The Joker: Death of the Family collects Batman #13-14, & 17, Detective Comics #15-17, Catwoman #13-14, Suicide Swuad #14-15, Red Hood #13-16, Teen Titans #14-16, Nightwing #14-16, and Batman and Robin #15-17 from DC’s New 52 written by John Layman, Ann Nocenti, Adam Glass, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Gail Simone, Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza, Kyle Higgins, Tom DeFalco, and Peter J. Tomasi; art by Jason Fabok, Andy Clarke, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Fernando Dagino, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Ed Benes, Daniel Sampere, Vicente Ciguentes, Mark Irwin, Timothy Green II, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Wayne Faucher, Pascal Alixe, Ale Garzia, Eddy Barrows, Andres Guinaldo, Eber Ferreira, Mark Irwin, Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, and Keith Champagne; colors by Jeromy Cox, Sonia Oback, Matt Yakey, Ulises Arreola, Kyle Ritter, Andrew Dalhouse Blond, Rod Reis, Pete Pantazis, and John Kalisz; and with letters by Jared K. Fletcher, Carlos M. Mangual, Sal Cipriano, Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt, David Sharpe, Travis Lanham, and Taylor Esposito.

The Joker had seemingly disappeared after cutting off his own face, but now he’s back with it stapled back in place like a particularly gruesome fright mask. Having determined that Batman’s biggest weakness is his extended Bat-family, the Joker begins attacking them one-by-one to take away those nearest to Batman in order to supplant them as the center of Batman’s world. The Joker wants a stronger Batman to give his own twisted life meaning. He accuses the Bat-family of “blocking [Batman’s] light” such that he can’t shine on Joker. Further, Joker says, “The Batman I know and love has more Pez in the dispenser – but you all keep pushing his head back, reaching down his neck and taking more than you deserve until one day he’ll be empty and have no Pez left to give poor ol’ me.” The story follows the extended Bat-family, beginning with Batman before moving on to Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Batgirl, Red Hood and Red Robin, Nighwing, Robin, and finally a conclusion and epilogue tying the threads back together. It uses a particularly twisted story to highlight the Joker’s obsession with Batman, revealing why the Bat-family titles were the strongest of the New 52 relaunch. ( )

As is to be expected from a collection of tie-in comics to a major superhero crossover event, this book is a bit of a mixed bag, but the by far biggest ingredient is lots of Joker-y awesome. Some minor annoying references to ongoing unrelated plotlines in the various books should have been edited out (though they do this to some extent, they do not do it enough), but I expect that in this kind of a crossover. Much more annoying is that the book nowhere makes it clear that this is a companion piece to the main event book: "Batman: Death of the Family", one of the best Batman/Joker stories ever made, and the necessary spine around which these side-stories are built. If you have not read that book, you absolutely should do so before this volume (though they do both include the conclusion to the story, so you won't be lacking closure if you don't, only a lot of the set up).

More thought should also have been put into the ordering of the stories. Since most of them occur at the same time, the order might at first glance seem unimportant, but it would have been a lot cleaner for the reader if, say, the "Batgirl" section (in which she, spoiler alert, ends up kidnapped by the end) was placed after the Red Hood / Red Robin section, since her appearance there takes place before her own. Such little editorial decisions might have improved the book's holistic experience a lot.

I'd also have liked some more denouments to have been included -- the following issue of "Red Hood and the Outlaws", for instance, is very much still about this arc and carries big emotional punch -- but I get that the line has to be drawn somewhere, and the little epilogue that is included, about Bruce, Alfred and Damian going to sleep at night, is touching in its own right.

But all in all, this is a good read, and a great companion piece to the (obviously superior and much more streamlined) main book. It should just have been marked much more clearly (or at all, really) as the kind of tie-in it is. Though ideally, of course, they should have just put both collections in the same big hardcover, and done away with the duplication of the conclusion. ( )

The Joker terrifies me. He always has. In this particular story arc he terrifies me even more because his plan makes sense in its own twisted way. I understand the rivalry he has with the Bat family, and I understand why he thinks they're changing Batman (holding him back, to the Joker's mind).

In particular, the book and the covered tray were extremely frightening to me. The idea that the Joker has a plan is almost too much to bear. And wondering what was on those trays had me nervous right up until it was revealed elsewhere.

Also, I came out of this book drawing hearts all over Damian. Must read Batman and Robin, must read it now.

(Read as individual comics) ( )

A brilliant conclusion to the Joker-Batman confrontation, that involves most if not all, of the Bat family. Great art & a truly psychotic & chilling turn from The Joker makes this collection very memorable. Very intriguing & can stand alone, but really a must for any Batman fan. ( )

I read the Death of the Family in the main Batman title. This is a great collection of everything else. Solid read overall and priced well. ( )