The title, Harley Quinn’s Bud and Lou: Trouble Times Two by Ben Hed is exactly what you expect from a hero/villain comic/graphic novel, and that makes this a fun read. It is comforting, and yes, it is cheesy and goofy and has way bad puns, but I want more of Bud and Lou! They are perhaps the coolest hyenas since The Lion Kings Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.
Hed is the author and illustrator of several comics, but the only one I know I have read is Pixie and Brutus. I enjoy it as it is all the things: sweet, funny and poignant. But if you do not like that particular work (or that particular style of story), that is fine as Bud and Lou, (Harley Quinn’s (maybe) loveable hyena pets), is the opposite. Sure there are the lessons of helping the good guys, and if someone steals your property it does not feel nice so it is nice to help them get it back, but trust me, this is not Morals 101. These are bad guys and they just happen to do the right thing (this time), with more than a few chuckles, stolen donuts and creepy penguins.
The art is simple and has a few details, but is not lacking in anything. The cover pretty much says it all. Things are big, bright, easy to see, and illustrations support the story. The speech bubbles are part of that (when they are in a cold area the bubbles go “shakey”) and continue the predictability for the older/adult reader. The aimed at ages (strong 8 to 10, or up to young 12-13) will be wondering what happens next.
Due March 2025 I read via an online reader copy.
