The paramour of The Joker, Harley Quinn is without a doubt one of the best female characters ever created for the DC universe. She first appeared on the Batman animated series back in 1992 and was an instant hit. The following year she would make her comic book debut in The Batman Adventures.
The 1994 graphic novel Mad Love recounts the character's origin. Told in the style and continuity of Batman: The Animated Series and written and drawn by Dini and Timm, the comic book describes Harley as an Arkham Asylum psychologist who falls for the Joker and becomes his accomplice and on-off sidekick/lover. The story received wide praise 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, making it the second "animated style" comic book adapted for the series (the other was Holiday Knights).
She becomes fascinated with the Joker while interning at Arkham, and volunteers to analyze him. She falls hopelessly in love nearly instantly with the Joker during their sessions, and she helps him escape from the asylum more than once. When the Joker is returned to Arkham after a battle with Batman, the sight of her badly injured patient drives Harley to don the costume and become Harley Quinn, the Joker's sidekick and on/off girlfriend. She later becomes fast friends with Poison Ivy, who injects her with antitoxins to give her the same immunity to poisons she has.
Her popularity is still high after almost 20 years later. On IGN's 2009 Top 100 Comic Book Villians of All Time, Harley ranked #45. How 'bout that?
To keep the fun going my friend Harley Cyn will be stopping by here to shed her personal feelings about this terrific character.
"And here you thought I was just another bubble-headed blonde bimbo! Well, the joke's on you - I'm not even a real blonde!"
To kick off April Fools Day is Harley Quinn, DC's resident girl jester. She will be my comic book character of the month and I will post pics, reviews, etc of this awesomely great character that can leave you in stitches or in a body bag. Your choice. The sometime paramour of The Joker, Harley is a wonderful addition to the DCU, first appearing on the Batman animated TV series. Maybe I can get my new friend Harley Cyn to stop by and talk a little bit about this terrific character. Anyway, do come by this month as Hero Worship will be all fun and games.
