Warning! Contains spoilers for Harley Quinn #29!One of the DCEU’s most controversial creative choices gets slammed in a new costume of Harley Quinn’s. A new outfit doubles as a hilarious potshot at Harley’s choice of clothing in Suicide Squad.
In Harley Quinn #29’s backup story “Hyena Anxiety” by Adam Warren, Harley Quinn discovers her pet hyenas, Bud and Lou, can actually talk. As she discusses her pets’ newfound abilities of speech, she is seen wearing a shirt that reads “I’m My Own Li’l Monster“. Bud and Lou begin toying with Harley Quinn and posit a number of ridiculous and over-the-top scenarios, such as them getting Harley canceled for her behind-the-scenes behavior.
As the hyenas torment Harley, her shirt changes to read different things depending on the scenario. The prospect of being betrayed changes Harley’s shirt ot read “This Hits Me Right in the Trust Issues“. Bud and Loud’s suggestion that they’re actually Chaos Lords changes the shirt to “Pet Mom to Li’l Chaos Monsters“. Bud and Lou even get in on the fun by turning into anthropomorphized versions of themselves wearing cutoff t-shirts that say “Harley’s Li’l Monster“. Thankfully, Harley wakes up from a bad dream with her shirt back to normal.
Harley Quinn’s New Shirts Skewer Her Suicide Squad Look
Fans of the first Suicide Squad movie may recall Harley Quinn’s feature film debut had her wearing a radical departure from her comic book look. Instead of her iconic jester outfit or her more modern roller-derby look, the film gave Harley a revealing look consisting of hotpants, fishnets, heeled sneakers and a shirt that read “Daddy’s Li’l Monster“. Some fans accused the outfit of being a bit problematic, especially given the extremely toxic relationship Harley once had with the Joker.
Harley only ever wore that particular outfit in Suicide Squad, so it’s interesting to see it come back for this backup. Harley’s reinvented costume is clearly meant to be a minor swipe at her debut in the DCEU. Changing the shirt to read “I’m My Own Li’l Monster” is a clear acknowledgment that she’s no longer involved with the Joker in any capacity. While the rest of the shirt gags aren’t as deep, changing the shirt’s printing to reaffirm Harley’s independence is both funny and a reminder of how far she’s come in just a few years.
Harley Quinn isn’t Joker’s ‘Li’l Monster’ Anymore
In the last few years, Harley has permanently ditched the Joker and become a stronger, much more independent person. This more modern Harley is not the type to wear a shirt that says “Daddy’s Li’l Monster“. But she would wear one that reaffirms her own autonomy (or at the very least one that takes the piss out of the original DCEU shirt). The DCEU made a lot of odd choices for its characters, and it’s always funny to see characters like Harley find the humor in such an outdated look. Fans can see the riffs on Harley’s DCEU outfits in Harley Quinn #29, on sale now.
