My Geeky Week: Mad Love Revisited by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm

 

 

 

 

I’m a tradition girl. For Halloween I immerse my self in Horror movies, Christmas? that’s the time for Love Actually! So Valentines Day is not complete without a stack of my favorite romantic books, movies and every couple a years a reading of this classic comic based on Batman The Animated  Series. As a kid who grew up with reruns of the 60’s  Batman TV show, Batman The Animated Series was my first exposure to the Batman universe closely connected to the DC comics.

 

I fell in love with the series and was really intrigued by Harley in her debut episode :Jokers Favor.There truly is someone for everyone in the world and Harley is the yin to Jokers’ yang. In the Mad love Comic we get a look at Harley’s origin story and an examination of her love for Mr. J. Published in February 1994 I always find this book just as enjoyable as the first time I read it.

For it’s time this comic was a bit pricey at $3.99 but with 64 pages well worth it. The art is stellar and very reminiscent of the animation style of the show. The script is full of action, fun and romance. There is a lot of innuendo, and some sexy puns that make this a fun all ages read.

What stood out the most to me in this re-read is the exploration of Harley’s choices, since it is glaring obvious she is in an abusive relationship.

The Harley Joker relationship is an interesting one to observe. She risks everything to be with the Joker, and accepts him completely as he is. The Joker however seems to have made an investment in time with Harley for a specific reason: the opportunity for escape. He takes her love and devotion because its readily available and she is a fun partner in crime.

Harley’s devotion to Joker and her sadness over his current state of melancholy leads her to deduce that they will be happy once Batman is dead. This leads her to achieve what has eluded the Joker for years: The successful capture and complete immobilization of Batman based on one of the Joker’s schemes.

However Bruce knows the man Harley loves better then she does. Bruce knows that the Joker never wants the game to end, that the death of Bats by anyone's hands but his own will lead to anger and jealously.

 

This is such a wonderful read! It has been hard for me over the years seeing the changes That have happened to Harley in the DC Comics, but this issue will always be a shining example of Dini & Timm’s creation at her best, by the creators who know and love her as much as I do.