The wonderful comics artist Lea Hernandez (Killer Princesses, Cathedral Child) dropped her interpretation of “Naked Harley Quinn A With Toaster,” based on DC Comics’ controversial new art contest, onto the Internet via her Twitter on Sunday.
See Hernandez’s four panels of greatness here after the jump.
First, a little back story. DC Comics is holding an Open Talent Search artist contest where the winner would get to draw one page in Harley Quinn #0, the launch of the publisher’s new series by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner. The tryout script asks for all new potential artists to draw the Joker’s favorite squeeze, Harley Quinn, on one script page in four different panels acting out four different scenarios. The last panel of that page asks for Harley Quinn to be naked in a bathtub trying to kill herself with a toaster. No, really.
Panel 4 of the one-page tryout script page reads as follows:
Harley sitting naked in a bathtub with toasters, blow dryers, blenders, appliances all dangling above the bathtub and she has a cord that will release them all. We are watching the moment before the inevitable death. Her expression is one of “oh well, guess that’s it for me” and she has resigned herself to the moment that is going to happen.
As you can imagine, DC’s tryout script page ruffled more than a few of the internet’s feathers, prompting accusations of sexist and insensitivity. It wasn’t long before the age-old argument over the treatment of women in comics began anew.
Soon after, Jim Lee, co-publisher of DC Comics, released a flurry of tweets rationalizing the context of the contest. Geeks of Doom writer Empress Eve compiled Lee’s tweeted essay here for all to read.
I’ll wait here while you catch up.
Welcome back!
Now, over the weekend Lea Hernandez shared her version of the ‘naked Harley with a toaster’ scenario via her Twitter/MobyPicture.
It’s nice to see that someone understands how the character of Harley Quinn works.
Hernandez tweeted the following to writer Rachel Edidin’, who has her own Break Into Comics With Harley Quinn and Rachel initiative, which is also a disapproving response to DC’s art contest: “It was inspired by the meme, tho. Hated the tryout script so much I took ‘naked, Harley, toaster & tub’ & wrote my own script.”
Lastly, here’s Hernandez’s original tweet. Because, Twitter!:
Check out more of Lea Hernandez’s work over at The Garlicks and Webcomics Nation.
Love that image!
Comment by SwiperTheFox — September 9, 2013 @ 12:23 pm
My original tweet for my Harley cartoon was actually posted at 5:13am on Sunday.
Comment by thedivalea — September 9, 2013 @ 12:07 pm
I wasn’t inspired by Rachel’s funny posts & tumblr, but the “DC wants you to draw a naked woman committing suicide.” That’s the meme I was referring to!
Comment by thedivalea — September 9, 2013 @ 1:11 pm
Props to Lea and Rachel, you both rock!!! Kudos for managing to turn DC’s misogynist claptrap on its ear. This is one of the many reasons why I’m no longer buying DC Comics after this whole New 52 b.s..
Comment by MadMike R5D4 — September 10, 2013 @ 4:57 pm
Whoops. That’s what I get for following that Hechinger guy’s RT instead of the source.
Comment by mrgroonk — September 10, 2013 @ 8:13 pm