anjasshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
earlza347's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
maedae4's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
<spoiler?I really loved reading this series. For one thing, the drawings are just stupidly beautiful, fluid, and expressive and they do something that the show cannot with its animation. They're actually the reason I found, and was drawn to, the comic--I was looking up fan art and saw Max Sarin's gorgeous, gorgeous drawings, and I stalked them to the source. While reading, I did so much staring and admiring at these illustrations, and there was so much commitment and consistency frame to frame. I'm thinking in particular of all the times Ivy and Harley are holding one another, and how they change positions incrementally between panels. I'm really happy to have found Max Sarin.
I also really enjoyed Harley's voice in this series. She feels close to the show but also has a different sort of innocence about her because she's so in love with Ivy--there are lots of places where she's just sort of gazing at Ivy and wondering what she'll do next. That role in the relationship really suits her, I feel, without limiting her--because of course she has all of her omnipotent, violent, potty mouth glory happening too. (I do like that she is somewhat in control of the narrative at times, talking directly to me, which gives her a lot of autonomy that this character doesn't always have in every adaptation.) In all these ways, Tee Franklin really does Harley right.
I also like that the comics have a different queer flavor than the show. While the show is obviously overtly queer, these comics have elements of queerness and little gay details that don't appear in the show. I think at one point after Ivy and Harley spent a romantic night together there are some lovely queer things scattered on the floor, including a vibrator tucked into the corner of the frame. There's a queer resistance and queer community with Vixen and the other characters. There's a lack of jealousy when someone thinks someone else is hot in a way I have yet to see in the show (maybe they're saving it for season 3, which I haven't seen yet!) but which I see constantly in queer communities. Ivy and Harley are decked out in a campier way than they ever are in the show, where they're strangely more grounded and subtle (if it's possible for any of these characters to be subtle). I really like seeing the way their romance and immersion in this community takes shape in Tee Franklin's hands.
I think the only thing that sometimes took me out of the narrative is the story and voice with Ivy. It must have been so hard to follow Lake Bell's immaculate embodiment of Ivy in the show--she's so funny, dry, witty, alternating between withdrawn and forceful depending on the situation. She was far more emotionally raw and verbally expressive in these comics. It makes sense, since part of the point of the comics, I think, is that Harley needs to be the one to take care of *her* more during an emotionally volatile time, whereas usually Harley is doing "impetuous shit" and our steady Ivy swoops in as a knight in shining armor. (I actually would have loved to see a bit more of that too.) But the changes also took me by surprise. Maybe just a few more panels with just her by herself, or her transitioning into the sort of breakdown she has with Vixen and Elle, would help signal that change in her. I also felt surprised that she cared so much about what she had done to other people, since she's quite misanthropic in the show this is based on. If she could have acknowledged/explored that change in herself more--the fact that now, maybe even because of Harley's influence, she experiences the pain of disappointing someone she cares about--that could have been helpful too.
But all in all, these are lovely and I've so enjoyed reading them. These are the sorts of comics that really should exist, and they have so much character and so much intentional warmth and safety to them; so I'm really really happy to have found them. I'm gonna buy the set at some point so that I can support Tee and Max and force my friends to look at the drawings.>/spoiler
I also really enjoyed Harley's voice in this series. She feels close to the show but also has a different sort of innocence about her because she's so in love with Ivy--there are lots of places where she's just sort of gazing at Ivy and wondering what she'll do next. That role in the relationship really suits her, I feel, without limiting her--because of course she has all of her omnipotent, violent, potty mouth glory happening too. (I do like that she is somewhat in control of the narrative at times, talking directly to me, which gives her a lot of autonomy that this character doesn't always have in every adaptation.) In all these ways, Tee Franklin really does Harley right.
I also like that the comics have a different queer flavor than the show. While the show is obviously overtly queer, these comics have elements of queerness and little gay details that don't appear in the show. I think at one point after Ivy and Harley spent a romantic night together there are some lovely queer things scattered on the floor, including a vibrator tucked into the corner of the frame. There's a queer resistance and queer community with Vixen and the other characters. There's a lack of jealousy when someone thinks someone else is hot in a way I have yet to see in the show (maybe they're saving it for season 3, which I haven't seen yet!) but which I see constantly in queer communities. Ivy and Harley are decked out in a campier way than they ever are in the show, where they're strangely more grounded and subtle (if it's possible for any of these characters to be subtle). I really like seeing the way their romance and immersion in this community takes shape in Tee Franklin's hands.
I think the only thing that sometimes took me out of the narrative is the story and voice with Ivy. It must have been so hard to follow Lake Bell's immaculate embodiment of Ivy in the show--she's so funny, dry, witty, alternating between withdrawn and forceful depending on the situation. She was far more emotionally raw and verbally expressive in these comics. It makes sense, since part of the point of the comics, I think, is that Harley needs to be the one to take care of *her* more during an emotionally volatile time, whereas usually Harley is doing "impetuous shit" and our steady Ivy swoops in as a knight in shining armor. (I actually would have loved to see a bit more of that too.) But the changes also took me by surprise. Maybe just a few more panels with just her by herself, or her transitioning into the sort of breakdown she has with Vixen and Elle, would help signal that change in her. I also felt surprised that she cared so much about what she had done to other people, since she's quite misanthropic in the show this is based on. If she could have acknowledged/explored that change in herself more--the fact that now, maybe even because of Harley's influence, she experiences the pain of disappointing someone she cares about--that could have been helpful too.
But all in all, these are lovely and I've so enjoyed reading them. These are the sorts of comics that really should exist, and they have so much character and so much intentional warmth and safety to them; so I'm really really happy to have found them. I'm gonna buy the set at some point so that I can support Tee and Max and force my friends to look at the drawings.>/spoiler
mar47's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
“She is my light, my air, water and nutrients…” 🥹
He amado todo! Vixen, Zatanna, Livewire… increíbles!
Ivy arriesgando todo para salvar a Harley… sigo emocionada.
De verdad vale la pena leer los seis issues 🔥.
*Se retira a ver la tercera temporada*
He amado todo! Vixen, Zatanna, Livewire… increíbles!
Ivy arriesgando todo para salvar a Harley… sigo emocionada.
De verdad vale la pena leer los seis issues 🔥.
*Se retira a ver la tercera temporada*
sofiacore's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
hxlysrs's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series SO MUCH. the comic is just as good as the show, it is so GAY and INCLUSIVE and well written and just so beautiful it could make a grown man cry. i can’t wait for s3 and for more issues of this <3 harlivy has my heart.
gothicpluto's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nyoom's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
0.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Medical content, Torture, Violence, Ableism, Injury/injury detail, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Grief, Murder, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse and Gun violence
sadiebedford's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5