The Ascendance of Harley Quinn

<p> Since her first appearance in 1992, Harley Quinn--eccentric sidekick to the Joker--has captured the attention of readers like few new characters have in eight decades of Batman comics. Her bubbly yet malicious persona has earned her a loyal and growing fan base as she has crossed over into television, theater, video games, and film.</p><p> In this collection of new essays, contributors explore her various iterations, focusing on her origin and contexts, the implications of