Harley and Ivy Meet Betty and Veronica #4 – Mark Andreyko, Paul Dini, Writers; Laura Braga, Adriana Melo, Artists; Arif Prianto, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 7.5/10
Corrina: Betty & Veronica Meet the Joker
WARNING: SPOiLERS BELOW
Ray: As Harley and Ivey Meet Betty and Veronica, the bizarre DC/Archie crossover prepares to enter act three, the mismatched pairs of bodyswapped heroines take advantage of their new temporary lives and cause no small amount of chaos for everyone around them.
Betty and Veronica, in older supervillain bodies, at first seem to have the harder end of the deal. Not only are they dealing with the band of supervillain losers out for revenge against Harley and Ivy, but they’ve got to deal with Reggie, who thinks he’s the Joker due to a bump on the head. While he’s mostly harmless (being Reggie), he still thinks he’s a violent maniac and acts accordingly. Veronica has no real experience with Ivy’s powers, so her plant effects tend to be more chaotic than anything else, but provide some great visuals. It’s only when they’re staring down the barrel of being returned to their regular home in Arkham that Betty fully embraces her inner villain.
Harley and Ivy, in Betty and Veronica’s bodies, seem to have the easier job of blending in in high school, but as anyone who remembers high school can tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks. Between Archie bumbling around around them, and Cheryl Blossom out for revenge for being excluded from a party, their attempt to sabotage the building of the new Lodge Campus on Sweetwater Swamp hits one snag after another. Cheryl’s attempt to get back at them involves an elaborate double date scheme combined with dressing up as a killer tree, so it’s clearly not a comic that takes itself all that seriously. My favorite moment was probably Jughead’s appearance with a distinctive silhouette that sends Harley into a panic.
This book is chaotic, almost frantic at points, but it’s fun, and that’s more than can be said about the main Harley book at times.
Corrina: The series might have been better at shorter length but it certainly offers some memorable scenes. Watching Betty embrace her inner Harley was a delight and not a scene I thought I needed until it happened. (Note: I’m glad they didn’t use the real Joker here as he’s written too dark lately to be effective in something more comedic.)
Similarly, Harley and Ivy are hilarious not so much because of how they navigate high school but how they basically view it as insignificant.
It’s not perfect but it certainly is fun.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
