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The Batman Adventures: Mad Love

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The Batman Adventures: Mad Love
Second printing cover of The Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994)
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
FormatOne-shot
Genre
Publication dateDecember 14, 1993
No. of issues1
Main character(s)Harley Quinn
Joker
Batman
Creative team
Created byPaul Dini
Bruce Timm
Written byPaul Dini
Bruce Timm
Penciller(s)Bruce Timm
Glen Murakami
Inker(s)Bruce Timm
Letterer(s)Tim Harkins
Colorist(s)Bruce Timm
Rick Taylor
Editor(s)Scott Peterson
Darren Vincenzo
Collected editions
The Batman Adventures: Dangerous Dames & DemonsISBN 978-1-5638-9973-7
Batman: Mad Love and Other StoriesISBN 978-1-4012-2245-1
Batman Adventures: Mad Love Deluxe EditionISBN 978-1-4012-5512-1

The Batman Adventures: Mad Love is a one-shot comic book written by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. It won the Eisner Award for Best Single Issue and the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story in 1994. It was later adapted as an episode of the animated series The New Batman Adventures, and incorporated in the video games Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham Origins. In 2018, Titan Books released a novelization of Mad Love written by Dini and Pat Cadigan, which expanded upon the original comic book.

Set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series, the comic presents an origin story of supervillain Joker's henchwoman Harley Quinn. It presents her past as a psychologist at Arkham Asylum who then falls in love with him.

Background

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Paul Dini and Bruce Timm came up with Mad Love after DC invited them to create a special issue for the Batman: The Animated Series tie-in comics Batman Adventures, which they decided would be an origin story for the Joker's sidekick, Harley Quinn.[1][2] Dini wanted to tell a story that would expand her role beyond a costumed henchperson, and thought that adding the idea of her being the Joker's former therapist would make her unusual affection for the Joker tragic.[1] Dini and Timm thought of making Harley a former doctor at Arkham Asylum seduced by the Joker to become his loyal follower and being put "in the role of the long-suffering girlfriend", while taking inspiration from fans of criminals who write them letters stating that they understand and "see the good" in them.[2]

Dini sees Mad Love as a cautionary tale about loving someone "recklessly, obsessively, and for too long", and described Harley's experiences as tragicomic and a reflection of the readers in a "funhouse mirror, distorted and all too willing to play the fool for someone we'd be much better off without."[1]

Themes

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Mad Love explores domestic violence and codependency. Hilary Golstein of IGN noted that despite being over-the-top lunatics, Harley is still the "typical abused spouse", the Joker the "typical disassociated husband", stating that the comic "shows the cycle of domestic violence that dominates the lives of many women in America."[3] Multiversity Comics' Matthew Garcia observed that Mad Love's depiction of domestic abuse through the villains produces a "new and somewhat more terrifying perspective", pointing out how "for all the horrific stuff in and out of canon Joker has ever done, nothing feels quite as despicable as his behavior toward Harley", possibly because of the contrast of "very common behavior" with Joker's over-the-top villainy.[4] Garcia also noted that despite the gags, Timm and Dini do not downplay Joker's abusive treatment of Harley, and noticed that as the comic progressed, the Joker "becomes more and more menacing, cast in shadows and silhouettes, a constant presence over her."[4] Mad Love showcases Harley's dependency on the Joker; on the ending in which she falls in love with him again despite the abuse, Dini stated, "Harley could swear off him and be very strong, but if there's even the hint that he wants her back or he’s reformed, she'll go back."[2]

Plot

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Mad Love begins with Joker, accompanied by his new sidekick, Harley Quinn, and his scheme of killing Commissioner Gordon, which is foiled by Batman. The Joker retreats with Harley, while Batman returns to the Batcave. With his butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Batman discusses Harley's questionable past: while studying in Gotham State University with a gymnastics scholarship, Harley, formerly named Harleen Quinzel, aimed to get a degree in psychology by sleeping with her professors, and planned to become a pop psychologist writing self-help books.

Meanwhile, in his hideout, a frustrated Joker struggles to devise a plan, with Harley attempting to comfort him, which annoys the Joker, inciting him to try to kill her, and later, to kick her out. A bemoaning Harley reflects on her current status as a wanted criminal in love with a psychopath who neglects her, concluding that Batman is to blame for their broken relationship. Harley then recalls her past in Arkham as an intern psychologist looking to profit off of its criminal patients by writing tell-all books, starting with her first encounter with the Joker. Having chosen him as an adequate subject to write about, with Joker luring her by suggesting he would tell her his secrets, Harleen set up sessions with the Joker, in which the Joker seduced an unwitting Harleen by placing himself as sympathetic, telling her he was abused by his father as a child in a circus, then implying Batman as another figure who hurt him. As time passed, Harleen concluded that the Joker is a misunderstood figure constantly victimized by Batman, and that she had fallen in love with her patient, which she realizes is partly because he "could make [her] laugh again"[5] when she had long felt restricted from "all amusement and fun"[6] by professionalism. Later, during a week the Joker escaped from Arkham, a worried Harleen is distraught to see Batman returning a heavily injured Joker, inciting her to break him out; in the process, Harleen stole a jester costume and gag items, which she weaponized, from a costume shop, and adopted the persona Harley Quinn, a reworking of her name as a play on the theatrical clown character Harlequin which the Joker had suggested to her.

Harley determines that the only way she can make the Joker love her back is to kill Batman, which she decides to do using the Joker's unused plan of killing him in a tank of smiling piranhas, which Joker was earlier frustrated by because piranhas cannot smile, a problem Harley solves by hanging the Batman upside down so the piranhas appear to be smiling from his perspective. Harley successfully captures Batman; Batman distracts her by telling her truth that the Joker never loved anything or anyone except himself and he had been using her from the start, with the Joker's stories to her of being abused as a child were all just lies he has told to others, with the details changing each time the Joker retold them. When she, in denial, tearfully insists the Joker really loves her, Batman convinces her to call him so he will know she would have accomplished her goal, as the piranhas would have left no convincing evidence. The Joker arrives, infuriated by how Harley would rob him of the privilege of killing Batman, and hits her, ultimately pushing her out a window, where she falls to the ground and is found gravely injured by nearby police officers. The Joker then decides to use the opportunity to finally kill Batman, which escalates into a chase ending atop a moving subway train. Batman taunts the Joker by saying that Harley, with her plan, had come closer to killing him than he ever did. The Joker attacks him in a fit of rage, and Batman retaliates, ending with Joker falling down into a burning smokestack.

In Arkham Asylum, Harleen denounces the Joker, determined to heal and move on. Lying on her bed a moment later, however, Harleen finds flowers sent by the Joker with a "get well soon" card and falls in love with him again.

Reprints

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Mad Love was reprinted as a graphic novella in 1998 (ISBN 1563892448), and has been collected with other stories.

Collected editions

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Title Material collected Published date ISBN Notes
The Batman Adventures: Dangerous Dames & Demons Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1, Batman Adventures Annual #1–2, Batman Adventures Holiday Special, and Adventures in the DC Universe #3 2003 9781563899737 [7][additional citation(s) needed]
Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1, Batman Adventures Annual #1–2, Batman Adventures Holiday Special, Adventures in the DC Universe #3, and Batman Black and White #1 May 12, 2009 9781401222451 [8][9]
Batman Adventures: Mad Love Deluxe Edition Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1, with bonus material April 21, 2015 9781401255121 [10][11]

Critical reception

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IGN's Hilary Goldstein described Mad Love as "everything a comic book should be" and "one Batman book everyone should read."[3] Multiversity Comics' Matthew Garcia stated that Mad Love is a "classic story for a reason."[4]

Awards

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Adaptations

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The New Batman Adventures

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An animated adaptation of the issue, nearly identical in script and design to the original comic, originally aired on the WB Network on January 16, 1999, as an episode of The New Batman Adventures. The script was written by Paul Dini, and the episode was directed by Butch Lukic. This faithfully adapted the comics with the exception of revised character designs and the removal of minor scenes due to pacing and time constraints.[16]

Motion comics

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In 2008, Warner Premiere Digital adapted Mad Love as a motion comic available for download through digital outlets such as iTunes and Xbox Live. Subscribers can download each chapter separately from Xbox Live. iTunes groups the seven chapters into three downloads (Chapters 1 and 2, Chapters 3, 4, & 5, and Chapters 6 and 7).[17]

Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham Origins

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Batman: Arkham Asylum, also scripted by Dini, takes much of the dialogue from Harley Quinn's patient interviews from Mad Love.[18] Batman: Arkham Origins, the prequel to Asylum, also utilizes Mad Love's plot in retelling Harley Quinn's first encounter with the Joker.

Novelization

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Harley Quinn: Mad Love
AuthorPaul Dini and Pat Cadigan
GenreSuperhero fiction
PublisherTitan Books
Publication date
November 13, 2018
Pages288
ISBN9781785658143

Harley Quinn: Mad Love is a novelization of The Batman Adventures: Mad Love written by Paul Dini and Pat Cadigan. It expands upon the original comic book, which featured the titular character's origin story.

Background

[edit]

Paul Dini and Pat Cadigan wrote Harley Quinn: Mad Love as part of Titan Books' series of novelizations of iconic DC comics, such as Alan Moore's The Killing Joke.[19] The novelization expanded upon the original story by exploring Harley's childhood and family, more of her time with the Joker, and subsequent events, as well as the motivations that led to her transformation, such as her dislike and distrust of authority.[20][21] In writing the novel, Cadigan worked with Dini's outline, which included aspects not in the original comic.[22] Dini and Cadigan also only corresponded through their editor during the writing process.[22]

Critical reception

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Impulse Gamer's Tony Smith called the novelization a "clever book adaptation", and noted that although the writers took liberties, they "honour the original story and content" while "add[ing] to it that in turn makes for an great read about one of the world’s most popular villainesses". Smith commended Dini and Cadigan's writing, stating that they "really bring this broken individual to life and they provide an interesting psyche into Harleen Quinzel from her passions to motivations" and praised the "excellent pacing and drama" despite the minimal action.[23] Brian Clements of AIPT Comics stated that the novel reintroduces Harley Quinn as "a woman with agency", which "makes her an anti-hero for new generations", and listed how the novel gives Harley Quinn a "backstory and actual agency", "makes her a well-rounded, sympathetic character", and clearly shows her transformation from "promising psychologist to sociopathic clown" as positives, while criticizing it for being "very tight" in places, "trying to get the plot through quickly."[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Dini, Paul; Timm, Bruce (May 12, 2009). "Foreword". Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories. New York: DC Comics. p. 6-7. ISBN 9781401222451.
  2. ^ a b c Errico, Marcus (September 23, 2017). "#BatmanDay: The strange but true history of Harley Quinn revealed!". Yahoo. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Goldstein, Hilary (May 24, 2005). "The Batman Adventures: Mad Love Review". IGN. Los Angeles, California: j2 Global. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Garcia, Matthew (August 2, 2016). "'Mad Love'". Multiversity Comics. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  5. ^ Paul Dini, Bruce Timm (w), Bruce Timm, Glen Murakami (p), Bruce Timm (i), Bruce Timm, Rick Taylor (col), Tim Harkins (let), Scott Peterson, Darren Vincenzo (ed). "Mad Love" The Batman Adventures: Mad Love, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 31/3 (December 14, 1993). New York: DC Comics. "It's only natural you'd be attracted to a man who could make you laugh again."
  6. ^ Paul Dini, Bruce Timm (w), Bruce Timm, Glen Murakami (p), Bruce Timm (i), Bruce Timm, Rick Taylor (col), Tim Harkins (let), Scott Peterson, Darren Vincenzo (ed). "Mad Love" The Batman Adventures: Mad Love, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 31/2 (December 14, 1993). New York: DC Comics. "As a dedicated, career-oriented young woman, you felt the need to abstain from all amusement and fun."
  7. ^ The Batman Adventures. DC Comics. ISBN 9781563899737. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "BATMAN: MAD LOVE AND OTHER STORIES". DC. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  9. ^ Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories HC. DC Comics. ISBN 9781401222451. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  10. ^ "BATMAN ADVENTURES: MAD LOVE DELUXE EDITION". DC. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  11. ^ Batman Adventures: Mad Love Deluxe Edition. DC Comics. ISBN 9781401255121. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  12. ^ Dini, Paul; Kidd, Chip (October 1998). Batman Animated. New York: Harper Collins. p. 78. ISBN 9780061073274.
  13. ^ "1990s". Comic-Con. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  14. ^ 1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners, Comic Book Awards Almanac
  15. ^ 1994 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners
  16. ^ Kendall, G. (March 4, 2018). "Revisiting the Little Known Sequel to The Joker & Harley's Mad Love". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  17. ^ IGN Staff (July 18, 2008). "Warners Presents Motion Comics". IGN. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2009.
  18. ^ Batman: Arham Asylum at the Internet Movie Database
  19. ^ Holub, Christian (April 26, 2018). "Iconic DC comics, like The Killing Joke, are getting novelizations". EW.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  20. ^ Paul Dini [@paul_dini] (October 23, 2018). "A brand new novel detailing Harley's childhood, her time with the Joker, and what came after that" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  21. ^ a b Clements, Brian (November 27, 2018). "Mad Love: Harley Quinn's origins get a deep dive in the new DC novel". AIPT Comics. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Sondheimer, S.W. (December 19, 2018). "Interview: Pat Cadigan On Novelizing Paul Dini's MAD LOVE comic". Book Riot. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  23. ^ Smith, Tony (March 7, 2019). "Harley Quinn: Mad Love Book Review". Impulse Gamer. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
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