“Gee, boss, you really know how to put the fun in funeral.”– Harley Quinn, Batman: The Animated Series “The Man Who Killed Batman” (1993)
I’m wrapping up this Bat-Week with the new figure on the block, Harley Quinn. After the great Robin & the great Batmobile, I’m a little bummed about Harley. She has a lot going right for her, but there are a couple things that keep her from being on par with the others.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty, I do want to bring up Joe Posnanski’s Plus-Minus System where expectations are factored into enjoyment. I had low expectations for TNBA Robin and he blew me away, so he prolly got a little bit of a bump in his review. This is Harley Quinn. She’s basically the biggest thing to come out of the show other than Kevin Conroy’s perennial Batman voice. She, more than most, needed to be perfect (kinda like BTAS Batman’s noggin). She isn’t.
I also need to clarify that I would struggle to articulate an answer if you were to ask me what’s the difference between BTAS Harley Quinn & TNBA Harley Quinn. There are things I associate with BTAS Harley – having pupils & being curvier than the later more stick-like TNBA Harley, but those aren’t consistent details among BTAS episodes. Even in the episode this Harley hails from, The Man Who Killed Batman, she’s got lighter blue pupils, black pupils, and no pupils at all.
Anyway, if I can’t tell you what the differences are exactly, I can’t expect DC Collectibles or their sculptors to either. Thing is though, when I look at this Harley – I see TNBA Harley. I’ve come around on the head sculpt being more BTAS. The resolicited Mad Love 2pk with Harley in her night gown, which is from TNBA, appears to have a more TNBA head sculpt and I can better see the differences. Maybe, if DCC tries to double dip and do a full-on TNBA Harley (I think they well, more on that in a minute), maybe that figure will have a new body that makes me understand that I’m completely wrong. Until then, I see the more lithe legs, the long neck, and I just don’t feel like this figure is completely right for BTAS.
The sculpt is still nicely done – it’s clearly Harley even if an amalgamated version. The head sculpt reminds me of the classic toy. I like it, but I kinda wish Harley was doing something besides that plain smile. Her TAS facial expressions are comedy gold and DCC can definitely mine the well here if they choose to come back to it.
The paintwork is a little rough. My LCS got in five Harley’s and thank goodness, because I really had to scour and pick. Maybe there’s something uniquely difficult about her paint applications, but she’s the messiest one I’ve seen yet. The diamond tampos are great all around, but it’s where the reds & blacks meet the white areas that the figure got into trouble. I took the best one so other than a little fuzziness here and there, I was ability to mitigate any bad QC. Hopefully, everyone can choose form a few.
The articulation is another area where I wanted more. The neck is basically a swivel-joint while there are ball-joints at the shoulders, elbows, & wrists. The arms are good and consistent with the line. The legs start okay with the h-style hips while the knees confuse me. They should be ball-joints and the do move as such in some directions, but it doesn’t feel right, like they’re just supposed to be hinges. It’s strange. Continue to Page 2…
Another excellent review. Get Joker done soon. 😀
I’m just going to copy and paste my comment from Preternia — Jon had fairly similar thoughts to yours.
It’s a shame, she’s a cool-looking figure. But I cannot stand those hip-hinges on female characters. Some may disagree, but to me it ruins the whole vibe of the figure, even if it’s functional. They’ve even given it to the upcoming Zatanna, who really shouldn’t have it, considering her costume.
Presumably this line is going to get expanded into a JLA or wider DCAU line at some point soon — I’m hoping they figure out a better way to engineer it.
I did wonder when I got my Harley Quinn yesterday why they didn’t include at least a mallet. That’s kind of one of her trademark weapons as I recall.
Also, like you, I was bummed by the paint work as well as the ankle joint issues.
After your pointing out of how you think she’s closer to the New Adventures Harley, it does make me wonder if this isn’t what they had in mind to do to go cheap.
Kind of wonder if it’ll be the same deal with Two-Face down the line if they ever do his Animated Series look. (Just use the New Adventures body with a Animated head)
Still, at least we finally GOT Harley after the long delays she had to fix the brittle plastic issue (hopefully).
Excellent review, as always.
But, man, the more reviews I see, the more bummed about this line I get.
Lets see have this, the Icons Harley, and 2 Mad Love Harleys coming so hope get this fixed. Still plan to buy but ouch on the ankles and will watch the paint. The Nightie Harley I wonder about preview pics do make it hard to tell on her joints.
Agree open Mr. J soon. I saw, was short put in an extra cash save and he was sold out next time in.
Well.as always enjoyed the review just a bummer on those missing joints and no mallet or babies(the hyenes) as the Fish is okay but recall she hated fish.
I received my Harley today in the mail, and for the most part I’m pretty happy with the figure. She looks great with Joker! I was a little bummed about the ankles, but I haven’t had any trouble getting her to stand. I use the stands for all of the animated line anyway, but even without it, she stands alright.
And at first I thought the diamond pattern on the right leg was off a little, but it actually matches the art turnaround art on the stand.
Now bring on Killer Croc (and to a lesser extent, Baby Doll)!
Nice, I just got my Batman this week so hopefully she will be following shortly. Harley was one of the big gaps in my collection back in the day, really looking forward to finally having a figure of her.
That face is a real bummer, though. That’s been the case with both of my others (Bats and Joker), but they’ve both grown on me. Batman moreso but I do need to find some white paint to fix the eyes. So hopefully she will too.
Either way, she comes with a Joker Fish, and that will make up for everything. The Laughing Fish is my single favorite episode and I’ve been wanting one of those for 20-odd years now. I’m actually planning on giving that to Mr. J to greatly improve him and let her hold the gun. Surprising that she doesn’t have the mallet as well, but no biggie. Because Joker Fish.
Got mine yesterday and yeah, that face is a disaster. But damn does Mr. J look great holding that joker fish.