Review #30: "Mad Love"

Jul 05, 2009 19:34

Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Bruce Timm

Mad Love, Mad Love, Mad Love. How do I begin to review Mad Love?

Since “Mad Love and Other Stories” was released this month and the “Mad Love Collector's Set” action figures have been announced for release next year (repaints of old sculpts and not the 'new sculpts' the advertising is claiming incidentally) ( Read more... )

joker, paul dini, reviews, bruce timm, jokerxharley, harley quinn

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Comments 25

inner_ch1ld July 5 2009, 10:08:01 UTC
I bought this new release last week and was overjoyed to have Mad Love in my possession ( was also very intrigued by the Two-Face story amongst the other stories).
It's something I will treasure for a long time.

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tara_la_reine July 5 2009, 14:53:22 UTC
I really liked the Two-Face story, too, though I would have loved it if they had just gone ahead and collected a bunch of JxHQ stories. I understand why they did these instead- they are the Dini and Timm collaborations- but it would have been more... cohesive. For me, anyway. And I wouldn't still be trying to track down various comics from 15 years ago. :P

I *have* to know: where did you get that userpic of Harley being spanked (by the Joker, it looks like) that you have in your profile? 0_0 More to the point, where might I find the artwork it came from? DO WANT.

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inner_ch1ld July 5 2009, 17:11:04 UTC
It was fanart on a site similar to 4chan but for the life of me i cannot remember what it was called. The artist was unnamed so I could not credit them.

Also, I do agree, I ws hoping the collection would be all J/HQ but I did enjoy "24 hours".

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tara_la_reine July 5 2009, 17:21:01 UTC
Darn.

That, and 'Laughter After Midnight'. That knocked out at least two comics on my to-get list.

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tara_la_reine July 5 2009, 14:48:11 UTC
You just put into words exactly why that moment on the train w/ Batman mockingly calling him Puddin' is so powerful and why the Joker reacts the way he does. It's something that I absorbed and have thought about quite a bit, but I've had a hard time explaining it to myself. I also really like your explanation of Harley's fantasies. It's amazing how incredibly well we all absorb that vision of the "perfect family". For young women, especially, marriage and children are supposed to BE happiness. So few of us actually have any hope of attaining that vision, not least of all because so many of us have never experienced it. I can imagine living w/ a lover, because I've done it. I can even imagine having children, even though I don't want any, because I was a child raised by a mother. But I cannot imagine both. When I try, I do something very like Harley- flip the channel to Norman Rockwell. (I also imagine 'The Cosby Show', but that's my early childhood in the '80s for you.) The depiction of her fantasies is full of funny little details ( ... )

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benicio127 July 6 2009, 15:41:06 UTC
Everything in your second graf? YES. THIS.

I always wonder at what point did the Joker fall for Harley? Was it during their sessions at Arkham? Was it when she busted him out? Problem for him, I think, it wasn't a decision he could have made or a plan he'd spent months plotting.

It's like when Bats says despite her hatred of it, Ivy still retains some humanity, when she saves the orphans she's protecting during NML.
Along that same vein, this cute jester comes along and shows us somewhere deep beneath Dante's seventh layer of Hell there's a smidgen of humanity left.

And it's so true: there's a reason why Harley is considered to be crazier than the Joker and even at times more dangerous: not only will she do the craziest, evillest shit for him and protect him and oh yeah, kinda get the friggin' Joker flustered. So yeah, Harley? Is the shit.

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lovedatjoker July 8 2009, 00:46:59 UTC
I think he was powerfully attracted to her in Arkham, but her "transformation" was when he fell. Likewise, in the DCU, when she showed up and helped him overcome Pengy.

The fact she can fluster him is what makes this ship so win.

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benicio127 July 8 2009, 01:30:04 UTC
Yeah, when she broke him out is where I always got the sense he fell for her.
I mean he's laughing at her coz what a great joke it is, I drove her MAD! But also Holy jeebus, this is a really good joke this crazy dame is pulling. Hot damn. Whoof!

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devasic1 July 5 2009, 18:57:49 UTC
I thought your review was excellent! I could tell it was from your heart and that's what I loved about it. I just picked up my copy last week. While I have seen the episode before I have never read the comic and I can't wait to begin reading it now!

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benicio127 July 6 2009, 15:14:01 UTC
Oh goodness, yes you MUST read the comic. Let us know what you think when you're done!

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alocin42 July 5 2009, 22:32:58 UTC
I think that's an awesome review! Certainly more than what I would manage, which would probably be "It's win. On lots of levels." ;D

Fave bit: It's a matter of pride, so, so much pride here: that not only does he have this weakness, this monster he made that he loves and who calls him by silly pet names like Puddin', but that the wretched thing almost offed the Batman and that oaf is standing right there telling him so! Oh god, the conflicting emotions can barely be imagined. That just sums up his furious reaction perfectly!

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Excuse me, ultra long ass comment ovah here! benicio127 July 6 2009, 15:12:10 UTC
Wow. This is a hell of a review. Like Holy mother of all reviews, is this a review. This is kind of what I wish IGN had done when they reviewed Mad Love, but kept it short ( ... )

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Re: Excuse me, ultra long ass comment ovah here! tara_la_reine July 7 2009, 03:29:20 UTC
"And we know already he's told Harley TWICE not to call him Puddin' -- I mean FFS, this is the Joker, we're talking about. He can't have little pet names! This can't be allowed! This is the man's ego we're talking about here! Not to be trifled with! Yet..... he keeps allowing it."

This is kind of where I was going w/ my speculation about how the Joker feels, in the long run, about Harley's attempt on Batman's life. It seems to me that there is a bit of a change in their relationship, unseen, between 'Made Love' and 'Trial'. He never even objects to being called 'Puddin' again.

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Re: Excuse me, ultra long ass comment ovah here! benicio127 July 7 2009, 03:43:08 UTC
You're right. Harley keeps pushing for more and keeps getting it. That's the thing. We go from "Don't call me Puddin'!" to "That's OK, Pooh. I know you're a one-man loon."

I keep sayin' she's got him wrapped around her finger.

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Re: Excuse me, ultra long ass comment ovah here! lovedatjoker July 8 2009, 00:57:04 UTC
Oh, totally. Totally.

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