How should Harley Quinn be handled?

[LordUltimus]

Quirky and lighthearted, or something darker?

[babybats]

It depends on the tone of the story. She can be either/or. What I don't like is how overused she's been (and stuff like her beating the Trinity), so I'd like to see less of her.

[Batknight]

Oh boy, I have a lot to say about this. It depends on the context of the story. Or more importantly, it depends on how the Joker is handled. Because at the end of the day Joker is going to define how Harley is going to turn out since he's the one who moulds her into who she becomes. Joker in BTAS and comic book Joker are pretty different characters. I don't think Paul Dini really understood this when he originally brought Harley into the comics because he always writes Joker the same way which was a mistake. I understand not wanting to stray too far from the original characterization since this was her first time in the comics, but Harley ending up extactly how she does in BTAS doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Joker in BTAS for the most part is a comedian looking for attention. He's mainly a nassarcist, Gotham is his stage crimes are his acts and that's really all he cares about. He can do pretty awful things but is generally pretty silly as well (up until ROTJ where he decides to end things by brainwashing Tim Drake). Comic book Joker on the other hand is a compeletly evil, nilhistic, psychopathic monster who just wants to see all life burn and laugh while it happens. Harley being broken, brainwashed, manipulated, or having pre-existing psycological issues exposed and taken advantage of by one of these versions is not going to turn out the same as the other. Harley in BTAS could be pretty quirkly and lighthearted, because Joker himself could be goofy and silly himself a lot of the times. This is not usually the case in comics. I think those fan comics by Stjepan Sejic are the best repsersentation of how main continuity, comicbook Harley should be handled

https://www.deviantart.com/nebezial/...leen-630870159

It's a dark psychological take but makes more sense for a more twisted Joker.

[Godlike13]

With more consistency. Don’t have her be this likable lighthearted trouble maker while at the same time have her filling schools with severed heads. Fine a line and stick to it.

[Restingvoice]

Conner Palmiotti version. Fun with a streak of sociopathy

[LordUltimus]

With more consistency. Don’t have her be this likable lighthearted trouble maker while at the same time have her filling schools with severed heads. Fine a line and stick to it.

Yeah that's been a problem.

[Mistah K88]

With more consistency. Don’t have her be this likable lighthearted trouble maker while at the same time have her filling schools with severed heads. Fine a line and stick to it.

This would be a good start

Oh boy, I have a lot to say about this. It depends on the context of the story. Or more importantly, it depends on how the Joker is handled. Because at the end of the day Joker is going to define how Harley is going to turn out since he's the one who moulds her into who she becomes. Joker in BTAS and comic book Joker are pretty different characters. I don't think Paul Dini really understood this when he originally brought Harley into the comics because he always writes Joker the same way which was a mistake. I understand not wanting to stray too far from the original characterization since this was her first time in the comics, but Harley ending up extactly how she does in BTAS doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Joker in BTAS for the most part is a comedian looking for attention. He's mainly a nassarcist, Gotham is his stage crimes are his acts and that's really all he cares about. He can do pretty awful things but is generally pretty silly as well (up until ROTJ where he decides to end things by brainwashing Tim Drake). Comic book Joker on the other hand is a compeletly evil, nilhistic, psychopathic monster who just wants to see all life burn and laugh while it happens. Harley being broken, brainwashed, manipulated, or having pre-existing psycological issues exposed and taken advantage of by one of these versions is not going to turn out the same as the other. Harley in BTAS could be pretty quirkly and lighthearted, because Joker himself could be goofy and silly himself a lot of the times. This is not usually the case in comics. I think those fan comics by Stjepan Sejic are the best repsersentation of how main continuity, comicbook Harley should be handled

https://www.deviantart.com/nebezial/...leen-630870159

It's a dark psychological take but makes more sense for a more twisted Joker.

To be fair, when it came to BTAS Joker, when they let him off the leash of a children's TV show (Mask of the Phantasm) he got pretty nasty as well... (not to the point of boiling babies and making dad drink the soup though, so unlike the comics version, it can be argued legitimately that he belongs in Arkham instead of 6 feet under) However, I will agree that he was more lighthearted and more master criminal than simply a killer... That said, BTAS Harley definitely went along with his schemes regardless of the tone of them and had no problems assisting in 9-11ing Metropolis in World's Finest. Also she was AT LEAST the camerawoman in the "family memories" of the RoTJ flashback, so it gets harder to pretend that she's this innocent being that was corrupted by "mean ol' Joker". Oddly enough it tends to be forgotten that she was originally not the best person the begin with, as her goal in her origin was to take advantage of the mentally ill in order to cash out...she just went in over her head. Interestingly she was supposed to die in RoTJ from that fall...but the creators liked her so much they had to squeeze her in the last bit of the movie...

[Cmbmool]

THIS....THIS is a real reason why I was not a fan of Harley Quinn new 52 style and prefered her Pre-52 look and character as she was someone that was trying to move one from her life and trying to make something of it.

I would tone down her high sprung attitude and actions and even appearances. She doesn't need to be in the Suicide Squad all the time , but thanks to the movie....they're stuck with her in the on-going comic series.

There has to be a line with Harley Quinn and it feels that DC is jumping that line so many times it's hard to even root for her character overall.

Yeah that's been a problem.

[byrd156]

With more consistency. Don’t have her be this likable lighthearted trouble maker while at the same time have her filling schools with severed heads. Fine a line and stick to it.

Consistency is the most important thing. Not just tone but powers, abilities, and character.

[Hypestyle]

Quirky and lighthearted, or something darker?

If the editors are intent on keeping her as an "anti-hero" then lighter is better. With her years of aiding and abetting the Joker, I'm not buying her as a "superhero". It would take a heck of a lot for me to take her seriously as a more deliberately malevolent villain. And, again, depending on how far the writers are intent to go with her violence, once you cross certain lines, you can't go back and say "she's better now".