Mad Love (The New Batman Adventures)
From Pop-Cult Guides
Mad Love was a single-issue graphic novel written by Paul Dini, writer and director of 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. It was later adapted (with minor alterations for pacing) as an animated episode of The New Batman Adventures
Template:Spoiler The story revolves around the Joker's sidekick Harley Quinn. She was once psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel, but fell head over heels in love with the maniacal Joker after spending just 15 minutes inside Arkham Asylum. She develops an obsession with him, and turns to crime to win his love.
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[edit] Plot
Commissioner Gordon goes for a check-up with a dentist who turns out to be the Joker and whose sidekick Harley Quinn sticks Gordon to his chair. Just as Joker is about to kill the Commissioner Batman appears and reveals that he saw through his disguise but Harley gasses him. The Joker tosses Gordon a grenade but Batman saves him and Gordon quips that he hates going to the dentist's.
In the Funnibones warehouse Harley tries to help the Joker think of a scheme to kill Batman. She suggests that he just shoot Batman but the idea of murdering his arch enemy in such a mundane matter enrages him and he threatens Harley with acid. Joker plans to put Batman into a piranha tank but he remembers that they're immune to his smile toxin and kicks Harley out.
Harley reminisces about how she became a villain. She was once Harleen Quinzell, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who falls in love with the Joker as he tells her about his traumatic childhood; his father beat him, his mother ran away and he joined the circus as a clown. The Joker escapes but is beaten by Batman and returns to custody swathed in bandages. Harleen steals a costume and equipment from a trick shop, breaks the Joker out and becomes Harley Quinn. Back in the present she blames Batman for ruining her life and the Jokers and makes a plan for revenge.
Quinn decides that the only way to make the Joker love her is to kill the Batman. Harley sends Batman a message offering to reveal a plot by the Joker to threaten Gotham but when he arrives the Joker appears to attack him and is revealed to be a robot. Harley drugs Batman and hangs him upside-down so his habitual scowl looks like a smile. Batman tells Harley that the Joker misled her about his tragic childhood and went to the ice rink rather than the circus. Harley contacts the Joker, who loses his temper again at being upstaged and throws Harley out of a window several floors above the ground. He plans to kill Batman another day until he spots the opportunity for a cheap pun but Batman kicks the piranha tank and they attack the Joker. He runs to the roof and jumps onto a train but Batman throws him to his "death" in a chemical plant.
Back in Arkham Harley realizes that Batman was right and the Joker is just using her. She decides to renounce the Joker but he sends her a get well letter and flowers, which soon change her mind.
In this story, Harley nearly succeeds in killing Batman, getting closer, in fact, than Joker ever did.
[edit] References
[edit] The New Batman Adventures episode
| DC animated Universe: Chronology |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Superman: The Animated Series | Batman Beyond | The Zeta Project | Static Shock | Justice League | Movies |
|
| Characters: Heroes and Supporting · Villains · Minor · Organizations | Places and Props |
| Episodes | Movies | Web animation | Comics | Video games | Cast and crew | Broadcasting | Awards | Internet sites | DVD releases |
| The New Batman Adventures episode | |
|---|---|
| “Mad Love” | |
| |
| Episode no. | Season 04 Episode 21 |
| Writer(s) | Paul Dini and Bruce Timm |
| Director | Butch Lukic |
| Original airdate | Jan. 16, 1999 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Girls' Night Out" | "Chemistry" |
Mad Love is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of Batman: The Animated Series. It was aired in January 11, 1999. It was adapted straight froms the comic version.
The only significant difference is the design new design of the characters.
[edit] Quotes
JOKER: Well, Batsy, it's been a hoot, as always. May the floss be with you!
(A reference to Mark Hamill's earlier role)
HARLEY: Oh, come on, Puddin'! Don't you wanna rev up your Harley? Vroom vroom!
JOKER: Batman was right! That setup today was corny! Old hat! It's time I capped off our feud with his ultimate humiliation! Followed by his deliciously delirious death.
HARLEY: Why don't ya just shoot him?
JOKER: Just shoot him? Know this, my sweet. The death of Batman must be nothing less than a masterpiece! The triumph of my sheer comic genius over his ridiculous mask and gadgets!
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kevin Conroy | Batman/Bruce Wayne |
| Mark Hamill | The Joker |
| Arleen Sorkin | Harley Quinn |
| Bob Hastings | Commissioner Gordon |
| Suzanne Stone | Dr. Joan Leland |
[edit] References
[edit] See also
| DC animated Universe: Chronology |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Superman: The Animated Series | Batman Beyond | The Zeta Project | Static Shock | Justice League | Movies |
|
|
| Characters: Heroes and Supporting · Villains · Minor · Organizations | Places and Props |
| Episodes | Movies | Web animation | Comics | Video games | Cast and crew | Broadcasting | Awards | Internet sites | DVD releases |
