Beginner's guide to collecting Harley Quinn comics

Harley Quinn is an entirely modern creation: designed by Paul Dini (writer) and Bruce Timm (character designer), she made her debut in Batman: The Animated Series on September 11, 1992, in the episode "Joker's Favor." Her first printed appearance followed a full year later, in The Batman Adventures #12 in September 1993. There is no Golden Age, Silver Age, or Bronze Age Harley Quinn. Her entire collector's discography begins in 1993, squarely in the modern era — an important fact to keep in mind when reading listings that imply otherwise.

Her cultural rise has been remarkable. What began as a supporting character quickly earned its own mythology with Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994), a prestige-format one-shot by Dini and Timm that tells the origin of Dr. Harleen Quinzel, psychiatrist at Gotham City Asylum who fell under the Joker's influence. She gained her first solo ongoing series in 2000 and was formally introduced into the main DC Universe in 1999. The film Suicide Squad (2016, Margot Robbie) brought her to a global mainstream audience, grossing $749 million worldwide. Birds of Prey (2020) centred on the character and totalled around $201 million worldwide despite the disruption of the pandemic. The adult animated series Harley Quinn (2019, voiced by Kaley Cuoco) has now been renewed for a fifth season.

Harley Quinn key issue table (documented sales, June 2026)

Note: our site's eBay estimator does not index the Batman Adventures, Harley Quinn, or Suicide Squad series, so no eBay median is available for these titles. The figures below come from SellMyComicBooks, PriceCharting, and publicly documented sales.

The Batman Adventures #12: the one modern grail

Published September 10, 1993, this is the single issue that carries genuine grail status for Harley Quinn collectors. A character's first comic appearance remains the strongest long-term value signal, and The Batman Adventures #12 ticks every box: iconic character, a 1993 print run that was not preserved by non-collectors, and cultural popularity that has only grown since the 2016 film. Direct edition copies in CGC 9.8 sold for around $3,250 on recent 2024 transactions, with an overall documented record above $4,500. The newsstand edition — scarcer because newsstand copies were read and discarded rather than bagged and boarded — has reached $5,280 in CGC 9.8. For a beginner, a CGC 9.0 or 9.2 copy is a legitimate collection entry at a more accessible price: documented sales in those grades run around $720 to $760.

One important buying note: there are two versions of this issue — the direct edition (sold through comic shops) and the newsstand edition (sold at kiosks and convenience stores). The newsstand version is identifiable by its UPC barcode. When buying ungraded, check for spine stress, cover creases, and staple integrity. For any high-grade purchase, CGC or CBCS certification is strongly recommended.

Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994): the origin that commands a premium

Written and drawn by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm — the character's own creators — this prestige-format one-shot tells how Dr. Harleen Quinzel became Harley Quinn. It won multiple Eisner Awards on publication, which is exceptional for a title tied to an animated series. For a beginner, a well-preserved raw copy is a perfectly satisfying purchase; for the collector focused on value, CGC 9.8 copies are valued near $475 per GoCollect FMV — a dramatic rise from the $100 or less that high-grade copies commanded a decade ago. The trajectory reflects the growing market appetite for 1990s modern-era keys.

Accessible keys for starting a collection without breaking the bank

Because every Harley Quinn key is modern (post-1993), many copies remain in circulation. Several solid entry points exist for a reasonable budget:

• Suicide Squad #1 (New 52, 2011): the issue that introduced her redesigned look, made famous by the 2016 film. Raw copies in fine-to-very-fine condition can still be found at entry-level prices, with a documented record of $360.
• Harley Quinn vol. 2 #1 (2013, Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti): the start of the fan-favourite run that defined the character for a generation of readers. Raw copies are plentiful and affordable.
• Batman: Harley Quinn #1 (1999, Alex Ross cover): the first appearance in the main DC Universe, with a documented record of $450. The Alex Ross cover makes it a display piece in its own right.

Practical tips for the beginner collector

A few straightforward rules before you start. First, never pay graded prices for an ungraded copy: without CGC or CBCS certification, the condition described by the seller is subjective. Second, The Batman Adventures #12 has been heavily re-submitted for grading since 2016 — the CGC census population is substantial, meaning copies do exist, but true 9.8s remain rare for a 1993 comic that was never treated as a future grail at the time. Third, concentrate your budget on one quality copy rather than several lower-grade ones: value concentrates at the top of the grading scale. Finally, document everything — keep receipts, photographs, and CGC certificates. These are indispensable for any future valuation.