Artist Show-Off Showdown 15: Harley Quinn's Partner Palooza!

Poor Harley Quinn has recently found out that the Joker has replaced her as his erstwhile sidekick. Well, Harley isn’t going to take this affront lying down. She’s going to show Mr. J. once and for all that she is a woman with options!

The Main Challenge

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to draw Harley Quinn as the new partner of any hero or villain of your choosing. The hero/villain can be from any company (e.g., Marvel, DC, Image, Valiant, Dark Horse, classic Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers, etc., etc.) and any medium (e.g., comic book, literary fiction and nonfiction, docudramas, cinema, animation, newsprint, classic myths, religious texts, oral tradition, Egyptian hieroglyphs -- heck, even prehistoric cave paintings are fair game). It’s totally ok if more than one person comes up with the same idea. Votes will be based more on the art than the idea and concept. Let your imagination run wild.

There are only 2 stipulations:

1. Harley’s costume must show common elements that link her to her new partner. For example, that can be a symbol, like Superman’s Kryptonian “S” symbol, the Punisher’s skull emblem and black and white costume, or even the same weapons and gadgets, like Dark Vader’s armor, helm and lightsaber. It can even be as simple as sharing the same color scheme, hairstyle, or other basic thematic elements. But your drawing of Harley should give us some idea as to who her new partner is.

2. In the event you should decide to make Harley’s new partner an animal, pet, or beast of burden, you must include said animal/pet/ beast of burden in your drawing. That includes Godzilla, King Kong, Rin and Stimpy, Spongebob Squarepants, Paddington Bear, any of the members of the notorious Sesame Street gang, both Tom & Jerry, Winnie the Pooh and Baby Yoda.

The Alternate Challenge

If for some reason you just can’t think of a good partner for Harley Quinn, feel free to design your own original character and post them instead. Harley might have her standards, but she’s no stuck-up snob. Anyone can be her new BFF and partner. Again, unleash your imagination and have fun!

Deadline

This showdown ends at 10pm Pacific Standard Time onSaturday, November 21^st. Voting will commence in a separate thread the following day. If you need more time, please don't hesitate to ask for an extension.

PS: If I can find time, I will likely post something for this showdown. However, my submission will not be eligible for the final vote.

@egod When you get a chance, kindly pin. Much appreciated!

Pinned. This sounds like a lot of fun, can't wait to see the entries for this.

Oof this is tricky. I'm probs gonna have to do non-realism for this XD; new art style for me.

Here's one of an infinite number of possibilities: Harley slightly Venom-ized. "Nothing comes between a girl and her symbiote!"

Looking forward to seeing everyone's entries.

Edit: Just a reminder that this is just an example and not eligible for the final vote.

@dragonspine: why can't you use it?

@yolo2546: I'm not participating in the competition, but I may churn out another example now that I've had an out of town conference canceled due to Covid this week.

If you want to do so you can, understandable if you dont have time but winning doesnt stop you from joining the next one if you wish. We had this come up years ago, you can join and win and join as long as you keep winning. So if you want to throw your current one in to start things off feel free. :)

As for original creations, figured I'd go the 5th Dimension "imp" inspired route for Harley, although I was very tempted to give her a pet Para-Demon. But Batman has Bat-Mite, Superman has Mr. Mxyzptlk, and Peter Pan has Tinkerbelle, so it's only right that Harley gets her own mini mischief maker. Her name is Mama Muki and although she claims to be Harley's fairy godmother and magical benefactor extraordinaire, the only thing she ever really brings Harley is more headaches and frustration.

Darth Smiley aka Darth Jingle Bells aka Harley Quinn

Not my official entry but a fun idea I originally planned on presenting but this is so cliche to consider so I went with my favorite comics - Witchblade!

@iceprince_x: Both look great! Feel free to post as many masterpieces as you like. We still have plenty of time left. I may submit an official entry myself.

@iceprince_x: oof I need to up my game to try and get the brief for the next competition. I've just finished a piece so I'm crossing my fingers that it fits the brief of the next competition. Not much room for realism :'( nowadays.

Here is my entry, she "borrowed" the armor and added a few touches of her own. The most annoying thing is her saying "weee" as she flies through the air.

@egod: Iron Harley....love it!

Ok, let's make this my OFFICIAL entry. Harley Quinn and the Goblin Queen become BFFs, making the Joker's day a living hell. This version of the costume obviously modified for age appropriate viewing and general audiences.

@egod: @dragonspine:

Looks great, wheres the granny panties if you are doing the general and age appropriate thing? ;p

Great idea love the execution! :)

Hi so erm this is probably my second or third time doing comic book art. What would you suggest? Coloured pencils with a gel pen outline?

Literally the only rule of thumb I know for comics is thicker outlines away from light, thinner outlines towards XD.

@yolo2546: I think you should go with what is comfortable for you. If a more realistic approach is what you want theres nothing wrong with that. I mean take the movie version and wrap and mix her in something from one of the other movies. This isnt about forcing a style. Use what works unless you decide going outside your comfort zone. To me, the contests have always been a way to inspire me to draw, its about the practice and the themes are the motivation. :D

Thanks! My other idea was to have her partner up with Michael Myers, but I just couldn't bring myself to put Harley in coveralls and a Shatner mask. 😂

What a pairing huh, lol. I hope you guys enjoy this one.

@blackdog2009: Great work as usual, BD. Who knew Harley was an Autobot at heart?

This became a fun fare! Many great entries and concepts!!! Can’t wait for others to show theirs 😊

@blackdog2009: Looks really good I continue to like the style you are adapting like I mentioned before. Yes I know you try different things but its coming along very well I really like the idea and pose on yours.

@iceprince_x:

Hey man glad you jumped in, looking good as always! Roller skates are a nice touch.

I was thinking to myself, who would Harley replace the joker with?

The answer of course is another joker.

So yh my non-realism is really awful. Any tips so I can win a competition and make a brief that favours realism art >:)?

So outlines; not a fan, takes me back in time when I was told to felt-tip outline all my drawings :l

I was really happy with the concept of my art but not the execution, so if anybody wants to have a shot at redoing it, by all means go ahead; share it with me too.

@RamsIllustrations

Thanks! I just pop in when I can! Glad things are swinging with this one... lots of love for Harley here.

@yolo2546: Questions? Nope, no questions here. (Harley, put the gat down!)

Honestly, no worries. This works for me. I may use graphics software to darken it a bit for detail purposes when I post it in the voting thread, but that's about it. (Although I am sorely tempted to insert a framed picture of Joker Prince above the line-up. Eat your heart out, Jared Leto! 😃)

@yolo2546:

In case you didnt have access to app/software I was hoping this helped. Glad you joined in!

This piece you posted works perfectly into the contest.

Great turnout, seems to have a little of the vibe we used to have some time back. Glad to see that, the more the merrier.

I tried to sketch out a Harley/Penguin version. Nothing really came out but I was mentally tired. will try again.

@ramsillustrations: Oh yh this is really helpful thanks. I have photoshop. I just have really little knowledge. Did you use a brightness adjustment layer to up the contrast?

If you're wondering, the outfit was loosely based off her insurgency constume in injustice 2

@yolo2546: I use other programs when I am working in windows, including photoshop. I just happened to be on my Linux PC and used a little app thats called gThumb. I darkened the gamma a bit. Quick fix.

Harleyguin

Well I just had to come up with something to join the party. A humorous quikie...

Harley's Blade

What if out of Harley's desperation for losing his puddin' Mr J, the mystical and most powerful gauntlet of the Top Cow Universe - the Witchblade - accepts her as a host?

What kind of mayhem these two can do for the name of fun while mending a broken heart.

--------------------------------

Note: I accidentally deleted my first post of my official entry.

Rams--you're just sick man lol Can't get that nightmare image of Penguin outta my head...

Hey, everyone! A bunch of great, great work from everybody! A lot of Harley fans out there--love it!

I'll have my entry in by Saturday. It's cute--nothing great like the rest of the art I see here. And no big booty pin up this time (next time definitely)), but you might like it.

@ramsillustrations: Now that's what I call a showstopper! Glad that you had time in your busy schedule to bless us with yet another masterpiece.

@knotty: Looking forward to seeing your submission. Let me know if you need a little extra time. The response on this challenge has been so great that it merits extending by a day or so.

@iceprince_x said:

Harley's Blade

Note: I accidentally deleted my first post of my official entry.

No worries, I actually saved a copy of the original (vertically corrected, of course) to my Comicvine folder in anticipation of the voting thread.

@dragonspine: @knotty:

Thanks for the kind words! :)

Knotty glad to see you around again.

Hey ice just glad you do!

One for the rough draft bin. I initially thought about pairing Harley with one of the Lantern/Star Sapphire rings, but thought better of it. Subtle hints of Dean Yeagle's "Mandy" influences here, but it probably isn't that much of a stretch to say that Mandy might have been one of the early forerunners for characters like Harley.

@ramsillustrations I cracked up laughing when I saw yours, love it!

@dragonspine both your pieces look so good.

@egod:

Thanks man, glad you liked.

@dragonspine:

Another great one in development!

The Cobblepot tournament.

A one persons journey on the nuances of Cricket and coping with an identity crisis.

not my entry. ;p

@ramsillustrations: I don't think you've realised just how much you've blown me away by telling me about gamma correction. Though I'm wondering, from a self-improvement perspective, should I be aiming for the degree of vibrancy gamma correction can provide, or is it a limitation of the medium that I can't :/ ?

@yolo2546: I usually use the contrast settings depending on the program I am using. Each program or app will differ a bit, at least from my experience I do not get the same results using one and then using another. Some are more intuitive and easier to use. In gThumb I went for both the brightness and the contrast and neither gave me the results I was looking for so I went for gamma and that resolved the issue. I would just experiment with whatever program you are using. There is always a learning curve, particularly when you are initially getting to understand the way things work with computer software. I cannot say I am a pro but I manage with at least what I need for the results in my work. I just dont have the time to learn too many new things. The worst part is when you knew something and didnt use it for a long time and then cannot remember, thats always a bit frustrating. :P

@ramsillustrations: Erm Rams, I'm referring to learning to increase vibrancy in the drawing itself... is it possible to reach a degree which won't benefit from gamma correction, or is gamma correction necessary anyway. :p

@yolo2546: Thats what I was trying to explain to you. I usually use the contrast or brightness settings but in the little app I used they werent working like the ones on my windows computer so I used the gamma settings to get the results for you.

@ramsillustrations: No no. I mean in general. For future projects; not this specific project. I can do it myself now with photoshop :).

@knotty: How're you doing for time?

LAST CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Wow, time flies when you're having fun. It is Saturday, November 21st. Harley Quinn's Partner Palooza will be drawing to a close at 10pm Pacific standard time. Please let me know if you'd like an extension. If not, the voting thread will be up and running shortly after closing.

Thanks again to everyone who participated in this showdown.

@dragonspine: As a sorta fairness, I corrected gamma myself.

@yolo2546:

That worked out! :)

@dragonspine: If you want, I can set up the voting thread :)