Batman Mad Love Review

Hi, this is Kevin Conroy, and you're listening

to the GeekCast Radio Network. Why hello there!

Joker here, and I want to welcome you to the

second annual Batman Month here, inside the pole

bag. Hey Wade, this is my 75th anniversary! Why

does the bat get all the attention? Where's the

month dedicated to me? Anyways, this year TFG1

Mike brings in Steve Megatron once again, Jeremy

Fine and JT from Saskatoon as they discover the

many facades of Batman. This year we aren't going

bat shit crazy, but we are covering three very

different Batman. Bruce Wayne in Mad Love, Harry

McGinnis in the Batman Beyond books, and Dick

Grayson in Gates of Gotham. So tune in to...

So tune in to Channel Joker for all things bad.

Motherfucker! So tune in to Channel Joker for

all the bad worshipping you can handle. The joke's

on me apparently for my 75th anniversary. So

jump inside my garbage scow and listen to the

second annual Batman monkeer inside the full

bag. Quinn. Oh, you're awake finally. The Joker.

Where? It's just me, B -Man. No joker, no gas

bombs, no city in peril. Just you, that tank,

and me. Why? To show Mr. J I could really pull

off one of his plans. See, he could never get

these fishies to smile. But then I had the bright

idea of hanging the victim. That's you, upside

down. That way, to you, it'll look like they're

smiling. Clever? Brilliant. Yeah, I can tell

you're less than thrilled. You know, for what

it's worth, I actually enjoyed some of our romps.

But there comes a time when a gal wants more.

And now all this gal wants is to settle down

with her lovin' sweetheart. You and the Joker?

Ryder Rooney! I've never seen you laugh before!

I don't think I like it! Cut it out! You're giving

me the creeps! You little fool. The Joker doesn't

love anything except himself. Wake up, Harleen.

He had you pegged for a hired help the minute

you walked into Arkham. That's not... No! No!

He told me things, secret things, he never told

anyone! Was it his line about the abusive father?

Or the one about the runaway mom? He's gained

a lot of sympathy with that one. Stop it! You're

making me confused! What was it he told that

one parole officer? Oh, yes. There was only one

time I ever saw Dad really happy. He took me

to the ice show when I was seven. Circus. He

said it was the circus. He's got a million of

them, Harley. You're the problem! And now you're

gonna die and make everything right! Except he'll

never believe you did it. Huh? Sure he will!

How's Joker gonna know I'm really gone? All those

fish will leave are scraps of bone and cloth.

Anyone can fake that. True, you've got my belt.

But it's not the same as a body. You'll never

buy it. All right folks, this is the final release

for the first week in May and this is gonna be

kicking off our annual Batman month and no we're

not gonna have thirteen podcasts this time around

like last year last year was batman seventy -fifth

anniversary so you're lucky i didn't do seventy

-five podcasts in one month but then again steve

probably would've killed me so i am tf2 and mike

welcome to the poll bag joining me is steve megatron

hello hello and jeremy fine hello hello and we're

here uh... Because we need to go to the dentist

as much as we hate those checkups and we are

going to be talking about the comic book version

of The Batman Adventures mad love we're only

talking about the mad love issue. We're not talking

about the entire collection that DC put out Mad

love obviously is an episode of Batman the animated

series. This is its comic adaptation, I guess

would be the best point of phrase. This came

out first, actually, before the episode. Oh,

did it? Yeah. I believe this came out like 93,

94, and then because it was so popular that by

the time the animated series had started with

its fourth and final season, people were asking...

do and add that we should have had love. It was

either that or a radio drama. There's even a

motion comic. But the less we talk about that,

the better because it's not with any voice actors

that I'm familiar with, and it was really one

of the worst line readings ever. All right. So

this is episode 106 of The Pole Bag, and this

is going to kick off Batman Month. We're going

to have four episodes. We're going to have this

one, which obviously is Bruce Wayne is Batman.

uh... next time around we're gonna steve and

i are gonna continue our batman beyond coverage

where we talk about terry mcginnis and bruce

wayne and all that stuff sixty five years in

the future after that steve and i will come back

with uh... more batman beyond when we talk about

justice lords beyond uh... which is a very very

awesome part of the batman beyond two point oh

storyline with kyle higgins on writing and then

a wrap up batman month we're gonna We're gonna

get our dicks out. Sorry folks. Oh, thank you

We're gonna be traveling back in time and Talking

about the five issues series that DC did with

Scott Snyder Kyle Higgins on writing Various

artists that I don't have the info pulled up,

but we're gonna be talking about Batman gates

of Gotham when Dick Grayson was Batman Because

I think at that point in time Bruce still had

his back broken or something or other, but we'll

get into the history of that later when we get

to episode 109 of the podcast. So that's what's

going to be happening this year in Batman month.

So we're going to take a quick break, come back

with mad love after this. Hi, this is Lauren

Lester and you're listening to the GeekCast Radio

Network. We have to apologize for the kid no

respect for tradition Let's just pretend the

whole thing never happened and do this some other

time Then again, this is a rather rare opportunity

You know what they say? A bat in the hand is

worth two in the belfry. I guess you're going

out on a laugh after all. legs chain dizzy from

the blood rushing to my head I had no way out

other than convincing her to call you I knew

your massive ego would never allow anyone else

the honor of killing me though I have to admit

she came a lot closer than you ever did alright

folks we are back and we're gonna be talking

about mad love did you see the episode first

or did you read this first Jeremy I actually

didn't know that this was a graphic novel or

comic because I was at my local comic book store

and I think I did see like some sort of cover

of the Batman Adventures and I really didn't

care too much about the comics I just you know

brushed it off and then one Saturday morning

Batman Adventures was on and it was on I think

about 11 11 30 and I saw this episode and When

Batman first aired from 92 to whenever I wasn't

that much of a fan. I was in college at this

point It wasn't until it started to rerun a Cartoon

Network But I watched the episode and I just

remember having a lot of problems with the character

because I was taking psychology at the time and

learning about breaking confidentiality and I

was writing all these rules for extra credit

and using the Batman characters and I ended up

getting A in the class of what like what Harley

was doing and what she shouldn't be doing, you

know, talking with her clients. But I have to

say for a Saturday morning cartoon show, it was

the most intense because A, it did discuss domestic

violence, which was something that you didn't

see in a Saturday morning cartoon show. It had

blood. I mean, we saw her bleed. And not to mention

the fact I didn't I mean, this this was the first

time that we get some sort of origin on Harley

because she started off as a hench wench and

she started off being on the one hand side of

a fist fight but we finally I think in season

three it's mentioned that she was a psychiatrist

but then we finally find out like what made her

turn and it was in one hand interesting but on

the other hand I still felt that a little of

Harley went a long way wasn't until the new 52

that I got into this character Because it's kind

of like after this episode It's it just kind

of would continue going back on basics where

she would just keep getting smacked around So

I didn't care too much about Harley then as I

do now But it was it was just always hard to

watch those old episodes because of what happens

with her like how she kept taking the abuse I'd

say for me with Harley I Liked her and I loved

her in this episode But where I really enjoyed

her is when she shows up in world's finest and

then obviously return of the Joker In the flashback

scene for return of the Joker And I don't know

I just I've always loved the animated version

of Harley Steve What about you when did you did

you because I didn't this is the first time I've

ever read this I had never I had seen the episode,

but I had never read it before. So what about

you, Steve? What happened with you first? Was

it the comic or the show? It was the show, actually.

Around that time, I really wasn't collecting

comics all that much. I mean, I was, but it had

become one of those things that I'd kind of fallen

out of. But I definitely caught the episode first.

Really enjoyed that I don't think I caught the

actual graphic novel of it until the early 2000s

and was able to read it online and There is a

lot more expanded content in the graphic novel

compared to the episode but that's to be expected

being that it's translated to that But you have

to admit that the the pure The writing of this

graphic novel and even the episode is just pure

genius. And it's really the first time you've

seen something from the comic really go like

an original character get translated to a TV

show. Right, yeah. That's very true. I really

dug this. I thought this was really cool. First

of all, like I said, I love the episode. And

I found this a little jarring. I mean, it starts

off like the episode starts off with Commissioner

Gordon at the dentist. And it's got some really,

really stunning visuals, like the scene. The

panel where jokers like everything will have

to go, you know, that's a really awesome looking

panel But you know, I don't know it just I Think

the episode nailed the emotions more than the

comic does I'm I'm glad that the the whole that's

a real gasser line and then him saying i give

the punch lines around here got it i'm glad that

is in here and also in in the in the cartoon

as well um i don't remember there being a grenade

in the show when joker leaves was i don't remember

him throwing a grenade on top of gordon Because

in this he throws He says keep flossing and watch

those in between meal snacks and he throws a

grenade on top of him here in the comic I don't

remember what he did in the animated series because

I haven't seen The what Jeremy The grenade yeah,

I think it had something to do with the episode

that Because in the episode Joker says something

about made the floss be with you So I think it

just like takes it as a distraction I don't think

he throws it so much on Jim's lap as he just

like Just pick something up and throws it away

Yeah, but I think he threw something, but I don't

think he In the show. I don't remember him throwing

a grenade and an explosion. I would have remembered

that So, you know, we end this first part of

the first scene of this issue with Jim saying,

I really hate these checkups. We go back to the

Batcave. We see a beautiful shot of the Batmobile.

Absolutely awesome. And for the creative, and

the reason why I waited until this long to talk

about the creative is because it doesn't happen

until here. We have Paul Deany and Bruce Timm

on script, plot, and art. Bruce Timm and Rick

Taylor are the colorists. Timm Harkins is the

letterer. Darren Vicenzo? was the assistant editor

at the time scott peterson was the editor uh...

it's a special thanks special thanks to glenn

maricami for art assistance obviously batman

created by bob cain i am so glad that they nailed

the batmobile here and they didn't i mean all

the designs here are very much i mean this is

supposed to be you know all about the animated

series you know so i'm glad that It's Tim on

art for the most part and whatever else I think

the only thing Wasn't this at a time where this

was the Batman and the new Batman adventures,

right? This is you said this was the fourth season

Well, the new Batman adventures. Yes started

season 4 I think at 97 98 as I recall Oh, they

probably didn't have the designs for it at the

time I was gonna comment on then why is it the

btas outfit and not the new adventures outfit

because It's the classic, you know dark blue

and green yellow and black But that's probably

because I didn't come up with the designs for

that at the time. Well, yeah this came out It's

definitely from the new Batman adventures because

it's when Joker gets his streamlined look, but

he has no lips Yeah, and no like whites in his

eyes, really? Yeah. I don't know. As much as

I love the art, the inconsistency on Batman's

costume, that's a little off -putting for me.

I wish they did this in the black and gray. Overall,

I love this issue. I mean, I love the episode

more, but I do love this issue and it's interesting

to see it in comic form versus in cartoon form.

Anything else you want to bring up about this,

Steve? Anything that you really enjoyed about

it? Anything you really wish that they could

have changed? I wouldn't say anything changed.

I actually enjoyed the story either way. I think

it's a nice addition adding layer to the Joker

that Not only a henchman, but somebody that clearly

clearly wants to get it in his pants More than

he wants her to for the fact that he wants to

defeat Batman, but can't figure out why or how

she's sitting there dressed and Lingerie trying

to get his attention and he's just like get the

hell away from me. I'm trying to fix something

And then she finally figures out how to make

his joke work and then it's just not funny to

him so I mean it's the whole thing is is is rather

rather funny how it kind of goes down and Having

having everything just backfire on Harley and

the Joker just basically Kicks everybody's ass

and actually lets Batman go Which is kind of

different I love her narration on the whole thing.

I mean, obviously this happened in the cartoon

series, but I love how the narration and like

Jeremy said, we actually get to see inside her

mind and we see, you know, what she was feeling.

It doesn't, it still doesn't give us an example

of, it still doesn't give us an explanation as

to why she's so fixated on the Joker now. Okay,

I Think the thing was is that Harley and and

this was during pop psychology I think and I'm

gonna go with the with the episode that Harley

admits that the only reason why she became a

psychiatrist is because she wants to do a tell

a book on Gotham's rogues and I guess she's hoping

to cash in on Joker and my feeling was is that

In this comic, which they didn't show in the

episode, she wasn't doing well in psychology.

So we see that she wears a short skirt, she flirts

with the head of the psychology department, and

she ends up becoming an intern at Arkham Asylum.

I'm assuming she's gonna use her womanly charm

to seduce Joker, and all of a sudden Joker starts

telling her things that apparently, you know,

no other psychiatrist knew about. Now, even in

the motion comic, And I think in this graphic

novel, it's discussed that she just doesn't set

up a meeting with the Joker right away. It has

to take at least three months before she's able

to get the permission to interview him. And I

think what happens is that because, as Batman

says, Joker sees Harley as hired help as soon

as she walked in the door. It's all about who's

playing who and who is outsmarting who. And the

joke really is, Harley somehow outsmarted Joker

and Batman. because harley found out how to get

a joke to work she captured batman she came close

to killing batman and that of course pisses off

and that's what it's all about that she is a

lot smarter than we take her for she's not just

this bubbly blonde that you know has that squeaky

voice and that's what it comes down to but the

thing is harley becomes Infatuated with the joker

for a couple reasons and I but and they get I

don't want to go too much new 52 because we're

not going to discuss that No, this is not this

is DC animated universe. This is not new 52.

Yeah, right So for DC animated my thing was and

this was discussed in the season 4 documentary

That harley loves the joker because she seems

to be that girl that loves the dumb jock for

whatever reason She you know, it's a high school

crush And it's just an exaggeration on that crush.

And I think it's just, you know, she starts to

become addicted to his chaos. And I guess whatever

home life she had, she's enjoying this and secretly

she's going to jot everything down and put it

into a book. But she just ends up doing what

most psychiatrists or clients do. Sometimes the

client will fall in love with the psychiatrist

or vice versa. It happens a lot. And unfortunately,

it's all about manipulation, and that's what

it keeps going around and around and around with.

It's like, who's really manipulating who? True.

Very true. I love the breakdown of Harley after

she captures Batman. And I love the exchange

for them, you know, when she's like, you know...

Also, I want to do is settle down with my pudding

and Batman's like What you and the Joker? Right

a Rooney and then he just starts laughing and

she's like cut it out. You're you're giving me

the career I just I love that whole scene and

I love Conroy's inflections in the show when

he's like you little fool Just absolutely amazing

You know in the comic he he goes on to tell her

why the Joker would never believe her and whatever

else and so she calls him up and You know Joker

for Joker. I mean this I know this is a Harley

centric story But having the Joker be a background

character is just hilarious It's almost more

funny than half of his schemes in the DC anime

universe just because Batman is right Joker has

peaked at this point and we see him, you know

in the comic, you know boring lame not funny

been done to riddler, you know and You know the

phone rings and rings and you know, he goes on

and on and on and on he's like Harley where the

heck have you been? Oh, yeah. Yeah, you know

and then just I wasn't sure how they were gonna

Draw the scene where you have who tied up where

oh? God, I love this Simply amazing and I love

his his thought bubbles about the villains what

they'll say and if like Jeremy said if you think

about it, this is pretty damn tragic because

She's trying her best you know to to help him

but she you know as Steve said she just doesn't

get it you know it's not a good thing that somebody

it's kinda like the Joker's eulogy you know and

the man who killed Batman it's you know the Joker

has to be the one do it you know it just is I'm

glad I finally got a chance to see the comic

I think it's a really, really fun look at it

without it being animation. Steve, what about

you? What are your, I guess, overall closing

thoughts here? I would say it's definitely a

necessary part of the Batman the Animated Series

comics, as well as just any of the Batman comics

in general, just because one, Paul Daney wrote

it, two, it adds kind of that new element to...

The Joker's story and kind of adds growth True

just the typical Joker does this Joker does this

Joker does this it adds that extra element which

Pretty much from then on out She followed him

everywhere Yeah until they went back to the comics

Yep And you know I love it more in the cartoon

series, but I love how they've drawn and shown

the train sequence here, where Batman's explaining

what Harley had done to him. And he goes on to

say, though I have to admit, she came a lot closer

than you ever did, puddin'. And it just sends

the Joker into a complete rage. And I love the

art in here, how, you know, they do the, the

all red background and the Joker's gering and

Joker's all white. Batman's like in a shadow

of black and white and Joker's just jumping at

him. And these two have such an amazing emotional,

psychological, physical fight, not just here,

but throughout their entire storylines. you know

for over seventy five years now um they really

are each other's best and worst enemies yep absolutely

love it um so i think uh jeremy did you have

any final thoughts you want to impart on the

listeners before we close this one out well the

one thing i really love is when batman calls

joker pudding in this comic. I just love his

face that he gives. I mean, this would be a great

internet meme, but the other thing that I also

appreciate is that what would happen if you had

a Joker -less story but still talked about him?

Because, you know, the problem is so many people

are infatuated with the Joker, but God forbid

if he's not in a story, nobody cares. And this

one kind of had its cake and eat it too. And

I do love the ending how you think Harley's gonna

change and then Joker just gives her like a get

well card. And I think the cartoon, and I'm not

too sure, but I think the way it ended, somebody

came in to give the flower and was someone in

the shadows. And I could have sworn it was Joker

that came in to drop the flowers and walk away.

I don't think it was. I'd have to go back and

watch it. But all in all, It's probably one of

the greatest, most tra - I mean, the best love

stories are the most tragic, so this is the greatest

love story between not only Joker and Batman,

but Joker and Harley, so it's a nice little three

-way. Okay, now that Jeremy's taking the show

down another deep rabbit hole, um... Where can

the people find you online sir to interact with

you Jeremy Twitter honey cow cast Facebook honey

cow casts iTunes honey cow cast and of course,

you know geek cast you can find me in the syndicated

shows All right. What about you Steve? You can

find me on the Twitter's at SCP 21 You can also

find me weekly on altered geek unlimited and

on the website geek cast radio calm Alright,

coming up next week folks, we're going to get

rewired with Batman Beyond 2 .0, so until next

time, make your great escape into comics, and

we'll see you then. where you can comment on

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