Draw Harley Quinn Naked, Killing Herself, To Win DC Artist Contest

[Doclector]

I'll quote myself from another topic:

Okay let me ask here... What's the problem?

- people do commit suicide in bathtubs
- when they do it, I assume they're quite often naked

Also, AFAIK, Harley is crazy. Crazy people often run around naked.

Plus it's jut one of 4 panels which are supposed to show her suicide attempts.

So... Well?

Oh, right. 'Naked female suicide' makes for great headlines. No matter that it's just one of 4 scenarios (and the most realistic). No matter that the topic is friggin' SUICIDE. No, it's because it's a) female b) naked. BAN THAT SHIT!!!

BTW if you consider this 'sexualized', ask any paramedic who was called to a real naked female suicide how turned on they were by the dead blue body they found. I think not much.

Yes, it could be done well. It could be done as the culmination of her spiral into insanity from an honestly pretty abusive relationship with the joker. It could be the final tragic plot point in her story.

But that doesn't seem to be what they're asking for. "Well, this is it for me" and all with three preceding panels, not explaining how she got there, but with other wacky attempts to off herself? We can almost guarantee a good portion will sexualise it simply because Quinn's always been a sexy character in every portrayal, but we can't honestly blame DC for the actions of their fans, but we absolutely can blame them for holding such a competition so close to suicide prevention week, fuck, if they really must've done this, then could they not have made the objective to raise awareness instead?

If absolutely nothing else, you've got to admit it's in bad taste and poorly timed.

 

[Eternal_Lament]

"I'm a sequential art student, and I find it a bit appalling that the requirement for panel 4 is essentially drawing a female character committing suicide naked," said one commenter, Seairra Willett, in response to DC's announcement. "The sexualisation of suicide is something I will not be putting effort into for a talent search,"

Something I wanted to address here: naked doesn't necessarily mean it has to be sexualised. We've seen comics before with nudity where it was decidedly not sexy or titillating in any conceivable way. Therefore, wouldn't it be better to create a panel where Harley is naked but not necessarily sexualised rather than inferring that that's the only way it will turn out? I mean sure, considering that this is the internet there will no doubt be a slew of entries that are sexualised (and this is of course assuming no one drew this exact same panel before) but at the same time it would seem more effective, and more productive, to draw something that sort of proves you can do a scene like this that doesn't have to be sexualised in order to be effective. I would assume an artist wouldn't resign themselves to something like this and let it be, rather I assume they would try to show their spin on it.

 

[Mysten]

You stress things that are important. For example, if I was asking someone to draw a playground, a set of swings is expected. But if I mention swings as a requirement, the swings are suddenly front and center. They ask she be nude because they want to see her nude.[/quote]

But in this case, swings are a requirement. They want Harley to be nude in this scenario and have asked for as much. Their suit is typically one of if not the most iconic part of any comic hero/villain and in this case they specifically wish for it to be absent and that is totally okay.

 

[The Deadpool]

But in this case, swings are a requirement. They want Harley to be nude in this scenario and have asked for as much. Their suit is typically one of if not the most iconic part of any comic hero/villain and in this case they specifically wish for it to be absent and that is totally okay.

But you JUST said no one would bath or commit suicide clothed. You specifically make it clear you assume she is naked. The only reason they could mention it is if they specifically wish to see it, then. They want to see her naked. They don't want her in a bath killing herself. They want it clear she is naked and killing herself.

It's disgusting and repugnant. Going out of your way to request you see nudity when someone is committing suicide. Utterly immature.

EDIT: said naked. Meant clothed. My bad!

It is just a description of the pannel. She is naked in a bathtub with a toaster.

Are we seriously complaining that a description for an art is descriptive now?

 

[Hagi]

I can't say I really see the problem...

I mean this is Harley we're talking about. Her costume is very much a part of her and she's crazy, I don't really see how it's so outrageous to mention she should be naked when in bath like everyone else, normal ain't exactly her standard...

And naked most certainly doesn't have to mean sexualized. There's easily a lot more things that it can express that would be completely appropriate like say vulnerability or comedy. It all depends how it's drawn.

I mean can't we at least wait to see what sort of picture exactly is going to win and as such was what DC wanted? If it turns out to be one where Harley's tits are hooked up to a car battery and there's an electrical toothbrush jammed up her ass, then sure that's fucked up. But let's not jump to conclusions...

 

[Erttheking]

Also, AFAIK, Harley is crazy. Crazy people often run around naked.

....I?m sorry what? I...what? Where did that come from? Crazy people often run around naked? I...no they don?t! Half of Batman?s rouge gallery are legally insane, and I don?t recall them ever running around naked! I?m sorry man, but that has got to be one of the most massive oversimplifications of insanity that I have ever scene. Insanity is a wide blanket that covers a massive number of cases. Two-Face and the Joker are both insane, but they are inane in completely different ways. Not to mention neither of them have ever run around naked.

I?m sorry, but insane people just don?t do this. As a matter of fact, Harley Quinn never does this. In fact in the cartoon that created her, she has just about every inch of skin covered...80% of the time she?s on screen. It feels OOC. Speaking of OOC, WHY IS HARELY QUINN COMMITTING SUICIDE!? I just...the upbeat and perky Harley Quinn committing suicide? I know there?s a certain tragedy to her character considering her relationship with the Joker being rather abusive, but there?s a jump between that and killing yourself.

So yeah, a couple of reasons why I don?t like this. Is it sexist? I can't honestly say that. Though it does seem very stupid and more than a little tasteless. Also when I read about it I just can't help but ask myself...WHY!?

 

[The Deadpool]

Are you being glib on purpose? Or is that genuine?

I was talking to my boyfriend about this. He pointed something out that someone had pointed out to him.

Why mention her being nude? If she's in the bath, that's expected, right? So why go out of your way to stress it?

They specifically make a point of requesting she be nude. Not just in the bath. Not bathing. Nude. Why? Because stressing that she be naked means the artists stress that she is naked. Her being visibly nude is part of the requirement. DC is going out of their way to ask that her body be exposed. While turning women into bodies to ogle is nothing new, doing it on top of the subject of suicide is profoundly tasteless.

It's not really sexist, but it is objectifying and objectionable. It's also really fucking dumb.

That she is naked is par for course. It doesn't need to be mentioned. They intentionally mention it to emphasize it. They want the nudity highlighted. Requesting it be obvious she is naked and committing suicide is revolting.

"I want to see a girl killing herself in the bath. Make sure she's nude."

I read it. Your boyfriend thinking so doesn't make it true.

It is a description for an art pannel. Details, even unimportant ones, have to be explained.

THIS is a sexist pannel descrition: http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/10/108959/2853752-n33611780323386306242.jpeg

Naked girl bathing? IT IS JUST A DESCRIPTION.

 

[LackofCertainty]

After looking at the actual contest rules, I don't think this is as bad as people are making it out to be. It sounds like they want 3 comical, cartoony suicide attempts, and then to have that contrasted with the final disturbing/realistic one. If people submit their final panel as Harley writhing in naked ecstasy, like some pinup, they've missed the point. Naked is not always sexy. Naked can be vulnerability too, especially in a comic that features costumed super heroes.

Then again, maybe I'm reading too much into it, and they just want some cheesecake?

 

[CriticalMiss]

As I mentioned in the earlier thread on this, I'm more peeved that DC are ok with attempted suicide but strictly against lesbian marriage. Harley is kind of a wacko so it's not hard to imagine her trying to kill herself, but it's also not hard to imagine Batwoman wanting to marry her partner either. But DC are in favour of one but not the other for some reason.

Also context will probably be important since we don't know why she is doing any of this or even if she is in control of the situation. But it could have been handled a lot better, like having contestants draw a different part of the comic. Unless the entire thing is Harley trying to off herself.

 

[evilneko]

Might I mention something that was mentioned in the other thread on this?

DC didn't mention there being water in the tub.

 

[Dryk]

I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that this a test to find an artist who can take that description and still draw a tasteful panel... but I just can't do it.