With just weeks to go until the release of the next DC animated movie, Batman and Harley Quinn, you could say that dropping a prequel comic couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Sure, the publisher could’ve put just anybody on this project hoping to cash in on the name value of the co-headliners, but the aptly titled Harley Quinn and Batman is so much more.
Thanks to the fan favorite creative team of writer Ty Templeton and artist Rich Burchett, this digital first series feels like a true continuation of The New Batman Adventures in every possible way. From the character designs (Nightwing’s mullet is captured in all its glory) to the spot on dialogue, it’s hard not to hear the voices of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Loren Lester and Arleen Sorkin when reading along. Yes, Melissa Rauch may be voicing Harley in the new movie, but it’s impossible not to have Sorkin echoing in your brain alongside the rest of the original cast.
Basically, this 11-page story shows us how Harley and Joker split within this continuity (at least for the time being), thereby setting the stage for whatever the filmmakers may have planned. Not only that, but one can’t help but wonder if we’ll see a rift develop between the Clown Princess of Crime and Poison Ivy. After all, the former is set to side with Batman and Nightwing, while the latter will be paired with the Floronic Man. Because of that, we anticipate the companion film to be every bit as intriguing as it should be flat out entertaining.
Having said all that, it shouldn’t surprise you to hear me say the comic does its job by not only making you want to see the animated flick even more, but also succeeds in hooking you on the prequel series. Again, with this being a sort of continuation for the “Timmverse,” it shouldn’t be hard for it to find a willing audience.
Harley Quinn and Batman #1 is now available for download via the DC Comics App, readdcentertainment.com, iBooks, comiXology.com, Google Play, Kindle Store and Nook Store. As for Batman and Harley Quinn, you can pick that up on either Blu-ray or DVD on August 29.
