Episode 11: A Toast to Harley Quinn

Welcome to Up Your Nerd Cred! This week, we're raising a glass to Dr Harleen F. Quintzel.

Harley Quinn may have started out as Joker’s henchwoman in Batman: The Animated Series, but she’s long since carved out her own place in DC canon. In this episode, CiCi takes a solo deep dive into Harley’s unusual entry into the universe, how Mad Love gave her a backstory, and why she’s one of the closest to ever take Batman down.

We’ll talk about how Harley’s alignment is fully locked to chaotic neutral... from refusing to fight a pregnant Black Canary, being a devoted hyena mom and the how much better her life is once she finally broke away from Joker for good.

Plus, how Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad reframed her through the female gaze, giving Harley more character depth than the hot-pants era ever allowed.Harley Quinn’s story isn’t just about mayhem — it’s also about survival, reinvention, and learning to direct chaos on her own terms.

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