Harley Quinn Animated Series Artist Crosses The Aisle To Marvel Studios As Director
Not to pat myself on the back over a very mundane opinion or anything, but I've been waiting for Marvel Studios to finally get it together and expand into the realm of animation with their collection of fan-favorite characters now that they've successfully crossed over into the mainstream with the MCU. Though the actual final product could be considered something of a mixed bag, "What If...?" feels fresh and new and unique amid the glut of superhero properties, almost entirely by default. Taking advantage of the potential that the medium of animation offers feels like a no-brainer move — something that remained true even before the unbelievable success of "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" in late 2017 but, especially so in the aftermath.
It would seem that I'm not alone in thinking that way, as Marvel is snapping up an artist from Warner Bros.' popular (and thoroughly entertaining) "Harley Quinn" series, in a move that could signify the studio's increased interest in animation moving forward.
Is the Future Animated?
This news comes from the very subject of this post, Liza Singer. The animated artist, who has previously worked as a storyboard artist or revisionist on projects like "Harley Quinn," "Disenchantment," and "DC Super Hero Girls," announced on Twitter (h/t Murphy's Multiverse) that she is joining Marvel as an animation director. She has also directed an episode of the Paramount+ animated series "The Harper House" and most recently worked as feature story artist on a new musical for Netflix and Gaumont Animation, titled "High in the Clouds." In short, Singer knows her way around animation and is sure to bring a wealth of personal experience to whatever projects Marvel has in mind. As she wrote in her tweet, "I'm so excited to share that I'm starting a new journey today as a Director over at Marvel Studios! It's going to be an awesome and special team and I'm feeling just incredibly excited."
I'm so excited to share that I'm starting a new journey today as a Director over at Marvel Studios!
It's going to be an awesome and special team and I'm feeling just incredibly excited :) pic.twitter.com/1Q41HUL1YC
— LaserSpectre (@LaserSinger) September 27, 2021
Before "What If...?" was put into production under Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige's direct leadership, the Marvel Animation division hadn't really taken advantage of the immense popularity afforded by the MCU for quite some time — arguably since "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" in 2012. But after the generally positive reactions towards "What If...?" and the near-universal praise heaped on Lucasfilm's "Star Wars: Visions" anime series, it's little surprise that Marvel would be keen on more animated projects in the future.
Disney+ Day will be arriving on November 12, 2021, and it's certainly possible that there may be some more Marvel-related animated surprises in wait for eager fans.