Class, Crime, and Character: The Socioeconomics of Harley Quinn

[@GiantButterKnife]

I would be really interested in a deeper look at the ways comics and comic adaptations have attempted to address the "Batman Problem" for better or for worse.

[@henrybelman7424]

The regular solution is that Bruce does both charity work and superhero masked crimefighter work and that the Police are usually too corrupt or inept except for a chosen few to take on supervillains. The Wayne Foundation used to be Bruce's main gig until wayne enterprises was introduced in the 70s. Batman himself has had varying levels of brutality and empathy, with in my opinion the best portraying him as having a lot of both. My head cannon is that the organized crime system in gotham became codified and that most goons are either escaped mental patents broken out of arkham asylum (which is underfunded) or former employees of the big crime families that ran gotham.

[@jagnestormskull3178]

There's a Superman comic where Superman gives Lex Luthor his powers for 30 seconds. Lex Luthor is able to see the four fundamental forces interacting, and says "I could have saved the world if I had those powers longer," to which Superman replies "you could have saved the world a long time ago if you weren't so obsessed with me."

[@jagnestormskull3178]

@@henrybelman7424 And even with Wayne Enterprises being a thing, as I understand it, in most universes, Lucius Fox runs Wayne Enterprises. Bruce Wayne just keeps the majority shares as a way to make "requests" and stop the Lex Luthors of the world from buying it up. His main non-Bat-gig is still the Wayne Foundation, but sadly that gets pushed to the side in the minds of a lot of viewers. STAR Labs Taos (Earth-16) is a good example of what the Wayne Foundation does; being the largest donor to a center which helps victims of metahuman trafficking, a problem unique to a superhero world.

[@MTV2O2O]

What I’ve learned from Comic Books is that being a henchman/goon to a super villain almost always ends up being a bad idea, considering you get beaten to a pulp by a vigilante, may be killed by the sociopathic boss, or said boss hardly succeeds, meaning no payday. Working for Arby’s is the better option.

[@HyperWolf]

And in this show being a goon can lead to… *possible spoiler* cancer

[@MTV2O2O]

@@HyperWolf Lol who built that in the first place 😂

[@HyperWolf]

@@MTV2O2O I know right? I felt a little bit guilty for cracking up at it so much but it was hilarious in its unexpectedness.

[@jagnestormskull3178]

@@HyperWolf Why would anyone build this?

[@Joshua_Shadow_Manriguez]

That's why you work for Lex Luthor, learn where all the fail safes in his tech are, especially the ones for preventing it from being used against him, steal said tech, then become a superhero. Sure there's the likelihood that Superman might punch a pillar and you die from falling debris the shockwave makes, but every hero needs a backstory right?

[@xBenjiSx]

I love this show. It might seem like edgy goof-out on the first glance, but it's writing is very smart and fun. Hope to see more of your analyses on it!

[@einplaysbad]

I still think ‘3 CRAZY DETAILS YOU NEVER NOTICED IN HARLEY QUINN!! (PRANK GONE WRONG!!)’ is a better title

[@PillarofGarbage]

Certainly would get more views…

[@TheSinisterkelly]

A Gotham series about henchmen and lawyers would be great. Imgaine the story of the lawyer that keeps getting these criminals off death row.

[@renaigh]

that's just Better Call Saul

[@jmarquiso]

I forgrt the name of the comic - I think it's Arkham - the origin story of Great White. Essentially a lawyer who fakes an insanity defense and is driven mad by the Asylum itself.

[@tretretre1111]

She-Hulk has a bit of that. Great series, focuses mostly on the comedy, though.

[@davidbjacobs3598]

Surprised you didn't mention that Harley herself is trying to escape the label of "sidekick." Sure, she never herself that way... but Joker did. And so did the Legion of Doom. Her arc is largely about escaping that lower-class label, and then transcending class to realize that she doesn't need to define herself by how others rank her.

[@L337P1R4735]

I love how smart and well thought out your videos are. You treat animation the way I think about it, as a medium capable of telling meaningful stories like any other

[@PillarofGarbage]

That’s the goal :D

[@khalidhamed8843]

Amazing video! hopefully we can get more on Harley Quinn when the next season comes out.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I have at least one more Harley Quinn video that I’m hoping to make in the meantime :D

[@sharkdude7]

This would be a great opportunity to put in two unique Batman characters. One being the Brooker, a guy who sells hideouts to villains and the Carpenter, my favorite female villain. She’s a member of Mad Hatter’s gang but she usually is just a repair woman and helps the villains hideouts. They can definitely be shown as crime as a business as they run legitimate businesses.

[@FizzoWeird]

A show that treats Henchman in a simila way, with enphasis on the fact they are people and in the division between goons and villains is Venture Bros. I think is a worthy series if the theme is of interest.

[@JadyLester]

It's pretty plain to me, in the Bensonhurst episode especially, how much Margot Robbie wove Tanya Harding legend into Harley's makeup.

[@selfimprovement5873]

One way Batman tried to solve the "issue" was through Batman Incorporated.

[@nightblockprimecraft9284]

I honestly find the ‘Batman Question’ annoying. First of all it is a fictional world that has gods and Supermen and second of all Batman does do stuff for Gotham as Bruce Wayne, it just isn’t highlighted as much as the Batman stuff because we are reading Batman comics

[@PillarofGarbage]

Yeah, I’m not bringing it up here because I think it’s an issue or a problem - just to demonstrate that more modern ideas of class or socioecomics can’t translate straightforwardly from real life into this setting because of how firmly the Gotham status quo requires an ‘old-school’ worldview when it comes to criminality and it’s causes.

[@holbvgbbbbkfz]

I really would like an expansion of the Harley Quinn universe especially a rated 16 justice league unlimited kinda comedyshow

[@PillarofGarbage]

Apparently we’re getting a kite-man centred spin-off!

[@scifiguy9000]

I kinda would like to see an animated Red Hood and the Outlaws set in this universe. My line-up is kinda a mash-up of the two eras, with Jason himself, Artemis, Bizzaro, Arsenal and Starfire.

[@scifiguy9000]

@@PillarofGarbage HELL YEAH!

[@mariannedarrow7227]

Another excellent video thank you.

[@coreyantonacci9620]

Ooooo, a video on my favorite show 'community' coming soon

[@PillarofGarbage]

In case you weren’t aware, I already have one Community vid on my channel - but yeah, another one coming in the next week or two!

[@coreyantonacci9620]

@@PillarofGarbage i think that's the first video i saw of yours

[@coreyantonacci9620]

There was a period of time i looked up "community video essay" and watched a bunch of stuff

[@PillarofGarbage]

@@coreyantonacci9620 Fantastic! I’m glad that video found its audience!

[@boredhuman6512]

Thats good but laughing at a sentient plant be constantly high is a better reason to watch the show. Okay but really good video.

[@bobZfish]

Congrats on 16k

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thanks!

[@zainmudassir2964]

Congrats on 58 k

[@fighterck6241]

They've gone after Bruce Wayne pretty regularly of late as well.

[@SmellsLikeTeenZebra]

Would love to watch a follow up now that s3 is out and joker became an out and out democratic socialist

[@jmarquiso]

Thoughts on how Venture Bros does this with its central henchmen characters?

[@PillarofGarbage]

Haven't seen Venture Bros (yet) - protect my reputation! don't tell anyone!

[@jacobfleming3926]

When is season 3 tho?

[@PillarofGarbage]

Sometime this year, I believe. I don’t think we have any more information than that currently.

[@renaigh]

this show is a lot like Breaking Bad in how it humanises the Goon

[@anthonyfrias5533]

I think Janet van dorn would be a great character on the show

[@anthonyfrias5533]

I think a transgender version would work

[@insomniagobrrr5542]

That sounds like a parody of Janet van Dyne.

[@mandalorianhunter1]

Pillar I subscribed to you last year and you said you would cover the DCEU Where's my god damn DCEU video Pillar?

[@PillarofGarbage]

I’m sorry, I’m going to see the Batman soon 😭 (Does The Batman even count as DCEU?)

[@mandalorianhunter1]

@@PillarofGarbage no it isn't in it which is good. I hope you like it. I am going to see Morbius this weekend. Are you interested in Morbius?

[@PillarofGarbage]

@@mandalorianhunter1 I’m interested in Morbius, but it’s a morbid curiosity, because I really can’t imagine it’s going to be any good. I’m possibly going to go and see it in a few days, though!

[@mandalorianhunter1]

@@PillarofGarbage I mean Venom was entertaining so who knows

[@samjudge1240]

May I kindly ask, do you by chance specialises in sociology?

[@hahahahahahahahaa6580]

I was under the impression that he had a degree in literature, but I could be wrong.

[@samjudge1240]

@@hahahahahahahahaa6580 hmm, all I do know, the creator of Harley Quinn original, was basically a sweet yet crazy foil as a Joker's girlfriend, while later redeemed by the help of Batman. The show of Harley Quinn, was made by a Sociopathic cynic that made Harley Quinn into a foul mouth Millennial hipster, while . Satirizing established DC Characters to the point of dismantlement, witch in honestly to me, is off putting. So going a over analytical on Harley Quinn show, words like class and socioeconomic, is what I see from someone who do like social justice and gender studies, then simply a DC comic fan, even still, would be overthinking on what is self-evident.

[@jplatt812]

Income determines outcome. Unfortunately.

[@proto245]

Harley Quinn S1, and the first half of S2 is one of the best things DC had done. And a good interpretation of the character that felt stagnant, and very much overexposed. Harley Quinn S2's second half is one of the worst things DC has ever produced, flushing down all the good they did with the character for the sake of getting a ship the writers wanted to do in fear of not getting renewed. But despite that. Very good video.

[@manshsingh5680]

I’m too early

[@PillarofGarbage]

No such thing!

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

=- D

[@MrOrcshaman]

The shows certainly not clever enough to handle Bruce Wayne with any grace or nuance. They made him a parody of the character

[@jaemelancholy1684]

Blah blah blah capitalism bad How original 🙄

[@PillarofGarbage]

Blah blah blah, ‘blah blah blah capitalism bad, how original’ How original… If you disagree with my analysis, I’d love to hear which parts specifically you felt were inaccurate?

[@mikhaelgribkov4117]

well, he sure gave more of spin to topic than you in your response.

[@godswillwariya9082]

Harley Quinn. She's. Lives. In. Brooklyn. Ny