Fans, myself included, have been partial to Miss Harley Quinn ever since we first heard her exclaim that charming signature “Hi-ya Mr. J!” way back in the early 90s. The character (not to mention her high-pitched voice) was so popular in the show she was created for — Batman: The Animated Series — that she was eventually adopted into Batman canon by DC. And so it is with a heavy heart that I relay this news to readers: voice actress Arleen Sorkin is no longer filling the role in the upcoming Batman: Arkham City.
The replacement, Tara Strong, had this to say about taking on the Joker’s favorite gal: “Stepping into the role of Harley Quinn is an enormous honor that I do not take lightly. She has an established voice and character that I definitely wanted to honor.” It’s good to hear that she feels that way, and Strong does indeed do fine voice work — she’s been in the cartoon and video game voice biz since the late 80s — however, I am extremely reticent to warm up to anyone other than the wonderful Sorkin.
Even her comment that for pre-established roles “I will watch and listen to all I can find” in an attempt to voice match, is unlikely to satiate fans. Only if actual audio of her nailing a perfect rendition of Sorkin’s take on Harley emerges will the fan base be accepting, and that seems doubtful. Aside from Bats and Mr. J, Harley has the most iconic voice in the franchise (some might argue even moreso). You can’t just replace that, regardless of how good the new sound is.
What’s truly infuriating, is that no reason has yet been provided as to why Rocksteady parted ways with Arleen Sorkin after she nailed the role in the first Arkham game. It’s a sad day for Batman fans, and I’m sure some of you would rather they just nixed the character altogether rather than bring in someone new. Normally, I caution against angry reactive outcries without giving something new a chance. Not this time. After stewarding over the franchise so excellently last time around, why screw up something so crucial now, Rocksteady?
[Sources: Tara Strong Interview and Destructoid]
[Image courtesy of RM Digital Concepts.]
