Harley Quinn First Appearance

Though her first appearance was in the 90's television series Batman: The Animated Series Harley's popularity soon soared making her a part of the comic book canon as part of the Batman

world. She even got her own comicbook (2001 - 2003). Paul Dini based her on his friend Arleen Sorkin.

Note : This picture on the side shows Harley Quinn's first appearance to be in Mad Love, but that was not her fist appearance if you count the animated series. If you count those then her first appearance was in Joker's Favor. Mad Love took place in the Batman: The Animated Series continuity, so her first DCU appearance is in the 1999 on shot Batman: Harley Quinn.

Origin

Dr. Harleen Quinzel

Harley’s origin was adapted from the Batman: The Animated Series episode entitled “Mad Love.” The story starts off with Harleen Quinzel working as an intern in Arkham Asylum. She discovered the Joker and quickly became fascinated with his insane motives. She voluntarily asked for a chance to analyze him. During one of their sessions the Joker tells her about his tragic past and how his father abused him. She gained sympathy for him and quickly fell in love with him. She helped the Joker escape and was caught by her superior, they revoked her license and put her in a cell at Arkham. She was able to escape Arkham when an earthquake hit, she soon joined up with the Joker and helped him in his crimes.

One year after Infinite Crisis, Harley was in Arkham and was trying to get out of Arkham the right way. She was kidnapped by Scarface who offered her a deal to help them both get extremely rich. Harley agreed and proceeded with the plan, however she called the police and alerted them of Scarface's plan. Batman came and they both foiled Scarface's plan and after that Harley went back to Arkham. The next day she was free to go with the vote of Bruce Wayne.

Losing the Costume

A super-powered Harley? Look out.

After a brief run with the Secret Six, Harley decided to call it quits, and joined the Metropolis branch of the Athenian Women's Shelter, which is secretly a training facility for future members of Granny Goodness's Female Furies. There she met up with Holly Robinson, former stand-in for Catwoman. The two have become friends, and are currently working under-cover for Queen Hippolyta, who is trying to discover the truth about the false Athena who is training "Amazons" on Themyscira.

On Apokolips, after Mary Marvel frees the imprisoned Gods that later grant her power, Harley demands that she and Holly get something too for everything they've done. Thalia is amused by Harley's feistiness and grants her a small portion of the cunning of Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, seemingly appropriate because of Harley's past. Harley Quinn’s costume is slightly more Greek like and she also gained a nice new hammer to go with her new super human abilities. It seems these abilities were a temporary gift, however, as she no longer possesses them.

Harley and Joker

Harley and her Puddin'

Ever since the beginning of her relationship with the Joker, Harley has played a very submissive role. She's often used and abused by the Joker to the point where her life has been threatened in several occasions. Yet she remains faithful to her man and stands by him when things go wrong. Their relationship is the strangest any comic’s characters have encountered, for the Joker is a man who isn’t likely to show an emotion such as love, yet in a few occasions he has felt jealous when Harley leaves him for Ivy or in the “Harley Quinn” series she leaves him for a cop, driving the clown crazy. He has also shared with her emotions such as sadness as he morns for the supposedly dead Batman. This was in Batman: The Animated Series episode “The Man Who Killed Batman”. Even though the Joker would like every one to believe he doesn’t love, there could be no other explanation for him to keep Harley around so long.

Eventually the Joker began to truly care for Harley and decided to kill her instead. He drugged her and took her to a rocket ship. Before he launched Harley he told her that she had reminded him of past memories and about feelings for someone he cares about. He ended by saying “And I HATE having those feelings!” He launched her and laughed while it flew away.

Harley and Poison Ivy

Gotham's Queens of Crime

BFF's

While Poison Ivy often takes the role of a close friend or even a protective and familiar role towards Harley, there has also been some serious speculation (or perhaps wishful fantasizing) about a sexual nature to the affiliation.