4:59 pm - 02/13/2013
DC wraps up 'Death of the Family'
Batman #17 concludes Scott Snyder's 'Death of the Family' arc *MAJOR SPOILERS*
The “Death of the Family” story arc has set high expectations and raised a ton of speculation about how it would end. The Joker has terrorized the Bat-family and has teased us for weeks about what he will do next. The build-up for the showdown between Batman and the Joker has practically left fans foaming at the mouth wanting to know how this all ends.
The relationship between Batman and the Joker is one of the greatest in all of comic book history and even though so many stories have already been written, this one succeeds at bringing something new to the table. This isn’t a story that dramatically alters the Batman landscape in the same fashion that “The Killing Joke” or “A Death in the Family” did. But it does change the relationship between Batman and the Joker and you get the sense that Batman actually gains the upper hand. The unrelenting game of cat and mouse has historically been in favor of the Joker. For once, Batman actually becomes the antagonist and teases Joker with something he is deathly afraid of.
At the end of the day, the only thing that really changes are the characters but that’s not a bad thing. This issue is clearly a fundamental piece of the Batman mythology and Snyder accomplishes this without blowing up the entire DC universe to do it. This is a feat in itself and a breath of fresh air during a time when comic book companies seem to use the murdering of characters as their only tool to create a high-impact story. Snyder shows that high-impact stories can still just come from good writing and others should definitely take note.
The artwork by Capullo has been fantastic and his style really fits the gritty, horrific tone of the book. Some of the panels are gruesome, some are haunting, but all are beautiful. There are quite a few panels where you find yourself empathizing with the characters or squirming at what might be coming next. It’s hard to imagine any other artist being more of a perfect fit for this arc than Capullo has been.
Batman #17 exemplifies the reasons why fans are so fascinated with the relationship between Batman and the Joker. This issue is an essential one to pick up and you don’t need to have read the previous issues in order to know what’s going on. Definitely a must read for any comic book fan.
So all the reviews are creaming themselves over the new Batman/Joker dynamic and how Snyder wrote such an incredible conclusion without killing anyone but I am disappointed as fuck. I just wanted someone's fucking head on a platter. Is that so much to ask?
source
Discussion post!
The “Death of the Family” story arc has set high expectations and raised a ton of speculation about how it would end. The Joker has terrorized the Bat-family and has teased us for weeks about what he will do next. The build-up for the showdown between Batman and the Joker has practically left fans foaming at the mouth wanting to know how this all ends.
The relationship between Batman and the Joker is one of the greatest in all of comic book history and even though so many stories have already been written, this one succeeds at bringing something new to the table. This isn’t a story that dramatically alters the Batman landscape in the same fashion that “The Killing Joke” or “A Death in the Family” did. But it does change the relationship between Batman and the Joker and you get the sense that Batman actually gains the upper hand. The unrelenting game of cat and mouse has historically been in favor of the Joker. For once, Batman actually becomes the antagonist and teases Joker with something he is deathly afraid of.
At the end of the day, the only thing that really changes are the characters but that’s not a bad thing. This issue is clearly a fundamental piece of the Batman mythology and Snyder accomplishes this without blowing up the entire DC universe to do it. This is a feat in itself and a breath of fresh air during a time when comic book companies seem to use the murdering of characters as their only tool to create a high-impact story. Snyder shows that high-impact stories can still just come from good writing and others should definitely take note.
The artwork by Capullo has been fantastic and his style really fits the gritty, horrific tone of the book. Some of the panels are gruesome, some are haunting, but all are beautiful. There are quite a few panels where you find yourself empathizing with the characters or squirming at what might be coming next. It’s hard to imagine any other artist being more of a perfect fit for this arc than Capullo has been.
Batman #17 exemplifies the reasons why fans are so fascinated with the relationship between Batman and the Joker. This issue is an essential one to pick up and you don’t need to have read the previous issues in order to know what’s going on. Definitely a must read for any comic book fan.
So all the reviews are creaming themselves over the new Batman/Joker dynamic and how Snyder wrote such an incredible conclusion without killing anyone but I am disappointed as fuck. I just wanted someone's fucking head on a platter. Is that so much to ask?
source
Discussion post!
The beginning of the arc was very solid but #16 and 17 were terribad. It seems like it was trying so fucking hard to come up with this amazing iconic symbolism rather than trying to tell a good story. The dialogues made me want to pokes my eyes out !
And the big reveal at the end... OMG Batman knows Joker's identity WOW !... Who cares ?
Ugh, you were doing so well Snyder...
And does it matter? Isn't the Joker always the Joker anyway since his facepaint is permanent?
so yeah, in short, his past has always been pretty unknown and no one knows who he really is. presumably, not even himself
Edited at 2013-02-13 06:29 pm (UTC)
Still will probably pick up the trade though.
BUT JASON'S FACE SURVIVED AND WE'RE GETTING A NEW RHATO WRITER AND EVERYTHING SEEMS MUCH NICER ♥
but jason is fine and RHATO has a new writer, so good riddance to this event and onwards, i say.
I thought the last one, #16? Was pretty lame though.
The artwork has been pretty great overall, imo. Even with all the crossovers the covers are just gorg.
I'm really enjoying the current arc with the BW/WW team-up though. I can't wait for the conclusion next week.
but in all seriousness, not much. the batfam are died up around a table with bags/bloody bandages on their heads, batman manages to free them all and none of them are hurt/disfigured. batman saves them all, freaks the joker out. by the end the batfamily go there separate ways and avoid talking to each other, a la ~death of the family.
i do feel like snyder had a lot of build up and then backed off, though. i wanted their real faces on the platters. i feel like it's in character for joker to actually do that to all of them if he had the opportunity. so yeah, that was pretty disappointing, but whatever, i like the whole arc. i'll read it again.
and lovely icon, op.<3 my favorite comic book of all time.
Thank you! I never get tired of rereading it tbh.
me neither. i always reread it a few times a year. that and devil's advocate. ugh, i love that one so much too. lol.
i just have the main storyline
Batman and Robin continues to be awesome. And Batwoman <3
Is Batgirl worth the read? I'm ambivalent, though I really want to get more into the Batfamily...
Dick and Jason are my favorites, god Tim too...and Damian. I love 'em all!
No.
I think so.
Not really.
Edited at 2013-02-13 06:29 pm (UTC)
That being said, when Alfred goes, I will weep openly. Or did he already go?
I would like to know what the 'dynamic change' was. Not enough to, you know, read, but enough to be curious.
The dynamic change was just Batman getting the upper hand on the Joker for once by telling him that he knew his real identity.