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Characters & first appearances

What is the first appearance of Harley Quinn?

Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read

Short answerHarley Quinn's first comic-book appearance is The Batman Adventures #12, cover-dated September 1993, by Kelley Puckett, Mike Parobeck and Rick Burchett, in the tie-in series to Batman: The Animated Series. She was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for the television episode “Joker's Favor”, first broadcast in September 1992, a year before she reached print.

Batman Adventures #12

The Batman Adventures adapted the animated series' style for comics. Issue #12, "Batgirl: Day One", has Harley and Poison Ivy teaming up against Batgirl, with Harley in her original red-and-black jester costume. The Parobeck cover of the trio is the image collectors want.

Why it is a key

Harley went from a one-episode henchwoman to one of DC's most published characters and a film lead. Batman Adventures #12 is the first appearance in comics, and the market treats it as her key. Her first appearance in the main DC continuity is Batman: Harley Quinn #1 (October 1999), and the Mad Love one-shot (February 1994) by Dini and Timm tells her origin.

Collecting

As a 1993 book, supply in high grade is good and the market is a 9.8 market; a CGC 9.8 is in the store. Newsstand copies and the scarcer second printing carry premiums. Beware the 2015 and later reprints and facsimiles.

See the Harley Quinn character page, Batman Adventures #12 explained and the Modern Age collection.

Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.

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Key issueLast copy

DC Comics · Modern Age

Batman Adventures #12

CGC 9.8 · Universal Blue

First comic-book appearance of Harley Quinn

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$2,500
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DC Comics · Modern Age

Detective Comics (2011) #20

CGC 9.8 · Signature Series

We Can Be Heroes variant, signed and sketched by Frank Miller

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