The following contains spoilers for Harley Quinn Romances #1, on sale now from DC Comics.
Harley Quinn has evolved into a far more relevant character in DC's various universes over the years. Starting off as the Joker's assistant in Batman: The Animated Series, her unexpected popularity pushed her into the limelight, and eventually, she became a mainstream character. A significant portion of what makes her such a compelling character is her romantic relationship with Poison Ivy. In fact, Harley's presence across the multiverse is more frequently defined by this romance than her relationship with the Joker, which, ironically, was what brought her into existence.
Long before Harley and Poison Ivy's relationship became canon in the DC Universe, they were unofficially paired in the unrestrained world of fan fiction. Their romance began on the pages of fan fiction websites such as Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Wattpad. With Harley Quinn Romances' "Stranger Than Fiction" (by Alexis Quasarano, Max Arin, Marissa Louise and Taylor Esposito) out for Valentine's Day this year, DC's creators should recognize the true origins of "Harlivy".
DC's Harley Quinn Romances is a Riff on "Harlivy" Fan Fiction
"Stranger than Fan Fiction" is a short tale that follows Harley and Poison Ivy pulling a heist at a large gala. Rather, it follows Poison Ivy as she pulls a heist. Harley, on the other hand, is trying to read her fan fiction to her girlfriend that sees them in an alternate universe where they met in high school. The two fight their way through the gala security as Harley recounts the events of her story. The best part of it, though, isn't necessarily the ridiculousness that ensues on their adventure, but all the fan fiction deep-cuts made by Harley.
She explains that the setting of her story is in an alternate universe (AU), and describes the concept as out of character (OOC), both terms common to fan fiction but largely lost on broader communities. The comic additionally takes inspiration from fan fiction with the style of the tale-within-a-tale roughly drawn on paper, features such as a panel including the phrase "le gasp", and Poison Ivy's anime-like appearance that makes her stand out from the other characters.
DC Comics Acknowledges the Support of its Fans
Skipping the entire middle section because it's just filler and full of angst, Harley goes right to the end which is, of course, a high school dance where a fight breaks out between Harley, Poison Ivy, and the Joker. As Harley finishes reading her fan fiction, Poison Ivy reveals a romantic outing she planned for her true love Harley with a flower that only blooms once per century.
Fan fiction is a significant part of the success of many franchises. With Fandoms being the lifeblood of niche interests like comic books, it's expected that publishers occasionally pay homage to their fans. However, directly referencing it in a published comic is a genuine "thank you" from the creators and a love story for not only Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy but also their devoted real-world fans.