Tales by two of the creators behind the acclaimed Batman Animated TV series are collected for the first time in hardcover! The centerpiece of this fantastic collection is the Eisner Award-winning BATMAN: MAD LOVE, the surprisingly dark origin of Harley Quinn, co-starring The Joker and Poison Ivy as well as Batman. Also included are tales by Dini, Timm and others that feature the Scarecrow, Ra's al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Batgirl and more, from BATMAN ADVENUTURES ANNUAL #1-2 and stories from the BATMAN ADVENTURES HOLIDAY SPECIAL, ADVENTURES IN THE DC UNIVERSE #3 and BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE #1!
After a failed attempt at murdering Commissioner Gordon, the Joker falls into a depression. Growing weary of his feud with Batman, Joker decides it's time to end the game and begins to work endlessly trying to create the perfect plan that will humiliate and, ultimately, kill Batman. While Joker is desperately trying to create a plan, Harley Quinn is busy trying to seduce Joker and cheer him up - however, her attempts backfire making the Joker even more upset and angry than he already was. Joker throws Harley out. Harley, walking alone on the streets of Gotham, recounts her first days as a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum and how she fell in love with Joker and eventually took on the identity of Harley Quinn in hopes of winning over Joker's love and one day starting a family together. Harley then comes to believe that it's been Batman all these years who has kept her dream from coming true - that if Batman were gone, the Joker and her could finally settle down. So, Harley sets in motion a plan in hopes of destroying Batman and winning back her Mr. J.
She is meticulous over every detail and rechecks everything until Batman wakes up hanging upside down over a tank of piranha. Finally going to kill Batman Harley hears Batman tell her how mad the Joker would be if she did it without him. Convinced she calls joker and he gets there as fast as possible.
When he arrives he in in a rage that she had done this and that she didn't do it right. Joker pushes her out the window and nearly kills her and then he lets batman away...kinda. The two fight and Batman tells Joker Harley did better that the Joker ever did and that it was his ego that let him go. The two fight until Joker falls and disappears.
Collects
- The Batman Adventures Annual #1 (Going Straight / Puppet Show / 24 Hour Study Hall / Laughter After Midnight)
- The Batman Adventures Annual #2 (Demons)
- The Batman Adventures: Holiday Special #1 (Jolly Ol' St. Nicholas)
- Adventures in the DC Universe #3 (Cruise to Nightmare)
- Batman Black and White #1 (Two of a Kind)
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