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The Last Laugh
“Batman – Death of the Family Essential Edition” collects the story originally published in the New 52 Batman’s title, along with some edited highlights from the crossover issues in the “Joker” collection, though you don’t need them to enjoy the story.The original Batman volume was 176 pages, and the Joker volume 450+.For the full story see - Batman Volume 3: Death of the Family HC (The New 52) (Batman (DC Comics)) (5-stars; issues #13-17) The Joker: Death of the Family HC (The New 52) (4-stars; the crossover issues)Batman – Death of the FamilyThis is a superb story, and you don’t need to read the crossover issues – all collected as – in order to appreciate it. This is the Batman The Killing Joke Special Ed HC for the New 52, but with a much better punchline than the original. There’s really not much more to be said; other than that it has superb scripting and artwork.I have been critical of a number of the New 52 Batman volumes and series, but this is definitely one of the best, and head and shoulders above the two preceding volumes. It has a beginning, middle and at least two endings, one for the Joker and one for the ‘Family’.THE SPOILER ZONEI was expecting a dead Robin at the end of this story, considering its title. Imagine my surprise when I read Batman Incorporated Volume 2: Gotham's Most Wanted HC (The New 52) first…Joker – Death of the FamilyThe crossover issues of the ‘Death of the Family’ story, which runs across several of the Batman Family titles, are collected here. According to the dust Jacket, the sequence as collected is –Detective Comics #16 & #17Catwoman #13 & #14Suicide Squad #14 & #15 (Harley Quinn)Batman #13 backup story (I couldn’t see where this fitted in when I read the main book)Batgirl #14-16Red Hood #15 & #16Teen Titans #15 & #16Nightwing #15 & #16Batman and Robin #15-17Batman #17The individual titles appear to be scripted and illustrated by their regular creative teams.The basic story is that the Joker feels that Batman is being ‘diluted’ by all the hangers-on and his network of helpers and protégés, so he resolves to remove them, leaving a single Batman for the Joker to focus on; and a singe Batman to focus on him. He therefore sets out to capture all the Robins and Batgirl, with a side-order of Catwoman and Harley Quinn, which are the stories running through the various titles, ending in a grand finale, where he and Batman have a grand face-off…This is a bit of a mixed-bag, due to the individual teams handling their own sections; the style of the Teen Titans, while excellent for the Teen Titans’ own magazine, is a bit jarring when compared to some of the other titles’ styles – though this is only a problem if you are not familiar with the Titans current series. The stories are all well-written and well-illustrated, however; though at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself if it was both ‘worth it’ and believable – in the sense that could the Joker really have organised all these activities, all simultaneously? On the other hand, do you care? Was it an entertaining and exciting story?Well, I though that it was an entertaining and exciting story – though some episodes more than others (and I shall be hunting down Batgirl’s own title as a result of reading her issues) – but I still had those reservations as well.
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