The Final Fantasy series has been in the news as of late thanks to The Game Awards 2020 announcement that Sephiroth is coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as its next DLC fighter - though fans can unlock him and his stage ahead of their December 22 release date through the Sephiroth Challenge. However, Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano has also been busy with other ventures, including some work for DC Comics.
An email promotion for the upcoming Harley Quinn #1, set to release on March 23, 2021, was sent to comic book retailers last week, according to GamesRadar+. This monthly series is written by Stephanie Phillips and illustrated by Riley Rossmo, and will be a follow-up to "The Joker War;" a Batman crossover comic mini-series that began this July. It will include a "brand-new status quo," as well as a new costume for fan-favorite Harley Quinn, according to the email promotion.
Shortly after that went out, Phillips took to Twitter and shared a full variant cover for Harley Quinn #1 created by Amano. The art is distinct and easily recognizable given Amano is well-known for his work on character, enemy, and logo designs in Square Enix' Final Fantasy franchise. It depicts Harley Quinn with a decorated bat, a Superman cloth over her arm, and a pipe that blows smoke in the shape of different superheroes.
Phillips posted the main cover for the upcoming book, designed by Rossmo, on Twitter earlier this month. She also posted a second variant cover on December 18 by digital artist Derrick "DCWJ" Chew that more distinctly shows off the character's new outfit over images of characters like Batman and Joker in shattered pieces of glass.
Amano has previously worked with DC Comics, as Neil Gaiman's 2003 graphic novel The Sandman: The Dream Hunters featured a cover and an eight-page spread of artwork by the Japanese artist, according to DC Comics. Another piece by Amano made the rounds earlier this year for an entirely different venue, as the Final Fantasy artist produced a cover for Vogue Italia's Special Issue in January 2020 depicting American model Lindsey Wixson-Young.
Before the release of Harley Quinn #1 in March, a limited series called Future State: Harley Quinn - also written by Phillips - will release between January and February 2021, according to GamesRadar+. Warner Bros. will also be shaking up the movie scene by releasing Wonder Woman 1984 day-and-date in theaters and HBO Max, a pattern that will persist for major pictures throughout 2021.
Meanwhile, Final Fantasy fans have a lot to look forward to as well. Final Fantasy 16 was announced as a timed console exclusive for PS5 earlier this year, produced by Naoki Yoshida and directed by Hiroshi Takai.
Sources: GamesRadar+, DC Comics (Joker War, The Sandman), Stephanie Phillips