Perhaps no character shot into superstardom quite like the DC Comics character Harley Quinn. Created almost 30 years ago, Harley Quinn has featured in many games, TV shows, comics, and live-action films. One of the more notable aspects of Harley Quinn’s history is her relationship with Gotham’s rogue, Poison Ivy.
The duo shares a rich friendship, which, in the later years, blossomed into a beautiful romance story of two villains turned anti-heroes. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have a great set of stories in the DC Comics, and are even set to return in the third season of HBO Max’s Harley Quinn, a black comedy animated series.
Updated November 21, 2022 by Jake Fillery: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have been quite the duo. Ever since their meeting in Batman: The Animated Series, the two characters have been bonded with fun chemistry, which soon blossomed into more than just a tolerable friendship. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s relationship is a fan favorite, and with the HBO Harley Quinn animated series, there’s plenty to be desired for stories with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.
For 30 years, Harley Quinn has been doing somersaults and exploding things, and within those 30 years are some great stories about Harley Quinn and Ivy. Their best comics can come in many forms, whether they are apart or together. Their romance and their fun are all part of the wild charm.
10 Harley Quinn (2021) Issues 8-10
Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn have been through a lot, especially since Ivy died for a while. The two characters also want different things. Ivy is obsessed with a war between humanity and nature, while Harley just wants to have fun, and get into more heroic antics than villainous ones. This leads to heartbreak, necessary for the evolution of these two girlfriends so that they can one day be better together.
In this Harley Quinn solo series, issues 8 through to 10 show a beautiful story between Harley and Ivy. However, all good things must come to an end. Both characters are still dealing with their breakup even in 2022, with both characters having their solo adventures in their comic books.
9 Poison Ivy (2022)
2022 has brought fans of Poison Ivy what they have been wanting for decades: an ongoing solo series for a Poison Ivy comic. It’s no secret that the character has been more of a sidekick and a girlfriend to Harley Quinn, and now, she springs from her roots in true villainous fashion. Ivy is dying, and with her death, humanity must end.
Poison Ivy DC series sees her embark across America, she is reminded about how alone she truly is without Harley after their breakup. Many pages feature emotional moments of Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and how even when they are apart, their hearts ache for one another.
8 Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special
In celebration of Harley Quinn being a character for 30 years, DC Comics released a giant comic that was a celebration of her character, from her time as Joker’s girlfriend and jester to the new, self-improved anti-hero that she is today. Within these pages are plenty of fun stories with gorgeous artwork that not only celebrates Harley Quinn but her blossoming romance with Poison Ivy.
There’s even a story from Paul Dini, the co-creator of Harley Quinn, which involves Harley having a housewarming party for the Gotham City Sirens. It’s great to see the co-creator write for the Gotham City Sirens again, with Poison Ivy and Catwoman none too pleased with Harley’s antics. Other stories from Stjepan Sejic also feature a raunchier take on the romance in this Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy comic.
7 Harley Quinn (2013)
When DC Comics rebooted with The New 52, Harley Quinn received an entirely new identity. No more second banana, Harley Quinn was her person, moving on from the abusive and villainous love she shared with The Joker. Harley returned to Coney Island in Brooklyn and began her own life and career, filled with whimsical adventures with friends, new and old.
Poison Ivy features prominently in Harley’s solo series. The duo flirt, laugh and fight. It’s a great look into the casual side of their relationship, and the pairing can get into some wild rides worthy of the former patients of Arkham Asylum.
6 Bombshells
In an alternate reality, the most famous female superheroes of the DC Universe guard the homefront during World War 2. This Elseworld series features the cast of characters like Batwoman, Supergirl, and more. There are many heroes featured in Bombshells, but the notable Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn feature as an origin story for their romance and growing love.
Their journey through the series is fun from the get-go. All characters have different origins, as Harley is from Britain and Ivy is from France. When the two meet, there is a notable language barrier, but their charm is irresistible, and they soon bond, and show that love is a universal language. As their love blooms, they join the war effort as heroes.
5 Heroes In Crisis
DC is no stranger to crisis. With Heroes In Crisis, audiences are introduced to Sanctuary, a secretly constructed facility to help with the mental health of all heroes. Tragically, an event occurs in which heroes are murdered, including Poison Ivy. Harley Quinn and Booster Gold are prime suspects and are on the run, whilst trying to find the true culprit.
Harley and Ivy’s story features rather prominently in Heroes In Crisis, and they have some wholesome and tragic moments. Harley snuck Ivy into Sanctuary to help them both, which just ends in more pain. It’s a great telling of love and loss.
4 Harley Quinn And Poison Ivy
Following Heroes In Crisis, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy embark on a road trip to redemption in this miniseries. The six-issue series has Harley and Ivy evading villains and heroes, whilst also taking the time to explore their convoluted relationship. The duo is still reeling from their experiences at Sanctuary, and only with each other can they get through their shared experiences.
The events of the comic have lingering implications for their future and past. Their love is prominent, and the final issue features a deconstruction of Harley Quinn. Ivy dismantles Harley, into who she was, and who she is going to be. There’s an emotional climax to the miniseries that many awaited further resolve for a long time.
3 Harley Quinn (2000)
Featuring Harley Quinn in her very own solo series, this comic further explored the character first seen in Batman: The Animated Series. Harley is just as herself as ever, even without the roller coaster love of The Joker. It’s a great set of comics, and she journeys with her good friend Poison Ivy throughout.
In this comic, the relationship between Harley and Ivy is more on friendly terms than romantic, although, there are a few moments that could suggest otherwise. The duo venture through Metropolis, and even encounter Bizarro. It’s a fun read for fans of the characters.
2 Batman: Harley And Ivy
Harley Quinn is a rare instance of a character created for a TV show to surpass the popularity of established characters. Harley Quinn was a booming success of fun for DC, and she received a comic pairing her with her good friend, Poison Ivy.
This comic was set in the DC Animated Universe and was created by the original creators of the show, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. Their friendship is tethered in this series, and highly comedic. The duo gets into many antics, both in and out of Gotham, and a strained Looney Tunes-Esque friendship becomes something more wholesome.
1 Gotham City Sirens
It was only a matter of time before the three biggest female troublemakers in Batman’s life teamed up. The Gotham City Sirens was formed, featuring Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and Catwoman. The comic has the three women tired of the rules established by other people, and they take the law into their own hands, by any means necessary.
Their chemistry works great in this series, and the three of them are an infinitely fun pairing. Ivy often acts as the mediator between the quirkier Harley Quinn, and the serious Bat-loving Catwoman. Things become strained and tested once Joker re-enters Harley’s life, and Harley uses Ivy’s love for her, against her in this thrilling comic.
Harley Quinn season 3 premieres on July 28th, 2022, on HBO Max.