Review #15: "The Twelve Days of Madness" (Batman Adventures vol 1. #28)
Wrirter: Kelley Puckett
Artist: Mike Parobeck
Inker: Rick Burchett
I want to even out the DCAU reviews to the DCMU ones, but nearly all of the Joker stories are written by Ty and Dini and I don't want overclog with the same writers just yet. So boy, how can I NOT review this one? Joker isn't really the star, it's far more Harley's story, but it's just so damn good.
I do believe this was pretty much the first comic I picked up as a new 'comic collector' (I used to collect TMNT as a kid, but I wasn't serious about it). I can't even remember where I picked it up, but I have a feeling it was a newsagency and there was a feeling of absolute THE GODS ARE SMILING UPON ME staggerment, wonderment and joy; because you have to understand whilst newsagencies down here do stock comics, they don't stock a lot and you can really only get them in comic book stores and this was before BTAS was a big thing in Australia and there was NOTHING, okay, NOTHING on Batman let ALONE Joker and Harley. I used to go into the WB store just to stare at the animation cels, because that was LITERALLY the only 'merchandise' I could find relating to them and forget about ever being able to afford them! Ha! Because the WB stores down here were so lame they never even stocked all the cool stuff you could get at the ones in America. TRUE STORY!
Anyway, it wasn't long after that I discovered comic book shops and bought another few copies of this one cos, as you can imagine, I read it a lot. My reading copy is actually, heh, sans cover these days.
I have such an attachment to this issue, for all of these reasons. IT'S WONDERFUL.
The story is this: Joker's in Arkham, but he's bored brainless. So, he calls Harley and hatches a little scheme.
The scheme is this: Harley disguises herself as a MALE German Psychiatrist (cracktastic!) and administers a madness toxin to some of the city's leading councilmen with the result they wind up in Arkham for a brief spell. Harley - oh, sorry, Dr Heimlich (crack crack crack) then comes to Arkham with prestigious 'credentials' to work with The Joker. Joker's therapy, of course, involves staging a little show with the afflicted councilmen. A deadly show.
Naturally, Bats is on the case though, so never fear!
This story is pure and simple joyous fun. Joker's diabolical but not lethal; the effects of the toxin wear off, after a while - there is an unbelievably brilliantly fantastic moment where Harley, in her disguise, gets carried away espousing Mistah J's virtues and ends up pashing him - I still laugh out loud, after all this time - and even Bats has a couple of funny moments. It's brief, but the exchange between he and Joker is so golden. There's also a moment where he's belted Joker and Harley tries to attack him, but he's holding her at arm's length with one hand on her head - hilarious!!!!
Did I mention this one takes place at Christmas? Well it does.
The interaction between Harley & Joker is also gorgeous, though it really only scrapes the surface. But it's nice to see that someone besides Dini gets their relationship. From the 'Harley, save me!' to Harley drawing a heart on the glass of Joker's cell, to the 'you made appointments with them?', it's cute, playful and funny. And of course - the 'not to mention - a very, very handsome face', 'steady on Harl, laying it on a bit thick, aren't we?' - ahhhh I get so many fan girl joygasms of glee from this story.
The final splash page is hilarious, yet also poignant. It's nice to see some of the tragedy of Harley's psychosis explored in a light-handed way and this final page just nails it.
This isn't a 'deep' issue, it's more fun and more cartoony. Mike Parobeck was the artist and whilst back then I didn't appreciate his more free and easy style, because I wanted every AU Joker to look like Bruce Timm's. Now I see its appeal. I still prefer other artists, but he has a wonderful simple, uncluttered style that's very effective.
I reckon this is one of the absolute 'must-haves' for any JokerxHarley fan. It's beautiful, and whilst simple and light, nails the relationship in a way so many of the mainstream stories never ever did, and did it effortlessly.
Artist: Mike Parobeck
Inker: Rick Burchett
I want to even out the DCAU reviews to the DCMU ones, but nearly all of the Joker stories are written by Ty and Dini and I don't want overclog with the same writers just yet. So boy, how can I NOT review this one? Joker isn't really the star, it's far more Harley's story, but it's just so damn good.
I do believe this was pretty much the first comic I picked up as a new 'comic collector' (I used to collect TMNT as a kid, but I wasn't serious about it). I can't even remember where I picked it up, but I have a feeling it was a newsagency and there was a feeling of absolute THE GODS ARE SMILING UPON ME staggerment, wonderment and joy; because you have to understand whilst newsagencies down here do stock comics, they don't stock a lot and you can really only get them in comic book stores and this was before BTAS was a big thing in Australia and there was NOTHING, okay, NOTHING on Batman let ALONE Joker and Harley. I used to go into the WB store just to stare at the animation cels, because that was LITERALLY the only 'merchandise' I could find relating to them and forget about ever being able to afford them! Ha! Because the WB stores down here were so lame they never even stocked all the cool stuff you could get at the ones in America. TRUE STORY!
Anyway, it wasn't long after that I discovered comic book shops and bought another few copies of this one cos, as you can imagine, I read it a lot. My reading copy is actually, heh, sans cover these days.
I have such an attachment to this issue, for all of these reasons. IT'S WONDERFUL.
The story is this: Joker's in Arkham, but he's bored brainless. So, he calls Harley and hatches a little scheme.
The scheme is this: Harley disguises herself as a MALE German Psychiatrist (cracktastic!) and administers a madness toxin to some of the city's leading councilmen with the result they wind up in Arkham for a brief spell. Harley - oh, sorry, Dr Heimlich (crack crack crack) then comes to Arkham with prestigious 'credentials' to work with The Joker. Joker's therapy, of course, involves staging a little show with the afflicted councilmen. A deadly show.
Naturally, Bats is on the case though, so never fear!
This story is pure and simple joyous fun. Joker's diabolical but not lethal; the effects of the toxin wear off, after a while - there is an unbelievably brilliantly fantastic moment where Harley, in her disguise, gets carried away espousing Mistah J's virtues and ends up pashing him - I still laugh out loud, after all this time - and even Bats has a couple of funny moments. It's brief, but the exchange between he and Joker is so golden. There's also a moment where he's belted Joker and Harley tries to attack him, but he's holding her at arm's length with one hand on her head - hilarious!!!!
Did I mention this one takes place at Christmas? Well it does.
The interaction between Harley & Joker is also gorgeous, though it really only scrapes the surface. But it's nice to see that someone besides Dini gets their relationship. From the 'Harley, save me!' to Harley drawing a heart on the glass of Joker's cell, to the 'you made appointments with them?', it's cute, playful and funny. And of course - the 'not to mention - a very, very handsome face', 'steady on Harl, laying it on a bit thick, aren't we?' - ahhhh I get so many fan girl joygasms of glee from this story.
The final splash page is hilarious, yet also poignant. It's nice to see some of the tragedy of Harley's psychosis explored in a light-handed way and this final page just nails it.
This isn't a 'deep' issue, it's more fun and more cartoony. Mike Parobeck was the artist and whilst back then I didn't appreciate his more free and easy style, because I wanted every AU Joker to look like Bruce Timm's. Now I see its appeal. I still prefer other artists, but he has a wonderful simple, uncluttered style that's very effective.
I reckon this is one of the absolute 'must-haves' for any JokerxHarley fan. It's beautiful, and whilst simple and light, nails the relationship in a way so many of the mainstream stories never ever did, and did it effortlessly.