James Gunn‘s DCU is here, and while it was Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story that contained the first display of the new DC Studios logo, signaling a new beginning, it will most likely be Creature Commandos that is remembered as the first true portrayal of Gunn’s vision for its sharp departure from much of what has come before. However, though Creature Commandos certainly gives us the freshness that the DCU needs, the idea of an adult DC animated show is not the first of its kind. In fact, Harley Quinn displayed the same R-rated and unique take on DC characters that might just be the best adaptation of Harley Quinn we’ve ever seen, with apologies to Margot Robbie. Harley Quinn began in 2019, and its 4 seasons have been celebrated for the unique and fun take on DC lore it provides while staying true to the core of all of its characters. Simply put, if you like Creature Commandos, you will love Harley Quinn just as much, if not more.
Kaley Cuoco Voices a Brilliant Adaptation of the Titular Character in ‘Harley Quinn’
Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) is every bit as mischievous, funny, and powerful as you would expect her to be, with Cuoco’s voice balancing that manic, exuberant, and fun-loving energy better than anyone else has previously. The show also gives Quinn her own agency by having her break away from the Joker (Alan Tudyk) in the first episode, and we follow most of the season exploring her independence as she forms her own crew, which gives us fresh looks at villains like Clayface (Tudyk), Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale), and King Shark (Ron Funches), who is my personal favorite of the team. There is also a beauty to Harley Quinn that is in no way objectifying but shows her through her own lens as powerful and loving her own allure.
But despite these strengths, Quinn is still a wild card, making irrational choices and experiencing manic episodes that leave her scrambling to fix whatever issues she has caused. This not only leads to some hilarious adventures, such as her going to Darkseid’s (Keith David) home world of Apokolips to fight Granny Goodness (Jessica Walter), but also creates some fascinating character study plot lines exploring her abusive relationship with the Joker and whether she truly wants to be a bad person or not. In the end, this is not just the most entertaining adaptation of Harley Quinn, but also the most in-depth, which takes nothing away from Margot Robbie’s version.
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‘Harley Quinn’ Explores the Character’s Relationship With Poison Ivy
Harley Quinn also explores LGBTQIA+ topics rarely seen in superhero media, especially when it comes to the protagonist herself, as we see her relationship with Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) blossom into chaotic love. The kind that can only exist between two of the most dangerous and funny people in Gotham. To be clear, this is not to say the show created this out of thin air. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have had a relationship in the comics many times previously, but this has never been explored thoroughly in adaptations. It’s an issue that plagues many superhero projects, but Harley Quinn smashes it to pieces.
‘Harley Quinn’ Proves You Can Create Unique Adaptations Without Being Unfaithful to the Source Material
Furthermore, the adaptation of DC characters is excellently done, as they maintain their core while being put through the lens of the comedic tone of the show. For example, Batman (Diedrich Bader) is shown to be incredibly powerful, as the Dark Knight should be, but he is mocked, with Harley quipping about potential love affairs with bats, and his awkward fatherhood of Robin (Jacob Tremblay). Superman (James Wolk) is also still incredibly powerful and morally good, but a very silly man, his boy-scout aspects being turned up to 11. This series is a blueprint on how to comedically adapt characters from their source material. Rather than simply make them a parody of themselves, exaggerate their core characteristics.
Overall, Harley Quinn is a simply stunning show that feels heavily influential on Creature Commandos, as the new series follows the same recipe for success that its predecessor did. That is, to stay faithful to the source material and give genuinely interesting and in-depth character explorations. In order to do so, that means bringing in all aspects from the source material, no matter how ignored they have been in the past, which is a surefire recipe to appease fans, just as Harley Quinn does.
Harley Quinn is available to stream on Max in the U.S.
- Release Date
- November 29, 2019
- Story By
- Paul Dini, Bruce Timm
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- DC Universe
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