Gavin Jones

Batman: Arkham Asylum Harley Quinn Re-design, Why?

by Gavin Jones Email

Link: http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-2544-Batman--Arkham-Asylum---Meet-Harley-Quinn.html

Thanks to X-Centric Ned we've got another Batman: Arkham Asylum trailer for your perusal and although I'm still really looking forward to the game (relesed date to be confirmed in the UK but hit's US June 2009) I'm going to have to take umbrage with the treatment of miss Harley Quinn. Watch the video to see for yourselves then read on for full on rant.

See what I mean? No?! Did you not watch the video of Super-Skank versus Batman? Well just in case you couldn't be bothered to watch the video I'll spell it out for you with this picture:

Harley Quinn Costume re-design in Batman: Arkham Asylum

Why bother going to the trouble of hiring the most excellent Arleen Sorkin, original voice of Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series, and then completely change the look of the character? I'll tell you why, Sex. That's right beleive it or not sex sells, especially in video games or at least that must be what games designers think. Harley Quinn was a character so popular that even though she was created solely for an animated version of Batman she eventually made it into the comics and is now an important charater in her own right. She has gone way beyond just being the Joker's girlfriend, fronting many comics all on her lonesome and forming relationships and partners much further affield that Gotham city. Her influence reaches so far that Kevin Smith of Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay & Silent Bob, Zak & Miri Make a Porno, etc fame, named his first born daughter after her...his first born!

My point is fans like her the way she is, the way she was drawn. She isn't a sex symbol at least not in the conventional sense, she's a psychotic insecure little girl with a delusional love for the man she likes to call 'Mr J' A.K.A The Joker. I don't hate the re-design, it makes me feel kinda funny in the pants department which in it's sefl is a little worrying but it's quite a good look. I guess I'm just a fan of the original Harley and saw no point in sexifying her up. I'm also pretty surprised that Paul Dini and Bruce Timm her original creators and collaborators on this self same game saw fit to change her, were they not happy with the original design? Is this the way they always wanted to go but were restricted by the constraints of saturday morning cartoons? If anyone knows the answers I'd be more than willing to hear them, until then enjoy the original and always classy Harley Quinn.

The Original Harley Quinn

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Categories: News, Previews, Articles Tags: batman arkham asylum, bruce timm, costume re-design, harley quinn, kevin smith, paul dini, the joker
Permalink21/04/09 10:52:21 am, 11 comments »

11 comments

juzadey
Comment from: juzadey [Member] Email
Agree with all that you said, but this is the Britney generation, as the re-design fully proves. Your last thought about being restricted by Sat morn cartoon rules is prob 99% right, tho the one about "the rumble in your pants" is a bit dodgy, as everyone knows Marina from Stingray is the No: 1 hottie in cartoonworld....!
21/04/09 @ 23:22
user
Comment from: user [Visitor]
Yeah, the new Harley is sexy, but it didn't seem superficial to me. Actually when I first watched the trailer for this game, I had never seen this rendition of Harley before, but I still knew exactly who she was when I saw her. Yes, you want to hold on to your classic Harley, but we have to move on here! If Harley Quinn were a real nurse turned irreverent clownish criminal, this is exactly how she would dress. I imagine clown jumpsuits are hard to come by in the criminal underworld!
15/12/09 @ 04:00
Koolaidjeff
Comment from: Koolaidjeff [Visitor]
In response to above: Because corsettes, you know, are standard attire for nurses. Okay, but I do agree, it is a little easier to accept than the original.
03/01/10 @ 06:05
bill
Comment from: bill [Visitor]
...shut up...yeah shes hot but thats not why people buy the game,characters of every cartoon/show/movie get redesigned and recreated and all that bullshit,get over it...
09/02/10 @ 06:00
osgorb
Comment from: osgorb [Visitor]
harley quinn has always been my favorite batman character. ( And not just because she's hot........okay, it's because she's hot!
10/04/10 @ 15:42
Bosseyedness
Comment from: Bosseyedness [Visitor] · http://onyxwaves.deviantart.com
I like the new Harley Quinn. I think the outfit is really kewl (I am speaking strictly from an artistic point of veiw as I am a straight female). I'm not a fan of the old Harley Quinn getup, though.
02/05/10 @ 17:37
Random Guy with all knowledge.
Comment from: Random Guy with all knowledge. [Visitor]
She was dressed the way she originally was because her name is Harley Quinn, you know, like a harlequin?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlequin
Costumes need to be updated, not to mention, the people that watched her on morning cartoons now know what to do with their erections, clearly DC wants some of that time spent on good ole Harley, hell I'd give it to her.
04/12/10 @ 03:54
JayEccent
Comment from: JayEccent [Visitor] Email
By the way, "Why bother going to the trouble of hiring the most excellent Arleen Sorkin, original voice of Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series?" BECAUSE SHE IS IN THE GAME!!! Check this link out http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1282022/

I know her voice anywhere since I watched it when I was young and now my three year old watches the Animated Series. Also take into the fact that MOST of the cast IS in the game such as Kevin Conroy and the very talented Mark Hamill.

As for her outfit I like both but I love the original however if you think about it Quinn, the character herself chose her new threads. Sure the creators created it but still they pulled it off as her own somehow, still kept the colors as well as the playful side.

Ive played the game and all around I love the graphics, acting and storyline however I thought they could have added more baddies like Clayface, MY FAVE VILLAIN. Still a very enjoyable game.
23/12/10 @ 15:31
Gavin Jones
Comment from: Gavin Jones [Member] Email · http://www.sidekickcomicsuk.com
Thanks for taking the time to comment and send the links. I know she's in the game, that was the point. Why bother with that awesome connection when you're going to make her look completely different?

Hving now played the game I can see that it does fit and is really not that bad, at the time though it just felt like another in a long line of sexying up a character to please the fanboys. There may've been an element of that but i have to conceed that it works.

Look out for Clayface in the next one I reckon.
23/12/10 @ 16:22
JayEccent
Comment from: JayEccent [Visitor] Email
Your welcome:)

As for Clayface, Just think how tough he would be to beat!
24/12/10 @ 00:19
Game_Queen
Comment from: Game_Queen [Visitor]
I hate this redesign. It doesn't look sexy at all. Just dirty and gross and super cheap. Like if you're going to do sexy, do it right. Don't make it look like she picked up her outfit at a clearance rack at a Hot Topics during Halloween. Ick.

11/07/11 @ 17:27

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