For the past several years, Max has delighted DC Comics fans with its animated seriesHarley Quinn. The first season sees Harley Quinn end things with the Joker, and she sets off to become the next big villain in Gotham with the help of King Shark, Doctor Psycho, Clayface, and her eventual girlfriend, Poison Ivy. Since Season 1, a lot has changed, with Harley becoming more of an anti-hero.
Now in its fifth season,Harley Quinnis one of DC’s most interesting TV series, and it has developed a solid fan base. For said fans, they may be wonderingwhat to check out next after this season comes to its conclusion. There are tons ofHarley Quinn comic book storylinesto pick up, as well as some Poison Ivy titles, that could speak particularly to fans of the animated streaming series.
10Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - The Eat, Bang, Kill Tour
By Tee Franklin, Max Sarin, Marissa Louise, and Taylor Esposito
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - The Eat, Bang, Kill Tourisa tie-in series literally made for fans of Max’sHarley Quinn. Taking place between Season 2 and Season 3 ofHarley Quinn, the events of this comic take place right after Harley and Ivy become official, fleeing Ivy’s wedding to Kite-Man. Season 3 shows that between then and the wedding, Harley and Ivy went on a honeymoon-like adventure together, but it’s not shown in full on the show.
Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 Recap, Easter Eggs And Ending Explained
Harley Quinn Season 5, episode 2 features Harley and Ivy’s new lives in Metropolis, including a major surprise from Ivy’s past and a dark cliffhanger.
The Eat, Bang, Kill Tournails Harley and Ivy’s relationship, as well as the tone and humor of the animated series. This creative team givesHarley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s love the respect they deserve, and for fans of their romance fans, this comic is a must-read.
9Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats!
By Tee Franklin, Shae Beagle, Roberto Poggi, Lee Loughridge, and Taylor Esposito
The Eat, Bang, Kill Tourseries was a success for DC Comics, thus leading to anotherHarley Quinntie-incomic. This time,Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats!takes place between Season 3 and Season 4. Fans of Franklin’s writing for Harley and Ivy inEat, Bang, Killcan rejoice, as she is back once more to write for the power couple in a second comic series.
While Ivy prepares to lead the Legion of Doom, Harley Quinn adjusts to being part of the Bat-Family. As the two adjust to these new roles and attempt to find balance between them and their relationship, someone from Ivy’s past enters the picture to shake things up andputs Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s love to a big test. Once again, this tie-in comic captures the humor and heart of the beloved Max series, and it gives fans a little more of a glimpse into Poison Ivy’s past.
8Batman: Harley and Ivy
By Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and More
Harley Quinn is no stranger to animation. In fact, her debut is inBatman: The Animated Series, and she eventually transitions into the comics. For those who want to goall the way back to the first animated iteration of Harley Quinn, they can rewatch the iconic cartoon, or they can pick upBatman: Harley and Ivy, a comic from the creators of Harley Quinn, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.
Batman: Harley and Ivyis all about the friendship between the titular women…
Batman: Harley Quinn & Poison Ivyis all about the friendship between the titular women, with Harley doing everything in her power to help Ivy out with her big plan to save the environment, causing a little mayhem and chaos along the way. Harley and Ivy are opposites of each other personality wise in this comic, but that does not undermine their friendship, even when they get under each other’s skin.
7Harleen
By Stjepan Šejić and Gabriela Downie
While Harley Quinn is often a humorous character,there is a dark and tragic side to her, especially when it comes to her origin story. Max’sHarley Quinndoes take a look at her origin, as well as the complicated feelings Harley has toward it because of her past with the Joker. For a more in depth and serious look at her transition from Dr. Harleen Quinzel to Harley Quinn, look no further than the DC Black Label seriesHarleen, a visually stunning comic that is a beautiful nightmare at times.
Harleenretells Harley Quinn’s originas a doctor in Gotham and the early days of her relationship with the Joker from her perspective. This miniseries is a great look into the psyche of Harley Quinn, and it is also a nuanced depiction of her origin and the toxic, abusive relationship she had with the Joker. There is even a parallel to her and Batman, as both do not want to give up on the criminals of Gotham, but the paths they end up taking are drastically different.
6Harley Quinn: No Good Deed
By Stephanie Phillips, Riley Rossmo, Laura Braga, and More
After watching the recent season ofHarley Quinn, fans may want to dive directly into her current comic run, which is nearly fifty issues long as of the time of writing. While there is a jumping in point withHarley Quinn#44 as part of the DC All In soft relaunch, some may want to go back to the very beginning, which features a different creative team than the one currently tackling her more recent issues.
In addition to her own #1 from 2021, Harley Quinn was also heavily featured in theBatmanrun from that year, especially in theFear Stateevent.
The first six issues of this run are collected inHarley Quinn: No Good Deed. Like in the Max series,Harley Quinn is no longer a straight-up villain. Instead, she is back in Gotham City, and she is ready to atone for her past transgressions and crimes, but she’s going to do so in her own, unique way. Phillips and Rossmo are a dream team for Harley Quinn, with the former capturing Harley’s distinct voice and the latter complementing it with a zany art style.
5Harley Quinn: Hot in the City
Harley Quinn’s animated series pulls inspiration from her long comic and cartoon history; however, it is also telling its own story. That being said, there are still some specific comics that it is pulling heavy inspiration from, includingthe New 52Harley Quinnrun, which has issues #0 through #8 collected inHarley Quinn: Hot in the City.
This iconic run has influenced a lot of contemporary iterations of Harley Quinn, including Margot Robbie’s portrayal of the character and the Max series' iteration of the character. In this run, Harley Quinn starts a new life for herself on Coney Island, leading to plenty of chaotic antics with new characters and familiar faces, like Poison Ivy. This comic is another essentialHarley Quinnread, as it is unapologetically Harley.
4Harley’s Little Black Book
By Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Six Superstar Artists
Fans of Harley Quinn’s New 52 run will also want to pickHarley’s Little Black Book, which seesHarley team up with some heavy hitters from DC Comics, like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Zatanna, Superman, Lobo, and the DC Bombshells. The power writing team of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti continues the character’s story, capturing her comedic voice yet again.
The Max animated series sees Harley Quinn interact with DC characters from all across the DC Universe, like Superman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and more, so this series is perfect for fans who want to see Harley Quinn cross over with other DC characters outside the world of Gotham City - all depicted by some superstar artists to boot, like Neal Adams and Simon Bisley.
3Birds of Prey
By Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, Jordie Bellaire, and More
For another Harley Quinn team up, fans of the Max series do not need to look any further than the first arc of the 2023Birds of Preyseries,now collected as a trade paperback. In Season 4 of Harley Quinn’s animated series, she tries to work alongside the Bat-Family, eventually realizing that team may not be exactly what she’s suited for. In the comics, though, she does find a heroic team she folds into much better, despite some hesitation from her teammates.
“She is Pretty Much Everyone’s Favorite”: Black Canary Reveals the True Heart of the Birds of Prey
The greatest women in the DC Universe have called the Birds of Prey their team, but now one of DC’s most seasoned heroes names the MVP.
Said team is the Birds of Prey, led by none other than Black Canary. Also on board are Big Barda, Batgirl Cassandra Cain, Zealot, and Harley Quinn herself. Black Canary has assembled this team to save her younger sister, with each member - even Harley - bringing something essential to the mission. The series' first arc set the bar high forBirds of Prey, which continues to be a fan-favorite series in DC’s current line.
2Poison Ivy
By G. Willow Wilson, Marcio Takara, and Many More
While Harley Quinn is the titular character of the Max series, her co-lead is none other than her girlfriend,Poison Ivy. Their relationship is one of the strongest points of the show, andPoison Ivy stands out even beyond her relationship with Harley Quinn. For anyone who adores Ivy in the cartoon, they will love her in her ongoing series, which began in 2022 as a miniseries, only to be so successful that it was granted ongoing status, raking in accolades and awards.
Wilson and Takara have been on this series since the very beginning, and they have been winning readers over with every single issue, including those with guest artists. At the start of the series, Ivy sets out on a road trip to save the world by taking out humanity with a deadly fungal infection. That’s just the beginning of one ofDC’s best comicsof the 2020s, and it’s perfect for anyone wanting more Ivy post Harley Quinn’s animated series.
1Poison Ivy: Thorns
By Kody Keplinger and Sara Kipin
Another Poison Ivy comic fans of Harley Quinn’s animated series can turn to is going to bea young adult graphic novel. In the animated series, Harley gets a glimpse into Ivy’s relationship with her father, which is also addressed inHarley Quinn: The Animated Series - The Eat, Bang, Kill Tour.To get another take on this familial relationship, look no further thanPoison Ivy: Thorns.
We All Love Poison Ivy, But DC Is Now Challenging the Vixen’s Power With Help From Swamp Thing
Poison Ivy currently reigns supreme as DC’s premiere plant-based villain, but now a surprise Swamp Thing character is challenging Ivy for her crown.
Poison Ivy: Thornsis a unique Gothic romance about social outcast Pamela Isley and goth girl Alice Oh. However, Pamela’s father has plenty of secrets, which threaten this budding relationship as well as the girls' well-beings. While not part of the main continuity, this graphic novel still captures Ivy’s trust issues and rage, as well as a softer part of herself reserved for a few humans, like Alice andHarley Quinn.
Harley Quinn
Cast
Harley Quinn is a 2019 animated series focusing on the titular character’s evolution after severing ties with the Joker. As she seeks to establish herself as an independent force in Gotham City’s criminal underworld, the film explores her journey toward becoming Gotham’s criminal Queenpin.
