Batman: A Death in the Family

George Perez · Marv Wolfman · Jim Starlin

Dec 2012 · DC

About this ebook

Batman readers were allowed to vote on the outcome of the story and they decided that Robin should die! As the second person to assume the role of Batman's sidekick, Jason Todd had a completely different personality than the original Robin. Rash and prone to ignore Batman's instructions, Jason was always quick to act without regard to consequences. In this fatal instance, Robin ignores his mentor's warnings when he attempts to take on the Joker by himself and pays the ultimate price. Driven by anger with Superman by his side, Batman seeks his vengeance as he looks to end the Joker's threat forever.

Ratings and reviews

Not too bad of a Batman/Robin story overall and you get 3 Robins in one book; what a value! Anyhow, this graphic novel collection has a nice arch to it since you get to see Jason Todd's demise (this is common knowledge at this point, right?) through the 'A Death in the Family' series. Then you get to see Batman grieving with that loss afterwards in the 'A Lonely Place to Dying' series and how putting him with a now experienced & independent vigilante like Nightwing (and Batman's first Robin) isn't the "fix" that Tim Drake eventually becomes. As far as the stories that get you there, well... they're ok. I enjoyed seeing Joker dealing with some financial struggles and selling off leaky nuclear assets & stolen medical supplies so he can get back into the crime game. But the Two-Face stuff in 'A Lonely Place to Dying' just seemed a bit too hokey to me (especially his obsession with symmetrical crimes/clues) in contrast with the story being told.

I used to have the individual comics; this was Batman at his lowest, ready to kill ( which I thought he'd do to the Joker, but...). Jim Starlin is one of my favorites, and I remember the 900 number you had to call if you wanted Robin alive or dead. I was a kid that sold all of his childhood collectibles for one more bag... thank God I been clean since 2009.

One of the excellent classic timeline of Batman. To this day I'm still amazed of how the readers at that time vote Robin to... Well, we live in society that creates us after all. So no wonder sometimes all we have are negative thoughts. Worth to buy and collect. Another great one from DC. (^_^)d

About the author

Marv Wolfman is comics veteran, having written for both DC and Marvel over the past four decades. Some of his best known work includes CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, SUPERMAN and the NEW TEEN TITANS. A few of the characters he created in that stretch include Deathstroke, Starfire and Cyborg.