Harley Quinn (
Dr. Harleen Quinzel) is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
, a supervillainess, in the
animated series Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series adaptation of the comic book series starring the DC Comics superhero, Batman. The series is noted for being the first to take place in the DC Animated Universe. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation.The visual style of the series is...
, later adapted into
DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
'
BatmanThe Batman, originally referred to as the Bat-Man, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , appearing in publications by DC Comics...
comic bookA comic book is a magazine made up of narrative artwork, often accompanied by dialog and often including brief descriptive prose...
s. As suggested by her name (a play on the word "
harlequinHarlequin or Arlecchino in Italian, Arlequin in French, and Arlequín in Spanish is the most popular of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte and its descendant, the Harlequinade.-Origins:...
"), she is clad in the manner of a traditional
harlequinHarlequin or Arlecchino in Italian, Arlequin in French, and Arlequín in Spanish is the most popular of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte and its descendant, the Harlequinade.-Origins:...
jester. The character is a frequent accomplice and would-be-girlfriend of
BatmanThe Batman, originally referred to as the Bat-Man, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , appearing in publications by DC Comics...
's nemesis
the JokerThe Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics and appearing as the archenemy of Batman. Created by Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the character first appeared in Batman #1 ....
, and is also a close ally of supervillainess Poison Ivy.
The character was created by
Paul DiniPaul Dini is an American television producer of animated cartoons. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures,...
and
Bruce TimmBruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
and was portrayed in
Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series adaptation of the comic book series starring the DC Comics superhero, Batman. The series is noted for being the first to take place in the DC Animated Universe. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation.The visual style of the series is...
and its
tie-insThe DC Animated Universe is a fan term that refers to a series of popular animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these series are adapted from DC Comics properties...
by
Arleen SorkinArleen Sorkin is an American actress. Sorkin is most famous for portraying Calliope Jones and Harley Quinn, fictional characters in live action and animation respectively.-Career:...
, and most recently by
Hynden WalchHeidi Hynden Walch , best known as Hynden Walch, is an American actress.Two of her most known roles are Starfire and Argent in Teen Titans. She also voiced Penny Sanchez on the Nickelodeon show ChalkZone and Elsie on the Disney Channel show Stanley...
on
The Batman The Batman is an Emmy Award-winning American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids WB...
. In the
Birds of Prey seriesBirds of Prey is a television drama series produced in 2002. The series was developed by Laeta Kalogridis for The WB and is loosely based on the Birds of Prey DC Comics series. Despite the weekly ratings of 7.6 million viewers and the network's largest audience in the 18-34 demographic at the time,...
, she was portrayed by actress
Mia SaraMia Sarapocciello , better known as Mia Sara, is an American actress, best known for her roles as Ferris Bueller's girlfriend, Sloane Peterson, in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as Jean Claude Van Damme's wife Melissa Walker in Timecop, and as Lili, playing opposite Tom Cruise in Legend.-Early life:Sara...
, and by
Sherilyn FennSherilyn Fenn is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-nominated American actress. She came to international attention for her performance on the 1990 cult TV series Twin Peaks...
in the pilot episode.
IGNIGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games...
's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains Of All Time List ranked Harley Quinn as #45.
Origin: Batman: The Animated Series
Harley Quinn first appeared in the
Batman: The Animated Series episode "
Joker's FavorJoker's Favor is the twenty-second episode from Batman: The Animated Series. First aired on September 11th, 1992. Written by Paul Dini and directed by Boyd Kirkland...
" (episode #22, original airdate: September 11, 1992), as what was originally supposed to be the animated equivalent of a
walk-onThe term walk-on is used in sports, particularly American college athletics, to describe an athlete who becomes part of a team without being actively recruited beforehand or awarded an athletic scholarship. This results in the differentiation between "walk-on" players and "scholarship"...
role; a number of police officers were to be taken hostage by someone jumping out of a cake, and it was decided that to have the Joker do so himself would be too bizarre (although he ended up doing so anyway). Dini thus created a female sidekick for the Joker.
Arleen SorkinArleen Sorkin is an American actress. Sorkin is most famous for portraying Calliope Jones and Harley Quinn, fictional characters in live action and animation respectively.-Career:...
, a former star of the
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
Days of our LivesDays of our Lives is an American soap opera which has aired nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965 on the NBC network in the United States, and has since been syndicated to many countries around the world. It also broadcasts on SOAPnet weeknights at 11PM ET/PT...
, appeared in a dream sequence on that series in which she wore a jester costume; Dini used this scene as an inspiration for Quinn. Dini, who had been friends with Sorkin for years, incorporated aspects of her personality into the character.
The
1994-February:*Captain America #425 is the debut of the 12-part storyline "The Fighting Chance."* She-Hulk vol. 2 is canceled with issue 60. The caption on the cover reads: “O.K., kids, we had a deal......
graphic novelA graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using the comics form. The term is employed in a broad manner, encompassing non-fiction works and thematically linked short stories as well as fictional stories across a number of genres.Graphic novels are typically...
Mad LoveMad Love was a single-issue graphic novel written by Paul Dini, writer on Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, and Bruce Timm, executive producer on The New Batman/Superman Adventures and the co-creator of Batman: The Animated Series. It was set in the continuity of The Batman Animated...
recounts the character's
originIn comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains....
. Told in the style and continuity of
Batman: The Animated Series and written and drawn by Dini and Timm, the comic book describes Harley as an
Arkham AsylumThe Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
psychologistPsychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the systematic, and sometimes scientific, study of human or animal mental functions and behavior...
who falls in love with the Joker and becomes his accomplice and on-again, off-again girlfriend. The story received wide praise and won the
EisnerThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Award, commonly shortened to the Eisner Award, is a prize given for creative achievement in American comic books. It is named in honor of the pioneering writer and artist Will Eisner, who was a regular participant in the award ceremony until his death in 2005, and...
and
Harvey AwardThe Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and coordinated by the publisher Fantagraphics are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are nominated by an open vote...
s for Best Single Issue Comic of the Year.
The New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman Adventures is the successor to the Emmy Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set a few years after Batman: TAS...
series adapted
Mad Love as the episode "Mad Love" in
1999The year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
, making it the third "animated style" comic book adapted for the series (the others being
Holiday Knights and "
Joker's Millions- Comic book :Joker's Millions is a story published in Detective Comics #180 in February 1952. As with all early Batman comics, Bob Kane is the only person credited for the comic, but the comic itself was written by David Verne.-Plot Summary:...
").
She becomes fascinated with the Joker while interning at Arkham, and volunteers to analyze him. She falls in love nearly instantly with the Joker during their sessions, and she helped him escape from the asylum more than once. When the Joker is returned to Arkham in battered and broken state after a battle with Batman, the sight of the injured Joker drives Harley to don the costume and become Harley Quinn, the Joker's partner-in-crime.
She and Joker have two trained
hyenaThe Hyaenidae is a mammalian family of order Carnivora. The Hyaenidae family, native to both African and Asian continents, consists of four living species, the Striped Hyena and Brown Hyena , the Spotted Hyena , and the Aardwolf .-Evolution:Hyenas seem to have originated 26 million years ago from...
s, loyal to them both but especially affectionate to Harley, who feeds them and refers to them as her "babies".
Expanded role
After
Batman: The Animated Series and
The New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman Adventures is the successor to the Emmy Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set a few years after Batman: TAS...
, Harley makes several other animated appearances. She appears as one of the four main female characters of the web cartoon
Gotham GirlsGotham Girls is an American Flash animation series about the females of Gotham City, created and produced jointly by Warner Brothers and Noodle Soup Productions...
. She also made guest appearances in other cartoons in the
DC Animated UniverseThe DC Animated Universe is a fan term that refers to a series of popular animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these series are adapted from DC Comics properties...
, appearing in the
Justice League episode "Wild Cards" (alongside the Joker) and the
Static ShockStatic Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
episode "Hard as Nails" (alongside Poison Ivy).
She appeared in
World's Finest: The Batman/Superman Movie as a rival and foil for
Lex Luthor'sLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Superman and first appeared in Action Comics #23 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Luthor is described as "a power-mad, evil scientist" of incredible...
assistant
Mercy GravesMercedes "Mercy" Graves is a DC Comics character. Like Harley Quinn, she was created in the DC animated universe and later crossed into the comics.- Superman: The Animated Series :...
; each takes an immediate dislike for the other, at one point fighting brutally with each other as Luthor and the Joker have a business meeting. In the film's
climaxThe climax or turning point of a narrative work is its point of highest tension or drama or when the action starts in which the solution is given.
, Harley nearly kills Mercy when she duct tapes her mouth shut and tapes her to the top of a gigantic killer
androidAn android is a robot or synthetic organism designed to look and act like a human. The word derives from ανδρός, the genitive of the Greek ανήρ anēr, meaning "man", and the suffix -eides, used to mean "of the species; alike" . Though the word derives from a gender-specific root, its usage in...
, although she is rescued and untied by Batman and
SupermanSuperman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc...
.
In issue #16 of the
Batman Adventures comic series, Harley is almost married to the Joker. Ivy crashes the wedding and tries to kill the Joker, only to be stopped by
BatgirlBarbara "Babs" Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino. From 1967 to 1988, she was the superheroine Batgirl; since 1989 she has been known as Oracle...
. At the end of the comic, Harley vows to kill Ivy, thus apparently ending their partnership.
Comics history
The character proved so popular that she was eventually added to the
BatmanBatman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
comic book
canonA canon, in terms of a fictional universe, is a body of material that is considered to be "genuine" or "official", that can be directly referenced as, or as if it were, material produced by the original author or creator of a series...
(although she had already appeared in the
ElseworldsElseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others that...
mini-seriesA limited series is a series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
Thrillkiller in
1997-January:*Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics*Captain America #3 - Marvel Comics*Fantastic Four #3 - Marvel Comics*Iron Man #3 - Marvel Comics-February:...
). The comic book version of Quinn, like the comic book version of The Joker, is more dangerously
psychoticPsychosis literally means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
and less humorously quirky than the animated series version.
Quinn's
DC UniverseThe DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
comic book origin, revealed in
Batman: Harley Quinn (October
1999-August:*100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso debuts under the Vertigo imprint .-First issues by title:*100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, cover dated August. Published under the Vertigo imprint by DC Comics.*Strange Adventures cover dated November...
), is largely an adaptation of her animated origin from the
Mad Love graphic novel.
A
Harley Quinn ongoing seriesIt is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
was published monthly by
DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
for 38 issues from
2001-First issues by title:Pearls Before Swine-Initial appearances by character name:Onimar Synn in JSA #24 written by David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns, published by DC Comics....
to
2003-November:* November 12: John Tartaglione dies at age 81.* November 30: Kin Platt dies at age 92.-First issues by title:Opus...
. Creators who contributed to the title included
Karl KeselKarl Kesel is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics...
,
Terry DodsonTerrence "Terry" Dodson is an American comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on titles such as Harley Quinn, Trouble, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Wonder Woman and Uncanny X-Men...
, A.J. Lieberman and Mike Huddleston. The series ends with Harley turning herself in to Arkham Asylum. She then appears in the
Jeph LoebJoseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an Emmy and WGA nominated American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost, writer for the films Commando and Teen Wolf and was a writer and Co-Executive Producer on the NBC...
series
Hush"Hush" is a 2002-2003 comic book story arc that ran through the Batman monthly series. It was written by Jeph Loeb, and penciled by Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams and colored by Alex Sinclair...
. She is next seen in
Villains UnitedVillains United is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005...
Infinite Crisis special, where she is one of the many villains who escape from Arkham. (She is, however, knocked unconscious the moment she escapes).
In the
One Year Later"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
continuity, Harley Quinn is an inmate at Arkham, glimpsed briefly in
Detective ComicsDetective Comics is an American comic book published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best-known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman. It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and the source of its company's name...
#823.
Harley next appeared in
Batman #663, in which she helps the Joker with a plan to kill all his former henchmen, unaware that the "punchline" to the scheme is her own death. Upon realizing this, she shoots him in the shoulder.
Harley resurfaces in
Detective Comics #831, written by Paul Dini. She is still a borderline psychotic, but has apparently reformed. Harley has spent the last year applying for
paroleParole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole, meaning " word". Following its use in late-medieval Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners...
, only to see her request systematically rejected by Bruce Wayne, the layman member of Arkham's medical commission. She is kidnapped by Peyton Riley, the new female Ventriloquist, who offers her a job; Harley turns the job down out of respect for the memory of Arnold Wesker, the original Ventriloquist, and helps Batman and
Commissioner GordonJames Worthington "Jim" Gordon is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
foil the impostor's plans. Although Sugar escapes, Bruce Wayne is impressed with Harley's effort at redemption, and agrees with granting her parole.
In
Birds of PreyBirds of Prey is a comic book published by DC Comics that features the adventures of the superheroine Oracle and her group of superheroines. The group is initially based in Gotham City and later operates in Metropolis and then relocates once more to "Platinum Flats", California, a new locale...
#105, Harley Quinn is revealed as the sixth member of the
Secret SixThe Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the DC Comics Universe, plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird whom the characters assume to be one of the six themselves.This comic book team...
. In issue #108, upon hearing that
OracleBarbara "Babs" Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino. From 1967 to 1988, she was the superheroine Batgirl; since 1989 she has been known as Oracle...
has sent the Russian authorities footage of teammate
DeadshotDeadshot is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Universe and an enemy of Batman. He first appears in Batman #59 and was created by Bob Kane, David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz....
murdering the Six's employer as payback for double-crossing them, Harley asks, "Is it a bad time to say 'I quit'?", thus leaving the team.
In
Countdown #43, Harley appears to have reformed and is shown to be residing in an
AmazonThe Amazons of DC Comics are a fictional all-female society of superhumans, based on the Amazons of Greek mythology. There have been three major incarnations of these Amazons, one before the Crisis, and two after. What two have in common that they are the race which produced Wonder Woman...
-run women's shelter. Having abandoned her jester costume and clown make-up, she now only wears an Amazonian
stolaThe stola was the traditional garment of Roman women, corresponding to the toga that was worn by men. In ancient Rome, it was considered disgraceful for a woman to wear a toga; wearing the male garment was associated with prostitution....
or
chitonA chiton was a form of clothing worn by men and women in Ancient Greece, from the Archaic period to the Hellenistic period . There are two forms of chiton, the Doric chiton and the later Ionic chiton. The "Doric" style was simpler and had no "sleeves," being simply pinned, sewn, or buttoned at...
. She befriends the former
CatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. The supervillainess was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's second cousin by marriage, Ruth Steel ....
replacement
Holly RobinsonHolly Robinson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She was introduced in Batman #404 during Frank Miller's Batman: Year One story arc.Holly is a frequent ally and sidekick of Catwoman...
, and then succeeds in persuading her to join her at the shelter, where she is working as an assistant. They are both brought to
ThemiscyraIn Greek mythology, Themiscyra was the capital of the nation of all-female warriors called Amazons, on the river Thermodon.Themiscyra is a Roman Catholic titular see.-External links:*...
by "Athena" (really
Granny GoodnessGranny Goodness is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Granny Goodness was modeled on comedienne Phyllis Diller and first appeared in Mister Miracle vol...
) and begin Amazon training. Holly and Harley then meet the real Athena, and encounter
Mary MarvelMary Marvel is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine, originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 in...
. The group reveal Granny's deception, and Holly, Harley and Mary follow her as she retreats to
ApokolipsIn the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
. Mary finds the Olympian gods, whom Granny had been holding prisoner, and the group frees them. Harley is granted powers by
ThaliaThalia can refer to four distinct entities in Greek mythology, two of whom were daughters of Zeus, and a third of whom bore him sons. The name Thalia, or Thaleia is spelled Θάλεια in Greek and derives from the same stem as θάλλειν "to bloom"....
as a reward. Upon return to earth, the powers vanish, and Harley and Holly return to Gotham.
In
Batman Confidential's version of the Joker's origin, Harley meets the Joker prior to his first encounter with Batman. She is working her way through college as a cocktail waitress, and goes by the nickname of Leeny. She convinces him that whatever life he is running from is a gift and deserves a second chance. This sets in motion the chain of events that leads to the Joker's transformation. In gratitude, Joker secretly pays off Harley's bills.
Harley Quinn has joined forces with Poison Ivy and
CatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. The supervillainess was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's second cousin by marriage, Ruth Steel ....
in the series
Gotham City Sirens. Having moved in with Pamela Isley at The Riddler's place, she meets up with Catwoman, who offers for the three of them to live and work together. A new villain who tried to take down Selina Kyle named Boneblaster breaks into the apartment and the three of them have to move after they defeat him.
Other versions
- Harley Quinn's first major appearance outside the Batman animated world was in the Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others that...
mini-series Thrillkiller. As with the other characters, her background is very different from the established version: Bruce Wayne, for instance, is a full-time detective in the Gotham City Police DepartmentThe Gotham City Police Department is a fictional police department servicing Gotham City, as depicted in comic books published by DC Comics, in particular those tied into the Batman books.-History of GCPD:...
who becomes Batman after being framed for murder, teaming up with Batgirl (aka Barbara GordonBarbara "Babs" Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino. From 1967 to 1988, she was the superheroine Batgirl; since 1989 she has been known as Oracle...
) who has already been active for some time. This version of Harley is a schoolgirl named Hayley Fitzpatrick who dresses up in order to help a female version of the Joker called Bianca Steeplechase. The relationship between this lesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
or bisexual Joker and Harley Quinn is noticeably more egalitarian than its heterosexual counterpart in mainstream DC continuity. After Batgirl kills Bianca, Harley is shown killing her own family, intent on revenge in the final frames of the story.
- In the Elseworlds 80-Page Giant
The Elseworlds 80-Page Giant is an 80-page collection of Elseworlds stories published by DC Comics. The collection was withdrawn and pulped after DC became concerned about a scene in one of the stories.-Publication history:...
, one of the stories is about Lex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Superman and first appeared in Action Comics #23 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Luthor is described as "a power-mad, evil scientist" of incredible...
as a music producer. One of his groups is, as the press puts it, "alternative lifestyleAn alternative lifestyle is a lifestyle generally perceived to be outside the cultural norm. Usually, but not always, it implies an affinity or identification within some matching subculture...
folkiesThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
Ivy and Harley."
- On the new Earth-3
Earth-Three is a fictional alternate universe set in the . It is the Earth of an alternate reality in the DC Multiverse. It first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Pre-Crisis:Its history is a mirror image to the Earth we know...
, Harleen Quinzel is the Jokester's manager. She is killed by Owlman.
- In the 2008 graphic novel Joker
Joker is an original graphic novel written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Lee Bermejo. It was published in 2008 by DC Comics. It is based on characters from DC's Batman series, focusing primarily on the title character...
, Harley Quinn appears as the Joker's girlfriend and aide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
. She at one point acts as a stripper (though this may be a ruse), and is never shown speaking.
Batman Triumphant
Prior to the release of
Batman & Robin,
Mark ProtosevichMark Protosevich is a Serbian-American screenwriter currently under contract with Warner Bros.-Filmography:*The Cell *Poseidon*I Am Legend*Thor...
was commissioned by
Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.—the shortened form of the former official, sometimes still used, formal corporate name: Warner Brothers
to write a script for a fifth Batman film titled Batman Triumphant to be directed by Joel SchumacherJoel Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life and career:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee who died when Joel was four years old...
. Harley Quinn was allegedly included as one of the film's three villains, opposite ScarecrowThe Scarecrow is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane....
and Man-BatMan-Bat is a fictional character, a supervillain and was, for a period of time, a superhero, in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Detective Comics #400 and was created by Frank Robbins and Neal Adams.-Fictional character biography:Dr...
. In July 2000, Protosevich confirmed Scarecrow and Quinn as the only two villains. MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
was rumored for the role, which he had rewritten as the Joker's daughter seeking revenge, not his lover and henchgirl as portrayed in the animated series and Batman comics. Due to Batman & Robins poor box office run, bad InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
buzz, and several negative reviews from critics, Triumphant was never made, and the film franchise went on hiatus for eight years until Batman BeginsBatman Begins is a superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson, and Rutger Hauer...
in 2005.
Birds of Prey
In 2002, a live-action television series called Birds of PreyBirds of Prey is a television drama series produced in 2002. The series was developed by Laeta Kalogridis for The WB and is loosely based on the Birds of Prey DC Comics series. Despite the weekly ratings of 7.6 million viewers and the network's largest audience in the 18-34 demographic at the time,...
, loosely based on the comic of the same name, included Harley Quinn as a psychotic psychiatrist and main villain. The character was portrayed by actress Mia SaraMia Sarapocciello , better known as Mia Sara, is an American actress, best known for her roles as Ferris Bueller's girlfriend, Sloane Peterson, in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as Jean Claude Van Damme's wife Melissa Walker in Timecop, and as Lili, playing opposite Tom Cruise in Legend.-Early life:Sara...
, who replaced Sherilyn FennSherilyn Fenn is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-nominated American actress. She came to international attention for her performance on the 1990 cult TV series Twin Peaks...
(originator of the role in an unaired pilot episode). The show aired only 13 episodes. In this show, Harley is portrayed as an older, far more calculating and sinister character than her bubbly comic and cartoon personas. She also does not wear a costume, although she does wear an outfit that is reminiscent of her cartoon costume in the series finale, "Devil's Eyes". In that episode, she used experimental technology to transfer metahumanMetahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
mind controlMind control refers to a broad range of psychological tactics thought to subvert an individual's control of his or her own thinking, behavior, emotions, or decision making...
powers to herself. It is unknown about this version's relationship with the Joker, although she does make reference to him as "Mr. J." on a few occasions, laments his loss as Gotham's crime boss and hints at a past relationship reminiscent to that of the animated series.
The Batman
Harley Quinn is introduced to the Kids' WB! series The Batman The Batman is an Emmy Award-winning American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids WB...
in the Season 4 episode "Two of a Kind". This version of the character, voiced by Hynden WalchHeidi Hynden Walch , best known as Hynden Walch, is an American actress.Two of her most known roles are Starfire and Argent in Teen Titans. She also voiced Penny Sanchez on the Nickelodeon show ChalkZone and Elsie on the Disney Channel show Stanley...
, is originally the host of a pop psychology TV show called Heart to Heart with Harley. Claiming to have obtained an online degree for psychology, she gives off-the-cuff advice to her callers that usually hurts more than helps. Her bosses, fed up with her irresponsible behavior, cancels the show on the air after she stages an ambush on Bruce Wayne during her show, after falsely promising she would allow him to promote a charity drive for crime victims. The Joker sees the episode, and proceeds to take advantage of the situation. Initially thinking getting a tell-all from the Joker would restore her career, Harley ends up rampaging the town with the Joker. Eventually, she is arrested after the Joker deserts her, and seemingly regrets taking up with him. Once loaded into a police car, however, she sees that Joker has left her an affectionate message, and instantly falls in love with him again.
This incarnation of Harley wears a slightly different costume than in The Animated Series: the black parts of the original are dark red here, the headdress is larger here than the original, the inverted diamond pattern on the shoulders and thighs is absent, and her mask conceals her eyes.
Video games
Harley Quinn also appears in several video games based upon the animated series. She appears in a cameo role in The Adventures of Batman & RobinThe Adventures of Batman and Robin is a 1994 video game based on the popular DC Comics characters Batman and Robin and specifically the hit animated series Batman: The Animated Series...
for the Super NES, and as a boss in The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Sega Genesis. She also appears in The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Sega CD and Batman: Chaos in Gotham. Harley Quinn played a major role in the game's storyline in Batman VengeanceBatman Vengeance is a video game that was released on all major platforms of the sixth generation of console games. It was developed and published by Ubisoft in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
, first posing as "Mary Flynn" in a trap for Batman set by the Joker; she later does the Joker's dirty work after he fakes his death. In Sega CD's The Adventures of Batman & Robin and Batman Vengeance, she was voiced by series actress, Arleen SorkinArleen Sorkin is an American actress. Sorkin is most famous for portraying Calliope Jones and Harley Quinn, fictional characters in live action and animation respectively.-Career:...
.
She appears in Lego Batman: The Video GameLego Batman: The Videogame is a action-adventure video game, created for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation Portable, Nintendo DS, and Wii. The game is based on the comic book character Batman and the Lego Batman toy line. It was developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros.,...
as an enemy of Batman and a 1st deputy of the Joker.
Arleen Sorkin reprises her role of Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
, as one of the main antagonists of the game.
Harley Quinn will appear in DC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is a MMORPG being developed by Sony Online Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nunez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez. EverQuest developers Chris Cao and Shawn Lord are also involved...
.
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