Some spoilers for Death of the Family. You have been forewarned.
And so, finally, Death of the Family concludes, in Batman 17. I haven't been reading Batman in the new 52 DC, but I had to get this, and I must admit, it was quite good. Creepy, but good. The sick game Joker has been playing with Batman is almost lyrical and Bruce comes through as the strong hero he is. He might be flawed and broken inside, himself, but he's not the damaged, psychotic counterpart to Joker as the Joker believes. Joker needs Batman, but Batman doesn't need Joker.
I was also gratified to discover my fears as to what was being served -- bits of Alfred on each of the platters -- were wrong. As to what was revealed, I wasn't worried because I didn't think DC would allow that, unless a lot of plastic surgery was in everyone's future. Plus, the masks were on those "faces," which likely meant Joker hadn't actually unmasked them. And that was interesting, too, when Bruce realized that Joker didn't care who he and the others were. A nice point, but it also meant that Joker missed on one more point of torture. He already had everyone wondering if he knew who they really were. Knowing that he knew, that he'd seen their faces, would have been awful, though a case could be made that wondering is worse. But now they know he isn't likely to have known.
Anyway, it was a good psychological thriller, a fairly strong conclusion that made me wish the chapters in the other books (at least the ones I'd read) had been as good instead of reading like filler. I suppose one special issue that covered all the Bat family getting captured would've done the trick and left the regular books for the Bat family members to do their usual stories, then pick up with Death of the Family aftermath chapters with their March issues.
I was disappointed to not have all the Bat family show up for that meeting Bruce told Alfred about, but it was understandable. I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out for Jason and Dick in their own books.
I also read World's Finest 9. An enjoyable read, nothing special. The cover reminded me how much I hate Power Girl's current costume.
Showing posts with label Death of the Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death of the Family. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Death of the Family
Nightwing 16 and Red Hood and the Outlaws 16
Okay, we get it. Joker is one nasty lunatic. Not that I needed convincing. And I'm sure the parts of the story in Batman and other Bat books I'm not reading are fascinating, but the parts in these two are wearing thin, as in there's not much here.
Nightwing has the most going on with Joker pretty much destroying the life Dick's set up for himself, namely destroying the circus and the circus folks. Meanwhile, over in RHATO (which apparently is how this book is often referred to, silly though it may be), Roy tries to play leader for the Teen Titans while Tim is missing because there's a need to stop and help the people turned into Joker's army before he, Kori, and the Teen Titans can go looking for Jason and Tim. And let's face it, the real interest, Joker-wise, here is what's happening to Jason and Tim, especially Jason whom Joker already killed once. Which makes this issue pretty much filler.
Except for one awesome Roy flashback. In an earlier ish (and I'm too lazy to go look it up), we learned via Roy's greatest memory that Killer Croc chose not to let Roy commit suicide by Killer Croc. In this flashback, we learn that Croc wasn't always a monster and in fact, the freaky killer has a soft spot somewhere where his heart once was and might still be, and he's the one who forced Roy into AA, or at least made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Completely bizarre, for sure, but awesome just the same. So for that, I'm glad I got the issue, but for the rest of it, meh.
Let's face it. Right now, Death of the Family doesn't seem to have lived up to its potential in at least these two books and maybe others I'm not reading, and it's the aftermath that holds the true promise now. So bring on the next issues, already, and lets get Jason back to his friends so we can see how that's going to play out. I'm not sure who Dick will have to lean on, but Jason's got Roy and Kori and that's fine by me.
I'm getting really tired of these major crossovers. How many places can Joker be at the same time, anyway? The overly involved, stretched-too-thin event stories are the one holdover from the old DC that I could do without.
Okay, we get it. Joker is one nasty lunatic. Not that I needed convincing. And I'm sure the parts of the story in Batman and other Bat books I'm not reading are fascinating, but the parts in these two are wearing thin, as in there's not much here.
Nightwing has the most going on with Joker pretty much destroying the life Dick's set up for himself, namely destroying the circus and the circus folks. Meanwhile, over in RHATO (which apparently is how this book is often referred to, silly though it may be), Roy tries to play leader for the Teen Titans while Tim is missing because there's a need to stop and help the people turned into Joker's army before he, Kori, and the Teen Titans can go looking for Jason and Tim. And let's face it, the real interest, Joker-wise, here is what's happening to Jason and Tim, especially Jason whom Joker already killed once. Which makes this issue pretty much filler.
Except for one awesome Roy flashback. In an earlier ish (and I'm too lazy to go look it up), we learned via Roy's greatest memory that Killer Croc chose not to let Roy commit suicide by Killer Croc. In this flashback, we learn that Croc wasn't always a monster and in fact, the freaky killer has a soft spot somewhere where his heart once was and might still be, and he's the one who forced Roy into AA, or at least made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Completely bizarre, for sure, but awesome just the same. So for that, I'm glad I got the issue, but for the rest of it, meh.
Let's face it. Right now, Death of the Family doesn't seem to have lived up to its potential in at least these two books and maybe others I'm not reading, and it's the aftermath that holds the true promise now. So bring on the next issues, already, and lets get Jason back to his friends so we can see how that's going to play out. I'm not sure who Dick will have to lean on, but Jason's got Roy and Kori and that's fine by me.
I'm getting really tired of these major crossovers. How many places can Joker be at the same time, anyway? The overly involved, stretched-too-thin event stories are the one holdover from the old DC that I could do without.
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