Gotham City Sirens
Encyclopedia
Gotham City Sirens is an American comic book
ongoing series
written by Paul Dini
, with art by Guillem March, and published by DC Comics
. The series features some of the most popular female characters that inhabit Gotham City
, including Catwoman
, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn
. The first issue was released in June, 2009, as a part of the Batman: Reborn relaunch in all of DC's Batman
titles.
, Final Crisis
, and Battle for the Cowl storylines, Hush
cut out Catwoman's heart, Batman
regained it, and Catwoman got her revenge by stealing all of his money and giving it to the Gotham City criminal females, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, as well as Holly Robinson
. Bruce Wayne was thought to be dead and was replaced by Dick Grayson
.
's daughter and leader of the League of Assassins
, used mind control techniques to prevent Catwoman from ever forcefully revealing his identity as Bruce Wayne. But actually, Talia taught Catwoman a meditation technique so that any sort of mind-control, such as Ivy's spores, won't affect her.
Harley Quinn leaves Ivy's hideout, while Batman (Grayson) and the "reformed" Riddler
solve a coinciding case, where Quinn encounters Bruce Wayne. Unbeknownst to her, he is actually Hush, who had reconstructed his face to be that of Wayne so he could control Wayne Enterprises
. Hush plans to kill Quinn, but when footage of the two together reaches Joker
, he decides to kill Harley since he cannot have her. The Joker is revealed to not be himself at all, but an old sidekick of his named Gaggy, who is angered at Harley for replacing him. Ivy and Catwoman manage to save Harley and escape. The three of them take separate holidays during Christmas: After Catwoman beats a couple of "knife-wielding santas", she joins Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne for Christmas before Damian makes the Duo leave to catch a murderer. Poison Ivy visits the South American jungles and, after pausing her holiday to save a few tourists who'd stumbled into a drug lords processing plant, she kills them all and deduces that she needs to spend time in both the plant and human worlds and returns to Gotham. Harley Quinn decides to visit her family with rocky results and decides to return home to their shared hideout where the three women spend the rest of Christmas together.
When Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn discover a body literally dropped into their lap and previously planted with evidence that it was the Sirens that killed her. Together, the girls enlist the help of the Riddler once again to find the real person trying to frame them, who is actually Doctor Aesop, wanting to take back Catwoman's hideout as his own. Around the same time, wanting to establish herself as something other than a villain, Poison Ivy takes a job at the Gotham City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs
, under an assumed identity "Paula Irving" due to her criminal history. She is soon discovered by one of the scientists who she had fired on her first day, but rather than killing them Ivy instead renews their contract, impressed with the worker intelligence and deductive skills. Also, Harley Quinn and Catwoman discover Harley's pet hyenas have been escaping at night and hunting and eating local dogs, prompting Catwoman to tell Harley to give the hyenas away to a zoo, which Harley is against.
During a battle at Arkham Asylum
, Catwoman betrays the other Sirens and allows both women to be captured. Harley and Ivy subsequently escape and try to exact revenge on Selina. A massive fight ensues, which ends with Catwoman revealing that since the group first came together, she had been using her connections with Batman to keep Harley and Ivy from being arrested. Harley and Ivy allow Catwoman to go free, and the series ends with all three members of the group going their separate ways.
and drawn by Gotham City Sirens artist Guillem March, Harley Quinn was brought over to the revamped Suicide Squad series, and Poison Ivy will be featured in the new Birds of Prey.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
written by Paul Dini
Paul Dini
Paul Dini is an American writer and producer who works in the television and comic book industries. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated...
, with art by Guillem March, and published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The series features some of the most popular female characters that inhabit Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
, including Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...
. The first issue was released in June, 2009, as a part of the Batman: Reborn relaunch in all of DC's Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
titles.
Setting
Shortly after the Heart of Hush, Batman R.I.P.Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
, Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, and Battle for the Cowl storylines, Hush
Hush (comics)
Hush is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman #609 , as part of the 12-issue storyline, Batman: Hush...
cut out Catwoman's heart, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
regained it, and Catwoman got her revenge by stealing all of his money and giving it to the Gotham City criminal females, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, as well as Holly Robinson
Holly Robinson (comics)
Holly Robinson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She was introduced in Batman #404 during Frank Miller's Batman: Year One story arc.Holly is a frequent ally and sidekick of Catwoman...
. Bruce Wayne was thought to be dead and was replaced by Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
.
"Union"
When Catwoman fights a new villain named "Boneblaster", it is revealed she still has physical limitations from her ordeal in "Heart of Hush" and is nearly easily beaten by the two-bit thug. However, Poison Ivy arrives to save Catwoman and offers the two return to her new hideout, which is actually the Riddler's hideout whom Poison Ivy has seduced and drugged. Catwoman also discovers Harley Quinn is also living with them, and proposes that the three women join together to protect one another as a team, but first Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy wanted to know who Batman really is. When Ivy uses a truth serum powder derived from plants, Catwoman reveals that she cannot because Talia, Ra's Al GhulRa's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
's daughter and leader of the League of Assassins
League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
, used mind control techniques to prevent Catwoman from ever forcefully revealing his identity as Bruce Wayne. But actually, Talia taught Catwoman a meditation technique so that any sort of mind-control, such as Ivy's spores, won't affect her.
Harley Quinn leaves Ivy's hideout, while Batman (Grayson) and the "reformed" Riddler
Riddler
The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....
solve a coinciding case, where Quinn encounters Bruce Wayne. Unbeknownst to her, he is actually Hush, who had reconstructed his face to be that of Wayne so he could control Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises is a company in the DC Universe, owned by Bruce Wayne and run by his business manager, Lucius Fox. It was founded by merchant ancestors of the Wayne family in the 17th century as a merchant house, although the company changed when the heir of Judge Solomon Wayne, Alan, utilized...
. Hush plans to kill Quinn, but when footage of the two together reaches Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, he decides to kill Harley since he cannot have her. The Joker is revealed to not be himself at all, but an old sidekick of his named Gaggy, who is angered at Harley for replacing him. Ivy and Catwoman manage to save Harley and escape. The three of them take separate holidays during Christmas: After Catwoman beats a couple of "knife-wielding santas", she joins Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne for Christmas before Damian makes the Duo leave to catch a murderer. Poison Ivy visits the South American jungles and, after pausing her holiday to save a few tourists who'd stumbled into a drug lords processing plant, she kills them all and deduces that she needs to spend time in both the plant and human worlds and returns to Gotham. Harley Quinn decides to visit her family with rocky results and decides to return home to their shared hideout where the three women spend the rest of Christmas together.
"Songs of the Sirens"
Poison Ivy is framed for a series of murders on serial arsonists in Robinson Park. After investigating the murders herself, Poison Ivy is kidnapped by the real murderer and left in a hole to die without food, water or sunlight. Catwoman and Harley Quinn work together to save Poison Ivy and find a corrupt cop and the real murderer with James Gordon's help. When they find Poison Ivy's hidden and shrivelled up body without a pulse, Catwoman saves her by tossing her into water, claiming that when your plants seem dead, you water them. With Poison Ivy is revived, the Sirens find the real murderer and kill him themselves, making it look like he was just another victim.When Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn discover a body literally dropped into their lap and previously planted with evidence that it was the Sirens that killed her. Together, the girls enlist the help of the Riddler once again to find the real person trying to frame them, who is actually Doctor Aesop, wanting to take back Catwoman's hideout as his own. Around the same time, wanting to establish herself as something other than a villain, Poison Ivy takes a job at the Gotham City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
, under an assumed identity "Paula Irving" due to her criminal history. She is soon discovered by one of the scientists who she had fired on her first day, but rather than killing them Ivy instead renews their contract, impressed with the worker intelligence and deductive skills. Also, Harley Quinn and Catwoman discover Harley's pet hyenas have been escaping at night and hunting and eating local dogs, prompting Catwoman to tell Harley to give the hyenas away to a zoo, which Harley is against.
"Sister Zero"
While Catwoman is on a private caper trying to discover information on her escaped and mentally unstable sister, Maggie Kyle finds the home of a renowned exorcist looking for help in saving her sister. Incorrectly thinking the exorcist is also in league with Selina's "cat demon", Maggie kills her and steal her exorcism equipment, discovering a container with a supernatural substance in the guise of an angel. This substance bestows her with supernatural strength and speed and a warped perception of reality and how she perceives reality. She gets Catwoman, who brings Harley Quinn with her, to meet her and precedes to attack Harley and Catwoman. During the fight Harley attacks Maggie and calls her "Sister Zero" as an insult, however Maggie likes this name and uses it. The fight continues until Catwoman can show Maggie she's not possessed breaking the spell on her momentarily before the "angel" regains control. However in that time Maggie decides not to kill Catwoman and leaves. The arc ends with Maggie proclaiming things weren't over and that she now knew she could save her sister through exorcism instead of killing her."Strange Fruit"
While working at S.T.A.R. Labs Ivy encounters an alien life form which is an intelligent plant. Seemingly coming under the plant's control Ivy aids its escape from the lab, battling Catwoman and Harley Quinn on her way to Gotham Park, where the entity plans on spreading her spores in an attempt to take over the planet. When her friends intervene, stopping the plant creature's plan, Ivy turns on him, helping to stop the propagation of his flower bulbs.Finale
Shortly thereafter all three women feel spurned and neglected by their men of choice, and Harley seeks out Catwoman to console her about her loving Batman, making an equivalence to her feelings for Joker, but Catwoman's discontent stirs anger in Harley, who goes to seek out vengeance on her ex boyfriend.During a battle at Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
, Catwoman betrays the other Sirens and allows both women to be captured. Harley and Ivy subsequently escape and try to exact revenge on Selina. A massive fight ensues, which ends with Catwoman revealing that since the group first came together, she had been using her connections with Batman to keep Harley and Ivy from being arrested. Harley and Ivy allow Catwoman to go free, and the series ends with all three members of the group going their separate ways.
Aftermath
Along with every other title published by DC, Gotham City Sirens was cancelled in August 2011. In the wake of the title's cancellation, Catwoman received a new ongoing title written by Judd WinickJudd Winick
Judd Winick is an American comic book, comic strip and television writer/artist and former reality television personality...
and drawn by Gotham City Sirens artist Guillem March, Harley Quinn was brought over to the revamped Suicide Squad series, and Poison Ivy will be featured in the new Birds of Prey.
Collected editions
- Gotham City Sirens Vol. 1: Union, collects Gotham City Sirens #1-7, April 2010, DC Comics, ISBN 978-1401225704
- Gotham City Sirens Vol. 2: Songs of the Sirens, collects Gotham City Sirens #8-13 and Catwoman #83, November 2010, DC Comics, ISBN 978-1401229078
- Gotham City Sirens Vol. 3: Strange Fruit, collects Gotham City Sirens #14-19, August 2011, DC Comics, ISBN 978-1401231378
- Gotham City Sirens Vol. 4: Division, collects Gotham City Sirens #20-21, 23-26, March 2012, DC Comics ISBN 978-1401233938
- Batman: Gotham Shall Be Judged, collects Batman #708-709; Gotham City Sirens #22; Red Robin #22 April 2012, DC Comics, ISBN 978-1401233785
External links
- Gotham City Sirens at the Comics Wiki