BATMAN VOLUME 3: DEATH OF THE
FAMILY HARDCOVER
The Joker
returns after his appearance in Detective Comics #1 to reclaim his severed
face. The Joker goes back to where they first met ACE Chemical where Harley
Quinn disguised as the Red Hood traps Batman. Meanwhile the Joker heads to
Wayne Manor and kidnaps Alfred and pours ammonia over his eyes to blind him.
Batman
escapes the trap and heads home to find Alfred kidnapped by the Joker. He heads
to the home of James Gordon to find him poisoned by the Joker. Batman brings in
Nightwing to prevent the Joker from poisoning the Gotham
reservoir however the Joker is one step ahead of him. The Joker traps Batman
and reveals to him that he knows all of his allies secret identities as well as
Batman himself.
Bruce
reveals a past story of how the Joker may have known the identities of the
Bat-Family. Batman now returns to Arkham Asylum to face the Joker. The Batman
faces the traps and people the Joker has set up against him including Mr.
Freeze, Clayface, and Scarecrow.
Batman
finally arrives to face the Joker, Riddler, Two-Face, and the Penguin. The
Joker reveals he has the upper hand by holding his Bat-Family hostage. No
matter how close Batman gets to the Joker, his Bat-Family will always hold him
back because he cares for them. The Joker asks Batman to sit in a chair to
electrocute him. The back-up reveals that he as a covered dinner plate waiting
for Batman and his family.
The Joker
gathers all of the members of the Batman Family to reveal what is under the
dinner plates. As the dinner plates opened, the cut up faces the family stares
back at them. Batman fights his way out and discovers the dinner plates with
the cut up faces was a joke. Joker lied about know their identities so Batman
turns the tables as well that he knows his.
The first
arc dealt with the Court of Owls and
led to the birth of Owlman in the New 52. However his identity as Bruce Wayne
Jr. is inclusive during the end of that story arc. The Death of the Family ends a similar way with the Joker escaping for
another day and Batman back on top with no real repercussions. There will
definitely be another Batman crossover because DC Comics makes more money than
actual real stories.
BACK-UP HIGHLIGHTS
- The
Joker recruits Harley Quinn to trap the Batman
- The
Joker persuades the Penguin to join him or they go to war
- The
Joker recruits the Riddler in his plans to make Batman stronger
This
hardcover collects
Batman #0
Batman #13–17
RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5
