This past week, the DC fans came through! We asked the residents of the DC Universe if they knew the origins of Harley Quinn and how the world was introduced to Gotham’s intelligent and sometimes vicious clown princess.
The responses were so passionate and in-depth that we realised that you know your heroes and heroines as you would family! When it comes to this universe, YOU are the authority.
Harleen Quinzel
Harley Quinn, also Harleen Quinzel, was created by writer Paul Dini and artist Bruce Timm for Batman: The Animated Series, appearing first in an episode titled “The Jokers Favor” in 1992.
Initially, Harley was to appear in only one episode, however, as Dini was putting together the story for that episode, he thought of giving the character Joker a female sidekick, basing her character on a roller-skating jester from a dream sequence in the famous American soap opera Days of Our Lives. His friend Arleen Sorkin, who had acted in this scene, also voiced Harley and incorporated aspects of her personality into the character.
The stormy relationship between Harley and Joker is said to have also been inspired by another friend’s ‘stormy but nonviolent’ relationship.
The continuation of Harley's character came because of her popularity, and in 1993 sis made her first comic book debut in the twelfth issue of The Batman Adventures, becoming a recurring character.
February 1994 saw the release of The Batman Adventures: Mad Love, which was a story recounting Harley's origin (not to be confused with her debut, as we did).
The story was written and illustrated by her creators Dini and Timm, marking their first comic book collaboration. In Mad Love, Harley, isis portrayed as a former pop psychologist named Harleen Quinzel who falls in love with the Joker during her internship at Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum.
DC lovers, thank you so much for interacting with our poll and teaching us a thing or two because we love it! Let's do this again sometime soon.
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