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Harley Quinn is a supervillain in Batman: The Animated Series and its spin-offs, and subsequently in various Batman-related comic books. As suggested by the name, she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester.
The character was created by Paul Dini, and is voiced in the animated cartoons by Arleen Sorkin.
While researching the lunatics at Arkham Asylum, a young psychiatric intern named Harleen Quinzel met The Joker. She fell instantly in love with him. After helping him escape from the asylum more than once, Harleen was suspected by the authorities who revoked her license and placed her in her own cell. During an earthquake in Gotham City, she fled and became Harley Quinn, the sidekick to the Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker.
She frequently refers to The Joker as "puddin" and "Mr. J."
One time, The Joker grew tired of Harley, and he sent her off on a rocket. She crash landed in a park in Gotham and was found by Poison Ivy. Ivy took Harley back to her toxic waste dump lair and nursed her back to health. This included injecting Harley with a serum that Ivy had developed which has given Harley an immunity to all toxins and poisons as well as boosting her immune system and giving her almost super human agility and strength.Harley and Ivy teamed up and conducted a number of succesful capers. When Harley and The Joker made up soon afterwards Ivy dissolved the partnership in disgust. Ivy remains, however, Harley's usual first point of call when she and The Joker are going through a rough patch. Ivy adopted the role of older sister and teller of harsh truths to Harley about Harley's helpless infatuation with The Joker. When Ivy demanded during one episode that Harley stand up for herself, Harley said "I'm nobody's doormat," and then asked "am I?" Ivy replied, "if you had a middle name, it would be 'Welcome'."
Harley Quinn first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, where the character was so popular that a version of her was added to the Batman comic books as well. The comic-book version of Harley Quinn, like the comic-book version of The Joker, is more dangerously psychotic and less humourously kooky than the animated-series version.
Because Harley's friendship with Ivy was one of the few villianous team-ups in the animated series seemingly rooted in genuine friendship, half-serious speculation and jokes exist among some fans as to potential lesbian undertones of their relationship.
She also had her own monthly DC Comics comic book series entitled Harley Quinn. A modified version of the character, played by Mia Sara, also appeared in the television series Birds of Prey. The TV character retained some of the insanity of the original version, along with her devotion to The Joker, but spent most of her screen time pretending to be a psychiatrist. She was only seen wearing a variation of her costume in the final minutes of the last episode of the series.
A scene in the movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker alludes that Harley Quinn is the grandmother of Delia and Deidre (referred to as "Dee Dee"), twin members of a future gang.
Comic book fanatic and film-maker Kevin Smith named his daughter Harley Quinn.
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