| The Batman Adventures: Mad Love | |
|---|---|
 The cover to Mad Love. Book by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | One shot |
| Format | Graphic novel |
| Publication date | February 1994 |
| Number of issues | 1 |
| Main character(s) | Harley Quinn |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Paul Dini, Bruce Timm |
| Artist(s) | Bruce Timm |
| Colorist(s) | Bruce Timm, Rick Taylor |
| Creator(s) | Paul Dini, Bruce Timm |
Mad Love was a single-issue graphic novel written by Paul Dini, writer on Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, and Bruce Timm, executive producer on The New Batman/Superman Adventures and the co-creator of Batman: The Animated Series. It was set in the continuity of The Batman Animated Series. It won an Eisner Award for "Best Single Story" in 1994.[1] It was later adapted (with minor alterations for pacing) as an episode of the animated series The New Batman Adventures
Contents |
Plot summary
The story revolves around the Joker's sidekick Harley Quinn. She was once psychologist Dr. Harleen Quinzel, but fell head over heels in love with the Joker after spending time with him inside Arkham Asylum. She develops an obsession with him, and turns to crime to win his love.
After being turned out from her hideout, Quinn decides that the only way to make the Joker love her is to kill the Batman, which she attempts to do by feeding him to a school of piranhas. She nearly succeeds, but Batman distracts her by laughing at Harley's plan (which creeps her out), and explaining that the Joker's tales about his unhappy childhood were lies and convinces her to call the Joker so that he will know she accomplished her goal (as otherwise, the piranhas would leave no evidence). The Joker, upon arrival, is infuriated that Harley would try to kill Batman herself; Harley explains her plan to him, but the Joker goes into a violent rage (saying, "If you have to explain a joke, there is no joke!") and nearly kills Quinn by pushing her out a window. Renee Montoya saves her. In the meanwhile, Batman has been watching this completely unfazed and confronts the Joker, taunting him, "I have to admit she came a lot closer to killing me than you ever did...puddin." Joker attacks him, but after a vicious fight, he sends Joker plunging to his (apparent) death.
Once again in Arkham, Quinn realizes that the Joker had merely been using her, and renounces him forever - until she receives a "get well" bouquet of flowers from him, suggesting he survived his fall, and promptly mentions how "it felt like a kiss".
Thus, the endless cycle of love and neglect was to begin yet again....
Critical reaction
IGN Comics said that "Mad Love is everything a comic book should be" and called it "one Batman book everyone should read."[2] The website ranked Mad Love #12 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels.[3]
Adaptations in Other Media
An animated adaptation of the issue, nearly identical in script and design to the original comic, originally aired on January 16, 1999, a part of The New Batman Adventures. The script was written by Paul Dini, and the episode was directed by Butch Lukic. Perhaps the only contrasts to the comic over the episode were the revamped character designs and the removal of minor scenes for pacing and time concerns.
In 2008, the story was adapted as part of DC Comics' motion comics line, available for download through digital outlets such as iTunes and Xbox Live. Each chapter can be downloaded separately on Xbox Live but the seven chapters are grouped into three downloads on iTunes (Chapters 1 & 2, Chapters 3, 4, & 5, and Chapters 6 & 7).
In Batman: Arkham Asylum, much of the dialogue from Harley Quinn's patient interviews is lifted directly from Mad Love.
Notes
- ^ Comic Book Awards Almanac
- ^ The Batman Adventures: Mad Love Review, Hilary Goldstein, IGN, May 24, 2005
- ^ The 25 Greatest Batman Graphic Novels, Hilary Goldstein, IGN, June 13, 2005
It is now being reprinted in a book called Mad Love and Other Stories. The hard cover graphic novel is expected to be released May 26, 2009. The book is a total of 208 pages long.
External links
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