Gotham City Sirens - Book 1 - Strange Fruit

DC

2011

Tony Bedard, Peter Calloway - Writers
Andres Quinaldo, Jeremy Haun - Pencils
Lorenzo Ruggiero, Jeremy Haun, Waldo Wong - Inks
Steve Ward, Travis Larkham, Dave Sharpe - Letters

Gotham City Sirens tells us the tales of Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, Talia al Ghul and Zatanna. If you recognise the names you will know that four are 'enemies' of Batman.

So this book had the possibility of being interesting as we might get to see villains when they are not trying to kill the Caped Crusader.

Poison Ivy finds an alien plant with which she uses to try and take over the Earth. Several times she states that she is now more plant that human and wishes to mold the world in her chloroform filled likeness. Harley Quinn and Catwoman arm themselves with defoliant 'flamethrowers' and try to stop her. Eventually Ivy has a change of heart and kills her new alien plant boyfriend with a kiss.

Zatanna shows up at the Siren's headquarters and threatens Ivy. Someone, or something, has threatened Ivy's trees. All sorts of magical shenanigans takes place and Selina (Catwoman) gets trapped underground. The other girls follow. Here again Ivy is painted and distant, alien and non-human with her drives and personality.

The book has nice art. The stories, however, don't really move forward and usually end with a simple change of heart or other left field device. I never felt attached to any of the characters and the whole book seems like an excuse to smash three lady characters together with no real reason or drive. The other drawback for me is that Ivy is a super villain with a purpose and Catwoman was a burglar. I'm not sure from this book what Harley's powers are or what she wants to do about anything.  I didn't like this (and I have another TPB to read) but you might if you really enjoy these characters. I guess they do the things that made them famous in Batman?