Strip Maul
Written by: Frank Tieri
Art by: Inaki Miranda, Eva De La Cruz, and Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 30, 2019
I know this book has caused a bit of a discrepancy amongst reviewers. I can't speak for anyone else, but I kind of see a bit of a bias when it comes to this book. Why anyone wants to turn an alt-timeline Harley book into a soapbox is beyond me, but I guess they can do whatever they want. I am just going to try to enjoy the goofiness of this story, especially because I really am not enjoying anything else Harley is in these days. So, did this issue put a smile on my face in a Mad Magazine meets old SNL kind of way? Let's find out...
The issue opens with a summit called by Aquaman that includes my favorite, Zombie Gretzky, but I got the biggest chuckle from lactose intolerant Cat Grant. Why did she drink that smoothie?!? These Starship Troopers style intros haven't been exactly necessary for the story, but I have enjoyed them all the same. We continue with a flashback that showed that Harley didn't take the Joker's lies "lying down" before getting to where I was hoping we would be two last issue...Las Vegas.
We finally get to see Lobo (and maybe Crush???) as Harley shows up for a meet and greet. After a little "help", the Main Man and Harley do get together and they head off to the strip club. There we find out what really happened to the Joker and it's not exactly what you'd think or what Harley's been told.
While my biggest problem with the last issue was that we spent too much time in Bludhaven on our way to Las Vegas, I was surprised how quickly we leave Vegas and head off to New Atlantis here. We do get to see Frank Frank and yes...he is still a huge piece of shit. I say that in a nice way, though...I think. Speaking of that sort of thing, I didn't know I could hate hipsters more but the Atlantian versions may have changed that!
While the gang makes their way to Aquaman, we get a quick Joker fanboy moment and then things get crazy. After all this time spent trying to figure out if Joker is dead or alive, the issue ends with Harley just needing to open her eyes for the answer.
I liked this issue, but the last two have slowed down the pace a bit from the first two and while there are still some laughs to be had, it feels like fatigue is setting in a bit. This is the penultimate issue so I understand we are going to get some setup for the big finale, but it all felt more hurried than I'd have liked. I still am onboard, but I hope the next issue gets back to the over-the-top fun of the first two.
Inaki Miranda's art is on point here, though. Everything in this post apokaliptic world looks great and the little visual easter eggs throughout continue to be a highlight.
Bits and Pieces:
I am still onboard with this alt-timeline Harley story filled with inappropriate gross-out humor, but I hope next month's finale is more like the first two issues rather than the last two we have gotten. There have been less chuckles lately as Frank Tieri rushes to the finish line, but there still is Inaki Miranda's art to hold things together and the cliffhanger promises a crazy ending.
7.0/10
No comments:
Post a Comment