Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, M.D.) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, and first appeared on Batman: The Animated Series in September 1992. She later appeared in DC Comics' Batman comic books, with her first comic book appearance in The Batman Adventures #12 (Sept. 1993). Throughout her animated depictions, she is shown to speak with a pronounced New York accent. The character is a frequent accomplice and girlfriend of the Joker, and a close friend (and sometimes lover) of the supervillain Poison Ivy from whom she gained an immunity to poisons and toxins. Harley Quinn's origin story relates that she met the Joker while working as a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, where the Joker was a patient. Her name is a play on the name "Harlequin," a character which originated in the commedia dell'arte.