It's finally time for Harley Quinn!

It's been so long. And in less than a bit more than two weeks we will finally see Harley Quinn on the big screen. A lot has been said on occasion of Batman vs Superman premiere earlier this year about how disgraceful it is that it took so long for Wonder Woman to have her own movie (which is finally happening next year). But what about Harley? Other than short lived TV series Birds of Prey, her appearances in video games and animated series, Harley hasn't been depicted on movie screen, or even referred to, in either of Batman movies released so far.

And now it's finally happening.

Harley Quinn has always been my favorite villain from Batman stories, as you probably noticed even the ratings in my reviews uses the images of her. I find that Batman comic books have the best villains - there is usually so much more to them, some sort of tragic story. They began as good people but because of what happened to them they crossed to the dark side. But Harley's story is a bit more twisted than that.

Harleen Quinzel was a girl who, thanks to gymnastics scholarship got to University and studied psychiatry. She wasn't doing much studying though and got good grades thanks to sleeping with her professors. She got a job at Arkham Asylum and The Joker's case was assigned to her. He twisted her mind, manipulating her into thinking he is a very damaged person because of what others did to him and that he cares about her. That led to Harleen helping him break out of Arkham and starting a relationship with him, which stands as one of the most well known abusive relationships depicted in pop culture.



In another version Harley is transformed when Joker throws her into a vet of chemicals. It appears to be the route Suicide Squad is taking, with added torture of Harley before The Joker escapes Arkham:



I'm not thrilled that the movie is taking the less realistic 'fallen into chemicals, went mad' approach but hopefully the elements of the Joker playing Harley and making her fall for him will be there in the movie. After all we also have this photo which hopefully indicates we will see Harleen's session with the Joker:



What I love the most about the character in comics/animated series is her soul crashing innocence. What is perhaps the most heartbreaking moment in the comics is this scene from Mad Love:



I wonder how much of it is in Suicide Squad. The new EW article about the movie describes Harley as 'manipulative' which is interesting because this is not something she is in the comics. Perhaps she becomes manipulative during her mission with the Squad. I really hope that in the movie Harley is innocent and it looks like she is - with her cute 'what?" as she puts on her outfit and everyone stares at her.



What makes her story so heartbreaking and so well told is that Harley was just someone who wanted to be loved and at heart she was good and innocent. The Joker made her think he loved her and used her and Harley was too crazy too see it, throwing away all of the realizations of his lies and manipulations because she didn't want to be alone anymore.

With the introduction of Harley as well as Suicide Squad which looks fantastic DC universe finally has the chance to take off. There is already a plan to have a standalone Harley movie - one which Margot Robbie, such a perfect choice for character, would also produce - that would bring in other female characters from DC. I'm really hoping we will see Poison Ivy soon. Could you imagine Christina Hendricks playing her?

Because I do. Often.

Here is the new Harley-centric trailer and Suicide Squad arrives on August 5th.