DC Comics officially revealed the next female Batman's costume, highlighting Harley Quinn's version of the Dark Knight, and some would argue the design didn't live up to fans' expectations. The culmination of the DC-wide crossover event, DC K.O., led to a wide array of changes across the DC Universe, and participants, such as Harley Quinn, absorbed a residual power called the Omega Energy, which completely changed them (such as introducing alternate versions of Batman).
Written by Elliott Kalan, with art by Carlos Olivares, Harley Quinn #60 reintroduced a supercharged Harley Quinn who dramatically transformed into Batquinn, a Batman-inspired, darker, grittier vigilante persona. The comic also referred to Harley Quinn's Batman as the "Harq Knight."
Some would argue that Harley Quinn's Batman design isn't great because the aesthetic is all over the place, essentially misblending Quinn's red-and-black leotard base with Batman's all-black cowl and cape.
The fact that the suit features a torn-off Batman logo emblem stitched only to her chest is not pleasing to the eye (though others pointed out that it achieves Harley's chaotic look). Still, it felt lazy and came off as a cheap visual gag rather than a cohesive costume.
This isn't the first time that Harley Quinn "became" Batman. In Harley Quinn Season 4, the titular Suicide Squad member turned over a new leaf by becoming a genuine superhero after Batman was arrested at the end of Season 3. As a result, Harley took over from him in protecting Gotham, and she did so by receiving her own custom batsuit.
Harley's batsuit in Harley Quinn Season 4 looks more incredible than the Harq Knight design in Harley Quinn #60 because it's a more personalized take on the custom suit and embraces her signature pink-and-blue color scheme to retain her playful identity.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: Legion of Bats! # 3 also revealed Harley's do-it-yourself (DIY) batsuit when she officially joined the Bat-Family. The suit's base layer is an old Catwoman suit, and the cape is a bat-themed shower curtain. Overall, it has a red-and-black aesthetic that ties back to Harley's design from Batman: The Animated Series.
Among the three designs of Harley Quinn's established Batsuits in DC lore, it's safe to say that the Harq Knight design stands out as the weakest among the three due to its lazy execution, tone mismatch, and giving off a "trying hard" vibe.
Harley's suits from the HBO Max series Harley Quinn succeed because they embrace the character's personality. The Harq Knight failed to achieve the same because it didn't find the right balance between Harley's messiness and Batman's serious, brooding tone.
In comparison to other female versions of Batman, Harley Quinn's Harq Knight doesn't stand a chance against some of them, such as The Drowned and Earth-11 Batwoman, because they fully commit to the Bat and nightmare aesthetic rather than Harley's mismatched elements.
For some of the more established members of the Bat family, such as Helena Wayne, Kate Kane, and Ryan Wilder, their designs are more cohesive and heritage-driven, successfully merging Batman's influence with their own heroic personas. They are also higher-production, character-specific redesigns rather than Harley's homemade, improvised version.
DC K.O.: Knightfight # 3 introduced alternate-future versions of Batman from his Bat-Family legacy lineup, including Bat-Family women, namely Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Brown, and Cassandra Cain.
The Batsuits of these characters align with their storied history with the Dark Knight, embracing a mix of vibrant elements, adding tech-infused upgrades, and more pronounced features like white lenses and bat-ears. Even in experimental takes, these stylized suits appear coherent with the Bat-Family DNA, which is crucial in its commitment to the tactical Batman scheme.
Harley's mismatched elements in the Harq Knight suit didn't really reach the same level as these Batsuits because they felt out of place, and it prioritized the visual gag over its strength. While it is meant to be in-character for a fun character like Harley Quinn, many would argue that standing next to these more polished, intentional Batsuits makes the Harq Knight suit the weakest.
