Review: Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #8

“Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity” – Book Eight

Writer: Kami Garcia
Artists: Mico Suayan and Jason Badower
Color Artist: Annette Kwok
Letterers: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Tyler Smith
Review by Kendra Hale

Gordon and I Don’t Agree Anymore

If there’s one series that always keeps you guessing, currently it is this one. Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #8 is here, and that means that The Joker’s getting ready to strike. All roads lead to a concert for his attack, and in this issue we get surprises, action, teasers, and a fair bit of chaos. There’s lots to unpack, so let’s dive in.

Introducing Black Canary To The Stage

Everything leads to the concert being the grand stage for Joe Kelly to strut out his grand finale. The GCPD and Harley are honed in too, but for different reasons, and with different plans. After all the concert goers are treated to a performance by Black Canary, the next band, Event Horizon hits the stage. That’s when Kelly’s plans are set into motion.

The end to this harrowing adventure is coming fast, and Harley doesn’t think that Batman, even with his plans to take those in who pose threats to Gotham, has the right idea on what needs to be done. While her intentions might be pure, or at least for the right reasons, Harley’s life will be forever changed, regardless of the choice made.

The Secret’s Out

There are so many great things about Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #8. The first is probably my favorite cover by Francesco Mattina. It’s gorgeous, and showcases the fight between Harley and Joker quite elegantly. The artwork in this issue is, of course, stunning. My favorite part is Dinah Lance. While we have seen a selection of well known Gothamites, Dinah is one of the first cameos we’ve seen in this series… and what a cameo it is.

My only pause for this issue comes in the last few pages, as they bring all of what was a massive build up to an incredibly sudden, and jarring halt. For a story that’s been steadily brewing this Joker as smart, cunning, steps ahead, determined, and dedicated… something feels off. Of course, there’s still time to figure out the full scope of what’s yet to come. You know the saying; it ain’t over ’til it’s over.

Also, Event Horizon was a nice touch. Just saying.

Conclusion

I’m reserving a lot of judgement because I know there’s more to come. Being honest though, of the series as a whole, this chapter isn’t a top favorite. It does move the story forward, and there’s Dinah, but something feels off, particularly given how much work’s gone into the build up of this story, and its characters. There have been very elaborate crimes committed and while, yes, what happens this issue is horrible… it seems disjointed.

I guess we’ll have to wait for our answers, as this arc comes to a close with issue #9.

Images Provided Courtesy Of DC Entertainment

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates announced

Image
Article by Steve J. Ray Thought Bubble  is, without a doubt, the UK’s best entirely comic-based convention and art festival. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the show for the last three years, and have been anxious to see what’s in store this year. Well, the wait is over, as the team behind the event has announced the Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates. THOUGHT BUBBLE ANNOUNCES 2024 COMIC CONVENTION & FESTIVAL DATES ACCLAIMED COMIC ART CONVENTION AND FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS YORKSHIRE THIS NOVEMBER THOUGHT BUBBLE FESTIVAL LEEDS & ACROSS YORKSHIRE 11 -17 NOVEMBER 2024 THOUGHT BUBBLE COMIC CONVENTION HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE 16 & 17 NOVEMBER 2024   https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com “Thought Bubble is the place to be. This is the show where everyone feels and is treated like family” –  Dark Knight News “Thought Bubble is the most important comic convention around” –  Popverse Returning to the Harrogate Convention Centre,...
Read more

Mystic Muses: A D&D Podcast

Image
Article by Philip Clark An all queer cast. An all femme ensemble. A non-binary Dungeon Master. Throw in some quality story-telling and role playing too, this sounds like a whole lot of fun! If any of the previously mentioned things has piqued your interests, then I implore you to check out Mystic Muses. You can find this wonderfully crafted podcast where you can find all your other favourites including Spotify. There are currently four episodes out. Episode 0 is the prologue and character introductions, and I have to say it is very well put together! The intro to each episode is cleverly crafted, with the players and DM each sounding off a sentence to bring us into the game space. Speaking of bringing us into the game space, Adam, the talented DM sets the scene for the story very nicely. A descriptive, yet concise introduction to the environment gives both the players and audience a vibe of what we're in for. Then come the delicious character introductions that give vivid descripti...
Read more

Fantastic Universes Interview: Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz From 'The Walking Dead'

Image
Interview panel led by Steve J. Ray, with a gathering of Comic/TV Media Journalists. I've spoken to some amazing people over the last couple of years; writers, artists, costume designers, and actors from some of my favorite TV shows. It's no secret that I'm a huge comic-book fan, and one of the TV series that's based on and inspired by a comics title - but has gone on to be so much more - is The Walking Dead . At a recent Comic-Con in London, I had the great opportunity of leading a panel where some fellow journalists and I spoke with Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz, three siblings who played Sophia and both iterations of Henry on the show. The eldest, Madison Lintz (born 1999) played Sophia Peletier - Carol's daughter - in the first two seasons. She's also well known for playing Maddie Bosch in the Amazon series Bosch . She started acting at the age of six, filming commercials and voice-overs. Matthew (born 2001) took over the role of Henry from ...
Read more