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Gotham City Sirens #2
Gotham City Sirens: Band 2
Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn--they're beautiful, they're deadly, and for the first time in their lives, all three are trying to fly the straight and narrow. Can they trade their lives as supervillains for a life as (relatively) normal roommates?
Easier said than done. Especially when maniacs are killing innocents and making it look like the Sirens are the culprits, when Ivy's new civillian identity proves murderously difficult to maintain, and when Catwoman's sister comes to town to rider her of the demon she believes possesses her...and ride her of her life in the process.
Collects GOTHAM CITY SIRENS issues #8-14.
Easier said than done. Especially when maniacs are killing innocents and making it look like the Sirens are the culprits, when Ivy's new civillian identity proves murderously difficult to maintain, and when Catwoman's sister comes to town to rider her of the demon she believes possesses her...and ride her of her life in the process.
Collects GOTHAM CITY SIRENS issues #8-14.
Paperback
First published January 27, 2010
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About the author
Paul Dini
732 books722 followersPaul Dini is an American television producer of animated cartoons. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond and Duck Dodgers. He also developed and scripted Krypto the Superdog and contributed scripts to Animaniacs (he created Minerva Mink), Freakazoid, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. After leaving Warner Bros. In early 2004, Dini went on to write and story edit the popular ABC adventure series Lost.
Paul Dini was born in New York City. He attended the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California on an art scholarship. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a BFA degree in creative writing. (He also took zoology classes at Harvard University.)
During college, he began doing freelance animation scripts for Filmation, and a number of other studios. In 1984, he was hired to work for George Lucas on several of his animation projects.
The episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon that were written by Dini have become favorites amongst the show's fans over the internet, although despite this as well as contributing to interviews on the released box sets of the series, Dini has made no secret of his distaste for Filmation and the He-Man concept. He also wrote an episode of the Generation One Transformers cartoon series and contributed to various episodes of the Ewoks animated series, several of which included rare appearances from the Empire.
In 1989, he was hired at Warner Bros. Animation to work on Tiny Toon Adventures. Later, he moved onto Batman: The Animated Series, where he worked as a writer, producer and editor, later working on Batman Beyond. He continued working with WB animation, working on a number of internal projects, including Krypto the Superdog and Duck Dodgers, until 2004.
He has earned five Emmy awards for his animation work. In a related effort, Dini was also the co-author (with Chip Kidd) of Batman Animated, a 1998 non-fiction coffee table book about the animated Batman franchise.
Dini has also written several comics stories for DC Comics, including an acclaimed oversized graphic novel series illustrated by painter Alex Ross. (A hardcover collection of the Dini and Ross stories was published in late summer 2005 under the title The World's Greatest Superheroes.) Other books written by Dini for DC have featured his Batman Animated creation Harley Quinn as well as classic characters Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Zatanna.
Best known among Dini's original creations is Jingle Belle, the rebellious teen-age daughter of Santa Claus. Dini also created Sheriff Ida Red, the super-powered cowgirl star of a series of books set in Dini's mythical town of Mutant, Texas. Perhaps his greatest character contribution is the introduction of Harley Quinn (along with designs by Bruce Timm) on Batman: The Animated Series.
In 2001 Dini made a cameo appearance in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back during the scene in which Jay and Silent Bob wear ridiculous looking costumes for a film being directed by Chris Rock, in which Dini says to them "you guys look pretty bad ass".
In 2006, Dini became the writer for DC Comics' Detective Comics. That same year, he announced that he was writing a hardcover graphic novel starring Zatanna and Black Canary. In 2007, he was announced as the head writer of that company's weekly series, Countdown. Paul Dini is currently co-writing the script for the upcoming Gatchaman movie. Dini is also currently writing a series for Top Cow Productions, based in a character he created, Madame Mirage.
Paul Dini is an active cryptozoologist, hunter and wildlife photographer. On a 1985 trip to Tasmania, he had a possible sighting of a Thylacine. He has also encountered a number of venomous snakes, a Komodo Dragon and a charging Sumatran Rhi
Paul Dini was born in New York City. He attended the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California on an art scholarship. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a BFA degree in creative writing. (He also took zoology classes at Harvard University.)
During college, he began doing freelance animation scripts for Filmation, and a number of other studios. In 1984, he was hired to work for George Lucas on several of his animation projects.
The episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon that were written by Dini have become favorites amongst the show's fans over the internet, although despite this as well as contributing to interviews on the released box sets of the series, Dini has made no secret of his distaste for Filmation and the He-Man concept. He also wrote an episode of the Generation One Transformers cartoon series and contributed to various episodes of the Ewoks animated series, several of which included rare appearances from the Empire.
In 1989, he was hired at Warner Bros. Animation to work on Tiny Toon Adventures. Later, he moved onto Batman: The Animated Series, where he worked as a writer, producer and editor, later working on Batman Beyond. He continued working with WB animation, working on a number of internal projects, including Krypto the Superdog and Duck Dodgers, until 2004.
He has earned five Emmy awards for his animation work. In a related effort, Dini was also the co-author (with Chip Kidd) of Batman Animated, a 1998 non-fiction coffee table book about the animated Batman franchise.
Dini has also written several comics stories for DC Comics, including an acclaimed oversized graphic novel series illustrated by painter Alex Ross. (A hardcover collection of the Dini and Ross stories was published in late summer 2005 under the title The World's Greatest Superheroes.) Other books written by Dini for DC have featured his Batman Animated creation Harley Quinn as well as classic characters Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Zatanna.
Best known among Dini's original creations is Jingle Belle, the rebellious teen-age daughter of Santa Claus. Dini also created Sheriff Ida Red, the super-powered cowgirl star of a series of books set in Dini's mythical town of Mutant, Texas. Perhaps his greatest character contribution is the introduction of Harley Quinn (along with designs by Bruce Timm) on Batman: The Animated Series.
In 2001 Dini made a cameo appearance in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back during the scene in which Jay and Silent Bob wear ridiculous looking costumes for a film being directed by Chris Rock, in which Dini says to them "you guys look pretty bad ass".
In 2006, Dini became the writer for DC Comics' Detective Comics. That same year, he announced that he was writing a hardcover graphic novel starring Zatanna and Black Canary. In 2007, he was announced as the head writer of that company's weekly series, Countdown. Paul Dini is currently co-writing the script for the upcoming Gatchaman movie. Dini is also currently writing a series for Top Cow Productions, based in a character he created, Madame Mirage.
Paul Dini is an active cryptozoologist, hunter and wildlife photographer. On a 1985 trip to Tasmania, he had a possible sighting of a Thylacine. He has also encountered a number of venomous snakes, a Komodo Dragon and a charging Sumatran Rhi
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 28, 2025
“People don't come here unless they're in trouble.”
May 15, 2018
Hopping on the meh-train to meh-town. I would love to blame it on me being sick and crabby but I don't think I would have been that impressed with this volume even if I was operating at 100%.
The only story line I was into was when Catwoman and Harley were going to bust up a dog fighting gang. Turns out, they weren't really the culprits of the missing dogs. While it was still entertaining, I won't lie that it bothered me greatly that the resolution involved them telling someone their dog was dead but here's a new one that needs a home! Happily ever after. Previous dog replaced and forgotten.
There wasn't anything particularly wrong with this volume, it just did not have a lot of story telling power in my opinion.
The only story line I was into was when Catwoman and Harley were going to bust up a dog fighting gang. Turns out, they weren't really the culprits of the missing dogs. While it was still entertaining, I won't lie that it bothered me greatly that the resolution involved them telling someone their dog was dead but here's a new one that needs a home! Happily ever after. Previous dog replaced and forgotten.
There wasn't anything particularly wrong with this volume, it just did not have a lot of story telling power in my opinion.
December 5, 2011
Gotham City Sirens is kind of a guilty pleasure. The stories are slight, and the art is basically cheesecake. But slight as they are, the stories are still good (with a great handle on the characters), and the art is more pretty and less sleazy. Hugely enjoyable, and another title I'm sorry to see got canceled.
March 13, 2017
Gotham City Sirens: Songs of the Sirens features Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn who are now roommates and making an attempt at leading "normal" lives. The collection is as hokey as it sounds.
It opens with a darker story centered on Catwoman confronting a ghost from her past, which gets dropped until the very end of the volume. This theme of the women dealing with repercussions from their pasts while trying to start new lives, would have been great to stick with. Unfortunately, from here, we go into contrived stories with forced humor. Like Poison Ivy getting a job and Harley Quinn looking for someone's lost dog with Catwoman.
The only section of this collection that I really enjoyed was when the girls recruited The Riddler to investigate a dead body in their home. The ending was ridiculous, but I enjoyed the mock film noir set-up too much to care.
All in all, I'm extremely glad that I managed to borrow this from the library, rather than have spent money on it.
It opens with a darker story centered on Catwoman confronting a ghost from her past, which gets dropped until the very end of the volume. This theme of the women dealing with repercussions from their pasts while trying to start new lives, would have been great to stick with. Unfortunately, from here, we go into contrived stories with forced humor. Like Poison Ivy getting a job and Harley Quinn looking for someone's lost dog with Catwoman.
The only section of this collection that I really enjoyed was when the girls recruited The Riddler to investigate a dead body in their home. The ending was ridiculous, but I enjoyed the mock film noir set-up too much to care.
All in all, I'm extremely glad that I managed to borrow this from the library, rather than have spent money on it.
July 9, 2015
Although this was the first graphic novel I have read in the Gotham City Sirens series (which happens to be Vol. 2), I had no problem following the story, even though I was jumping in without having read Vol 1. I very much enjoyed this graphic novel and was sorry to see it end. I'll definitely be checking out more of the comics in this series.
The illustrations and the writing are exactly the kind I like and I've always been a big Paul Dini fan. Catwoman, Harely Quinn, and Poison Ivy were written exactly as I imagine these characters, which was refreshing. Catwoman was cool and playful, Harely was cute and crazy, and Ivy was her plant-loving, emotionally-detached self. Each character was strong and well-defined.
If you're looking for a bad-girls-gone-semi-good dark-humored story, Gotham City Sirens is definitely worth a read!
The illustrations and the writing are exactly the kind I like and I've always been a big Paul Dini fan. Catwoman, Harely Quinn, and Poison Ivy were written exactly as I imagine these characters, which was refreshing. Catwoman was cool and playful, Harely was cute and crazy, and Ivy was her plant-loving, emotionally-detached self. Each character was strong and well-defined.
If you're looking for a bad-girls-gone-semi-good dark-humored story, Gotham City Sirens is definitely worth a read!
August 31, 2016
actual rating: 3.25
The smaller the book/comic, the longer it takes me to start writing my review :o
My favourite part of Gotham City Sirens is the characters. I love female friendships!!!
I think it's amazing to see how these women (especially Harley) love to take care of animals! Even they became recurring characters. It's wonderful!
I'm not giving this a higher rating because:
-When I look back, I can barely remember anything that happened. I don't even know how it ended anymore...
-There's not enough going on at times. It's not boring because it reads very easily and I'm interested in these characters and the story, but I'd like more action. I started reading Suicide Squad and that had the right amount.
Still I'll continue reading this for my girls!
The smaller the book/comic, the longer it takes me to start writing my review :o
My favourite part of Gotham City Sirens is the characters. I love female friendships!!!
I think it's amazing to see how these women (especially Harley) love to take care of animals! Even they became recurring characters. It's wonderful!
I'm not giving this a higher rating because:
-When I look back, I can barely remember anything that happened. I don't even know how it ended anymore...
-There's not enough going on at times. It's not boring because it reads very easily and I'm interested in these characters and the story, but I'd like more action. I started reading Suicide Squad and that had the right amount.
Still I'll continue reading this for my girls!
November 4, 2011
I really didn't think that I would like this book series, but so far, it has been surprisingly good.
August 5, 2017
I really enjoyed this. I must track down the next volume.
October 6, 2024
Short and sweet. I'm curious as to what is going on with Batman in this.
November 22, 2015
3.5*
This book wasn't as good as the first one, simply for the fact that the writter changed so the direction of the story took a turn, but still an overall good book with a decent end :)
This book wasn't as good as the first one, simply for the fact that the writter changed so the direction of the story took a turn, but still an overall good book with a decent end :)
December 14, 2016
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS MOVIE
March 15, 2019
Gotham City Sirens: Songs of the Sirens picks up where the previous volume left off, collecting the next six issues (Gotham City Sirens #8–13) of the 2009 on-going series and Catwoman #83. The trade paperback covers five storylines: "Pieces of the Puzzle", "Taking Sides", "On the Job", "Sister Zero", and an untitled one-shot.
Poison Ivy is framed for a series of murders on serial arsonists in Robinson Park. After investigating the murders herself, Poison Ivy is kidnapped by a renegade police officer, who believes her to be the murderer, and left in a hole to die without food, water or sunlight.
Catwoman and Harley Quinn work together to save Poison Ivy and find a corrupt cop and the real murderer with James Gordon's help. When they find Poison Ivy's hidden and shriveled up body without a pulse, Catwoman saves her by tossing her into water, claiming that when your plants seem dead, you water them. With Poison Ivy revived, the Sirens find the real murderer and kill him themselves, making it look like he was just another victim.
The Sirens discover a body literally dropped into their lap and previously planted with evidence that it was the Sirens that killed her. Together, the girls enlist the help of the Riddler once again to find the real person trying to frame them, who is actually Doctor Aesop, wanting to take back Catwoman's hideout as his own.
Around the same time, wanting to establish herself as something other than a villain, Poison Ivy takes a job at the Gotham City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs, under an assumed identity "Paula Irving" due to her criminal history. She is soon discovered by one of the scientists who she had fired on her first day, but rather than killing them Ivy instead renews their contract, impressed with the worker's intelligence and deductive skills.
Also, Harley Quinn and Catwoman discover Harley's pet hyenas have been escaping at night and hunting and eating local dogs, prompting Catwoman to tell Harley to give the hyenas away to a zoo, which Harley is against.
"Sister Zero" is a two-issue storyline (Gotham City Sirens #12–13) which has Catwoman trying to discover information on her escaped and mentally unstable sister, Maggie Kyle, who finds the home of a renowned exorcist looking for help in saving her sister. Incorrectly thinking the exorcist is also in league with Selina's "cat demon", Maggie kills her and steals her exorcism equipment, discovering a container with a supernatural substance in the guise of an angel. This substance bestows her with supernatural strength and speed and a warped perception of reality.
Paul Dini (Gotham City Sirens #9–11), Tony Bedard (Gotham City Sirens #12–13), and Marc Andreyko penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well, Andreyko followed Dini in a series of one-shots. However, his untitled story at the beginning at the trade paperback does interconnect with the others like Dini's one-shots. Bedard wrote the only multi-issue story about Maggie Kyle, which was interesting and odd in equal measure.
Andres Guinaldo (Gotham City Sirens #10–11, 13), Guillem March (Gotham City Sirens #8–9), and Peter Nguyen (Gotham City Sirens #12–13) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, their penciling style complements each other rather well with slight distinction between them, which makes the artistic flow rather smooth.
All in all, Gotham City Sirens: Songs of the Sirens is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be an equally wonderful series.
Poison Ivy is framed for a series of murders on serial arsonists in Robinson Park. After investigating the murders herself, Poison Ivy is kidnapped by a renegade police officer, who believes her to be the murderer, and left in a hole to die without food, water or sunlight.
Catwoman and Harley Quinn work together to save Poison Ivy and find a corrupt cop and the real murderer with James Gordon's help. When they find Poison Ivy's hidden and shriveled up body without a pulse, Catwoman saves her by tossing her into water, claiming that when your plants seem dead, you water them. With Poison Ivy revived, the Sirens find the real murderer and kill him themselves, making it look like he was just another victim.
The Sirens discover a body literally dropped into their lap and previously planted with evidence that it was the Sirens that killed her. Together, the girls enlist the help of the Riddler once again to find the real person trying to frame them, who is actually Doctor Aesop, wanting to take back Catwoman's hideout as his own.
Around the same time, wanting to establish herself as something other than a villain, Poison Ivy takes a job at the Gotham City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs, under an assumed identity "Paula Irving" due to her criminal history. She is soon discovered by one of the scientists who she had fired on her first day, but rather than killing them Ivy instead renews their contract, impressed with the worker's intelligence and deductive skills.
Also, Harley Quinn and Catwoman discover Harley's pet hyenas have been escaping at night and hunting and eating local dogs, prompting Catwoman to tell Harley to give the hyenas away to a zoo, which Harley is against.
"Sister Zero" is a two-issue storyline (Gotham City Sirens #12–13) which has Catwoman trying to discover information on her escaped and mentally unstable sister, Maggie Kyle, who finds the home of a renowned exorcist looking for help in saving her sister. Incorrectly thinking the exorcist is also in league with Selina's "cat demon", Maggie kills her and steals her exorcism equipment, discovering a container with a supernatural substance in the guise of an angel. This substance bestows her with supernatural strength and speed and a warped perception of reality.
Paul Dini (Gotham City Sirens #9–11), Tony Bedard (Gotham City Sirens #12–13), and Marc Andreyko penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well, Andreyko followed Dini in a series of one-shots. However, his untitled story at the beginning at the trade paperback does interconnect with the others like Dini's one-shots. Bedard wrote the only multi-issue story about Maggie Kyle, which was interesting and odd in equal measure.
Andres Guinaldo (Gotham City Sirens #10–11, 13), Guillem March (Gotham City Sirens #8–9), and Peter Nguyen (Gotham City Sirens #12–13) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, their penciling style complements each other rather well with slight distinction between them, which makes the artistic flow rather smooth.
All in all, Gotham City Sirens: Songs of the Sirens is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be an equally wonderful series.
August 10, 2020
Si bien el primer tomo nos mostraba la reunión de estos tres personajes, en este va a pasar de todo para romper en mil pedazos su relación. A lo largo de las páginas de este tomo tenemos varias tramas que afectan a cada una de las Musas y la hace volver a sus viejos hábitos y perder el espíritu de camaradería.
Aunque se nota la ausencia de Dini en el guión (porque da la sensación de que no termina de sacarle todo el jugo a las tramas de los personajes rascando solo la superficie, salvo en la de Harley en Gotham, que aún logra sorprender), los guionistas de este tomo se esmeran en que la acción sea continua, haciendo que la lectura sea bastante divertida y amena.
El arte del tomo sigue siendo muy atractivo y uno de los grandes reclamos de esta cabecera.
Aunque se nota la ausencia de Dini en el guión (porque da la sensación de que no termina de sacarle todo el jugo a las tramas de los personajes rascando solo la superficie, salvo en la de Harley en Gotham, que aún logra sorprender), los guionistas de este tomo se esmeran en que la acción sea continua, haciendo que la lectura sea bastante divertida y amena.
El arte del tomo sigue siendo muy atractivo y uno de los grandes reclamos de esta cabecera.
April 30, 2023
I've no idea how this has managed to garner four stars overall. The art is average at best, though the covers are quite excellent, and the stories are just... No. There is no rhyme or reason for any of the stories, the one offs are just absurd and bland, villains coming back from the dead and... search for dogs? But, funnily enough, the two-chapter stories seem to be even worse. Villains that are absolutely bonkers are thrown on the pages and they amount to nothing.
Can't recommend even as a quick read for fans of these characters, there's really nothing here. At best, the Sirens could explore the trio of villains, whether that is going deeper into their pasts or having some fun, light stories, like the Hawkeye stories by Matt Fraction. Unfortunately, it fails at both.
Can't recommend even as a quick read for fans of these characters, there's really nothing here. At best, the Sirens could explore the trio of villains, whether that is going deeper into their pasts or having some fun, light stories, like the Hawkeye stories by Matt Fraction. Unfortunately, it fails at both.
March 27, 2023
Just stumbled on this graphic novel through my work and really enjoyed it! The story about Selina’s sister is very messed up but I am eager to see more of where that goes.
All of the stories were great but I did wish there was one that was more Harley-focused since there were a couple specifically about Selina and Ivy. (Also as a Pamela, always fun to see my name all over the comic. 🤣 But I find it weird to call her that, so she’s Ivy to me. 😅)
The illustrations were mostly fantastic - except one brief panel or two where Maggie Kyle suddenly didn’t look at all like how she did previously (darker skin, longer face). Otherwise they were all great! The Ivy ones were especially beautiful!
All of the stories were great but I did wish there was one that was more Harley-focused since there were a couple specifically about Selina and Ivy. (Also as a Pamela, always fun to see my name all over the comic. 🤣 But I find it weird to call her that, so she’s Ivy to me. 😅)
The illustrations were mostly fantastic - except one brief panel or two where Maggie Kyle suddenly didn’t look at all like how she did previously (darker skin, longer face). Otherwise they were all great! The Ivy ones were especially beautiful!
March 1, 2017
I am dropping this series. There is no proper villain in this.
February 29, 2020
I enjoyed this volume it was good. And I’m so glad that the sirens are even a thing best villain team.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2020
Too many writers. Too many artists. This book finds no footing, advances none of the characters, reads like absolute trash.
Grade: F
Grade: F
March 7, 2021
see what i love about this is that they give me not only poison ivy but also THE RIDDLER content i am so grateful !!!
January 24, 2022
I was sad to see the sirens go, but interested the entire time. I wish there was more gayness between poison ivy and Harley because they’re chemistry is just off the charts.
August 31, 2023
Was good to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
September 10, 2024
3.5 rounded to 4
March 11, 2026
a fun time
January 23, 2024
4.5 stars
Maggie has definitely been the best villain so far in this series. I also really enjoyed Ivy's STAR storyline. I'm excited to see where that leads. This second volume definitely took itself a bit more seriously than the first, which I appreciate.
Maggie has definitely been the best villain so far in this series. I also really enjoyed Ivy's STAR storyline. I'm excited to see where that leads. This second volume definitely took itself a bit more seriously than the first, which I appreciate.
October 4, 2012
I always liked stories that were told from the perspective of the "bad guy." While they wouldn't win any Human of the Year awards, their motivations were much more interesting than anything the "good guy" had to offer. They seemed closer to the truth of human experience and spoke to its various weaknesses and vulgar tendencies. Even better, I like when the bad person is a kick-ass woman, as it is a nice alternative to the typical female tropes that are rampant in popular culture.
The premised of the "Gotham City Sirens" series of comics is that Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn are roommates and buddies. Sure, why not? It's a bit campy, but good campy. The best part is that they are not on some quest to rid humanity of crime, and there is no Batman in any of these stories. They're just trying to survive doing what they are compelled to do, which in their case happens to be mostly non-violent crimes.
I was an idiot and didn't realize there were multiple volumes, so I read Volume 2 before Volume 1. Still, the narrative does a good job of filling in the blanks, and the stories do a good job of standing on their own. Each one of the trio has some issue that the other two become involved in, and they wind up helping each other out. It's a simple formula throughout the stories, but the real joy is watching how the individual personalities go about obtaining their goals. Catwoman is clever and stealthy, Poison Ivy is deadly and can control people with pheromones, and Harley Quinn is batshit crazy and carries around an oversized mallet. Each one faces a struggle that humanizes them beyond just being mere villains. They have families who have suffered because of them. They have been abused by the people they love most. And they have scientific quests that go beyond the realm of humanity. These are characters who have gone above and beyond their cartoonish beginnings.
The illustrations were great and were used to good effect to relate the characters to the reader.
Can't wait to read the rest in the series.
The premised of the "Gotham City Sirens" series of comics is that Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn are roommates and buddies. Sure, why not? It's a bit campy, but good campy. The best part is that they are not on some quest to rid humanity of crime, and there is no Batman in any of these stories. They're just trying to survive doing what they are compelled to do, which in their case happens to be mostly non-violent crimes.
I was an idiot and didn't realize there were multiple volumes, so I read Volume 2 before Volume 1. Still, the narrative does a good job of filling in the blanks, and the stories do a good job of standing on their own. Each one of the trio has some issue that the other two become involved in, and they wind up helping each other out. It's a simple formula throughout the stories, but the real joy is watching how the individual personalities go about obtaining their goals. Catwoman is clever and stealthy, Poison Ivy is deadly and can control people with pheromones, and Harley Quinn is batshit crazy and carries around an oversized mallet. Each one faces a struggle that humanizes them beyond just being mere villains. They have families who have suffered because of them. They have been abused by the people they love most. And they have scientific quests that go beyond the realm of humanity. These are characters who have gone above and beyond their cartoonish beginnings.
The illustrations were great and were used to good effect to relate the characters to the reader.
Can't wait to read the rest in the series.
Read
August 1, 2012I picked this up because a) it was cheap and b) CATWOMAN. (I've been a fan for a couple of years now. Selina FTW.)
The bad: It's better in this trade than the previous, but the very male-gazey art grated on me. I don't think it's particularly bad compared to other superhero comics, mind--it's just that I've been away from comics for a while, and it apparently bothers me more than it used to.
Characterization-wise, I think Selina is a bit too straight-laced. It might be because of how much she's been through recently, but I don't think that's the reason. Yes, she's a much more moral person than Harley and Ivy, but she's still a thief, and she's still a thrill-seeker. The way she lectured Harley and Ivy at times got on my nerves.
The good: Oh, I love these three together. They're all sort trying to stay out of trouble, but, well, they're still Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. I love seeing them work together, figure out a tentative alliance, getting into trouble, and getting out of trouble again in their own unique way. Add guest appearances by Riddle--who's also sticking to the straight & narrow for now--and it's a lot of fun seeing Gotham from the perspective of the recently-reformed.
Definitely picking up the rest of these trades, and mourning the loss of this wealth of story opportunities in the recent DC reboot.
The bad: It's better in this trade than the previous, but the very male-gazey art grated on me. I don't think it's particularly bad compared to other superhero comics, mind--it's just that I've been away from comics for a while, and it apparently bothers me more than it used to.
Characterization-wise, I think Selina is a bit too straight-laced. It might be because of how much she's been through recently, but I don't think that's the reason. Yes, she's a much more moral person than Harley and Ivy, but she's still a thief, and she's still a thrill-seeker. The way she lectured Harley and Ivy at times got on my nerves.
The good: Oh, I love these three together. They're all sort trying to stay out of trouble, but, well, they're still Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. I love seeing them work together, figure out a tentative alliance, getting into trouble, and getting out of trouble again in their own unique way. Add guest appearances by Riddle--who's also sticking to the straight & narrow for now--and it's a lot of fun seeing Gotham from the perspective of the recently-reformed.
Definitely picking up the rest of these trades, and mourning the loss of this wealth of story opportunities in the recent DC reboot.
April 24, 2014
cons:
+ if you're not into constant cheesecake the art here can get aggravating. like wow dini be a little more clear about who you're drawing this for, i think some of us don't quite get it yet
+ way less shenanigans than you would think! i don't read much dc, i was just browsing the comics at my library and i thought supervillain roommates sounded like an excellent sitcom premise. alas no. this story is infected with the same insistence on taking itself seriously as most of dc verse is u_u
pros:
+ well aside from the t & a the art's really not bad! the paneling is nicely done too, it didn't always stick to the same thing but i never found it difficult to follow the story
+ pretty easy to follow considering i haven't read the first volume
+ uhh idk the story's alright? like i'm not going to rave over it but it's pretty solid. i wouldn't turn down the next volume if i had it on hand
+ poison ivy's hella pretty when she's not playing human. like for real where did she even get the human!ivy hairstyle, it's terrible.
welp i think i may be sliding away from pros now so time to wrap it up. overall verdict on this volume: okay! not amazing, not terrible, would pick up the next one if i saw it at the library. 2.5 stars
+ if you're not into constant cheesecake the art here can get aggravating. like wow dini be a little more clear about who you're drawing this for, i think some of us don't quite get it yet
+ way less shenanigans than you would think! i don't read much dc, i was just browsing the comics at my library and i thought supervillain roommates sounded like an excellent sitcom premise. alas no. this story is infected with the same insistence on taking itself seriously as most of dc verse is u_u
pros:
+ well aside from the t & a the art's really not bad! the paneling is nicely done too, it didn't always stick to the same thing but i never found it difficult to follow the story
+ pretty easy to follow considering i haven't read the first volume
+ uhh idk the story's alright? like i'm not going to rave over it but it's pretty solid. i wouldn't turn down the next volume if i had it on hand
+ poison ivy's hella pretty when she's not playing human. like for real where did she even get the human!ivy hairstyle, it's terrible.
welp i think i may be sliding away from pros now so time to wrap it up. overall verdict on this volume: okay! not amazing, not terrible, would pick up the next one if i saw it at the library. 2.5 stars
August 29, 2016
The art had improved lots for the 2nd volume. It was pretty and probably the biggest reason I kept reading. Because it certainly wasn't the stories. So the story tried to be for grown ups in that it started with the villain who'd killed Selina's husband in law, torturing him in front of her sister and making her eat his balls! (Oh I DO wish I was making that up!!!) But it was STILL the very same immature standards of superhero comics, big fights, no characterisation, nothing like reality anywhere near the stories. The characterisation of Ivy was all over the place. There's nothing to make the characters seem real, or to be anything more than just fights. And it was also guilty to having Riddler have almost more time than the supposed heroines! I've got two more I borrowed from the library but if the third isn't an improvement I don't think I will bother with the fourth.
December 18, 2016
Better and more character driven.
World: The art is still a thing I'm not a fan of. I find March's facial expressions a bit off. The world building here is also character based which I like. There is no huge info dumps and context is given to the reader at the right time.
Story: Better than arc two due to the shot one and two issue stories. They are email, we'll paced and hits the intent of the story which is mostly character driven.
Characters: The heart of the story are the characters and this arc has given more depth to the characters. Ivy and Selina get a large dose and it's good. The lore is there for DC readers but the new readers will also get the origin details giving the weight these characters need.
A good second arc.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is still a thing I'm not a fan of. I find March's facial expressions a bit off. The world building here is also character based which I like. There is no huge info dumps and context is given to the reader at the right time.
Story: Better than arc two due to the shot one and two issue stories. They are email, we'll paced and hits the intent of the story which is mostly character driven.
Characters: The heart of the story are the characters and this arc has given more depth to the characters. Ivy and Selina get a large dose and it's good. The lore is there for DC readers but the new readers will also get the origin details giving the weight these characters need.
A good second arc.
Onward to the next book!
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