What is the appeal of Harley Quinn?

[Raijin]

I honestly never saw her appeal. I just see her as a screwed up female Joker. No depth. No redeeming qualities. Nada. It's pretty sad that the women of the DCU that are more deserving of her status are treated as an afterthought. Instead we get the psychotic one. Sad.

[Mistah K88]

There're several versions of Harley and her "fans" are really several audiences love her for reasons are contradictory.

1-Cosplayers that watched Suicide Squad: they like the Bony and Clayde fantasy and the clown theme cause she wears makeup and has a cute hair, her boyfriend and Harley are "bad boys"

2-BTAS fans: the character was funny, had several good episodes, her relationship with Joker was interesting. Many people liked her background and story with Joker including Mad Love (the abusive relationship) cause the story was scary and weird.

3-General audience watched BTAS and Lego Batman or played the Arkham games: For them Harley is Joker's girlfriend and they don't think in an abusive relationship, some of them are shippers

4-Lesbian Shippers: They hate men and ship Harley with Ivy so they like the story about the abuse survivor cause men are bad

5-Feminists: they aren't lesbians but cause sometimes but specially after New52 Harley had a story about getting over Joker they feel it's the best femenist story ever.

The defining characteristic is being in a relationship with Joker somehow abusive or not.

I say this sums it up nicely. As there are quite the few types of Harley fan bases...

I think also with her shift in personality to a more Deadpool-lite approach that gave her a good chunk of her recent fan base. Basically is all the craziness and goofball antics of the Joker, yet little to none of the horrors he has done (even if she was an accomplice at one point in time, but that's a different story). It allows for you to like a character like that without feeling like a horrid person for doing so. Though I do wonder with Harley's personality and likability why they only softened Ivy but not Joker as well...

[Ascended]

I think DC sees very little value in any degree of redemption for the Joker. And I think after the stories they've put him in, trying to move him into anti-hero territory would be met with a whole lot of resistance from the fans. A lot of people have resented Harley becoming a anti-hero, and she's practically a saint compared to Joker.

Besides, he's one of the most famous and popular villains from any branch or form of fiction. He's up there with Moriarty, Vader, Hannibal Lecter, etc. Making him less of a villain would only serve to devalue the Batman brand. Harley isn't that important to Gotham, especially as a henchman and attache of Joker's. And as an anti-hero, she's established herself in a niche that DC had never successfully filled long-term. She can compete for fans' money against Deadpool; DC doesn't have anyone else who can do that.

[Lammasu]

4-Lesbian Shippers: They hate men and ship Harley with Ivy so they like the story about the abuse survivor cause men are bad

I don't think it's really fair to assume lesbian shippers hate men.

[Rise]

Her unique look and crazy personality make her appeal to some people.

I don buy the "people like her because she is abused victim" reason because a lot of her fans like Harley/Joker.

[kjn]

I think it is truer to say that some (no idea how many) relate to Harley Quinn as she is an abuse victim. I guess they like her because she refuses to let being an abuse victim define her, even as she struggles with it.

[Rac7d*]

I don't think it's really fair to assume lesbian shippers hate men.

only on tumblr.....

[Slim Shady]

She had a cool design. She's silly and crazy. She hung out with Joker. She has personality, personality goes a long way, to steal a Tarantino line.

I also think deep down she did what a lot of Bat fans think. Most people love Joker, he's cool. But he's too evil to back up. So we love him and think, if i was gonna be a bad guy or be cool with one, it would be Joker, but we can't cross that line because he's as bad as it gets. Harley made the plunge and crossed that line. She pretty much did what we have thought about but would never do, she said Joker is crazy and evil and the baddest of the bad, but I'm gonna roll with him anyway. She's a guilty pleasure in a way.

[WhiteQueenEmmaFrost]

I've been to Wizard World St. Louis and c2e2 recently and I saw a ton of Harley cosplays, one that looked about 10. Thing is I've never really understood the attraction to her. It seems her defining characteristic is being in an abusive relationship. So what makes this character so popular?

Honestly she lost her appeal for me when she became "mainstream" and Tara Strong started doing her voice instead of Arlene Sorkin. She was funny and cute and in that gray area of being a villain. Then DC took her too seriously.

[millernumber1]

I think her appeal these days is pure psychological id. Just doing what you feel like, without any particular malice, but also no particular conscience.

I definitely prefer it to the "psycho Harley" stuff at the beginning of the n52.

[Restingvoice]

only on tumblr.....

Nah. Even Tumblr people are calling out misandrist on Tumblr.

[gooch4011]

I've never not liked Harley, I enjoyed when she would randomly show up in a story or some of her other insane acts. However, since she's become more popular and now its kinda shoved down our throats I've kind of grown 'meh' to her. She still has moments but she is not a draw in for me. Same thing happened with Deadpool. I know that sounds hipster-ish but dang sometimes they push stuff to much. I think my breaking point was Halloween one year with this 14 year old kid was dressed as Deadpool and wanted to try and tell me about Deadpool because he had seen the movie and played the game... It was like Bro, I've been reading Deadpool before you where alive... When stuff really catches on they run it into the ground. That's how Harley and Deadpool are to me now. Maybe I'm just getting old.... dang it.

[Dmouse]

I have on/off love of Harley Quinn. When I first saw her I thought "liability, possible throw away character". but thankfully her creators never gave up on her But the one thing that made see her potential as a solo character was the suicide squad april fools edition.
She is the wildcard not the joker

[Dmouse]

I've never not liked Harley, I enjoyed when she would randomly show up in a story or some of her other insane acts. However, since she's become more popular and now its kinda shoved down our throats I've kind of grown 'meh' to her. She still has moments but she is not a draw in for me. Same thing happened with Deadpool. I know that sounds hipster-ish but dang sometimes they push stuff to much. I think my breaking point was Halloween one year with this 14 year old kid was dressed as Deadpool and wanted to try and tell me about Deadpool because he had seen the movie and played the game... It was like Bro, I've been reading Deadpool before you where alive... When stuff really catches on they run it into the ground. That's how Harley and Deadpool are to me now. Maybe I'm just getting old.... dang it.

Ah the joys of capitalism. If it sells well then flog it to death. Absolutely agree with that just a bit surprised you didn't add in wolverine with his fast healing ability and adamantium skeleton thrown in every other page

[matt levin]

She was clever and funny (and unique) in the Batman Adventures comics.
Not so much, anymore.