Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn as she appears in the DC Animated Universe, art by Bruce Timm.

Harley Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series episode entitled "Joker's Favor" while Dini was writing the episode.[6] Initially written as an animated equivalent of a walk-on role, Harley Quinn was intended to appear in just one episode.[7][8] As Dini was putting together the story for the episode, he wanted to introduce a foil for the supervillain the Joker that would emphasize the Joker's comic book personality traits: funny, scary, and egotistical.[9][10] He then thought of giving Joker a henchwoman, inspired by the molls of the 1960s live-action Batman series,[8][11][12] and then decided she would be a "funny counterpart to the Joker to maybe work up a little Punch and Judy attitude between them";[9] Dini stated, "[...] she could crack a joke and the henchmen would laugh, and the Joker would kind of glare at her".[13] In 1991, after seeing his college friend Arleen Sorkin play a jester in a dream sequence in the soap opera Days of Our Lives, Dini decided to have Sorkin voice her.[9][12] Dini then based Harley Quinn on Sorkin, incorporating aspects such as her mannerisms and "very snappy, wisecracking, bubbly blonde" personality.[13][10][9] In recording Harley Quinn's voice, Sorkin spoke in her normal New York accent while putting in a "little Yiddish sound", since Dini made the character Jewish, another aspect of the character borrowed from Sorkin;[12][14][15][16] Dini described her voice for the character as having "a snappy blonde but also kind of a bad girl": "a little bit of Adelaide from Guys and Dolls, a little bit of Judy Holliday", and "a lot of Arleen", stating that it sounded "very close" to Sorkin's voice.[17]

External media
Images
Paul Dini's original design for Harley Quinn, a "crazy blond character in a miniskirt" based on actress Barbara Eden and "1940s screwballs" such as Betty Hutton, Gloria Grahame, and Claudette Colbert.[13][18]
Video
The dream sequence from Days of Our Lives in which Arleen Sorkin plays a jester, which served as inspiration for the character's creation. Dini came across the scene while watching a VHS tape of Sorkin's "favorite Days moments", which he had received from her.[9][12]

Dini had several names in mind while naming the character, such as Columbine, and eventually settled on the name "Harley Quinn".[19] Dini chose the name for the character to be in line with other Batman characters's names being puns, and also because he thought "Harley was a fun name for a girl".[17][13] The name Harley Quinn is a play on Harlequin, a stock character from the sixteenth-century Italian physical comedy theater commedia dell'arte.[8][20]

In designing the character, Timm did a "simplified supervillain version" of traditional Harlequin gear; from the commedia dell'arte original, he took the jester hat, ruffled collar, diamond pattern, and domino mask and put them on a red-and-black bodysuit, on which the diamonds were strategically placed for easier animation.[8][15] Timm took Harley Quinn's red and black color scheme from the Golden Age comic book character Daredevil.[8] Dini had previously made a rough design for the character, which Timm improved on.[12]

After seeing Harley Quinn in the rough cut of "Joker's Favor", the producers of Batman: The Animated Series, which include Dini and Timm, were impressed with the result, with Dini wanting to bring the character back for more episodes.[21][8] Timm and another producer, Alan Burnett, were initially reluctant of this and thought that giving Joker a girlfriend "played more towards his comedic side" and would "humanize him too much", which contrasted their vision for Joker as a character who is "as serious a threat as possible to Batman".[21][8] Nevertheless, months after "Joker's Favor", Harley made a second appearance on the show in the episode "The Laughing Fish" and became the Joker's love interest.[8] Harley Quinn gained popularity with fans of The Animated Series, with the character being featured more on the show and eventually starring in her own episodes, such as 1993's "Harley and Ivy", which introduced a friendship between her and fellow supervillain Poison Ivy, and 1994's "Harlequinade" and "Harley's Holiday", which explored her life without the Joker.[22][23][24] Harley Quinn then became a recurring character in the DC Animated Universe, appearing in The Animated Series sequel The New Batman Adventures, the direct-to-video film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, and in non-Batman animation such as Superman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, and Justice League. In February 1994, she made her first appearance in a video game in The Adventures of Batman and Robin, an action platformer based on Batman: The Animated Series.[25][26]

"Tango with Evil" by Alex Ross, from the cover of Harley's canonical debut Batman: Harley Quinn. Widely described as iconic, the artwork depicts Harley dancing with a tuxedo-clad Joker and was later recreated in the 2016 film Suicide Squad.[27][21][28][29][30][31]

Because of her popularity, Harley Quinn was adapted into DC's comic books.[32] In September 1993, a year following Harley Quinn's first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, the character made her comic book debut in the 12th issue of The Batman Adventures, a series set in the universe of The Animated Series, and became a regular character.[5][6] In 1997, she appeared in the story Batman: Thrillkiller, released under Elseworlds, a DC Comics imprint that published out-of-continuity alternate reality stories, as Hayley Fitzpatrick.[5] In 1999, she became a canonical character with the release of Batman: Harley Quinn.[5]

In February 1994, the one-shot The Batman Adventures: Mad Love recounting Harley's origin was released. Written by Dini and drawn by Timm, the story marks their first comic book collaboration.[21] Mad Love introduces Harley Quinn as a former psychologist named Harleen Quinzel who fell in love with the Joker during her internship at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum and details her transformation into the Joker's villainous accomplice Harley Quinn, as well as the Joker's lack of respect for Harley.[21][23][33][34] Widely considered the definitive Harley Quinn story,[35][36][37] Mad Love added dimensions to the character, with Dini introducing Harley Quinn's motivations as well as establishing her as a tragic and sympathetic figure.[38][39][40][41][42] The story received wide praise and won the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best Single Issue in the same year and was later adapted into an episode of the same name in The New Batman Adventures in 1999.[43][44][24]

Mad Love establishes Harley Quinn's full name to be Harleen Frances Quinzel. "Harleen Frances" was taken from Sorkin's first and middle name, Arleen Frances, while "Quinzel" came from one of Dini's former Emerson College instructors, who was surnamed Quenzel.[13]

Harley Quinn was adapted into the mainstream DC Universe with the 1999 one-shot graphic novel Batman: Harley Quinn, written by Dini and illustrated by Yvel Guichet,[45] which put her origin in the middle of the Batman: No Man's Land story line.[46] Dini changed Harley and the Joker's relationship to be darker to match the Joker's character in the comics; in the story, the Joker attempts to kill Harley at the first opportunity. Harley's immunity to toxins and enhanced strength and agility, which were gained from a special formula created by Poison Ivy, were carried over from Batman: The Animated Series, with Dini stating that they would give her a sort of "physical edge" over Batman and other heroes.[21][45]

While pursuing new assignments at DC Comics' offices in New York City, Karl Kesel was approached by former DC editor Matt Idelson to create a pitch for Harley Quinn's first ongoing series, which Kesel accepted, being a fan of the character after having read Mad Love.[21] Kesel chose Terry Dodson as the artist for the series, whose art Kesel thought complemented the character's cartoonish roots and worldview.[21][48] Kesel called Dodson and asked him if he was interested on working on the comic, to which Dodson agreed, and the two worked for a month on their proposal for the series, which was to make a comic about "love gone horribly, terribly wrong".[48][21] The proposal was accepted by DC Comics, and the pair began work on the series, with Kesel and Dodson both being involved in the storytelling, and Dodson bringing in his wife, Rachel Dodson, to ink.[21] Kesel's run on the series began being published in December 2000, and was about Harley Quinn leaving the Joker and becoming a solo criminal, alongside a supporting cast of henchmen named the Quinntets.[21] Because of underwhelming sales, his 25-issue run ended in December 2002, and DC decided to change the creative team; the series was given to writer A.J. Lieberman and artists Mike Huddleston and Troy Nixey by Idelson, and took on a grittier and darker direction, contrasting Kesel's run.[49] The decision renewed interest in the character, but the sales remained lackluster and the series was cancelled in 2003.[49][12]

After years of scarce appearances in comics, Harley Quinn resurfaced in a leading role in July 2009 with Gotham City Sirens, a team-up title created by Dini.[50][5][12] The series brought together Batman's most popular female villains, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy, in an unstable alliance.[51][52][53] The series also expanded on Harley Quinn's background and early life; in Gotham City Sirens #7, Dini established the character's hometown being Brooklyn, based on her accent and also introduced her dysfunctional family, with her swindling father being described as the main reason for her pursuing psychology.[54][55][56]

The first several issues of Gotham City Sirens were written by Dini and illustrated by Guillem March. Other creatives who worked for the series include writers Tony Bedard and Peter Calloway, and artists David López, Andres Guinaldo, Peter Nguyen, Jeremy Haun, and Ramon Bachs.[52] The series was cancelled in August 2011 for The New 52, DC Comics' relaunch of their entire comic line.[53]

As part of the New 52 reboot in September 2011, Harley Quinn was reintroduced by Adam Glass as a prominent member of the supervillain team Task Force X in the relaunched Suicide Squad series.[23][58] The character was heavily redesigned to fit the tone of the book, and was inspired by Harley's designs in the video games Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City;[59][60] her color motif was changed to red and blue, her jester costume was replaced with a revealing ensemble consisting of a corset and hot pants, her skin was bleached white, and her previously blonde hair was altered to half-blue and half-red.[60][12][58][61] Her personality had also been depicted to be more violent and psychopathic than her former iteration.[12][32][58]

External images
Art of Harley's New 52 redesign, from a presentation in 2011's San Diego Comic Con.[62]
The controversial cover artwork for Suicide Squad (vol. 4) #1, which introduced Harley Quinn's revealing look for the relaunched title,[12] art by Ryan Benjamin.

In the series, Glass separated Harley Quinn from the Joker and explored her "becom[ing] her own person", with the Suicide Squad becoming a family to her;[63][64] Glass said: "Harley's always wanted to belong to something. And if not Joker, then the team – and she's finding herself in all this. She's finding her place in the world, that she's not just a sidekick".[64]

Suicide Squad was canceled in April 2014 to coincide with the conclusion of the "Forever Evil" storyline.[65]

In the seventh issue of Suicide Squad, Glass revised Harley Quinn's origin story, making it reflect the Joker's origins. In the story, the Joker takes Harleen Quinzel to the chemical plant where he originated and pushes her into a vat of chemicals against her will, which bleaches her skin and drives her insane, resulting in her transformation to Harley Quinn.[66] This origin was received negatively by fans, who felt that its removal of Harley Quinn's choice to become the Joker's accomplice willingly, as depicted in her previous origin stories, took out an essential part of her character.[66]

Textless cover art of the second series' first issue featuring Harley Quinn's roller derby-inspired costume, art by Amanda Conner and Paul Mounts. Harley Quinn co-creator Bruce Timm said of the design: "I really like Amanda's design a lot because it's modern and a little bit punk rock, but it's really fun without being trashy. I think the whole roller-derby look is really fun because it's tough but it's still playful. It's not...It's not skanky".[21]

Harley Quinn's second ongoing series, written by husband and wife Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, with the interior art illustrated by Chad Hardin and John Timms, explored Harley Quinn leaving Gotham City and starting her own life in her hometown of Brooklyn, depicting her as a landlord in Coney Island, where she shares an apartment building with a supporting cast of "sideshow freaks".[67][12][68][69][70] Considered to be the most defining writers to work on the character since Dini and Timm, Palmiotti and Conner reinvented Harley Quinn as an antihero who has left her controlling relationship with the Joker behind.[23][71][72]

In contrast to Harley Quinn's depiction in Glass' Suicide Squad, Palmiotti and Conner wrote Harley Quinn with a lighthearted, cartoonish, and humorous tone. Her costume has also been changed with a roller derby-inspired costume designed by Conner, which incorporates Conner's favorite aspects of Harley Quinn's early costume and her costume in Glass' run of Suicide Squad.[69][73][67] The series also brought back Harley Quinn's red and black motif.[61]

The series began being published in November 2013, starting with Harley Quinn #0, which brought together 17 comic book artists, including Harley Quinn co-creator Bruce Timm, to illustrate a fourth wall-breaking story about Harley thinking of the artists that could illustrate her in her own comic book series.[74][75] The rest of the series details Harley Quinn's adventures in Coney Island with her supporting cast.[76] In Harley Quinn #25, Palmiotti and Conner reunited Harley Quinn with the Joker; the story depicts Harley Quinn returning to Gotham City to confront the Joker and end their relationship.[77][78]

With Harley Quinn's longtime friend Poison Ivy being a recurring character in the series, Palmiotti and Conner built on their relationship and hinted at romantic feelings between the two characters; Poison Ivy is shown kissing Harley Quinn multiple times throughout the series, and a sexual relationship between them was alluded to in issue #25.[76][72] When asked regarding their relationship in a Twitter Q&A, Palmiotti and Conner replied: "Yes, they are girlfriends without the jealousy of monogamy".[34]

The New 52 Harley Quinn series received positive reception, and was also one of DC Comics' top-selling series, inspiring multiple spin-offs.[76][73] The series was ended for the DC Rebirth relaunch of DC's titles.[79]

The cover of the first issue of the New 52's Suicide Squad title drew controversy for its sexual depiction of Harley Quinn.[12] This also caused some fans of the character to send Glass hate mail and personal threats.[63]

In September 2013, DC Comics announced an art contest entitled "Break into comics with Harley Quinn!", 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 Quinn in the fourth scenario, in which the character attempts suicide while naked in her bathtub. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Psychiatric Association, and National Alliance on Mental Illness all responded to the controversy in an emailed group statement to the Huffington Post: "We are disappointed that DC Comics has decided to host a contest looking for artists to develop ways to depict suicide attempts by one of its main villains – Harley Quinn". After seeing the reactions to the contest, DC Comics apologized, saying they should have made it clear it was a dream sequence that was not supposed to be taken seriously. In the final version, the bathtub scene was cut and replaced with Harley Quinn sitting on a rocket while flying in space.[80][81][82]

In June 2016, the DC Rebirth event relaunched DC Comics' entire line of comic book titles. Both Harley Quinn as well as Suicide Squad were rebooted, with the latter starting with the one-shot issue Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1 (October 2016). Harley Quinn's DC Rebirth design included pink and blue dyed hair tips and a jacket inspired by Margot Robbie's portrayal of the character in the 2016 film Suicide Squad, a change established in the last issues of her New 52 series.[83][84]

Harley Quinn returned as a regular character in the relaunched Suicide Squad series, written by Rob Williams. The series was canceled in January 2019.[85]

Harley Quinn's relaunched ongoing series is a direct continuation of the former, with Conner and Palmiotti still writing for the character, and Hardin and Timms illustrating the interior art.[86] After having written 64 issues of Harley Quinn's ongoing series, Conner and Palmiotti's five-year run ended with the 34th issue of the series in December 2017, with writer Frank Tieri and artist Inaki Miranda taking over the title.[87][88][89] Tieri's run on the series ended with the series' 42nd issue, followed by a two-issue storyline written by Christopher Sebela and illustrated by Mirka Andolfo.[90] By issue #45 in July 2018, Sam Humphries was the new writer for the series, with John Timms returning to provide art.[89][90] The series ended in August 2020.[91]

In 2017, Harley Quinn co-creator Paul Dini wrote a backup feature for Harley Quinn's Rebirth monthly series entitled Harley Loves Joker, co-written by Palmiotti and illustrated by Bret Blevins, which ran for 9 issues.[92] The story brought back Harley Quinn's classic characterization and focuses on her past with the Joker. Unlike her characterization in Batman: The Animated Series, Dini and Palmiotti wrote Harley Quinn in the story as less of a "doormat", with Harley Quinn and Joker being on equal footing in their relationship.[93] The story concluded with the two-part limited series of the same name, which also expanded on Harley Quinn's past as a former intern in animal research at S.T.A.R. Labs, where she met her pet hyenas Bud and Lou.[94] In the second part of the story, Dini and Palmiotti explained Harley Quinn's change in costume, establishing the character's modern design as a reflection of her having left her relationship with the Joker.[95][96]

Concept art for Harley Quinn's Infinite Frontier design by Riley Rossmo, which combines his favorite aspects of Harley's classic jester getup and more recent designs.[97][98]

For the 2021 Infinite Frontier relaunch, Harley Quinn is moved back to Gotham City as a superheroine, where she frequently interacts with and aids the Batman family, and she is given a new design by Riley Rossmo.[97] Harley Quinn's fourth ongoing series, written by Stephanie Phillips and illustrated by Rossmo, depicts her "actively looking to make up for her past sins", alongside a former Joker henchman named Kevin.[98][97] Harley Quinn also has a prominent role in the "Fear State" crossover event.[99]

In January 2022, Phillips confirmed Harley would be resuming her previous career as a psychologist.[100]

The Joker is Harley Quinn's former lover. Harley's solo comics often explore her former association with the Joker through "flashbacks of their past exploits, present-day conflicts", or through Harley as she "laments his absence".[112] Harley often refers to him as "Mistah J" and "Puddin'".[113]

Their relationship is known for its abusive and codependent nature, first established in Harley's first origin story Mad Love.[21] The Joker habitually abuses Harley, and despite the abuse, Harley Quinn returns to him.[114] In the 1999 one-shot comic Batman: Harley Quinn, the Joker decides to kill Harley, after admitting that he does care for her, that their relationship is romantic, and that these feelings prevent him from fulfilling his purpose.[115] Dini describes their relationship as abusive,[116] and empathizes with Harley's feelings of abandonment, with Dini basing most of Harley's dialogue on his past experiences.[117]

The Joker's controlling and codependent relationship with Harley Quinn has been analyzed as a means of the Joker reinforcing his own belief in his power in a world where he may be killed or neutralized by another villain or Batman.[118] Joker mirrors his identity through Harley in her appearance, and even though he may ignore or act indifferent towards her, he continues to try to subject her to his control.[118] When Harley successfully defeats Batman in Mad Love (1994), the Joker, emasculated by his own failure, severely injures her out of fear of what the other villains will think of him; however, while Harley recovers, the Joker sends her flowers, which she accepts, reasserting his control over her.[119]

Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy in "New Roots" from Batman: Urban Legends #1, art by Laura Braga.

Poison Ivy is Harley Quinn's current love interest and best friend, and Harley often refers to her as "Red".[120] Ivy was first introduced as a new friend to Harley by Dini in the 1993 Batman: The Animated Series episode "Harley and Ivy".[121] The episode came from Dini wanting to make Harley a stronger character and write a story where she leaves the Joker; Dini decided to pair her up with Ivy because she was "the strongest contrast to Harley".[121] The two later became close friends within the DC Animated Universe. Dini stated that he could see a romantic relationship between the two happening the more he worked with the two characters, but the impossibility of properly portraying their relationship in a kid's cartoon at the time prevented it from happening.[40]

Prior to the New 52 reboot, Ivy is shown as having teamed up on occasion with Harley with Harley being her best friend and recurring ally. Unlike most villain team-ups, their partnership is based on genuine friendship and mutual respect. Ivy sincerely wants to save Harley from her unhealthy abusive relationship with the Joker. Accordingly, Poison Ivy despises the Joker, and the two exchange vicious banter at every opportunity. In the final storyline of the Gotham City Sirens series, Harley suggests that Ivy may be in love with her, an accusation that stuns her.[122] The following issue has Poison Ivy acknowledge that she may indeed love Harley, but the details of her love are never specified, and the series ended with the New 52 reboot before their relationship could be addressed.[123]

Conner and Palmiotti hinted at a romantic relationship in the New 52 Harley Quinn series,[76][72] and later confirmed that Harley and Ivy are in a non-monogamous relationship.[124][34] 2017's Harley Quinn #25 marked their first canonical kiss.[125]

Harley Quinn first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), voiced by Arleen Sorkin, who subsequently reprised her role in other DC Animated Universe series, including Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Static Shock (2000–2004), and Justice League (2001–2004), as well as the film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000).

Originally a career-oriented psychologist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel's life took a radical turn when she chose to take an internship at Arkham Asylum for a semester of college. Convinced by the Joker himself to do it, Harleen interviewed him and learned he was abused as a child by his alcoholic father (later learning this backstory to have been one of several different stories he had told to others, some with different details each time), and after more interviews, determined Batman was the primary source of the Joker's anger and was to blame for his actions, but that she also had fallen in love with him. Harleen helped the Joker escape and, renaming herself Harley Quinn, became his sidekick in hopes that she could win his love, going on a crime spree across the United States of America.[126]

After assisting Joker in attempting to assassinate Commissioner James Gordon by planting a bomb at a dinner in his honor, she was subdued by Batman, and subsequently an accomplice in virtually all of Joker's criminal schemes.[127] On occasion, she would be kicked out of Joker's gang when unintentionally upstaging or annoying the Joker, on one of these occasions teaming up with Poison Ivy, with the two becoming close friends and a successful crime duo independently.[128] While imprisoned on her own in Arkham Asylum, Batman offered her a pardon in exchange for helping him track down the Joker after he had stolen a nuclear bomb.[129] The day she is declared rehabilitated and paroled, Harley's hyperactivity and unfamiliarity with the "real" world leads to her accidentally kidnap someone and be returned to Arkham yet again.[130]

In the 31-episode Gotham Girls web series, Harley joins forces with Poison Ivy and Catwoman in a co-starring role.

After several failed attempts at rehabilitation, Harley returns to the Joker's side. However, after another failed attempt to kill Commissioner Gordon leads the Joker to forget their anniversary, Harley re-examines her life and decides that as Batman was the cause of the Joker's obsession, she should capture and kill him herself for him to kill, doing so by falsely pretending to have found sanity and luring Batman into a trap. Recognizing Harley to have come closer to killing him than Joker has ever done, Batman tricks her into facilitating his escape by making her call the Joker and tell him what she has done, knowing that he would not allow anyone other than himself to kill Batman, pushing her aside and unknowingly knocking her out a window. Recovering in Arkham, Harley decides that the Joker will never truly love her, before returning to her devotion upon seeing that he has left her a rose in a vase from him by her bedside table, with a note hoping that she gets better soon.[126] Harley later references having convinced the Joker to attend couple's counseling with her.[131]

In the film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, flashbacks reveal Harley's apparent final actions after returning to the Joker again were assisting him in kidnapping Tim Drake and torturing him into insanity to transform him into their son "J.J", so that they can start a family together. She later fought Batgirl who angrily chastised her for even helping Joker commit a heinous act but fell deep into an abyss, leading to the latter presuming her dead, though she survived as depicted in the present, where she appears at the end of the film, revealed to have reformed and become the grandmother of the Jokerz members, the Dee Dee Twins, who address her as "Nana Harley".

Harleen Quinzel was a psychologist at Arkham Asylum, and after meeting the Joker, she became his frequent accomplice, took on the name Harley Quinn, and got into an abusive codependent relationship with him. She eventually splits up with him, and becomes a solo criminal, forming a criminal gang called the Quinntets. Following the Quinntet's dissolution, Harley Quinn moves to Metropolis with her best friend Poison Ivy, where she works as a love columnist in the Daily Planet under the alias Holly Chance. She then moves back to Gotham City, where she then voluntarily incarcerates herself in Arkham.[4] Harley Quinn then spends a 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 Jim 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. [132] She then briefly joins the Secret Six, then decides to quit.[133]

During Countdown to Final Crisis, a reformed Harley Quinn resides 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 reveals 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.

Harley Quinn then joins forces with Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley) and Catwoman (Selina Kyle) in the series Gotham City Sirens. In Gotham City Sirens #7, Harley Quinn visits her family in her hometown of 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. Following several adventures with Catwoman and Ivy, Harley betrays them and breaks into Arkham Asylum, intending to kill the Joker for his years of abuse towards her. However, Harley ultimately chooses instead to release the 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.[134] 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.[122] Shortly afterward, Poison Ivy breaks into Harley's cell and attempts to kill her for her betrayal, but instead offers to free her if she helps her kill Catwoman, who had left both of her fellow Sirens behind in Arkham. Harley agrees, and the two set out to trap Catwoman.[123] During the ensuing fight, Catwoman says she saw good in them and only wanted to help. As Batman is about to arrest them, Catwoman helps the two of them escape.[135]

Like her previous incarnations, Harleen Quinzel was still the Joker's psychologist, but before she becomes Harley, the Joker pushes her into a vat of chemicals, bleaching her skin white and driving her insane. Harley Quinn is forced to join the Suicide Squad by Amanda Waller. Harley Quinn then leaves Gotham City and moves back to her hometown of Brooklyn and resides in Coney Island.

Harley Quinn moves back to Gotham City in an attempt to reestablish herself as a hero, aiding the Batman Family and trying to make up for her past "where she often enabled the Joker".[97]

Harley Quinn stars in various series under DC Comics' adult-oriented Black Label imprint.

• Harley Quinn appears in Birds of Prey, portrayed by Mia Sara. This version does not wear a costume, although she does wear an outfit that is reminiscent of her original appearance in the series finale "Devil's Eyes".
• Harley Quinn made 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").[159][160] Series star Stephen Amell revealed in an interview she was set to appear in the season two finale episode "Unthinkable", but was cut due to time.[161] Producer Andrew Kreisberg revealed that there were plans for the character to appear, but series actress Willa Holland said they had been axed due to the Suicide Squad film.[162][163]
• A character loosely based on Harley Quinn named "Ecco" appears in the fourth and fifth seasons of Gotham, portrayed by Francesca Root-Dodson. Like Quinn, Ecco wears a black and red outfit, clown makeup, and roller-skates, refers to other characters as "Puddin", and is completely devoted and infatuated with Jeremiah Valeska; additionally, the character of Barbara Kean, portrayed by Erin Richards, was also modeled off of Quinn during their appearance in the fourth season, while Meggie Vilcina portrays a young Harleen Quinzel, whose family Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) rescues, in the final moments of the third season finale "Heavydirtysoul". Following Ecco's death in "The Beginning...", Jeremiah mentions that "there are always other fish in the sea".[164][165][166]

• An animated series starring Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy was in development in 2001, but never made it past early pre-production. Character designs for the series were done by Shane Glines.[167]
• Harley Quinn appears in The Batman, voiced by Hynden Walch. This version is a former television pop psychiatrist who ends up being seduced by the Joker, sharing a normal relationship.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Meghan Strange.
• Harley Quinn makes several cameos in Teen Titans Go!.
• Harley Quinn appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Tara Strong.
• Harley Quinn appears in the 2019 animated series DC Super Hero Girls, voiced again by Tara Strong. This version is a fangirl of the Joker and Barbara Gordon's best friend from Gotham City, though they are unaware of each other's identities until "Nightmare in Gotham". While initially living in Gotham, she moves to Metropolis in "#Frenemies Part 1", and becomes friends and partners with Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Giganta, Star Sapphire, and Livewire, while also becoming an enemy of the DC Super Hero Girls.

• Warner Bros. Animation developed Harley Quinn animated series for their streaming service, DC Universe,[168] with Kaley Cuoco providing Harley Quinn's voice.[169] The series was released in 2019.[170] It focuses on Harley as she "attempts to make it on her own as the criminal Queenpin of Gotham City",[168] and step out of the Joker's shadow with the help of Poison Ivy and her crew of supervillains.[171][172]

• Harley Quinn was initially set to appear in Batman Unchained, the fifth film planned for the original Batman film series.[173][174] She was to be featured as the Joker's (Jack Nicholson) daughter, who allies herself with the Scarecrow to get revenge on Batman for her father's death.[175] However, due to the critical and commercial failure of Batman & Robin, this film was cancelled.
• The Batman: Arkham version of Harley makes a cameo appearance in the 2018 film Ready Player One.[176]
• Lady Gaga was cast to play Quinn in the 2024 film Joker: Folie à Deux.[177][178]

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (2016)

Margot Robbie portrays Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe.[179]

• The character debuted in the 2016 film Suicide Squad. Paul Dini, the creator of Harley Quinn, said Robbie "nailed" her role.[180]
• Harley Quinn appears in the 2020 spin-off film Birds of Prey, which Robbie also produced. On Robbie's portrayal of the character in the film, Dini commented: "I think they really got the essence of the character down, and they made her quite a lot of fun and appealing in so many ways. She's not totally the animated version, and it's not totally the Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner version, but it kind of borrows from all of them and creates its own reality and its own fun. There are so many moments in that movie that I just think are wonderful. [...] When I saw her running, laughing hysterically, pushing a shopping cart full of Peeps, I said, "That's my girl". All those little impish things that she did in the movie – sitting down eating cereal, watching Tweety Bird cartoons, and just kind of skipping through life cheerfully oblivious of the devastation she's caused – that's Harley".[181]
• Harley Quinn appeared in the film The Suicide Squad (2021), a standalone sequel to Suicide Squad.

• Harley Quinn has a cameo appearance in Justice League: The New Frontier during a speech by John F. Kennedy.
• An alternate universe version of Harley Quinn appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. This version is a monkey owned by "The Jester" (the film version of the Joker).
• Harley Quinn is featured in Batman: Assault on Arkham, voiced by Hynden Walch.
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Gotham City Breakout with Tara Strong reprising her role.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman and Harley Quinn, voiced by Melissa Rauch. She works as a waitress after breaking up with the Joker again, and helps Batman and Nightwing stop Poison Ivy from accidentally causing the extinction of all life on Earth.[182][183]
• Dr. Harleen Quinzel appears in Batman vs. Two-Face, voiced by Sirena Irwin. This version is Hugo Strange's assistant, who reciprocates the Joker's flirting. In a Blu-ray exclusive bonus scene, Quinzel, dressed as Harley Quinn, busts the Joker out of prison.
• Harley Quinn appears in DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon, voiced by Kang Ji-young.[184]
• The Brave and the Bold version of Harley Quinn appears in Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Tara Strong.
• A feudal Japanese version of Harley Quinn appears in the anime film Batman Ninja, voiced by Rie Kugimiya and Tara Strong in Japanese and English respectively.[185][186]
• Harley Quinn makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with Tara Strong reprising her role. This version was mutated by the Joker into an anthropomorphic hyena and assists him in fighting the Bat family and the Turtles. She is subsequently knocked out by Batman and abandoned by the Joker as he attempts to escape.
• Dr. Harleen Quinzel makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Batman: Death in the Family.
• Harley Quinn makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Space Jam: A New Legacy.
• Harley Quinn appears in the animated film Injustice, voiced by Gillian Jacobs.[187]
• Harley Quinn appears in Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, with Tara Strong reprising her role. Following the events leading up to the second season of the series, Harley joins the Legion of Doom, created by Lex Luthor to get rid of all of the superheroes and take over the world using the Amulet of Cythonna. However, she disagreed with Luthor and the Legion's plan and left the villains after helping Wonder Woman escape, now that she knew her friend's identity as Batgirl. Inspired by Bumblebee's speech, she decides to help the heroes defeat Cythonna and the Legion of Doom. After their success, the Super Hero Girls end up accepting Harleen into their team.
• Harley Quinn appears in the crossover film Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!, voiced again by Tara Strong.[188][189]

• The Flashpoint version of Harley Quinn named Yo-Yo appears in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, voiced by Hynden Walch.
• Harley Quinn appears in Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, with Tara Strong reprising her role. This version is a member of the Suicide Squad whose appearance is inspired by her counterpart from The New 52.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman: Hush and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, with Hynden Walch reprising her role. In Apokolips War, she is shown to have become the new leader of the Suicide Squad following Amanda Waller's death by cancer and seeks to avenge the death of Joker, who was apparently killed by Batman under Darkseid's control.

• 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 appears in The Lego Batman Movie, voiced by Jenny Slate.
• Harley Quinn appears in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, voiced by Margot Rubin.

• Harley Quinn appears in the Batman Black and White motion comics, voiced by Janyse Jaud.
• An alternate universe version of Harley Quinn appears in the Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles episode "Twisted", voiced again by Strong. This version is a serial killer who makes toys and dolls out of the bodies of her victims.
• Harley Quinn appears in the web series DC Super Hero Girls, voiced by Tara Strong. This version is a student at Super Hero High and roommate of Wonder Woman.

• Harley Quinn appears in Batman: The Audio Adventures, voiced by Gillian Jacobs.[190]
• Harley Quinn appears in Harley Quinn & The Joker: Sound Mind, voiced by Christina Ricci.[191][192]

• Harley appears in The Adventures of Batman & Robin, voiced again by Arleen Sorkin.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman Vengeance, voiced again by Sorkin. At the beginning of the game, Harley dons a mask and wig to pose as a single mother named "Mary Flynn". As Flynn, she tricks Batman into rescuing her "son" from the Joker so he can lure Batman into a trap. Batman seemingly fails to stop the Joker from falling to his death off Gotham Bridge when his scheme fails, and when Harley attempts suicide out of grief, he saves her. Soon afterward, Harley gives up crime and even assists Batman in his investigation of several other unusual crimes across Gotham. In the final phase of the game, it was revealed the Joker is alive and faked his death as part of a bigger plan to destroy the city; Harley was aware of this from the beginning and did her part to make sure that Batman would follow the clues Joker left.
• Harley Quinn appears in Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, as an inmate of Arkham Asylum.

Harley appears in DC Universe Online, initially being reprised by Arleen Sorkin before being replaced by Jen Brown starting in 2016. She is available in PVP, being granted to Villains without having to spend Marks of Legend.

• Harley Quinn appears in Lego Batman: The Videogame, voiced by Grey DeLisle. She appears as an enemy of Batman, the 1st deputy of the Joker, and the second boss of Chapter 3 "The Joker's Return".[193][194] Harley Quinn in Lego Batman is a playable character, can be unlocked through the villain levels, and carries a pistol and her giant mallet. She is one of three bosses that later appear as minibosses, the other two being Two-Face and Catwoman.
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Laura Bailey.[195] She first appears as the first miniboss in "Theatrical Pursuits". In "Arkham Asylum Antics", she rides with the Riddler and Two-Face on the latter's truck. She also appears as a boss at the Gotham Funland entrance.
• Harley Quinn appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Tara Strong. She has two side-quests in the Hall of Doom, after which she is unlocked as a playable character.
• Harley Quinn is a playable character in Lego Dimensions, with Tara Strong reprising the role.
• Harley Quinn serves as one of the main characters in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Tara Strong.[196] Her design is based on The New 52.

Harley Quinn appears in the Batman: Arkham franchise. While Arleen Sorkin reprised her role from the DC Animated Universe in the first installment, she was replaced by Tara Strong for the rest of the series.[197][198]

• In Batman: Arkham Asylum, she takes control of the eponymous asylum to facilitate the Joker's escape, and makes subsequent appearances throughout the game; kidnapping Warden Quincy Sharp and Commissioner Gordon, releasing Poison Ivy from her cell and attempting to kill Batman on the Joker's orders. After Batman defeats Harley, he locks her up in a vacant cell, where she remains for the rest of the storyline. In this game, Harley wears an original nurse-themed costume.
• In Batman: Arkham City, she continues to work with the Joker within the eponymous city prison, making several appearances throughout the main story. Following the Joker's death due to his Titan-inflicted disease, Harley watches in shock as Batman carries his lifeless body outside Arkham City. In this game, Harley wears a biker-girl-themed outfit, using a low-key version of her usual makeup, with heavy eye shadow in lieu of her domino mask.
  • Harley also appears in the Harley Quinn's Revenge expansion pack, set after the events of the main story, wherein she seeks revenge on Batman for the Joker's death. After taking several police officers hostage in Arkham City to lure Batman into a trap, she manages to capture him but is ultimately defeated after Robin rescues Batman. By this point, Harley has taken full control of the Joker's gang and has adopted a new look: mostly black clothes, with hair dyed black, a mourning veil, and a "J" necklace.
• Harley Quinn appears in the mobile game Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, set before the events of Arkham City, where she takes a reporter as a hostage to ransom her for the Joker's release from prison. After luring Batman into a trap, she tries to execute the bound and gagged reporter but is stopped by one of Batman's batarangs.
• Dr. Harleen Quinzel appears in Batman: Arkham Origins, which takes place before her transformation into Harley Quinn. She interviews the Joker at Blackgate Prison and falls in love with him after he confesses his fascination with someone whom he considers special to him (with Harley believing the Joker is talking about her, when in reality he is thinking of Batman). She later appears amongst the prison's other staff members held hostage by the 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.
• Harley returns in Batman: Arkham Knight. Still in charge of the remains of the Joker's gang and vengeful against Batman, she is recruited by the Scarecrow to assist him in his plot to kill the Dark Knight. Harley discovers Batman and Robin's hideout at the abandoned Panessa Studios, where the two are keeping the victims of the Joker's blood transfusion who were not affected by the cure under observation. She leads her gang to invade the hideout and release the Joker patients but is foiled after one of them betrays her and kills the other patients before committing suicide. Harley is then locked up by Batman in one of the Joker victims' cells left vacant, where she remains for the rest of the storyline. In this game, she wears a modified version of her Arkham City costume.
  • Apart from the main game, she is a playable character via downloadable content. She was included in her self-titled expansion pack, which also features four challenge maps and a story-driven mission for the character, set shortly before the events of Arkham Knight, wherein she breaks into the Blüdhaven Police Headquarters to free Poison Ivy on Scarecrow's orders.[199] Harley has several unique gadgets at her disposal, including her baseball bat, explosive jack-in-the-box, and laughing gas, as well as a variant of Detective Mode, called Psychosis Mode, which allows the player to see enemies and objects of interest through walls; when the player keeps Psychosis Mode active for an extended period of time, the character's Harleen and Harley personas can be heard fighting for control of her body. Harley also appears as a boss in the Batgirl: A Matter of Family DLC mission, set before the events of Arkham Asylum, in which she dons her classic jester costume.
• Harley appears as a playable character in the mobile game Batman: Arkham Underworld. She is unlocked after the player completes a mission for her, and wields a special pistol, grenades, and a baseball bat. She can also summon her pet hyenas.
• Harley will appear as a playable character in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which is set five years after the events of Arkham Knight.[200] In the game, she is part of the Suicide Squad assembled by Amanda Waller to eliminate Brainiac and the members of the Justice League brainwashed by him in Metropolis.

• Harley Quinn appears as a playable fighter in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced by Tara Strong.[201] In the alternate universe depicted in the game, Quinn establishes the Joker Clan to honor the Clown Prince of Crime 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 until Lex Luthor manages to convince her the Joker is manipulating her for his ends. In her arcade ending, she fatally slits the Joker's throat after a wedding gone wrong.[202]
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable fighter in Injustice 2, with Tara Strong reprising her role.[203][204] She is a main character in the single-player campaign, wherein she serves as one of Batman's most trustworthy allies, and assists him and the other heroes in combating Brainiac and the Society, which includes Poison Ivy. Harley is also shown to have completely overcome her feelings for the Joker after realizing he had been controlling and abusing her for years. In her arcade ending, she is offered a position within the Justice League and admits that she still has violent impulses from time to time, but manages to keep them under control by being heroic and spending time with her daughter Lucy (who believes her to be her aunt, though Harley hopes to tell her the truth someday).

Harley Quinn appears in Batman: The Enemy Within (the sequel to Batman: The Telltale Series), voiced by Laura Post.[205] This version was driven insane following her father's long bout with mental illness and eventual suicide. Attempting to avoid her father's fate, she joins a criminal organization called the Pact to steal a virus able to cure her hereditary condition. This depiction initially reverses the dynamic between Harley and the Joker. Quinn manipulates and abuses her former patient at Arkham Asylum, named "John Doe", who is infatuated with her. As the series progresses, John's confidence will increase, and depending on the player's choices, he will either aid Bruce Wayne in capturing Quinn or transform into the traditional version of the Joker. In the latter outcome, Harley will become the Joker's girlfriend and the two use the virus to threaten Gotham City.

• Harley Quinn appears as a playable character in Infinite Crisis, voiced again by Tara Strong.[206]
• Harley Quinn appears as an antagonist and character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable character in the mobile game, Suicide Squad: Special Ops, based on the film.
• She appears as a playable character in DC Legends and DC Unchained.
• In Mortal Kombat 11, Harley Quinn appears as a DLC costume skin for Cassie Cage.
• Harley Quinn appears as a cosmetic outfit in Fortnite Battle Royale.
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable character in SINoALICE, voiced by Rie Kugimiya.[207]
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable character in the mobile game, DC Battle Arena, voiced by Kira Buckland.[208]
• Harley Quinn appears as a playable character in MultiVersus, voiced by Tara Strong.[209]
• Harley Quinn appears in Gotham Knights, voiced by Kari Wahlgren.[210]
• Harley Quinn appears in the HBO Max podcast series Batman: The Audio Adventures, voiced by Gillian Jacobs.[211]
• Harley Quinn appears in the Spotify podcast series Harley Quinn and The Joker: Sound Mind, voiced by Christina Ricci.[212]

Harley Quinn has her own novel adaptation from comics as part of the DC Comic Novels series. Mad Love was released in November 2018 and written by Pat Cardigan and original co-creator Paul Dini and published by Titan Books.

In 2022, Penguin Random House launched a Harley Quinn line of their young adult DC Icons series, authored by YA author and neuroscientist Rachael Allen.[213]

She has reinterpreted as Pauline Ketch in The Refrigerator Monologues.[214]