tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post1451507243488664519..comments2024-03-27T21:12:28.287-05:00Comments on Collected Editions: Review: Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family hardcover/paperback (DC Comics)collectededitionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-79479789189339021912013-12-12T09:21:38.949-06:002013-12-12T09:21:38.949-06:00"Further editorial shenanigans which lead to ..."Further editorial shenanigans which lead to a repetition of what the death of Damian did the first time."<br /><br />Specifically?collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-15560868322050194692013-12-12T09:20:24.987-06:002013-12-12T09:20:24.987-06:00At least Snyder has hinted at revisiting the fallo...At least Snyder has hinted at revisiting the fallout of the end of "Death of the Family" (http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/07/20/batman-zero-year-news/). Hopefully we get something worthwhile.<br /><br />Unless, of course, we get further editorial shenanigans which lead to a repetition of what the death of Damian did the first time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-88291945588661057712013-11-19T00:40:43.085-06:002013-11-19T00:40:43.085-06:00You know what, I'd love another crossover wher...You know what, I'd love another crossover wherein the repercussions of this "Death of the Family" is explored. The problem is after this, Snyder/Capullo immediately went to Zero Year. Add that to Damian's death and the resoultion of this storyline seems to fall flat.The epilogue where they show the family not wanting to be with Bruce doesn't count.<br /><br />sinag55noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-59714993593305723132013-11-13T04:29:52.965-06:002013-11-13T04:29:52.965-06:00I didn't know that Damiens death isn't par...I didn't know that Damiens death isn't part of DoTF. DCs' twitter account just spoilered this information one day and I thought the stories would be connected.<br /><br />In an ideal world I could read the crossover book just on itself and maybe a companion book if I'm interested in tie-ins. If it also contained the requiem story the better.<br />Sort of like Final Crisis and Final Crisis companion.<br /><br />Maybe have the individual trades skip the event alltogether and collect the event in the crossover book. Yeah, that would be best I think.<br />You could also prevent the individial books from getting too disjointed by simply variyng the size of them.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16023341219306132881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-35035583827407827392013-11-12T08:35:53.121-06:002013-11-12T08:35:53.121-06:00This didn't bother me necessarily since Damian...This didn't bother me necessarily since Damian's death wasn't actually related to "Death of the Family"; it happened after DOTF in Batman, Inc. Vol. 2. The Batman Vol. 3 DOTF volume ends before Damian's death, so the correct reading order is Batman Vol. 3, then Batman Inc. Vol. 2. Similarly none of the stories in the Joker: DOTF crossover book involve Damian's death, either, so you could read Batman Vol. 3, Joker, and then Batman Inc. Vol. 2 and have it all make sense.<br /><br />Now, it's true that the tie-in books like Batgirl: DOTF and Catwoman: DOTF do deal with BOTH "Death of the Family" and Damian's death (aka "Requiem"). That's just the perils of being a tie-in book, essentially. In that case, your reading order would be Batman Vol. 3, Joker (optional), Batman Inc. Vol. 2, and then titles like Batgirl, Catwoman, Detective, etc. <br /><br />That pretty well makes sense to me. Yes, you have to get Batman, Inc. Vol. 2 to see the death of Damian, but a Batgirl reader, for instance, "has" to get Batman Vol. 3 in order to see the full extent of the Joker's scheme. Just the way inter-title crossovers work, I think. Would you prefer to see it handled another way?collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-38519697917573187982013-11-12T06:29:08.494-06:002013-11-12T06:29:08.494-06:00Just noticed that this book doesn't collect th...Just noticed that this book doesn't collect the actual death of damian. None of the books do, not even the crossover book! This can't be right?<br /><br />I need to get Batman Inc. Vol 2 for this? What the hell? I don't even read Batman Inc. Who at DC thought this would be a good idea?Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16023341219306132881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-12934187202405867182013-11-05T10:53:05.250-06:002013-11-05T10:53:05.250-06:00Agree completely. As I said in the conclusion of m...Agree completely. As I said in the conclusion of my review, Death of the Family does live up to its promise -- it "kills" the Bat-family, at least emotionally in terms of their trust of Batman (for however long that lasts), and it also kills the "family" Batman has with his rogues, in terms of Batman breaking his "contract" with the Joker. <br /><br />You are right that those of us expecting some physical reprecussions from this book would do well to note the title -- it's the death "of" the family, which the story delivers, and not death "in" the family, which it doesn't (but doesn't purport to).collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-12611654731253619022013-11-05T10:48:36.669-06:002013-11-05T10:48:36.669-06:00There /was/ a death of the family. Joker saw HIMSE...There /was/ a death of the family. Joker saw HIMSELF as Batman's family and Batman broke their bond by saying he had figured out Joker's real name. raptorsarebiggamehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07993697279800046930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-24984386065069064772013-11-04T07:43:22.508-06:002013-11-04T07:43:22.508-06:00"What I'm curious to see now -- having no..."What I'm curious to see now -- having not read much farther in the Bat-verse since Death of the Family -- is whether the other titles preserve this seeming rift between Batman and his family,"<br /><br />They don't. Or if they do, it's been so subtle as to not be noticed. Yes, Batman has been growing distant from the others, but it's not because of the Joker, it's because of the death of Damian.<br /><br />The story was a complete non-event. Nothing happened. I wouldn't have minded so much if it wasn't overhyped and crossed over with so many books as if it was some huge event.Jordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13858465228077926840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-72366624269507424122013-11-03T17:09:51.575-06:002013-11-03T17:09:51.575-06:00What James offers below, while technically correct...What James offers below, while technically correct, is the publication order, which I wouldn't favor -- that has you switching between Batgirl and Catwoman, for instance, when the Batgirl story follows from issue to issue and I think Catwoman and the other stories do, too. To answer your question another way, I'd suggest reading Batman Vol. 3 first in its entirety, and the companion Joker volume second. You get the main story and the real details in the Batman book, and then the other fills in the gaps. I think we all agree that the companion volume isn't super-important for understanding the main points of this event.collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-35100347687808439052013-11-03T17:07:03.640-06:002013-11-03T17:07:03.640-06:00I'm glad Snyder has a sequel planned. Obviousl...I'm glad Snyder has a sequel planned. Obviously it can't come too soon, but also I hope it isn't held out so long that circumstances change and Snyder isn't able to get to it.collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-75890187394281555982013-11-03T17:06:13.429-06:002013-11-03T17:06:13.429-06:00You have a good point here; inasmuch as I was surp...You have a good point here; inasmuch as I was surprised about the impermanence of Death of the Family, it is something of a relief that it wasn't a story that made sweeping changes or killed off one of the Bat-family. To an extent maybe that hearkens back to Batman crossovers of yore like Contagion or Legacy, where the changes, if at all, are character-based (internal) and not external.<br /><br />What I'm curious to see now -- having not read much farther in the Bat-verse since Death of the Family -- is whether the other titles preserve this seeming rift between Batman and his family, or whether events in Batman, Inc. and such end up negating said rift. Also very eager for when Snyder takes on Joker again and follows up on some of the revelations in the final issue.collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-86126064573314740722013-11-03T17:02:32.281-06:002013-11-03T17:02:32.281-06:00I have only read the Batgirl tie-in so far, but I ...I have only read the Batgirl tie-in so far, but I too was surprised at how "un-specific" the story was; obviously the Batgirl events happen somewhere before Batman #17, but when exactly the Joker had his conflict with Batgirl vis a vis the events of Batman, I wasn't sure. This as compared to <em>Night of the Owls</em>, which was exceptionally specific as to what happened when. Two ways of doing things, I guess.collectededitionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698269790653953645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-45741027658045777882013-11-01T12:40:42.438-05:002013-11-01T12:40:42.438-05:00Here's the reading checklist from the monthly ...Here's the reading checklist from the monthly releases:<br /><br />http://www.thirdeyecomics.com/third-eye-blog/checklist-batman-death-of-the-family/<br /><br />It shouldn't be hard to jump back and forth between the two collections.Jameshttp://jmemusings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-21319451654768130002013-11-01T08:33:20.401-05:002013-11-01T08:33:20.401-05:00seeing as I plan to get this and the companion vol...seeing as I plan to get this and the companion volume, what reading order do you recommend? - SteveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-81409656329862550422013-10-31T14:33:21.371-05:002013-10-31T14:33:21.371-05:00I'll echo the folks not too perturbed by the e...I'll echo the folks not too perturbed by the ending; in fact, I was relieved that the family was strong enough to overcome Joker's scheme. It was a kind of shaggy dog story, but then again that IS a style of joke (one we don't see Joker use too often). Reading it in floppies was agonizing because of he sense of dread CEB identifies, but the last chapter was a perceptible relief. <br /><br />Snyder has said this was Joker's love story with Batman; the next time will be a "hate story." After reading some of his Riddler stuff, I'm dying to see Joker come back. I loved the way Snyder played on all the big Joker stories in the past, and I agree that his is a new benchmark. Zach Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17905320964723323391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-43934695853342535052013-10-31T14:00:52.596-05:002013-10-31T14:00:52.596-05:00Many people where disappointed with how this story...Many people where disappointed with how this story ended, but I wasn't one of them. In these event-driven days of super-hero comics, its seems a lot of people are convinced that a story can only have real impact if an important character either dies or suffers a permanent injury, so I was very relieved that Snyder didn't resort to any of those cheap gimmicks. Sure, the Joker had something quite permanent done to his face, but that happened in Tony Daniel's Detective Comics run, and Snyder simply ran with it.<br /><br />I think Death of the Family is well-crafted and meaningful enough to join the ranks of the great Joker stories with no need to outdo The Killing Joke when it comes to shocking tragedy.shagamuhttp://mbbforum.com/mbbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-56733010370582372582013-10-31T10:32:52.050-05:002013-10-31T10:32:52.050-05:00I anticipated this collection for some time and I ...I anticipated this collection for some time and I was very pleased with the acetate slipcover package as well as the story. I think it reads well as a collection and I was thoroughly satisfied. The ending left a little bit to be desired, but (as you state in the review) since I knew there couldn't be any real repercussions I thought it was a good job. The bit where he drives the Bat-Family to crazed violence just when you think they're "safe" was a good ploy, helped to establish Bruce's faith in his compatriots as well as a little more suspense (though, for the same reasons stated, very little.)<br /><br />Oddly, the Joker: Death of the Family companion is largely unnecessary to this story. It shows how the Bat-family members are captured, but it's an uneven work that adds nothing to Batman: Death of the Family proper. This is unlike the City of Owls companion to the first two volumes of Batman, which added a lot of back story and intrigue to an already gripping story. Batman: Death of the Family stands better alone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-66314253695905159292013-10-31T10:20:40.941-05:002013-10-31T10:20:40.941-05:00It's Zero Year actually, Snyder has been prett...It's Zero Year actually, Snyder has been pretty adamant about it being called that instead of Year Zero.<br /><br />Anyhow, I loved this story and thought the conclusion stuck the landing a good deal better than The Court of the Owls...I think the Snyder-Capullo team is producing some of the best Batman comics we've gotten since Morrison's initial Batman and Robin series, if not since Miller even. I realize that sounds like hyperbole, but I haven't been this excited about the title, month in and month out, in a number of years.Kyle Pinionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09253113542633014694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10945794.post-37530770005191420042013-10-31T08:17:38.687-05:002013-10-31T08:17:38.687-05:00As someone who read it month to month, I was prett...As someone who read it month to month, I was pretty disappointed by how it all played out. There just didn't seem to be a story here, Joker just being around seemed to be the only point to the story. "We're doing a Joker story" isn't a story in itself. And I just really disliked the last issue especially, nothing the characters did made any sense to me.<br /><br />I'm a fan of Snyder's, or at least, I was, and I hope to be again soon.Jordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13858465228077926840noreply@blogger.com