It is a calling card for one of the most important new members of not only the world of Batman, but the DC Universe as well.

Although she had been on the periphery of the DC universe before, the 62-page one-shot was Harley Quinn’s point of entry into comic books. Mad Love was her leaping off point after a strong introduction in animation.

Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, her first real appearance had been in the September 1992 episode of Batman: The Animated Series titled “Joker’s Favor.” They had never intended to create someone who would become part of the comic universe, but fan reaction to the ever-grinning, slightly unbalanced, red-and-black-clad little vixen was so great that her move into print was almost inevitable.

In creating the cover for this issue, artist Timm stuck to the DC Animated house style, which is only fitting as the complete title of the book is The Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1.

As in the animated show itself, the lines are a bit more round, not as well defined as a regular comic book. The art appears a bit more kid-friendly. It holds a child-like quality to it (appropriate as she comes from a cartoon show aimed at a younger set of fans).

With Harley at the center, the image is a strong triangle. She holds the dominate image going north and south, but above her on each shoulder are Batman and The Joker.

When Timm incorporates The Joker and Batman he uses familiar symbols for both to contain their images. Behind Batman is a brown Bat-signal and we see the Joker, bearing going straight to the other side of the cover after Batman.

Adding to this deeply established symbolism in the comic universe is a new look, the big pink heart behind Harley herself. That heart may be new, but it now means as much as Joker’s playing card and the Bat-signal ever did.

There is no doubt as to whom Harley is loyal. The look of love in her eyes is not only dreamy, it is a bit juvenile in tone. As if she has an absolute crush and hasn’t reached fourteen yet.

Given the tightness of her costume and the revealing curves, the woman is obviously much older than someone who would be screaming at a Boy Band concert. Even with a halo of pink valentine hearts surrounding her, the look could hold a bit of psychotic obsession.

Floating down between Joker and Harley are a series of small notes with ideas such as “Die Batman Die” and “Destroy Batman.” It is unclear as to whether these are instructions from the Joker or mash notes from Harley designed to gain favor with Joker.

What is clear is that moving straight up form Harley and into the bat-signal are some very tight-faced, teeth baring fish. Their grimace may appear small, but like the piranhas they resemble, it is clear that they can cause some damage.

The red and black of her costume features little diamonds, each one carefully placed so as to balance out the shape of her costume. The white cuffs oat her wrist and the paleness of her face jump out amidst the darker tones. A touch of blue in her eyes only draws us into her crush.

She is holding a gun, something that we have seen thousands of times on a comic book cover. If you look closely you get a small bit of information about who or what she really is. The gun, fat and oversized as it is, has a cork attached to a string. Even so, it may or may not be a child’s toy because she is clearly sided with the Joker.

And since the Joker wants Batman dead, we can only assume that Harley Quinn does as well.

The book went on to win the 1994 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue of the Year. When it was released copies flew off the shelf and it hasn’t been out of print since. It is a classic.

Today Harley is a lot more hardcore. As a fully integrated member of the New 52 for DC, her costume has been sliced a bit and her intentions are that of someone who has gone off the deep end. The series is tremendously popular and justifiably so as the character has changed to reflect a broken, harsher time.

But once, twenty years ago, she was just a crazy kid with a crush. A crush on a murdering madman.