Harley Quinn (Harleen Frances Quinzel) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, and first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series in September 1992. She later appeared in DC Comics' Batman comic books, with the character's first comic book appearance in The Batman Adventures #12 (September 1993).

Harley Quinn is the frequent accomplice and lover of the Joker, whom she met while working as a psychologist at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum, where the Joker was a patient. Her name is a play on the name "Harlequin", a character which originated in the commedia dell'arte. The character has occasionally been depicted as an antihero, and she has teamed up with fellow villains Catwoman and Poison Ivy, the latter serving as Quinn's close friend, recurring ally and romantic interest. Harley Quinn has also been depicted as a member of the Suicide Squad, a team of villains and antiheroes alike who carry out secret missions.

The character was originally voiced by Arleen Sorkin in various tie-ins to the DC animated universe. Since then, she has also been voiced by Hynden Walch and Tara Strong in either DC Animated Showcases or in various video games. In the Birds of Prey television series, she was portrayed by actress Mia Sara. The character made her live-action cinematic debut in the 2016 film Suicide Squad, portrayed by Margot Robbie.

History

Creation

Introduction

Harley Quinn first appeared in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Favor",^[1] as what was originally supposed to be the animated equivalent of a walk-on role; a number of police officers were to be taken hostage by someone jumping out of a pop out cake, and it was decided that to have the Joker do so himself would be too bizarre, although he ended up doing it anyway. Dini thus created a female sidekick for the Joker, who would become his love interest. Arleen Sorkin, a former star of the soap opera Days of Our Lives, appeared in a dream sequence on that series in which she wore a jester costume; Dini used this scene as an inspiration for Quinn.^[2] Having been friends with Sorkin since college, he incorporated aspects of her personality into the character.^[3] Quinn was also inspired by a mutual female friend's "stormy (but nonviolent) relationship", according to Timm.^[4]

Origin story

The 1994 graphic novel The Batman Adventures: Mad Love recounts the character's origin story. Written and drawn by Dini and Timm, the comic book is told in the style and continuity of Batman: The Animated Series. It describes Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, PhD as an Arkham Asylum psychologist who falls in love with the Joker and becomes his accomplice and on-again, off-again girlfriend. The story received wide praise^[5] and won the Eisner and Harvey Awards for Best Single Issue Comic of the Year. The New Batman Adventures series adapted Mad Love as the episode of the same name in 1999. It was the second "animated style" comic book adapted for the series, with the other being "Holiday Knights".

Harleen becomes fascinated with the Joker while working at Arkham Asylum and volunteers to help treat him. She falls hopelessly in love with the Joker during their sessions, and she helps him escape from the asylum more than once. When Batman returns a badly injured Joker to Arkham, Harleen dons a jester costume to become Harley Quinn, the Joker's sidekick. The Joker frequently insults, ignores, hurts and even tries to kill Harley, but she always comes back to him, convinced that he truly loves her.

Expanded role

After Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, Harley makes several other animated appearances. She appears as one of the four main female characters of the web cartoon Gotham Girls. She also made guest appearances in other cartoons within the DC animated universe, appearing alongside the Joker in the Justice League episode "Wild Cards" and alongside Poison Ivy in the Static Shock episode "Hard as Nails".

Harley Quinn appears in World's Finest: The Batman/Superman Movie as a rival and foil for Lex Luthor's assistant Mercy Graves; each takes an immediate dislike for the other, at one point fighting brutally with each other as Lex Luthor and the Joker have a business meeting. In the film's climax, Harley ties Graves as a human shield to a combat robot set to confront Superman and Batman, but Graves is rescued by the two heroes without suffering any harm.

The animated movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker takes place in the future, long after the events in Batman: The Animated Series. It includes a flashback scene in which Harley helps the Joker torture Tim Drake until he has become "Joker Jr.", an insane miniature version of the Clown Prince of Crime; she then falls down a deep pit during a battle with Batgirl. At the end of the movie, a pair of twin girls who model themselves on the Joker are released on bail to their grandmother, who angrily berates them—to which they answer: "Oh, shut up, Nana Harley!" Prior to this, her costume made several appearances in episodes in the future Batcave.

Characterization

Harleen Quinzel

Harley Quinn, whose real name is Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, PhD, is depicted as having been a psychologist at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum. Gotham City Sirens #7 (Feb. 2010) shows Harley visiting her family for the holiday season, in which they are portrayed as being very dysfunctional, forcing Harley to become upset and leave abruptly. It is stated that the reason Harley pursued psychology was to understand her own broken family.^[6]

The character's origin story relates that as a psychologist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, PhD is assigned to the criminally insane Joker at Arkham Asylum. Fascinated by him, she eventually falls in love with the Joker and becomes his lover and accomplice.^[5] She follows suit in the Joker's clown-themed, criminal antics and adopts the name Harley Quinn, a play on "Harlequin" from the character in commedia dell'arte. Speaking with a pronounced Northeastern accent, Harley refers to the Joker as Mr. J and Puddin', terms of endearment that have since been used in nearly every adaptation in which the two characters appear.

Appearance

Harley Quinn was first introduced in the Batman: The Animated Series wearing a black domino mask, white facial makeup, and a one-piece, black and red motley outfit with a cap, in the style of a jester.^[1] Unlike the Joker, Harley's skin is not permanently white in the animated series, as this is reiterated in scenes showing Harley out of costume with a normal skin complexion. As Dr. Harleen Quinzel, PhD, she is portrayed as having blonde hair and typically wears eye glasses, skirts, and a white lab coat.^[7]

In her early comic book appearances until 2011, the character wore her original one-piece, black and red costume from the animated series. After DC's 2011 relaunch of its titles, Harley Quinn had a revamped look that lasted from 2011 until 2016. The New 52 showed Harley Quinn with an alternating black- and red-toned outfit with a sleeveless top, elbow pads, tight shorts, knee pads, and boots. Her hair color was altered to half-red and half-black, like the cap of her previous incarnation. Consistent with a new origin, her skin was bleached as the result of being kicked into a vat of acid by the Joker.^[8]

Following 2016's DC Rebirth, Harley Quinn debuts a new look in the third volume of her eponymous series, as well as the fifth volume of Suicide Squad. Her hair color is now blonde with blue dip dye on the left side and pink dip dye on the right, and she sports two new outfits. One outfit consists of tight, blue and red shorts, ripped tee shirt, satin jacket, fingerless gloves, fishnet stockings, studded belt, and lace-up boots, much like Margot Robbie's depiction of the character in the 2016 Suicide Squad film. The character's other outfit is a two-tone, black and red suit consisting of a full-sleeve top, tight shorts, opaque stockings, garter belt attachments, and boots.

Harley Quinn is adorned with various tattoos, including four diamonds on her upper right thigh. Within the DC Extended Universe, both Harley and the Joker have several tattoos, with Harley having them on her cheek, forearm, legs, and abdomen.

Transition to comic books and publication history

After the success of The Animated Series, the character proved so popular that she was eventually added to the Batman comic book canon.^[9] She first appeared in the original graphic novel, Batman: Harley Quinn, as part of the "No Man's Land" story, although she had already appeared in the Elseworlds Batman: Thrillkiller and Batman: Thrillkiller '62 in 1997. The comic book version of Quinn, like the comic book version of the Joker, is more dangerously violent and less humorously quirky than the animated series version. Despite her noticeably more violent demeanor, Harley does show mercy and compassion from time to time; she notably stops Poison Ivy from killing Batman, instead convincing her to leave the hero hanging bound and gagged from a large statue. Batman is later untied by Batgirl. While the comic book version of the character is still romantically linked with the Joker, a more recent development has Harley also romantically involved with Poison Ivy. Harley Quinn series writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner confirmed that the two characters are in a non-monogamous romantic relationship.^[10]

A Harley Quinn ongoing series^[11] was published monthly by DC Comics for 38 issues from 2001 to 2003. Creators who contributed to the title included Karl Kesel, Terry Dodson, A.J. Lieberman, and Mike Huddleston. The series dealt with her going solo, eventually starting a gang and then fleeing Gotham for the city of Metropolis with her friend Poison Ivy. Quinn dies, only to be resurrected and then return to Gotham. The series ends with Harley turning herself in to Arkham Asylum, having finally understood that she needs help. We also learn in issue #8 of the comic that Harley had a relationship in college with fellow psychology student Guy Kopski whose suicide started her obsession with the Joker. Harley later appears in the Jeph Loeb series Hush. She is next seen in a Villains United Infinite Crisis special, where she is one of the many villains who escape from Arkham (although she is knocked unconscious the moment she escapes).

In the One Year Later continuity, Harley Quinn is an inmate at Arkham, glimpsed briefly upon in Detective Comics #823 (Nov. 2006).

Harley next appeared in Batman #663 (April 2007), in which she helps the Joker with a plan to kill all his former henchmen, unaware that the "punch line" to the scheme is her own death. Upon realizing this, she shoots him in the shoulder.

Harley resurfaces in Detective Comics #831 (June 2007), written by Paul Dini. Harley has spent the last year applying for parole, 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, who attempted to cheer her up during her first week in Arkham while the Joker was still on the loose. She then helps Batman and Commissioner Gordon foil the impostor's plans. Although Riley escapes, Bruce Wayne is impressed with Harley's effort at redemption, and agrees with granting her parole.

Birds of Prey #105 (June 2007) reveals Harley Quinn as the sixth member of the Secret Six. In issue #108, upon hearing that Oracle has sent the Russian authorities footage of teammate Deadshot 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 (July 2007), Harley appears to have reformed and is shown to be residing in an Amazon-run women's shelter. Having abandoned her jester costume and clown make-up, she now only wears an Amazonian stola or chiton. She befriends the former Catwoman replacement Holly Robinson, and then succeeds in persuading her to join her at the shelter, where she is working as an assistant. They are both brought to Themiscyra by "Athena" (really Granny Goodness) and begin Amazon training. Holly and Harley then meet the real Athena, and encounter Mary Marvel. The group reveal Granny's deception, and Holly, Harley, and Mary follow her as she retreats to Apokolips. Mary finds the Olympian gods, whom Granny had been holding prisoner, and the group frees them. Harley is granted powers by Thalia as a reward. Upon returning to Earth, the powers vanish, and Harley and Holly return to Gotham City.

Gotham City Sirens

Harley Quinn joins forces with Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley) and Catwoman (Selina Kyle) in the series Gotham City Sirens. Having moved in with Pamela Isley at the Riddler's apartment, 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. Later, after a chance encounter with Hush, the Joker attempts to kill her, apparently out of jealousy. Quinn is rescued by Ivy and Catwoman, and it is later revealed that her attacker wasn't the real Joker, but one of his old henchmen impersonating him.

In Gotham City Sirens #7, Harley Quinn visits her family in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn during the holiday season. Harley's father is a swindler who is still in jail, and her brother, Barry, is a loser with dead-end dreams of rock stardom. Her mother, Sharon, wants her to stop the "villain and hero stuff". The dysfunctional, "horrible" experience while visiting family causes her to return home to the Sirens' shared Gotham City hideout where Harley, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy spend the rest of Christmas together.^[6]

In one instance, Harley attempts to steal from Two-Face and the Riddler, but is caught and faces the consequences. She is bound and gagged.

Following a number of adventures with Catwoman and Ivy, Harley betrays them and breaks into Arkham Asylum with the goal of killing the Joker for his years of abuse towards her. However, Harley ultimately chooses instead to release Joker from his cell, and together the two orchestrate a violent takeover of the facility that results in most of the guards and staff members either being killed or taken hostage by the inmates.^[12]

Harley and the Joker are eventually defeated by Batman and Catwoman, and Harley is last seen being wheeled away while bound in a straitjacket and muzzle.^[13] Shortly afterwards, Poison Ivy breaks into Harley's cell and attempts to kill her for her betrayal, but instead offers to free her if she helps kill Catwoman, who had left both of her fellow Sirens behind in Arkham. Harley agrees, and the two set out to trap Catwoman.^[14] During the ensuing fight, Catwoman says that she saw good in them and only wanted to help. Just as Batman is about to arrest them, Catwoman helps the two of them escape.^[15]

August 2016 marked the debut of the six-issue miniseries Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death volume one, reuniting Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. Harley appears in the debut issue as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, PhD. with continued appearances throughout the series^[7]

The New 52

Following DC's 2011 relaunch of its titles, Harley Quinn's costume and appearance was fully revamped. The New 52 shows Harley Quinn with a sleeveless top, tight shorts, and boots. Her hair color has also been altered to half-red and half-black and her bleached skin is the result of being kicked into a vat of acid by the Joker.^[8]

After a falling out with the Joker, she goes into a murderous frenzy, directed towards people responsible for the Joker's imprisonment. Captured by Black Canary, she is forcibly inducted into the Suicide Squad by Amanda Waller.^[16] However, when she discovers that the Joker is rumored to be dead, it takes a further toll in her already addled mind, and betraying the Suicide Squad, she puts their safety and secrecy at risk by turning herself into the Gotham Police Department in a plot to gain access to the skinned face of the Joker.^[17] Her plan apparently pays off, and she manages to recover the face, though in a further psychotic episode, Harley captures and ties up Deadshot and places the skinned face of the Joker over Deadshot's face, so that she can carry on a "conversation" with her dead lover. Deadshot lures Harley in close, shooting and severely injuring her during the conversation.^[18] After the Joker returns to Gotham in the "Death of the Family" story line, he forces her to disguise herself in his old Red Hood costume and trick Batman into coming to the chemical plant where they first met. Batman then falls into a tank and demands Harley to tell him where Joker is. But she only replies, in tears, that he's no longer the Joker she had fallen in love with.^[19]

On July 16, 2013, DC announced that a new Harley Quinn ongoing comic book series would begin publication in November 2013, co-written by Amanda Conner and her husband Jimmy Palmiotti, cover illustrated by Conner, and story illustrated by Chad Hardin.^[20][21] The series has notably become distanced from the "Batman Family" of DC publications in both tone and premise, with Harley no longer having any significant connection to either Batman or the Joker following the "Death of the Family" storyline. In the series, Harley Quinn has become a landlady at Coney Island, is a part-time member of a roller derby team and has returned to her work in psychology under her real alias, indicating that Harley's real identity is not public knowledge in the new status quo.

Under Conner and Palmiotti's writing, Harley was reinvented as an antihero, who values human life and actively tries to improve life in her neighborhood. Between issues #11 and #13 Harley formed a brief partnership with an amnesiac Power Girl and battled Clock King and Sportsmaster before Power Girl's memory was restored and she left Harley at the top of the Eiffel Tower as punishment for her deceit.^[22] Harley attempts to coerce a romantic connection with her tenant Mason, but was unable to make the date due to the multitude of responsibilities in her life, balancing her two jobs with her commitment to her roller derby team and her career as a crime-fighter.^[23] With support from her girlfriend Poison Ivy, Harley makes amends with Mason and turns to the internet to recruit other strong, young women in a crime-fighting team she is forming.^[24] This team, composing of young women of various ethnic backgrounds and one gay man called Harvey Quinn, then fights Captain Horatio Strong, a sea captain who becomes superhumanly strong after eating an addictive alien sea-plant, in an homage to Popeye. Harley agrees to help a woman whose daughter has been kidnapped by a gang in Hollywood.^[25]

Harley Quinn has featured a few standalone specials which are not directly connected to the main series and feature multiple artists. In the scratch and sniff-themed Annual issue, Harley briefly returned to Gotham to save her girlfriend Poison Ivy, as the Arkham Asylum employees monitoring her had brainwashed her to create a hallucinogenic pathogen.^[26] In the Valentines Day Special, Harley returned to Gotham to win a prize date with Bruce Wayne (who unbeknownst to her is Batman) and finds herself fighting animal rights activists-turned-super villain blackmailers. She shares a brief intimate moment with Bruce Wayne. At Coney Island, Batman informs Harley that while he still distrusts her, he admires her attempt at heroism and promises not to interfere. Harley kisses Batman and tells him to get "lessons" on kissing from Bruce Wayne, to which Batman privately grins.^[27]

In Futures End, a series set five years in the future, Harley mails herself to the Bahamas in an attempt to save money on airfare. The plane carrying her crashes over the ocean while flying through a storm and Harley is washed up onto the shores of an island inhabited by an un-contacted tribe. The tribe quickly declares her a goddess and is determined to have her meet their god-king who turns out to be The Joker.

After a fight and reconciliation Harley learns that The Joker has been living on the island as a god and making the inhabitants dress up as various superheroes and track him down while playing tricks on them. It is announced that she and The Joker are to be married. She's initially excited about the pending marriage until she discovers that the two will be sacrificed to the island's volcano as their wedding ceremony ends.^[28]

A spin-off series entitled "Harley Quinn and Power Girl" was launched in June 2015. The series is set to run six issues and takes place while Harley has the amnesiac Power Girl convinced the two are a crime fighting duo.^[29] The story follows the two when they're sent to a part of deep space known as La Galaxia Del Sombrero during the unseen events mentioned in Harley Quinn #12 and then chronicles their journey to return to earth.^[30]

The ongoing series has continued with no apparent connection to Suicide Squad other than her new hairstyle, dyed for her by one of the tenants in her Brooklyn apartment. Harley has once again met up with Power Girl and even her new sidekick Terra. She has faced down multiple villains from the Penguin to the corrupt mayor of New York and is in the process of running for mayor herself. She also runs a "vigilante for hire" group she calls her Gang of Harleys and has numerous other allies and stalkers including Red Tool, Harley Sinn, and various other allies she has made along the way.

Harley has also broken up with the Joker and her current main love interest, though they are not exclusive, is Poison Ivy.

Controversy

In September 2013, DC Comics announced a contest for fans and artists, "Break into comics with Harley Quinn!",^[31] in which contestants were to draw Harley in four different suicide scenarios. This contest drew controversy not only because it was announced close to National Suicide Prevention Week, but because some artists did not like the sexualized portrayal of Harley in the fourth scenario, in which Harley attempts suicide while naked in her bath tub.^[32][33]

DC Rebirth

Harley Quinn sports two new outfits following the events of DC Rebirth. She wears tight, blue and red shorts, ripped white tee shirt, satin jacket, fingerless gloves, net stockings, and boots. Her other outfit is a two-tone, black and red suit consisting of a full-sleeve top, tight shorts, opaque stockings, garter belt attachments, and boots. Harley Quinn is adorned with tattoos and her hair color is blonde hair with blue dip dye on the left side and pink dip dye on the right.

The ongoing fifth volume of Suicide Squad shows Harley Quinn as an unpredictable and dangerous inmate at Belle Reve Penitentiary, attacking the facility's security forces when given the opportunity.^[34] Harley Quinn becomes the leader of the Suicide Squad in issue #20, following Rick Flag's apparent death. The members of the team under Harley's leadership include Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Enchantress, Katana, and Killer Croc.

Other versions

• Harley Quinn's first major appearance outside the Batman animated world was in the Elseworlds miniseries Thrillkiller. 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. After Batgirl kills Bianca, Harley is shown killing her own family, intent on revenge in the final frames of the story.^[35]
• In the Elseworlds 80-Page Giant, one of the stories is about Lex Luthor as a music producer. One of his groups is, as the press puts it, "alternative lifestyle folkies Ivy and Harley".^[36]
• On the new Earth-3, Harleen Quinzel is the Jokester's business manager and is killed by Owlman.^[37]
• In the 2008 graphic novel Joker, Harley Quinn appears as the Joker's helper and aide-de-camp. She at one point acts as a stripper (though this may be a ruse), and is never shown speaking.^[38]
• In Batman '66, a version of Harley Quinn designed more around the 60s television show (she is slightly taller and her hair is short; she also wears prominent slanted eyeglasses, a long red dress and red blouse, large pearl necklace, and fairly prominent earrings) appears as Dr. Holly Quinn, PhD, a psychologist at Arkham Asylum, referred to as Arkham Institute for the Criminally Insane. She convinces Joker to cooperate with Batman and Robin in exchange for approving his comedy night proposal.^[39] Dr. Quinn is manipulated by Catwoman and Joker to perfect the Joker Wave — a hysteria-inducing transmitting dish used on Gotham. Quinn is devastated by her role in the plot and to atone for her mistake, Dr. Quinn reverses the device by submitting herself to its effects — freeing the people of Gotham, but sacrificing her sanity in the process. She escapes and becomes a supervillain named Harlequin. She retains her considerable intelligence and psychological training, making her a difficult foe for the Dynamic Duo, but is eventually captured when Batman and Robin disguise themselves as criminals (Batman in his regular alternate guise of Matches Malone) who beat up other bad guys who were auditioning to be Holly's henchmen.^[40]
• Harley Quinn appears in the prequel comic to the game Injustice: Gods Among Us. She helps the Joker kidnap Lois Lane and surgically plant a trigger in her heart that will set off a nuclear bomb in Metropolis should her heart stop; when Superman accidentally kills her (thinking she is Doomsday) this happens, with the grieving Superman killing the Joker as a result. Harley eventually comes to acceptance with it and joins Batman's Insurgency. In the sequel comic series, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Two, this universe's Harley reveals to Black Canary that she has a four-year-old daughter by the Joker, named Lucy. In Injustice 2, she helps to fight Grodd's Society and Braniac alongside Black Canary, Green Arrow, and the other Justice League and Regime members. It is revealed in the ending that she later joins the Justice League as a fully accepted member.
• In the Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover, Harley is made into a mutant hyena by the Shredder. She is knocked out by Batman in the final battle and Splinter uses her hammer to take down the rest of the Arkham inmates.^[41]

In other media

Television

Animation

• The character makes an appearance on the Kids' WB series The Batman, voiced by Hynden Walch.
• In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Harley Quinn makes an appearance and is voiced by Meghan Strange. This version is a henchwoman of the Joker whose costume is modeled after a 1920s flapper woman.
• Harley Quinn appears in the Justice League Action episode "Speed Demon," voiced by Tara Strong. She has been empowered with magic by Brother Night until she is defeated by Batman and Zatanna. In the episode "Garden of Evil," Harley Quinn helps Poison Ivy in her plot to overrun Gotham City with plants which involved Poison Ivy controlling Swamp Thing. During her fight with Vixen, Harley Quinn lures Vixen to the Gotham Zoo where Harley stated that Poison Ivy's plot enables her the advantage to free Bud and Lou from their cages. When Harley Quinn has Bud and Lou attack Vixen, she uses her lion abilities to frighten Bud and Lou back into their cages. Vixen then defeats Harley Quinn who is subsequently arrested by the police.

Web series

• Harley Quinn (credited as Harlequin) appears in the first episode of the web series Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles, in which she kidnaps and mutilated an unknown number of people, and makes toys and dolls out of the bodies. She fights Batman after he frees her latest victim and ends up surrendering, only to be drained of her blood and possibly killed after Batman reveals his fangs to her. She is voiced by Tara Strong reprising her role from the Arkham franchise.
• The character appears in the web series DC Super Hero Girls, in which she is a student at Super Hero High and the roommate of Wonder Woman. She is once again voiced by Tara Strong.

Live-action

• In 2002, a short-lived live-action television series called Birds of Prey, included Harley Quinn as a psychologist, portrayed by actress Mia Sara (replacing Sherilyn Fenn from an unaired pilot episode). In this show, Harleen Quinzel uses her day job as a psychologist to achieve her hidden purpose: to take control of the city of New Gotham. She 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 uses experimental technology to transfer metahuman mind control powers to herself. She occasionally makes reference to her "sweet Mr. J.", laments his loss as a Gotham City crime boss and hints at a past relationship reminiscent to that of the animated series. A criminal known as the Crawler addresses her as "the Joker's girlfriend" in the seventh episode "Split".
• Harley Quinn makes a cameo appearance in the Arrow season two episode "Suicide Squad", voiced again by Tara Strong, while physically portrayed by Cassidy Alexa (credited as "Deranged Squad Female").^[42][43] The series star Stephen Amell revealed in an interview that she was originally set to appear in the season two finale episode "Unthinkable", but was cut due to time.^[44] The show's producer Andrew Kreisberg revealed that there were plans for the character to appear, but series actress Willa Holland stated that they had been axed due to the Suicide Squad film.^[45][46]
• At Backlash, in 2016 Alexa Bliss was dressed like Harley Quinn.^[47][48]
• In Gotham, Harley Quinn is merged into the character Barbara Kean, who is portrayed by Erin Richards, while it has been confirmed that the real Harley Quinn will never appear.^[49] A forerunner to Harley Quinn was discussed for the series.^[50] The character's arrival was teased in January 2017 for the finale of season 3, which would then set up a storyline for the fourth season.^[51] Bruce Wayne's actor David Mazous confirmed Harley Quinn's addition and arrival in the season 3 finale.^[52] However, Quinzel did not appear in the finale episode "Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul",^[53] it was confirmed in a June 2017 TVLine article that there were currently no plans to feature Quinzel on the show as Harley Quinn.^[54]

Film

Abandoned film

Prior to the release of Batman & Robin, Mark Protosevich was commissioned by Warner Bros. to write a script for a fifth Batman film titled Batman Unchained to be directed by Joel Schumacher, with Harley Quinn and the Scarecrow as the film's villains. Protosevich wrote her as the Joker's daughter seeking revenge for his death.^[55]

DC Extended Universe

Australian actress Margot Robbie portrays Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe, debuting in the 2016 film Suicide Squad.^[56] Flashbacks reveal that Dr. Harleen Quinzel fell in love with the Joker while serving as his psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. After she freed him, the Joker proceeded to electrocute her and convince her to fall into the chemical bath that created him, thus bleaching her skin and transforming her into his lover Harley Quinn. Harley assists the Joker in killing Batman's partner, Robin, before being imprisoned and blackmailed into joining Amanda Waller's government task force composed of captured supervillains.^[57] At the end of the film, the Joker breaks into Belle Reve Prison to free Harley, and they are reunited. The film received negative reviews, but critics praised Margot Robbie's performance, with many citing it as the main highlight.^[58] Paul Dini, the creator of Harley Quinn, said that Robbie "nailed" the character.^[59] Warner Bros. is currently working on a movie focused on the DC Comics female villains Gotham City Sirens, and Robbie is set to reprise her role as well as produce this film as part of a first look deal.^[60][61][62]

Animation

• Harley Quinn, both in her younger form in a flashback and elderly form in the present day, appears in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, again voiced by Arleen Sorkin.
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite, an adaptation of the video game of the same name, with Laura Bailey reprising her role.

• Harley Quinn is featured in Batman: Assault on Arkham, voiced by Hynden Walch. In this version, she is forced by Amanda Waller into joining the Suicide Squad, and must venture to Arkham Asylum on a mission to retrieve the Riddler for Waller. Having once worked at the Asylum and knowing its layout and schedules, she is considered vital for the task. Harley seems to be interested in Deadshot, but ultimately rejoins the Joker and reveals having intended all along to use the mission in order to invade Arkham and break him out. During their escape, Harley battles Batman as Joker faces Deadshot. Both are defeated, but their fates are not revealed. As the film takes place after Batman: Arkham Origins and before Batman: Arkham Asylum, it is assumed that Harley was recaptured, while Joker escaped.
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Gotham City Breakout with Tara Strong reprising her role. She appears at the beginning of the film attempting to rob a jewelry store only to be defeated by the Dynamic Duo. Later, she is among the villains unintentionally released from Arkham by Superman. At the end of the film, she and Joker are defeated and put back in Arkham Asylum by the Justice League.
• Harley Quinn appears in The Lego Batman Movie voiced by Jenny Slate. She is the Joker's accomplice and a member of the Rogues.
• Harley Quinn appears as the main protagonist in the animated film Batman and Harley Quinn,^[63] voiced by Melissa Rauch.^[64]
• Dr. Harleen Quinzel will appear in the animated film Batman vs. Two-Face voiced by Sirena Irwin. She is the assistant to Hugo Strange.

Video games

• Harley Quinn appears in several video games based upon the animated series.

• She appears in a cameo role in The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Super NES, and as a boss in The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Sega Genesis.
• She appears in The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Sega CD and Batman: Chaos in Gotham, voiced by Arleen Sorkin.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman Vengeance, voiced by Arleen Sorkin. She first appears 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.

• Harley Quinn was considered as a DLC fighter for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, alongside Mortal Kombat's Quan Chi, but these plans were discarded following Midway's bankruptcy.^[65]
• Harley Quinn appears in the DC Universe Online video game, with Arleen Sorkin returning as her voice. Harley appears in the Joker's Fun house, where she is seen being arrested by Robin if the player uses a villain character, or holding Robin hostage if the character is a hero, in which case the player is required to defeat her. She plays a minor role in T.O.Morrow's hideout, as she has gone there with the Joker to pursue Morrow. Harley is the basic Legends PVP character granted to Villains without having to spend Marks of Legend. If a player using Harley defeats an enemy player using Joker, the player acquires a feat called Mad Love. To date this was the last time Arleen Sorkin voiced the character. Since 2016, Harley Quinn is voiced by Jen Brown in recent Episode downloadable content which has a focus on Gotham City Sirens.
• Harley Quinn appears in Infinite Crisis as a playable character, voiced by Tara Strong.^[66]
• Harley Quinn is among the villains summoned by Brainiac to retrieve Starites in Scribblenauts Unmasked.
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable character in the mobile game, Suicide Squad: Special Ops, based on the film.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman: The Enemy Within (the sequel to Batman: The Telltale Series), voiced by Laura Post. In episode 1, Dr. Harleen Quinzel is mentioned as a former psychiatrist at both Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Prison, who once treated "John Doe". In episode 1, it is revealed that Quinzel turned to crime when she failed to cure her father's psychological illness, which resulted in his suicide. When "John Doe" recruits Bruce Wayne into their criminal organization called "The Pact," Harley monitors his initiation test in which he is forced to steal technology from Wayne Enterprises to retrieve Riddler's corpse during a police escort. Depending on the player's choice, Bruce may leave either Harley or Bane behind to be arrested by the "Agency." Either way, it is revealed that Harley Quinn and "The Pact" had hired Catwoman to obtain a specific device to further their goals.

Batman: Arkham

Harley Quinn appears in the Batman: Arkham franchise. Arleen Sorkin initially reprises her role in the first game whereas Tara Strong assumes the role for the remainder of the series.^[67][68]

• In Batman: Arkham Asylum, she dons a new costume based on a nurse uniform. She takes control of Arkham, allowing Joker to escape, releases Poison Ivy from her cell, and kidnaps Warden Quincy Sharp. After Batman rescues Sharp, he confronts her and locks her in a cell. She returns in the Scarecrow's final nightmare as one of the guards escorting Batman away.
• In Batman: Arkham City, she is shown wearing a biker-girl themed costume in this game, using a low-key version of her usual makeup, with heavy eye shadow in lieu of her domino mask. Batman encounters Harley in the Sionis Steel Mill where she was with the Joker. She later steals the cure for the Joker's illness while Batman was fighting Mr. Freeze for it, but is bound and gagged by Talia al Ghul. When the Joker dies from his illness, Quinn was with the Joker's henchmen when Batman brought his dead body out of the theater.
  • Harley also appears in "Harley Quinn's Revenge" expansion, seeking revenge on Batman for the death of the Joker. By this time, Harley has dyed her hair completely black and wears almost all black, with a "J" necklace and mourning veil. After escaping from a temporary holding area following the destruction of Arkham City, Harley transforms the Steel Mill into a gigantic memorial of him. She is later beaten by the duo of Batman and Robin and taken into custody by the GCPD.
  • Included as an Easter egg in the manager's office of the Steel Mill, there is a crib with Scarface painted as the Joker inside, surrounded by dozens of negative pregnancy tests accompanied by a single positive pregnancy test, which could indicate that she had a miscarriage, the positive test was false, or after several failed attempts she finally got pregnant just before the Joker died.
• Harley Quinn introduced Martin Tremblay, president of Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, at the Nintendo Press Conference at E3 2012 where Batman Arkham City: Armored Edition was introduced for the Wii U.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, where she kidnaps a reporter to use as a hostage to free the Joker. After luring Batman into a trap, she tries to execute the bound and gagged reporter, but is stopped by one of Batman's batarangs. She is once again voiced by Tara Strong.
• Dr. Harleen Quinzel, M.D. appears briefly in Batman: Arkham Origins before her transformation into Harley Quinn. She interviews Joker at Blackgate Prison and falls in love with him after he confesses his fascination with someone who he considers special to him (Batman). She later appears amongst the prison's other staff members held hostage by Joker when he takes over the facility, but she is rescued by Batman. Quinzel is last seen escorting the Joker to his cell after he is defeated by Batman in the game's ending.
  • In Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, it is detailed in the unlockable Detective Case titled "Doctor's Orders" that Quinzel's increasing obsession with the Joker is not going unnoticed by her fellow staff, who are beginning to worry that the Joker may be manipulating Quinzel. The Case also states that Quinzel has started referring to the Joker as "Mister J" in her personal journal with hearts drawn around his name, rather than "Patient ARK119805".
• In the main story of Batman: Arkham Knight, it is revealed that in between the events of Arkham City and the current game, she's become a very competent gang leader, having recovered control of the Joker's former gang (including the members that were plotting to overthrow her or desert her) and has even become one of Gotham's main gang leaders, recruited by Scarecrow in his plan to kill Batman. She tries to break free and recruit the victims of Joker's blood transfusion who were not affected by the cure, all of whom started to display traces of his appearance and behavior, but they all end up dead after she was betrayed by one of the Joker patients that was working with her.
  • Apart from the main game, she is a playable character via downloadable content that was once a pre-order exclusive. This content contains a story-driven mission, featuring her own weapons and abilities; it also includes four challenge maps for the character. In her mission, which takes place shortly before the main story, Harley breaks into the Blüdhaven prison to free Poison Ivy, defeating all police officers and, with Ivy's help, Nightwing.^[69] At certain points, her Harleen and Harley personas are heard fighting for control of her body.
  • Harley appears, this time in her classic costume, in the Batgirl: A Matter of Family downloadable content story pack. Set before the events of Arkham Asylum, she serves as one of the two final bosses alongside the Joker, confronting Batgirl and Robin.
• Harley appears as a playable character in the mobile game Batman: Arkham Underworld, voiced again by Tara Strong. She is unlocked after the player completes a mission for her, after which she'll become playable, wielding a special pistol, grenades, and a baseball bat, and can bring her pet hyenas into the field with her.

Injustice

• Harley Quinn appears as a playable fighter in Injustice: Gods Among Us voiced by Tara Strong.^[70] In the alternate universe depicted in the game, Quinn establishes the Joker Clan to honor the Clown Prince after he is murdered by Superman. She is part of Batman's Insurgency, and is tempted in the story to revert to her older ways when an alternate Joker arrives in her dimension. In her arcade ending, she fatally slits the Joker's throat after a wedding gone wrong.^[71]
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable fighter in Injustice 2, with Tara Strong reprising her role.^[72] In the game's story, she is recruited by Batman into assisting Green Arrow and Black Canary to defeat the Society. At Slaughter Swamp, she defeats Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and Swamp Thing while overcoming an illusion of the Joker created by Scarecrow's fear gas. At Gorilla City, she is captured by the Society, but is released by Batman's sleeper agent on the Society, Catwoman. The two are sent with Cyborg to free Brother Eye from Brainiac's control, during which she's brainwashed by Poison Ivy's pheromones into battling her teammates and sent into a state of shock before being revived by Cyborg. After the Regime and Insurgency are forced to team up, she catches Wonder Woman trying to kill Cheetah and stops her as it's against Batman's orders. She is then critically wounded by Wonder Woman, but saved by Supergirl. In her single player ending, Harley accepts Batman's offer to join the Justice League while still acting as her daughter Lucy's aunt.^[73]

Lego Batman

• She appears in Lego Batman: The Videogame, with her sound effects provided by Grey DeLisle. She appears as an enemy of Batman and a 1st deputy of the Joker.^[74][75] Harley Quinn in Lego Batman is a playable character and can be unlocked through the villain levels, and carries a pistol and her giant mallet. She can perform high jumps like most women in the game.
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Laura Bailey.^[76]
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, with Tara Strong reprising her role.
• Harley Quinn is a playable character in Lego Dimensions, with Tara Strong reprising the role.

Reception

Harley Quinn has been interpreted as having dependent personality disorder as well as showing typically villainous antisocial behavior.^[77] Kate Roddy describes Harley Quinn as an "ambitious career woman who gives up her autonomy to become an abused sidekick", and discusses fan responses to the character.^[4]

Chris Sims describes the approach of Batman: The Animated Series as showing "a version of the character who is having adventures right now", and regards that choice as being a key part of Harley Quinn's production. Chris Sims describes her as the Joker's Robin.^[78]

Harley Quinn has risen to become one of DC Comics most popular characters.^[79] The 2016 relaunch of her comic shipped more copies than any other DC Rebirth title and was one of the best-selling comics of the year.^[80] DC Comics co-publisher Jim Lee refers to Harley Quinn as the fourth pillar in their publishing line, behind Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.^[81] Harley Quinn currently stars in four separate ongoing series — three eponymous titles and Suicide Squad. Only Batman and Superman have comparable numbers of monthly appearances, making Harley DC Comics’ most prominent and profitable female character.^[81] Kevin Kiniry, vice-president of DC Collectibles, says Harley Quinn is always a top-seller and that she “can go toe-to-toe with Batman and the Joker as one of the most fan-requested and sought-after characters."^[81] In 2016, Harley Quinn's Halloween costume ranked as the most popular costume in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and it remains a popular subject for cosplay.^[82][83] To celebrate the character, DC Comics declared the month of February to be Harley Quinn Month and published twenty-two Harley Quinn variant covers across their line of comic books.^[84] IGN's 2009 list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Harley Quinn as #45.^[85] She was ranked 16th in Comics Buyer's Guide's 2011 "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.^[86]

See also

• Hybristophilia
• List of Batman Family adversaries