Laughing Boys, can The Joker be far away?
Review
Old Lady Harley #3 continues a wild story with increasingly outlandish scenarios like the Blüd Bowl battle royale, but it also finally sheds some light on the mysterious events surrounding the Joker’s whereabouts.
This issue primarily revolves around Harley’s battle with the Bane twins in Blüdhaven, and although it is an entertaining event to showcase a few more aged villains, it hinders the pacing of the main narrative. Despite this impact on the pacing, there were some great opportunities for humor that worked really well. Red Tool was the funniest he has been in some time after the unfortunate shot to the head, and it wasn’t something he seemed to exactly recover from, so hopefully the creative team continues this in the following issues.
After the Blüd Bowl battle, Harley finds herself with Barbara Gordon within the O.R.A.C.L.E. system, not unlike what Batman had tried previously. Though this seems a bit recycled, it serves as an enjoyable method of transporting the group to Las Vegas where they hope to find Lobo, the man who supposedly killed the Joker.
The issue ends with a cliffhanger setting up the rest of the series by finally revealing the Joker. It is worth the wait just because of the fantastic artistic direction from Inaki Miranda, Eva De La Cruz and Dave Sharpe. The old Fun House is dilapidated, but the Joker looks even worse! Still trying to determine if that is a good or bad thing…
Overall, the issue is a solid continuation that feels right for a 5-issue limited series. The pacing is a bit slower than a series like this would lead you to believe, but there are some truly funny moments. For fans of the Rick and Morty series from Adult Swim, not only is the Blud Bowl quite an obvious reference to the Thunderdome (or Blood Dome if you ask the Death-Stalkers), we also see a duo who look suspiciously similar to Rick and Morty themselves in Las Vegas! With such an inventive story serving as inspiration, the whimsical nature of the Old Lady Harley series is starting to make a lot more sense.
Final Thoughts
Old Lady Harley #3 feels like a turning point for the series as it draws closer to the final issue. As we discover more about what happened to set these characters on such distinctive paths, we also learn that there are still plenty of surprises left!
Old Lady Harley #3: Blüd Bowl Battle!
- Writing - 8.5/108.5/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10