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"Death of the Family" storyline (Batman)

Started by cgriffith,

371 posts in this topic

Aman619

Aman619

Posted
Posted

another question: at this point, why the emphasis on who Joker really is? Based on the origins DC has used in the past 50 years, he was a nobody. So what would be learned or gained by knowing who? THAT guy is long gone.

 

unless its a Green Goblin reveal, where Joker really WAS someone in the Batman universe at some point?? Like Harvey Dent was a prosecutor Bruce knew.

 

SO I dont get why it even matters who Joker was. (By the way, in todays New 52 continuity, is the Joker still the Red Hood who fell into a vat of chemicals? Am I missing the idea that since Batman is now only 17 issues old, we have yet to find out that Joker was a nobody? Or is THIS Joker the SAME Joker from before??

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TSwift25

TSwift25

Posted
Posted
another question: at this point, why the emphasis on who Joker really is? Based on the origins DC has used in the past 50 years, he was a nobody. So what would be learned or gained by knowing who? THAT guy is long gone.

 

unless its a Green Goblin reveal, where Joker really WAS someone in the Batman universe at some point?? Like Harvey Dent was a prosecutor Bruce knew.

 

SO I dont get why it even matters who Joker was. (By the way, in todays New 52 continuity, is the Joker still the Red Hood who fell into a vat of chemicals? Am I missing the idea that since Batman is now only 17 issues old, we have yet to find out that Joker was a nobody? Or is THIS Joker the SAME Joker from before??

 

It doesn't matter. Bruce doesn't even know (in the cave it had 'UNKNOWN' across the Joker's face. It wasn't that Bruce knew, it's that he wanted to turn the tables on the Joker in the Joker's game.

 

It also makes sense from the "final" reveal.

 

 

 

If the Joker doesn't care who Batman is, obviously all he's fixated on is Joker - Batman, not anything under the mask. If Batman knew who's "under the makeup" it completely eliminates the dynamic the Joker wants to preserve. I don't know where it was mentioned, I think maybe Batman 15, that the Joker thrives on the set-up and punchline. He follows a formula. Despite all his chaos it's important to him that everything go the way he plans it, otherwise it's all ruined. Feigning knowledge of his true identity is that on a significantly larger scale.

 

 

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TSwift25

TSwift25

Posted
Posted
IGN gave it a 10/10 (first 10 i've seen from them)

CBR gave it a 5/5

Crave gave it a 9.5/10

Comic Vine gave it a 5/5

 

What the heck do I know.

 

I'd give these scores to the first third of the issue... which was scary and fun, and maintained the tone of "anything can happen". In the end, though, well... nothing did happen.

 

I also have to ask... would this kind of restraint really be in character for the psychotic Joker we've seen in this arc? Elaborate setups to kidnap each one of the Bat-family members, with the stated purpose of eliminating them...and racking up a body count of innocents approaching the triple digits on the way there. But in the end he decides just to pull a prank on Batman, and leaves them all totally unscathed?

 

And yep, I agree that DC's hype for the storyline, and the heavy use of tie-ins, built up the pressure even more. Even the title of the event seemed designed to raise expectations...

 

"Death IN the Family" = one 'family' member dies

"Death OF the Family" = everyone scampers off alive...?

 

It's still been a great ride for sure, and a storyline I'll reread, but I did believe (not unreasonably I think) that more was coming from the payoff.

 

 

 

I agree, 13-16 were among the best modern books I'd ever read. 15 may be the best. The rising tension ('he's only a man') was simply brilliant. 16 was the first time I've ever read an issue and immediately wished I hadn't read it early and just let a pile build up so I didn't have to wait. 17 was, maybe, the comic I most looked forward to reading. It just fell flat.

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Erndog

Erndog

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Ok, I let the entire "Death of the Family" arc pile up (including some Batgirl and Nightwing issues) and just read em all over the last two nights and all I have to say is that Scott Snyder is fantastic!

 

Sure 17 fell a littlleeeee flat in that it didn't have some lasting effect on the Batman universe really but I enjoyed every second of the ride. All 5 issues were outstanding and had me on the edge of my seat each page. Snyder has had a heck of a 17 issue run... Just as good as Paul Dini's (and I thought Dini's run was one of the best comic runs I've ever read).

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Point Five

Point Five

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Posted
Missed an excellent opportunity to "thin the herd" of redundant Robin-types.

 

Red Robin? Damian? Red Hood?

 

Pick any...hell pick any two. Please.

+1. Don't understand why so many, and even in the well-written Snyder run they are pretty nearly interchangeable to me.

 

 

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Sarfa

Sarfa

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He couldn't kill Damian because it sound like Grant Morrison is going to do that soon enough in Batman Inc. It wouldn't bother me to see Tim go bye bye. But I like have Jason back, and is better now as Nightwing.

 

 

I did like the whole, "Kill Him, or him, or him, or him AGAIN" bit

 

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