Gotham City Sirens #1 Review

Gotham City Sirens #1

Gotham City Sirens #1 by Paul Dini, artwork by Guillem March

Roll Call: Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy

Guest Stars: Edward Nigma, Zatanna

Villain: Boneblaster (first appearance)

The issue opens with Catwoman, prowling the rooftops and reflecting on her string of major injuries lately (heart removed by Hush during RIP, almost killed by Jason Todd/ “Gatman” during Battle for the Cowl) and noting she feels way off, despite receiving care from the best doctors in the super hero world with some magical help. She hears someone scream, and breaks up a mugging being conducted by Boneblaster, who announces his intent to make a name for himself. He’s thrilled when Catwoman jumps in, the moreso as he seems to be winning. She’s fighting way below her ability, and then has some kind of strange heart spasm almost drop her in mid fight.

Catwoman is saved by the timely arrival of Poison Ivy, who has her plants attack and throw Boneblaster around after wrapping him up a few times. Ivy and Catwoman compare notes about the sad state of the city, Ivy remarking that even she doesn’t feel safe walking through the park now, and if she doesn’t, no one does. Ivy tells Catwoman she is living in a penthouse off Robinson park with Eddie Nigma, better known as the Riddler. Catwoman is surprised, and Ivy replies about necessity, and says she and Eddie have patched up their differences after Catwoman was almost killed by “the rogue Batman,” as the vines toss the hapless villain through a nearby window.

Poision Ivy shacking up with Riddler?

Scene cut to the penthouse, where we learn that Nigma is under Ivy’s suggestion, sitting there in a trance, responding to anything addressed to him with “Whatever you say, Pamela.” We also learn that Ivy no longer has her share of the fortune stolen from Thomas Elliot, Hush, during the end of the Heart of Hush story during RIP (in my view, far superior to the actual RIP in the main bat-book). Ivy gave it away to various ecological causes, not even sure now which they were.

We also learn that Holly Robinson, Selena’s temporary replacement as Catwoman awhile back, and friend of Selena’s since back in Batman Year One, has left the city to make a new life with her share of Hush’s fortune. This left Harley at loose ends, as she and Holly worked closely together during the 52 maxiseries, and Harley has moved in also, coming back from a shopping spree in a strange almost school girl looking outfit in her usual red black and white colors. Harley claims to be over the Joker, which neither Ivy nor Selena believe, wisely.

Catwoman suggests they band together, which delights Harley and surprises Ivy. Ivy asks why the almost always solitary Catwoman would suggest such a thing, hinting that she lost her protection if the rumors are true, and there is a new Batman, since everyone seems to have known something about Catwoman and Batman, at least by rumor. Selena disputes this, and points out that the Bat folk tend to look the other way for her, which could help anyone with her.

Ivy pulls Harley into another room to discuss the idea, telling Harley that Catwoman isn’t well, and this concerns her. Ivy announces her intent to get more info “from someone who might know more.”

What follows is one of those scenes that some types of fans will rave about, and others rage over.  Zatanna is in her dressing room after a performance in a clingy robe, moving towards her jacuzzi. Ivy uses the roses scattered around the room to grab hold of Zatanna, and there is a sort of bondage/wetlook/interrogation scene, Ivy dunking Zee every time she tries to cast a spell. Ivy tells Zee she isn’t there to fight, just wants some information about what happened to Catwoman, and her recovery. Zee did nothing to Catwoman, but points out that Ivy and Harley both used to be doctors; they should know how bad the psychological damage from all that Catwoman went through can be. Ivy resolves to have her and Harley be supportive of Catwoman, dunks Zee once more, and returns the roses to normal.

Harley and Ivy return to main room to tell Catwoman they’ll join with her. Catwoman says she is having a new place built, and could include guest rooms and a greenhouse. Harley squeals like a little girl and asks for a toy room, too. Their scene is interrupted by the return of Boneblaster, who heard Ivy’s comments about where she was living and came hunting for them, smashing through the wall in cliched super villain style. Now, they never come out and say this, but it seems to me like Ivy and Harley throw the fight, forcing Catwoman back towards her old skill levels. There is an amusing scene of Boneblaster counting on how his rep will be made by killing Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Riddler, and…. “Who are you, School Girl?” to Harley. Ivy’s plants on Nigma get jarred loose during this, and he comes to as Catwoman shocks Boneblaster with a loose electric cable, destroying his guantlet weapons.

Nigma yells at the women about what they’ve done to his place, then turns his gaze on Boneblaster. Bonehead..err blaster… slips into fanboy mode about how all the “old school guys are like idols to him. Riddler pulls one of his old question mark staffs from the wall saying “Well, you know what they say, meeting your heroes is always a big disappointment.”

Boneblaster “You’re going to kick my ass now, aren’t you?” cowering a bit, to which the Riddler replies “Oh my goodness, yes.” Cut scene to……

An abandoned building, with a partially obscured sign reading “Gotham City Shelter For Cats and….” something. Here we meet the Broker, a man in a suit who specializes in selling hideouts to super villains in keeping with their themes. The Broker is paid off and leaves, talking on his cell to the Mad Hatter about a new place for him, so Hatter presumably survived his fall from Gotham Bridge a while ago in Secret Six. The issue ends with what, to me at least, was a good surprise ending- Ivy gasses Selena, Harley “helps” her to a chair, and Ivy demands of her “Who is Batman?” ending the issue.

I’d go four and a half out of five for this one.

Things I loved: all the characterizations were great! No one was acting in a way that made you wonder if they had been switched with someone else. Even Boneblaster, while an annoying little villain, was believable in his making a name/fanboy way. There was history and continuity- Harley mentioning she had been living with Holly as last seen in 52, Harley shopping a lot as seen this month in Streets of Gotham, Catwoman acknowledging her series of injuries recently. Now granted, Paul Dini wrote some of this, but not all, and I tip my hat to him that he did some research, a trait sorely lacking these days (Outsiders being a grand example of this).

Now, to those that find this kind of thing offensive, there is a good bit of kind of cheesecake artwork. I like it, but I know some don’t. And I kind of wish they used Riddler for more than comic relief- he’s been a great investigator since he seemingly went straight. But.. I loved the issue, and strongly recommend it.

Thoughts, opinions, comments?