Reviews

Batman - Szalona miłość i inne opowieści by Paul Dini, Bruce Timm

sarahdenn27's review against another edition

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4.0

Loved Mad Love and Two of a Kind but wasn't a fan of Demons.

anastasiaadamov's review against another edition

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5.0

I am a big fan of Mad Love and Harley character. Mad love was awesome and i loved the author's notes on making the comic and characters. Other stories were nice too.
It kinda made me want to watch the cartoon series also :)H&J <3

mattiedancer's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Writing: 3.75⭐️/5 
Alright, so it’s a fun collection, but it falls victim a bit to some sexist tropes and a bit of unnatural dialogue. I liked the way Harley Quinn’s thoughts were written, and I enjoyed the writing overall.

Artwork: 4.5⭐️/5 
I mean, I can’t really say too much bad about the artwork. Maybe the female characters are not proportioned correctly, which is pretty standard in comic books, unfortunately, but it’s a beautiful comic with beautiful art.

Characters: 4⭐️/5
I love Harley Quinn. I love her stubbornness, her tenacity, and even her obsessions. I would have loved a bit more about her and the Joker’s relationship, but even then the characters are well-fleshed and fun.

Plot: 4.5⭐️/5 
The plots of the comic books are fun and I enjoyed reading them.

Who Should Read This Book? 
  • Fans of Batman
  • Fans of Harley Quinn
  • Fans of the Joker

Content Warnings? 
Mental illness, violence, misogyny, sexism, physical abuse, emotional abuse, injury, forced institutionalization, toxic relationship

Post-Reading Rating:  4⭐️/5
I had fun. Did I mention that?

Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5

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mjbooknerd's review against another edition

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4.0

I only read Mad Love because that's the reason I bought this.

crgs's review against another edition

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4.0

Getting ready for Suicide Squad. And I'm doing my homework. This one was surprisingly wonderful!

sapph1re's review against another edition

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adventurous dark lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


Mad Love
is the genesis of Harley Quinn. An awarding winning one-shot comic, set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series (later adapted as an episode for The New Batman Adventures animated series) is a classic among classics. And has become my gateway into one-shot comics. 


Harley Quinn's origin story has been retold, reimagined and recontextualized over the 30+ years from the iconic character's first appearance in 1992. And it's no wonder why because Mad Love is a fanticsic one-shot that truly delivers on creating a compelling mythos behind a counterpart to none other than the infamous Joker. Which is admittedly a tough order to fill considering the Joker is one of the most prominent antagonists in all of fiction, of all time, but co-creators Paul Dini and Bruce Timm rose to the occasion and stuck the landing.


The art work is in the same style of Batman: The Animated Series which is beloved for a reason and even without the heavy nostalgia goggles on (as I never watched the show growing up) I can confinditly say it's beautiful. The artists and colorists bring Gotham to life in a cartoonish style that perfectly fits the tone and ambience in a way that just feels natural in this context.


The only complaint I would say is that this is a collect of stories and Mad Love is definitely the high light with the rest in it's shadow. That doesn't mean they're bad I actually enjoy them all (maybe except for the batgirl one) just not as impactful. TLDR ; this is a must read for any Harley Quinn fan and a certified classic. 4.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️.

maiarosemac's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5

gabrielavmarques's review against another edition

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4.0

Mad Love was the only story that was worth the time, but it was a hell of a story! The style, similar to the 90's animated tv series was beautiful an made me feel so nostalgic.
It was great to see the original take on Harley Quinn's backstory and how she used to behave compared to more recent approaches. And the commentary was so touching, I really enjoyed it.

manuphoto's review against another edition

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5.0

A bit unequal. Mad Love is fantastic, and I love everything from Batman TAS. The other stories are also very good but not quite on the same level. But what the heck, I had a very good time and loved the art. A must for Batman fans.

frenchchoz's review against another edition

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3.0

I was hoping this wasn't a book where Harley was just a sexy lamp and it wasn't. Instead she slept her way through school and was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. Hopefully one day I will find a story that isn't her as a victim.

Loved the Poison Ivy story.