10 Things Everyone Always Gets Wrong About Harley Quinn
2. She Started Out In The Comics
This is one of the largest misconceptions about Harley Quinn, but it’s also far and away the easiest to correct. Many people understandably think that as such an iconic figure in the Batman canon, she must have started out in the comics, but she didn’t.
Harley Quinn first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series on September 11th, 1992. A year later, she was inked onto the pages for the first time in September 1993 as part of The Batman Adventures, debuting in issue #12.
In both cases, Paul Dini was writing with Bruce Timm in charge of art. She came about after the pair decided Joker should have a girlfriend, and the idea of an unhinged jester suited this perfectly. From then on in, she became a firm fan favourite that has evolved into the character we know and love today. First the backstory was developed, then she carried her own story-arc, before a few design tweaks, team ups and narrative leads brought her to where she is today.
A whole host of great Batman characters debuted outside of the comics, but none have become quite so popular as Harley Quinn.