Old Comics Fans: Is Harley Quinn the new Wolverine?

[DrNewGod]

You gotta be one of us codgers to really answer this from an informed point of view. You have to have been part of the crowd that saw Wolvierine come out of nowhere (actually, a yeah-whatever two-issue debut guest gig in The Incredible Hulk) to become a phenomenon, largely on pure shock power.

As we speak, DC is advertising an Old Lady Harley series. The parallels are curious.

So, is Harley DC's new Wolverine?

[The Darknight Detective]

It's hard to say, since Harley had the advantage of TV exposure at her birth.

[BeastieRunner]

Wolverine, Deadpool, Spider-Man, Batman, Harley ... all have had their chance to be overexposed over the years.

[ed2962]

It is way more complicated than that. Logan was a pretty thin character at first and it took years for him to get developed and then become popular.

[comicscollector]

I voted No.Wolverine have been consistently popular ever since he apeared in Incredible Hulk.
Harley Quin is popular now but it can not be compared to the popularity of Wolverine through decades.
If Harley Quinn keep on being popular in the next decades then i would be saying that she is the new Wolverine of DC.

[Starter Set]

Well, at least Wolverine was somewhat interesting at some points in his carreer.

Something Harley can hardly say about herself.

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

Nope. Harley's basically got early 90's Psylock levels of popularity. Totally unsustainable. Even as a Deadpool-esque joke character, she falls flat. No interesting enemies, no memorable supporting characters, just her fierce you go girl fanfiction-quality of writing confrontations with the Joker. Zzz

[kjn]

I know far too little comics history to say how similar the reception and use of the Wolverine and Harley Quinn are, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are parallels (and differences). Also how the differences and similarities on how these characters were constructed contributed to how they were received. To me that sounds more interesting than a single binary answer.

Some of my initial thoughts:

Both characters are conflicted at core, wanting/knowing one thing but constantly being drawn/pulled to another. (In this sense they are similar to tragic characters like Hamlet.) Both also have an innocent aspect, as being victims.

Both characters are situationally adaptive in their use, in that they can be and are used together with other characters and groups. Add Wolverine—instant badassery. Add Harley Quinn—instant crazy sexy awesome.

Both characters are rooted in what I'd call dangerous wish fulfillment fantasies; that is fantasies that are alluring precisely because they are known to be dangerous.

Both work with the theme that sexy is dangerous; as such they bridge the older theme in comics that sexy is evil.

[ed2962]

I voted No.Wolverine have been consistently popular ever since he apeared in Incredible Hulk.
Harley Quin is popular now but it can not be compared to the popularity of Wolverine through decades.
If Harley Quinn keep on being popular in the next decades then i would be saying that she is the new Wolverine of DC.

I would disagree with this. Wolverine was not popular at first. The X-Men writer even wanted to get rid of him, John Byrne talked him out of it! He didn't get popular until the mid-80's when they put an actual effort into making his character interesting ( adding layers to his background, having actually win fights in a particularly violent manner).

Harley was popular immediately due to being part of a successful animated show and her popularity hasn't waned.

[comicscollector]

I would disagree with this. Wolverine was not popular at first. The X-Men writer even wanted to get rid of him, John Byrne talked him out of it! He didn't get popular until the mid-80's when they put an actual effort into making his character interesting ( adding layers to his background, having actually win fights in a particularly violent manner).

Harley was popular immediately due to being part of a successful animated show and her popularity hasn't waned.

Interesting.But Wolverine always apeared in Uncanny X-men after he was a member of the team.So even at first Wolverine popularity was not bad.After the limited series and Wolverine getting his own comic book,the popularity of the character was something else.
Wolverine popularity is not comparable with Harley Quinn i would say.Even now i think there is lacking a track record of consistent popularity in comics like Wolverine had (especially in the early 90´s) that makes so far Harley Quinn popularity to be similar to Wolverine.

[foxley]

Well, at least Wolverine was somewhat interesting at some points in his carreer.

Something Harley can hardly say about herself.

I think you got that the wrong way round.