I'm giving this five golden stars, despite some ingrained sexism and the creators admitting to liking to draw pretty women and girls (for something aimed at a younger audience, no less), because the comic is a fun - as well as heartwrenchingly tragic - masterpiece.
The stories included in this tome, based upon the 90s Batman animated series, are good. But 'Mad Love' is genius storytelling, and I see why it is lauded as one of the best Batman stories ever written.
'Mad Love', written by Paul Dini and drawn by Bruce Timm, is the initially conceived origin story of the Joker's hopelessly devoted henchwoman Harley Quinn, and a magnum opus. Really, almost everything about it is perfect - the colours, the panelling, the characters, the expressions, the dialogue, the pace, the emotions: all adding up to a tragic tale about the adult subject of abuse. It’s great that Dini understands that the cycle of abuse is dangerous, and why it is so hard for victims to break out of a relationship built on mad, obsessive love. He makes you love the wonderfully charismatic Harley dearly, yet also feel deeply sorry for her, even though she is a villain. She’s someone that anyone can become; that the reader can emphasise with easily. What does that say about us as humans and our capacity to love unconditionally? How disturbing is that?
'Mad Love', starring Harley Quinn, is a cautionary tale to be sure.
I've always loved her complex character. In 'Mad Love' it seems she just wishes to see the best in the sociopathic and manipulative Joker, so that all her giving up on a career as a prestigious psychiatrist into a life of crime for a man will not have been for nothing. But it was a lost cause from the very start; one of the many reasons why Harley is so tragic a figure.
There are plenty of hints that suggest Harleen Quinzel might have lost the plot and ended up being used and abused even if she'd never met the Joker. Her backstory shows her not wanting to take psychology seriously, and to her it was a way towards publicity and fame. Plus there's the controversial implication that she might have slept her way towards her degree in university.
But another thing to love about her is she's always been a lot smarter than she lets on. Harley Quinn may be in love with a psychopath, and she may believe in changing others while finding it difficult to change herself, but her cunning and spontaneity are brilliant as well as funny; as shown when her intricate plan to trick Batman into thinking she's betrayed Joker actually works. She makes the effort to successfully lure him into her clever trap. All in a desperate attempt to make the Joker love her, yes, but it's a credit to her attention to detail and in knowing how the Dark Knight thinks and acts.
One other thing Harley (unintentionally) manages to achieve what the Joker couldn’t? Make Batman laugh. That she doesn’t see how this puts her above the Clown Prince of Crime - she never even tells him about it - is in its own way another tragedy in her poor, misguided life.
The clown lady of crime is just such an interesting character. I'm glad that through the years since her creation and in 'Mad Love' she's gotten her deserved attention and fame into mainstream superhero/comic book culture. So rare for a female character to accomplish.
'Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories' also features: Roxy Rocket, Catwoman, The Ventriloquist, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy in a very short segment that's more about Bruce Wayne, a very funny Batgirl Christmas story (Robin remains absent in the entire volume, which is refreshing), Ra's Al-Ghul and Talia (I never was interested in them, but they're passable here [and Talia is drawn as sexy in an appropriate, in-universe way]), the demon Etrigan, and another tragic tale - one about Two-Face.
The tragedy of smart (and beautiful, of course) women who are stubbornly devoted to the men in their lives seems to be a recurring pattern of storytelling for the creators of 'Batman: The Animated Series', as well as of this comic collection.
The whole thing is just such an enjoyable and insightful read. Definitely one of my favourite comics. 'Mad Love' is a thing of beauty not to be cast aside, and it's not merely for children, oh no.
Wholeheartedly recommended.
Final Score: 5/5
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