Is Death of the Family compelling?

[Professor Arkham]

Loving it, really excellent stuff IMO....the cross overs don't bother me much because aside from Batman, I only read Tec, and Inc and it really hasn't affected them

[Captain Jim]

I would be okay with it if it didn't hijack every other book in the batline.

They weren't hijacked; every writer had the choice of whether to join in or not.

[RichSummers]

I used to hate the term "Villain Sue". Because I'd never really come across on before.

There's good material (Dick being horrified at Bruce's keeping up the pretence of "Bruce Wayne's butler" being the kidnap victim was a lovely piece of characterisation for both of them), but if I have to read one more issue about how The Joker Is Smarter Than Everyone And He Can Be Everywhere And Knows Everything And Never Loses with the Bat Family scrabbling about like frightened mice.... I'm gonna scream.


It integrates it's tie-ins better than Night of the Owls, to be fair, with the affected "family" turning up in the main plot. But keeping the individual tie-ins seperate means that more than a year in there's still no relationship between most of these characters that we're meant to believe are a "family". The more integrated approach to "H'el on Earth" - whatever you think of the story - is at least letting the personal dynamics flourish more.

I'm pretty much in 100% agreement with what you've said here and that leaves me somewhere in between "meh" and "pretty good."

[CjP]

...how The Joker Is Smarter Than Everyone And He Can Be Everywhere And Knows Everything And Never Loses with the Bat Family scrabbling about like frightened mice.... I'm gonna scream.

He kinda has to be; laughing fish and shark tanks just won't cut it any more. The Bat-Mythos as a whole has escalated itself to the point where Batman kills Darkseid (just think about that concept for a moment), spanks Superman on pretty much a weekly basis, and bails out the Justice League. Regular-Strength Joker simply isn't worthy of the Bat-God any more, we have to upgrade.

[booyah]

I said it was pretty good but to answer the compelling question I would have to say "-ish." It's interesting and I'm pretty hooked, but it's kind of dragging me a little.

[stk]

It's (what I saw of it) decent. It's just nothing I'm interested in. But for what it is, it's fine.

[RoughNTumble]

They weren't hijacked; every writer had the choice of whether to join in or not.

I don't believe that. I think there's a lot of editorial pressure to join in.

[stk]

They weren't hijacked; every writer had the choice of whether to join in or not.

That sounds fine in theory. But I think the reality is that writers want their books to sell. So I think writers looking at the performance of Court of Owls may feel a certain amount of compulsion to hitch up to Snyder's wagon for what is clearly the major Bat-event of the year.

[sunofdarkchild]

On its own merits it's pretty good. In context of the reboot, past Batman and Joker stories, the Court of Owls just finishing up, ect it is very meh.

[Xarcon]

That sounds fine in theory. But I think the reality is that writers want their books to sell. So I think writers looking at the performance of Court of Owls may feel a certain amount of compulsion to hitch up to Snyder's wagon for what is clearly the major Bat-event of the year.

Well, the first major Bat event of the year. After DotF, we have a three issue break, then it's on to the nine issue Riddler story, which I'm sure will be promoted as yet another "epic" story with tie-ins. I don't care for the tie-ins myself, and it's part of the reason I get so frustrated with Snyder's Batman. I think I might just skip all of the Riddler tie-ins and save myself some money.

Anyway, I voted for "Meh" in the poll. I don't see this story as being anything groundbreaking or "epic." To me, it just feels like an over-hyped regular story. I think it would be better if Snyder wrote it as just another Batman story, as opposed continuing with the "all epic, all the time" approach he's taking with the series. I am enjoying it more than I did CoO, though, so that's something.

[Officersmile1466]

I also gave it a meh. Issue 13 and 14 of Batman were great but now the scope of the story has expanded, it's become apparent to me that it doesn't really feel like there's enough story to sustain a mega epic event. Most of the tie ins have been completely pointless to the overall story and merely highlight the writers and artists inability to effectively render Snyder and Capullo's Joker. Of course, the notable exception to this has been the amazing B&R tie in, which is actually way better than issue 15 of the Batman comic.

I'd be totally on board for a tight, intense Joker story told within the confines of Batman, I really don't see why it needs to be expanded into other comics for two whole months. Personally I'll be really annoyed if the already annoying sounding Riddler story also becomes a super mega event.

[eDKeener]

I think it's pretty good. It got me to pick up Batman again. But that's the only title I'm reading, except for Teen Titans because it was already on my pull list. I didn't like the tie-in to Teen Titans at all, but mainly because it seemed forced in the context of that book. But for a storyline I'm enjoying it in Batman.

[Seattle Freeze]

I don't believe that. I think there's a lot of editorial pressure to join in.

Then why isn't Dark Knight involved?

[fedup23]

Meh.... its too much. Joker subdues hero..prattles around hero horrifying him or her more and more with each statement..there is some use of toxins ..que next issue. Next issue Joker is somewhere else subduing a different hero...rinse- repeat. This crossover was supposed to make us fear The Joker. .honestly..its made me bored with him. Heres hoping to not seeing the joker and his stupid face-mask for a loong time.

[fedup23]

Then why isn't Dark Knight involved?

Because it would be redundant...we already have basically the same story in most of the tie ins..itd be useless to use ALL of Batmans solo books. Use your mellon! ;-)