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The cover to Mad Love as seen in public libraries. Book by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.

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

[edit] Plot

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.

Quinn decides that the only way to make the Joker love her is to kill the Batman. She nearly succeeds — getting closer, in fact, than Joker ever did — but Batman distracts her by exposing the lies that her "puddin'" told her about his unhappy childhood, and escapes. The Joker, meanwhile, goes into a jealous rage and nearly kills her, but Batman saves her and sends Joker plunging to his (apparent) death. Once again in Arkham, Quinn realizes that the Joker has merely been using her, and renounces him forever — until she receives a "get well" bouquet of flowers from him, and promptly falls in love again.

[edit] The New Batman Adventures episode

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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 a straight adaptation from the graphic novel and the last episode to air.

[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] Trivia

• In the end, after Joker plummets to a chemical plant, it is unknown whether he survived during the fall or has died after landing. However, his future appearance in Justice League and the flashback sequence of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker imply that he has, once again, managed to escape death.

• A cameo appearance made by Poison Ivy in the original comic book is mirrored here in its animated version as well.

• Joker's exit line when leaving the dentist's office is a reference to his voice actor, Mark Hamill, being most famous for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy.

[edit] Cast

[edit] References

• Comic Book Awards Almanac