[Crazy Jetty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thechris

Actually, the voice actress for her in this game is Tara Strong AKA Timmy from Fairly Odd Parents. For whatever reason, Arleen Sorkin didn't reprise her role as Harley for this game even though she was Harley in Arkham Asylum and still continues to play Harley in DC Universe Online. I recognized right away that her voice sounded funny. Agreed about the generic look. Basically, she looks like any wannabe goth/steampunk chick where as I looked at Harley's Batman The Animated Series character as more of a simple look of a normal looking girl with very plain make-up. In fact, it was just whiteface with black lipstick and a mask. The costume was very plain with very basic design and actually made her stand out even more (a common trademark of DC character design). There was nothing particularly "goth" or "steampunk" about her and I think this new version is just some designer's fantasy of Harley in some freaky S&M Bladerunner get up.

Also, I think, if I might add (and please don't take this the wrong way), that I think you're more concerned with how a design or redesign is executed than a concern of the "hot chick" look. For example, the original Catwoman costume looks modest where as her newer costumes are rather sensual. Her costumes in the movies have basically been leather fetish cat suits and her costumes in recent toys, video game appearances and cartoons reflect this to a degree. You prefer this execution over the more modest design. However, you prefer Harley's original and far more modest design over the new goth slut look they've got going on. Nothing wrong with that, however. It just means that you're open to any look as long as it gels with you. You and DogFashionDisco are probably one in the same except that your opinions differ on what gels and what doesn't gel. Both of you therefore have perfectly valid opinions, it's just down to taste.

I personally am not a fan of the whole leather fetish look or the Bladerunner steampunk thing. I actually do like the older Catwoman look and the original Harley Quinn costume. When I see it in comics, it almost reminds me of excess. Like back in the day when Rob Liefeld would give everyone cyborg arms, tons of ammo, buckles, pouches, belts, tattoos, glowing eyes, gigantic guns and swords. When I see these steampunked characters, they're just covered with overly dirty clothes, masquerade stuff like tutus, girdles, leather, goggles, pocket watches, etc. It's like the new Liefeld. I remember growing up and this whole goth revival was the new Liefeld. Sandman comics became ridiculously popular among depressed goth posers and all characters were anorexic Alice Cooper looking or steampunked to the high heavens. Don't get me wrong, some of it was great but it was steampunk/goth overload. Just like Liefeld's stuff was cool in doses, but it became too much. What's sad is that DC's Magog was made as a commentary on everything that Mark Waid and Alex Ross hated about comicbook heroes at the time and he became popular. To bring it all back on topic since one would wonder how any of this has anything to do with Batman Legacy figures, this is why I'm such a huge fan of the Legacy series. It features a lot of the Batman characters before they were whored out as well as the newer looks. It's got something for everybody. Not that it's a bad thing for them to change with the times, but a little throwback makes me feel pretty good sometimes.

Very nice responce! Very nice to read!
And I largely agree with you. Except I do like the most modern, Jim Lee take on Catwoman, more than any version to date.
(Actually, I never thought she's ever really gotten a good costume in her history, but that's neither here, nor there).

It isn't so much that I have an issue with skimpy, and/or revealing costumes (A good example of this is Powergirl. I love PG's modern iconic look. While her older, more concervative look before the top closed over into the hole just feels bland and boring. I'm not entirely free from designing skimpy/revealing costumes, both my Star Sapphires wear very little), so much as it feels like that's where most designers immidiately go, lately.
But, I do think you may have nailed it on Harley's. It *is* too busy. Just like that Liefeld effect, like they just couldn't stop adding stuff, and on top of that, stuff they kept adding had really little to do with the core character.
So instead of coming up with something invokative of the original, but still fresh and new, she seems more like someone hired by Harley, who was trying to make a Harley themed uniform with cheep costume supplies from Party City. She doesn't look like Harley Quinn, so much as she looks like someone who's related to her somehow (Such as the afore mentioned minion example).

It's like the designers either tried too hard, and put too much thought into her costume, or they didn't try hard enough and put no thought into it. (Oddly enough, the two are often hard for me to tell apart)