Darla Aquista is the daughter of a Gotham Mafia boss, Henry Aquista, and disapproves of his criminal background. She first appeared as Tim Drake was trying to get out of school on his first day as a junior at Louis E. Grieve Memorial High School. Since her jock friends intimidate Tim's only friend at the school, Bernard, he walks up to them and offers for them to beat him up so that his friend can get a free chance to talk to her. Tim wins the kids over as friends, they go to get something to eat, and when Bernard takes his chance to talk to Darla, she shows interest in Tim.