Harley Quinn: The Suicide Squad 2021 merchandise

McFarlane Toys: The Suicide Squad Multiverse Harley Quinn Action Figure

Harley Quinn, re-incarcerated for making a cash withdrawal with her car, buys her freedom once more by joining the Squad. This colourful, cheeky, cheerful psychotic still has all her deadly dynamic moves, and the single-and-ready-to-mingle rogue is as eager as ever to show them off…much to Amanda Waller’s dismay. But Harley, in her signature, ladylike style, isn’t afraid to manhandle anyone who comes her way.

This 7-inch scale figure is designed with McFarlane's signature Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range and posing. Each DC Multiverse figure includes a collectible art card with artwork on the front and character biographies on the back.

Product Features
7 inch (17.78cm) scale
Made of plastic
Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing and play
Highly detailed
Collectable art cards with movie art on the front, and character biographies on the back

Retails: $24.99 USD

This is actually a neat little action figure - usually I get a little annoyed at the unavoidable clunkiness off certain parts like the thighs and knees or gorilla arms but this one doesn't look that bad. It's reasonably priced too! If you're wondering about the dismembered King Shark booty, there's a different part in each The Suicide Squad pack kids, correct them all then build your own Nanaue!

Iron Studios / Mini Co Collectibles: Harley Quinn 

She is back, in her original colours but with a new red and black leather uniform, with elements that resemble her first costume. Her pants have the symbol of the suit of diamonds printed on them, and the

leather jacket has the slogan "Live Fast Die Clown", a subtle provocation to her ex-boyfriend Joker. Gotham's maid of mischief returns to the big screen in The Suicide Squad movie and gets her stylized Toy Art version in this figure. With a pair of tactical glasses on her head and holding a Retractable Spear, she is standing on a base that evokes an urban combat scenario, posing with her hand on her waist in a charming and friendly way.

Product Features
6.30 inches (16cm)
Made of PVC
Based on The Suicide Squad
Stylized design
Hand painted

Retail: $39.99 USD

This one gives me Bratz vibes. Which isn't a bad thing... it just kinda makes her look like a sassy bobblehead. The description for this is hilarious! "She's in her original colours, which I'll spell out for you is black and red. Her outfit LOOKS like her original one but don't be fooled, it is not!"

This one seems overpriced for what it is, but it does seem like they did a good job with the detailing. I probably wouldn't buy this but I don't hate it. 

DC Universe: Suicide Squad #2

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art/cover: Bruno Redondo

Let me start by saying I enjoy Tom Taylor's take on Harley from Injustice so I'm actively looking forward to a much less cringe version of her in this series than usual. 

The artist is good too - only the cover is a bit distracting for me because all through my post-high school education I would buy these cheap notebooks for classes from the campus store, and they ALL had this swirly design on them, in various colours but including this exact scheme. So it's a little flash backy for me, like I suddenly remember I have an assignment due tomorrow when I look at this! Also... there are a lot of characters winking at me here... and this concerns me. 

Did I miss an in-joke? Are they cracking onto me? Is the background too bright for them too?

Now this issue opens with the ending, which is cool so we'll come back to that at the end - fittingly.
Besides, I like this part better. Yes, I know Scale and Fin annoyed me in the first issue, but Fin suffering without Scale - more interesting. Bit of character development. Looking at him sitting there in his solitary tank, mourning his brother not just for the fact that he was a relative, but because of their telepathic connection - I felt sorry for him. I want him to get revenge. I want him to grow from this. All these feelings intensify when King Shark appears and reveals he can both hear Fin and cause more devastation by what he wants to show him.

I don't really get the next part, either Fin has the fist bump power of ten men, his glowing torso is his power level or he psychically enhanced his tackle attack but he smashes said five inch glass to have a go at Shark - which, you know, fair enough. Both of them get tasered before much can happen, but still. Looked cool.

Then we go from this dark, aquatic revenge flick to a super bright, super close up of Harley yelling about how insane everything is as Deadshot and herself walk alongside Lok. This I could deal with  (after my eyes adjust of course) but damn, she just had to get one more jab in at poor Cavalier, who was clearly too beautiful for this cruel world.
She does get psychically shut up though, so that helps. Should be noted that not only Lok was annoyed with Harley's yapping but Deadshot also seems a bit bothered by what happened last issue.

Anyway, Lok's taking the current Squad walkies to see the Revolutionaries who are currently enjoying their glass cubes.

Suicide Squad New52 #23 - Overkill

Oct 2013
"Slash 'n' Burn"
Writer: Ales Kot
Pencils: Rick Leonardi

I'll be honest with ya'll.... this cover looks familiar but I don't recall ever reading this issue before now. Is that good or bad? Honestly not too sure. Maybe I did read but but forgot about it? Who knows. This cover is basically a representation of the Squad's teamwork style - all doing their thing without factoring in what the rest are doing and if it's safe to jump in with your claws when someone's either shooting a gun or aiming a RPG at your intended trajectory point...

I mean, it's not a bad cover - I kinda like the stark white contrast of the background compared to the colourful outfits of the cast. I am concerned about the body shapes of the women though... Cheetah looks like she has no strength in her arms and is painfully contorted. Harley - well, still awkward pre-pubescent boy body yet huge boobs but with the addition of super weird pigtails. Deadshot is squished off to the corners because his outfit's not revealing enough.

Back in Louisiana, Waller and Gordon are having a heart to heart. It's kinda nice seeing Waller having someone she can talk to and not just exposition over or constantly have to compete in urination contests with. Well, that still happens but the conversation here between the maniacal control freak and the one eyed obsessive mother-lover seems quite genuine, and not forced.

Well... it still gets weird. Gordon takes a break out of talking to Waller to monologue his favourite Foreigner song even after she compliments him and tells him she respects him.

DC Universe: Suicide Squad #1

Well, I'm so far behind in reviewing these damn comics that I might as well start with the 2020 re-release and work backwards, I guess? I suppose if I'm doing the most recent ones as well as the New52 run, I'm bound to meet myself in the middle... right? That's how time works, isn't it?
.......Maybe?

Oh well. So yes, apparently they're doing a new run of Suicide Squad. Let's have a cheeky peek.

Right. So already we have fourth wall breaking from Harley, who is of course, centre stage for the money shot. That was quick. The best I can say about her is that her expression is cute and she's toned down her ridiculous eye-shadow.... but I'm also going to criticise her stupid fairy floss hair. Her awkward legs make my legs hurt by association, and that makes me extra uncomfortable.

Joining Harley is King Shark - who's back to being a Great White again! Woo-hoo! and Deadshot who.. okay he looks more like himself but gotta say I miss the mask. We also have what appears to be Zorro, Zebra Man and a nervous Magpie knockoff?

OOOOH I WONDER WHICH CHARACTERS WILL DIE THE SUSPENSE I CAN'T EVEN...
Yeah, predictable as always there is no doubt it's gonna be some or all of the newbies. It would be nice if this run could take more of a risk with it's headliners and you know, live up to it's name?

But I guess that'll never happen.

Suicide Squad New52 #22 - Death and Destruction in Sin City!

Sept 2013
Writer: Ales Kot
Artist: Patrick Zircher
Colours: Jason Keith
"Light at the End of the Tunnel"

This is one of the first issues of New52 Suicide Squad that I reviewed back before I had my current format. If you'd like to read my baby blogger prattle, you can click here - otherwise I'll put the highlights in red text if needed.

Alright, so, if you recall last time the Squad had a mini revolution and have now come to work better as a team and there's a lot less yelling 'DAMN YOU WALLER!" and in it's place, more work enjoyments. Like Las Vegas holidays!

I mentioned the cover before so there's not much more to be said apart from - while I do like the aesthetic.... I can't get past Harley's concave and malnourished looking torso. Deadshot should not be front and centre, he looks awful! It's like he took a time out to swear an oath and in the meantime, someone took a shitty sketch of him and photo-shopped it in badly. King Shark - well, I only just now noticed he has human heads in his arms. Sure, in hindsight it's pretty bad that I missed this but I could only see his freaky feet.

Right into it this time, the Squad are in Nevada because of some vague Intel about someone about to use mass hypnosis for some nefarious purpose. I mean, it's always nefarious isn't it? No one ever brainwashes crowds to start doing line dances or the world's best Mexican Wave, do they? When will this discrimination end???

Panning over Vegas there's some tourist information helpfully posted around Jnr being smacked down by Waller. Someones doing some hypnotism and they've gotta be stopped! Again, not uncommon in Vegas. The source is confidential!! Or hasn't been written in or thought about much. Again, not uncommon in Ve-. Suicide Squad. 

Anyway, Waller tells Jnr to shut up again while Deadshot and Harley gamble in disguise. That is to say, Deadshot gambles like an ordinary person while Harley clings to him in over sized gauntlets and aforementioned clown whore. She also spouts things such as 'Like a boss!' and 'tiger blood' which is a reference so dated it took me a moment to place it. When were these comics written?! 

Naturally as only one of them blends in with the ordinary folk and the other looks like the serial murderer as seen over the news a while ago, a security person at the casino asks them to come with him. Have they been cheating? Winning too much? I couldn't say, it's the first freaking panel and they're already being escorted out!

Actually, even though we only have two panels it doesn't really seem like Deadshot is gambling at all. Still, I kinda like the cinematic pan over those two panels. Harley really didn't go into too much effort to change her costume but I do kinda like the head-dress and grape earrings. I'm going to enjoy this possible throw back to her love of grape soda, and ignore the pink fluffy things on her arms that possibly foreshadow her transition to pink and blue nightmare. 

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #1

Feb 2017
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Jason Fabok
Colours: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Rob Leigh

It's taken me a while to get into this mini series because it was just...
Well, I mean, look at it. A  bunch of C and D listers at best, who can't even commit petty crimes without getting caught going up against The Justice League? Half of them don't even have powers... and we've all seen the memes.

The baffling thing is that this comic came out a year after Suicide Squad: The most incompetent and needlessly confusing entry into DC's movie list. That movie had the SAME problem and not only was it not resolved, it was written into the script as the gosh darned PITCH to CREATE the Suicide Squad. Sure, everyone expects them to die Mr. Bond hence the name but the fact remains that someone literally proposed that these non-powered boobs were the answer and the solution to stop an evil Superman when these idiots probably couldn't agree on a Pop-Tart flavour without breaking out into petty squabbles.

So - no powers/limited powers, no team work..... not the greatest idea ever thought up, that's for sure.

I wondered if it was an attempt to recover from the movie or an attempt to cash in from the movie. Then I was like, nah, I think they're cashing in on Harley Quinn. Damn - top billing right next to Batman. Looking like Superman be punching her in her oversize tits while Aquaman looks on from behind, having given his last heck eons ago.

Aquaman be like 'Y tho?'

That said, the cover looks nice. I can appreciate the symmetry business they got going on, and I like that Harley actually looks nice here. As in, she looks like she actually has human hair, not just oddly coloured growths on either side of her head. The playing card tattoos on her face don't even bother me that much. I still think the pink and blue is so stupid but if you're gonna do it I guess do it better than everyone else. Her red nose is what ruins it for me. Lousy Harley Quinn Solo writers.

Now, the variant covers.... hmm. Well, let's just say if you wanted a weirdly drawn picture of Deadshot sitting on Batman's chest/shoulder like a messed up Santa Claus photo op, you got it! If you wanted a picture of Batman and Deadshot leaping at each other looking more like they're in a dance battle rather than an actual battle, you got it!
If you want obligatory women fighting women covers with slight bondage thrown in, you got it!
Oh you like that, huh? Here ya go, have it in black and white too!