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Harley Quinn Reading Order

Harley Quinn is a rarity in the Comic Book World because she was created on TV by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm in Batman: The Animated Series, in 1992. She became a recurring character on the show and, because of her popularity, she made the transition to paper, joining the Batman comic book canon seven years later.

Here was her story at the beginning, as told in the Mad Love comics: When she was only seven years old, Harleen Quinzel witnessed her father being beaten up by thugs, and then arrested by the police. That night, she ran away to the safest place she could think of: Coney Island amusement park. But there, pursued into the Funhouse by the men who brutalized her father, she beheld unimaginable horrors. Years later, Harleen has put her past behind her and used her intelligence and ambition to escape her childhood of poverty with a career in psychiatry. Assigned to her first position at Arkham Hospital, she will discover, deep in the asylum, something dangerous and alluring, something quite unlike anything else she has ever known before: The Joker.

She became Harley Quinn and, after having been injected with a special formula by Poison Ivy, she got new abilities, such as immunity to toxins and enhanced strength and agility. She left Joker behind and became a solo criminal. It was not a hit at first, but Harley came back a few years after the end of her first solo series to team up with Catwoman and Poison Ivy (forming the Gotham City Sirens).

Harley was a criminal, then an anti-heroine. Her backstory was refined, as was her relationship with Poison Ivy. She became quite popular on paper (especially during the 2010s), and later on the big screen too.

Harley Quinn Comics Reading Order:

Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series

It’s not reading but watching. Harley Quinn was created by writer Paul Dini and artist Bruce Timm in Batman: The Animated Series. Although her appearances in the animated series are not considered part of the canonical DC Comics universe, they represent her earliest adventures and formative storylines. If you are interested in Harley Quinn’s origins, you can begin with episodes such as “Joker’s Favor” (her debut), “Harley and Ivy” (introducing her partnership with Poison Ivy), and “Mad Love” (which explores her backstory). You can find the series in one box set and in HD.

  • Joker’s Favor (Season 1, Episode 7)
  • The Laughing Fish (Season 1, Episode 46)
  • Harley and Ivy (Season 1, Episode 47)
  • The Man Who Killed Batman (Season 1, Episode 49)
  • Almost Got ‘Im  (Season 1, Episode 35)
  • Trial (Season 2, Episode 4)
  • Harlequinade (Season 2, Episode 5)
  • Harley’s Holiday (Season 2, Episode 11)
  • Lock-Up (Season 2, Episode 14)

The Batman Adventures

The Batman Adventures is a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1992 to 1995. Unlike the mainline Batman titles set in the regular DC Universe continuity, this series takes place within the continuity and visual style of Batman: The Animated Series. After her debut on the TV Show, Harley Quinn joined the spin-off comics. 

Harley Quinn during the Post-Crisis era

Harley Quinn was formally introduced into the main DC Comics continuity with the 1999 one-shot graphic novel Batman: Harley Quinn, written by Paul Dini and illustrated by Yvel Guichet. This issue was published as part of the long-running “No Man’s Land” crossover event, which depicted Gotham City after a devastating earthquake and its subsequent isolation from the rest of the United States. The story reintroduced Harley Quinn as a canon character, adapting her origin from Batman: The Animated Series for the core comic book universe.

Previously, it was quite challenging to collect only her first issues, as they were scattered across multiple books. But thanks to the DC Finest collection, DC Comics has edited one book that has everything you need to read to follow Harley Quinn’s debut in the main DC Timeline.

  • DC Finest: Harley Quinn – Birth of the Mirth (1993-2001)
    Collects Action Comics #765; Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #126; The Batman Adventures #12; Azrael: Agent of the Bat #60; Batman #570, #573-574; Batman: Shadow of the Bat #93; Detective Comics #737, #740-741; Catwoman #82-84, #89; The Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1; The Batgirl Adventures #1; Batman: Harley Quinn #1; Batman: Gotham Knights #14; Harley Quinn #1-8.

 

Harley Quinn: The First Solo series (2000-2002)

Harley Quinn received her first ongoing solo comic book series in 2000, written by Karl Kesel with art by Terry Dodson. The series followed Harley as she broke free from the Joker’s influence and embarked on a career as an independent criminal in Gotham City.

The book introduced a new supporting cast known as the Quinntets, Harley’s team of henchmen who assisted her in various heists and schemes. The tone of the series blended crime caper antics with humor, emphasizing Harley’s attempts to prove herself as a major player in Gotham’s underworld without relying on the Joker.

In an attempt to save the series, writer A.J. Lieberman and artists Mike Huddleston and Troy Nixey took over and pushed Harley in a darker direction.

 

Harley Quinn: The First Solo In Deluxe Edition

After the cancellation of her first ongoing series in 2004, Harley Quinn became a recurring supporting character across various DC Comics titles.

Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens (2009-2011)

Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens is a series published from 2009 to 2011, written by Paul Dini with art by Guillem March. It’s a team-up book starring Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy, focusing on the adventures and exploits of Gotham City’s most notorious female characters.

The storyline is set shortly after the Battle for the Cowl event, during which Bruce Wayne is presumed dead and Dick Grayson assumes the mantle of Batman. In this continuity, Catwoman enacts revenge on the villain Hush by stealing his fortune and redistributing it to Gotham’s female criminals, including Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman’s ally Holly Robinson.

Previously collected in:

Harley Quinn during the New 52 Era

Suicide Squad New 52 (2011-2014)

Written by Adam Glass with art by Federico Dallocchio and Ransom Getty, this new Suicide Squad was launched as part of The New 52 reboot of the DC Comics universe. In this continuity, Harley Quinn received a redesigned appearance and became a central member of the Suicide Squad, a government-controlled team of incarcerated villains tasked with carrying out high-risk missions for Amanda Waller in exchange for commuted sentences. 

 

Suicide Squad (logo)

Harley Quinn & the New Suicide Squad (2014–2016)

Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner with art by Chad Hardin and John Timms, Harley Quinn’s second ongoing series saw Harley Quinn leave Gotham City to start her own life on Conney Island, embracing her independence and attempting to forge her own path outside the shadow of the Joker.

Harley Quinn New 52 Omnibus

  • Harley Quinn by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti Omnibus Vol. 1
    Collects Harley Quinn vol. 2 #0–16, Annual #1, Harley Quinn: Futures End #1, Harley Quinn Invades Comic-Con International San Diego, Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1, Harley Quinn Valentine’s Special #1, Harley Quinn and Power Girl #1–6, and material from Secret Origin #4.
  • Harley Quinn by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti Omnibus Vol. 2
    Collects Harley Quinn vol. 2 #17–30, Harley Quinn Road Trip Special #1, Harley Quinn: Be Careful What You Wish For Special Edition, Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys #1–6, and Harley’s Little Black Book #1–6.

The Full Harley Quinn New 52 Era

 

Harley Quinn during the Rebirth era

In 2016, as part of the DC Rebirth initiative, both Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad were relaunched. Although presented as part of the broader line-wide reboot, Harley Quinn’s ongoing series continued directly from her previous solo title, maintaining the same creative team.

This continuity preserved the character development and storylines established in her last New 52 series, including her life on Coney Island and her efforts to define herself independently of the Joker. While the Rebirth branding served to reintroduce characters to new readers and align the DC Universe under a cohesive framework, Harley Quinn’s story remained consistent, effectively making the series a continuation rather than a full reboot.

Harley Quinn Rebirth Omnibus

The Full Harley Quinn Rebirth Era

This is when the Dark Nights: Metal event took place. That event is led by Barbatos, the dark god who plans to unleash darkness across every Earths. Stopping him will change the DC Universe forever. Optional for Harley, but the Suicide Squad did its part.

The original creative team of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti concluded their run with issue #34 (before Death Metal). Following their departure, Frank Tieri and artist Inaki Miranda took over for eight issues, introducing new storylines and perspectives on Harley’s adventures. Subsequently, Christopher Sebela, with artwork by Mirka Andolfo, helmed the next two issues, before Sam Humphries and returning artist John Timms became the new regular creative team for the series.

Heroes in Crisis Icon Reading OrderTom King’s 2018-19 event Heroes in Crisis takes place at the Sanctuary, an ultra-secret hospital for superheroes and reformed supervillains who’ve been traumatized by crime-fighting and cosmic combat. But something goes inexplicably wrong when many patients wind up dead. Harley Quinn and Booster Gold emerge as the prime suspects, creating tension and raising questions about accountability, mental health, and trust within the superhero community.

Batman Icon Reading OrderWhen James Tynion IV became the main writer of Batman (more on that here), Harley Quinn became a recurring character in the series.

Harley Quinn during the Infinite Frontier/Dawn of DC era

The event of Future State is set in the aftermath of the “Dark Nights: Death Metal” storyline. The event explores a “possible future” of the DC Universe, presenting alternate timelines and character developments that may or may not come to pass in the main continuity.

  • Future State: Dark Detective
    Collects Future State: Dark Detective #1-4, Future State: Catwoman #1-2, Future State: Harley Quinn #1-2, Future State: Robin Eternal #1-2, Future State: Batman/Superman #1-2.

The conclusion of the Future State leads into DC’s Infinite Frontier relaunch and a new Harley Quinn series. In this era, Harley returns to Gotham City, reconnecting with the city’s familiar locales and characters. She frequently interacts with and occasionally aids members of the Batman family.

James Tynion IV concluded his Batman run with a crossover event called Fear State, in which Harley Quinn played a part. Gotham City is on the brink of martial law as Batman fights a two-front battle! The Scarecrow is unleashing a devastating attack on the city, while the Magistrate has made their move to invade! 

Due to her relationship with Ivy, Harley Quinn is a recurring character in the Poison Ivy series by G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara.

With Harley Quinn #28, a new creative team came on board: writer Tini Howard and artist Sweeney Boo. It was right before the Summer of 2023, when DC stopped (almost) everything for its Knight Terrors crossover event. Harley’s series was also paused, but she had her Knight Terrors miniseries.

Harley Quinn was part of the Suicide Squad “Dream Team” in the lead-up to the Absolute Power crossover event that concluded the “Dawn of DC” era.

Writer Leah Williams and artist Matteo Lolli revamped the Gotham City Sirens. Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy are back together to deal with a new energy drink creating chaos in the streets of Gotham.

Harley Quinn during the DC All In era

As part of DC Comics’ “All In” publishing initiative, Harley Quinn was not relaunched, but the creative team changed. The series is now written by Elliott Kalan with art by Mindy Lee. The storyline begins with Harley Quinn returning to Gotham City to discover that one of her favorite dangerous neighborhoods—Throatcut Hill—has been gentrified beyond recognition. Enraged by the changes and the loss of chaos, she launches a solo campaign to restore the city’s criminal underworld, declaring an intent to make “Gotham City safe for crime again.”

Out of Continuity Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn: DC Black Label

Harley Quinn stars in various series under DC Comics’ adult-oriented Black Label imprint.

In the Murphyverse

The Murphyverse is a collection of limited series by Sean Murphy set in the shared universe first established in the White Knight series.

Harley Quinn in The Bombshells

DC Comics Bombshells is a line of figurines released by DC Collectibles depicting DC Comics superheroines in a retro 1940s look based on designs by Ant Lucia –  influenced by World War II aesthetics and pin-up models. The brand became popular enough to lead DC Comics to publish an out-of-continuity series written by Marguerite Bennett based on the figurines. Here is the pitch: As Word War II rages across Europe, the Allied forces issue a call to arms for the greatest heroines the world has ever known: THE BOMBSHELLS! 

A second digital-first series launched in August 2017. It was called Bombshells: United.

Harley Quinn: The Animated Series

Spin-off comic series of the Harley Quinn Animated series launched in 2019.

Injustice: Ground Zero/ Injustice: The Video Game

Set in the Injustice video game universe (full reading guide here), Ground Zero tells the game’s story from Harley Queen’s point of view. Brian Buccellato and Christopher Sebela co-wrote the title.

Other Limited Stories

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12 thoughts on “Harley Quinn Reading Order”

    1. Carole
      Reply

      Hi Nani,

      Thanks for your comment! We have an article about the origins of Poison Ivy coming soon, but no reading order. I put it on the list of articles to do!

  4. Dave Solheim
    Reply

    Is the suicide squad vol 8 on the list twice intentionally? I just want to make sure there isn’t something missing where one of those entries is.

    1. Fabien
      Reply

      My bad! There was a bit of a mix-up it seems. More than one book needed to be moved, but I think I fixed it correctly. Thanks for noticing and leaving a comment, have a good read!

  8. Nuto
    Reply

    She also has a main role in Injustice Ground Zero by Buccelato and Sebela. It is Harley Quinn’s perspective of Injustice events (alternative reality). A good addition for Harley’s fans.

  10. Julius Maloney
    Reply

    Hi Thanks again for your always helpful reading list. The only tweak I’d make, other than perhaps time for an update is Harley doesn’t appear in the most recent Suicide Squad with Peacemaker as leader in the Robbie Thompson 2021 run, so this isn’t a necessary read for anyone following Harley exclusively.

    2. Carole
      Reply

      Hi Julius, The Harley Quinn reading order has recently been updated. Hope it helps! Don’t hesitate to write or leave a comment if we have made another mistake 😉

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