When I think back to how I really got sucked into comics, cartoons played a massive part. Every day when I came home from school, I’d follow the same routine. I would have popcorn, do my homework and watch some of the best cartoons ever! One of my favorites was Batman: The Animated Series.  The writing, the themes, the jokes… everything was sooooo awesome and only got better as the seasons went on. Paul Dini had such an amazing handle on making it a show that kids could love but also, looking back now, it’s clearly a show that adults could have fun with too.

As Batman: The Animated Series went on, it got darker and became more comfortable with the vibe of who I had always imagined Batman to be. And not just in the writing, but in the art as well, which I learned was because the art was actually done on dark paper, not the traditional white. The more ya know!

Now you really can’t talk about this show and not talk casting. The incomparable Andrea Romano was the show’s voice director, and I actually got to chat with her recently for Justice League: War, and trust me, I did not even try to fight the urge to tell her how much Batman: The Animated Series had affected me!

One of the biggest impacts came from a character voiced by Arleen Sorkin, created on this cartoon that so many people now know and love—the one and only Miss Harley Quinn! In her own words (well really, Paul Dini’s words), she’s Batman’s “greatest female adversary!”

Where would we be without a little Harley Quinn in the DC Universe!? There would be no Gotham City Sirens, no awesome new Harley Quinn solo comic!  There was just something about her on that cartoon that was so much fun. Seeing which side she would land on or who she was in love with at any given moment was always super entertaining.

The past few days, I have been marathoning some of my favorite eps on Amazon Prime. (They have every single one!) So if you’re looking for some nostalgia or just want some awesome Bat action, well, you can definitely find it there. And here’s a little help from me to start ya off!  ENJOY!




Tiffany Smith’s Top 3 Harley Quinn Episodes

1. “Joker’s Favor” – This first season episode features Harley’s very first appearance helping the Joker.

2. “Harlequinade” – This episode features Harley Quinn fighting alongside Batman and Robin…or is she?

3. “Harley’s Holiday” - Harley’s first big day out of Arkham. But is she really rehabilitated?