Why is Harley Quinn so popular?

[cgh]

For the ladies it's because being in an abusive relationship is very relatable... sadly and her indomitable spirit.

For the strait guys every one wants to stick their dick in crazy at least once.

The Harley that young girls see is the New 52 version. Most of them weren't even born in the Mad Love era.

A data point: currently the highest votes on IMDB for Suicide Squad are from "females under 18". They've cumulatively given it an 8.7/10, by far the highest of any demographic.

[cgh]

I used to ask girls why they isolized Madonna, and about all I could get out of them was, "She does what she wants to."

Maybe it;s something like that.

Yeah, rebellious, slightly transgressive, annoys parents everywhere, etc. Teenage stuff and in retrospect updating Harley to Tank Girl status seems obvious.

[TsukiSentinel]

I don't know, but it pisses me off. Not because I hate Harley, but because Selina/Catwoman is spat on left and right by DC.

Though, Harley's true character doesn't exist anymore. She ended with the cartoon. The Arkham games did her character justice as well.

[TsukiSentinel]

They want to identify with a female character who is dangerous, unpredictable, rebellious and also sexy (unfortunately).

But that's Catwoman . . . not Harley. Harley is supposed to be incompetent, even when it comes to seduction.

[Badou]

She is a Batman character and is connected to the Joker intimately. Those are the biggest hero and villain in all of comics. So I think that creates a strong foundation for her popularity. Next she has a "fun", quirky, and rebellious personality tied with a very unique costume (her classic one) that makes her stand out as most costumes these days are forgettable. Even now she wears sexy and skimpy outfits and has dyed hair which fans love to cosplay as since it isn't too difficult. So it draws people to her character and is great at creating merchandise for. She sells a ton of merch so people are constantly consuming content with her. Also the recent Arkham games really jump started her popularity again as she became one of the faces of that franchise. Then they stuck her on the Suicide Squad team in the New 52 and made her the face of that franchise title.

I'm not really a fan of her character, especially her current book, but I get why she is popular. Though I'm not a fan of how they are trying to paint her as a genius and only pretended to be a fool narrative. Since they don't want a female character that is super popular to be foolish but that used to be one of the qualities I thought made her interesting. She was just a simple girl who got through her education by using her looks and got caught up in the Joker's craziness.

[Frontier]

I'm not really a fan of her character, especially her current book, but I get why she is popular. Though I'm not a fan of how they are trying to paint her as a genius and only pretended to be a fool narrative. Since they don't want a female character that is super popular to be foolish but that used to be one of the qualities I thought made her interesting. She was just a simple girl who got through her education by using her looks and got caught up in the Joker's craziness.

I thought it was always kind of canon, at least subtly, that Harley is a lot more competent and intelligent then she lets on, and part of her ditziness is an act for Joker's sake.

Even in Mad Love, she was able to come closer to killing Batman on her own then even Joker generally does.

[Atlanta96]

I don't know, but it pisses me off. Not because I hate Harley, but because Selina/Catwoman is spat on left and right by DC.

Though, Harley's true character doesn't exist anymore. She ended with the cartoon. The Arkham games did her character justice as well.

It sucks that DC has no idea what to do with Catwoman. Her series at the start of the New 52 was closer in tone to how the character should be, but suffered from bad writing and a few cringeworthy scenes. Then they went for the opposite extreme and made her so modest and inoffensive that it ran her series into the ground.

[byrd156]

I thought it was always kind of canon, at least subtly, that Harley is a lot more competent and intelligent then she lets on, and part of her ditziness is an act for Joker's sake.

Even in Mad Love, she was able to come closer to killing Batman on her own then even Joker generally does.

Well I don't think Joker really wants to kill Batman.

[Unfinishedsentenc]

I just love how the idea of Joker having a sidekick--a perverted reflection Bruce's. Sure, I love her design too, her personality, her charm, her origin, but most of all I just love her concept. That's what's interesting, that's what makes her such a great villain. And I think she's a far better villain (a tragic, demented, co-dependent villain) than a detached, one-dimensional anti-hero; you know, like the one in the solo series. I love her because she's an amazing adjunct; something that adds a bit of flavor to those Joker and Batman stories, makes them a little better, makes them a little more extensive, the opposite of what Robin is supposed to do, I think. I love her because she's the one person (other than Batman) that Joker won't kill. I love her because she can match his sadism and cruelty, and then turn around and match Bruce's empathy. She's a loud, manic, nuanced, unpredictable, colorful, flawed, Brooklyn-accented, baseball-swinging, bubblegum-popping, fascinating, corrupted, vicious villain and that's enough for me.

[TsukiSentinel]

I thought it was always kind of canon, at least subtly, that Harley is a lot more competent and intelligent then she lets on, and part of her ditziness is an act for Joker's sake.

Even in Mad Love, she was able to come closer to killing Batman on her own then even Joker generally does.

So she's smarter than Batman? More than likely, Batman underestimated her and she was able to capitalize. Let's not take a running gag with Harley too seriously. In the cartoon, she was always quite incompetent.

[Lightning Rider]

I like that you mention she has layers. That's what I think makes her a good, interesting character.

But that's not why I think she's popular, necessarily. I think it's easiest for people to buy into a comedic character who doesn't have any philosophies or principles. It's fun to imagine ourselves as a carefree adorable personality with the edge of flamboyant villainy that goes against the grain. Your average consumer may not have strong feelings of altruism, or a strong interest in good story telling, or an appreciation for the mythological legacy of superheroes. But they like to laugh and are drawn to those who stand out. Harley Quinn is the character many want to be, and many want to be with (if only in a limited sense).

[Badou]

I thought it was always kind of canon, at least subtly, that Harley is a lot more competent and intelligent then she lets on, and part of her ditziness is an act for Joker's sake.

Even in Mad Love, she was able to come closer to killing Batman on her own then even Joker generally does.

I never got the impression she was super smart though. I mean even in Mad Love she seduced her teachers to get by in college and she was more of a ditz in the animated series.

[Midnighter]

Because...people like her? Sorry but this just seems like spam to get people to view your Youtube video ,more than it feels like being an actual thread topic.

[Trey Strain]

I think she might be modeled after Judy Holliday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upJ5pZdyZlM

[Beaubier]

I love the old Harley from TAS and the comics pre New 52. I can't stand New 52/Rebirth Harley. I don't see much of anything of why I loved the character in Harley as she is now, as she's basically written as a female Deadpool in juggalette get up.