THE BAT SIGNAL: Snyder Ends Batman's "Death of the Family"

[CBR News]

As the Joker-themed event races towards its horrifying conclusion, writer Scott Snyder explains how the end of Batman's "Death of the Family" will be "inspiring and infuriating" all at once.


Full article here.

[batGRRRl4ever]

Well I know I was slightly miffed/infuriated that Batgirl #16 had no conclusion and all the spin-off bats have no real endings to their stories and have to have Batman save the day. It's disrespectful to Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood's characters to be resorted to being the support characters in distress and making them seem useless in comparison to Batman. Further it will look crappy from a narrative standpoint in the TP's and HC's that these stories in the satellite books will have no endings, since the only "real" ending to this story is in Batman #17. I pox on this story I say, Boooooo on you Mr. Snyder.

[JJSperos]

must buy book 10/10

[Officersmile1466]

Snyder sure does like the hype doesn't he? He has one issue left and so far we've delivered a fun Joker story but hardly anything groundbreaking. What can actually be done in issue 17? He can't kill off anyone because they're all alive in their respective titles. The biggest thing I'm thinking he can do is either have Batman kill Joker or have Joker be revealed as Bruce's long lost second cousin or something.

[batGRRRl4ever]

I have a sinking feeling that probably even more so because of the hype of the crossovers, that the ending is going to be a big let down that readers will decry, unless like you said Batman actually kills off Joker.

[Hypestyle]

I want the Joker to get a very brutal beat down at the end-- typically this doesn't happen, and he has the last laugh, after maiming and/or killing who knows how many people..

[Filip]

Mr Snyder, don't worry about what people are going to say or how're they gonna react, just go with the flow and do your own thing.

I have a sinking feeling that probably even more so because of the hype of the crossovers, that the ending is going to be a big let down that readers will decry, unless like you said Batman actually kills off Joker.

My perfect ending would be they both die in the caves beneath Arkham Asylum, and Dick takes over as Batsssss.

[Prof. Warren]

Capullo continues to be brilliant on the art, which is what's keeping me with the book for now. For all the acclaim his writing's getting, I just don't share the love for Synder's scripting. This particular arc is symptomatic of a discouraging, long running trend in modern comics where grotesque violence is piled on in order to appeal to an adult audience who craves "edginess" in their superhero books. Death of the Family has been the Batman version of a Saw movie and that personally isn't interesting to me. Everything about it seems to be a case of trying to hard to be disturbing and just coming off as silly instead, like the rotting Joker face.

At the moment I much prefer Detective Comics. Looking forward to seeing what Layman and Fabok can do with a longer story free of tie-ins.

[infinitEEntropy]

Uh Oh! Snyder said he may have to go hide in a bunker after issue #17....

Not good. I'm betting Alfred is dead.

[batGRRRl4ever]

This particular arc is symptomatic of a discouraging, long running trend in modern comics where grotesque violence is piled on in order to appeal to an adult audience who craves "edginess" in their superhero books. Death of the Family has been the Batman version of a Saw movie and that personally isn't interesting to me. Everything about it seems to be a case of trying to hard to be disturbing and just coming off as silly instead, like the rotting Joker face.

I agree that it is too violent and gory. I am 41 yrs old but am STRONGLY against most super hero comics being written to my age group. Most (but not all) comics should be written for KIDS. And yes, there have been too many elements of "gorno" in these crossovers. My favorite comic of this week was actually Ame-Comi Girls #4 starring Power Girl. It was bright and FUN, comics in general need to get back to this principle and stop with all the "edginess" as you describe.

My fun for the next three months is to try to figure out what level of ick in this gore fest and the post-James Jr. issues by Falkes made Gail Simone balk on the Batgirl title and caused the tiff with DC editor Cunningham.

[Badou]

Well I know I was slightly miffed/infuriated that Batgirl #16 had no conclusion and all the spin-off bats have no real endings to their stories and have to have Batman save the day. It's disrespectful to Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood's characters to be resorted to being the support characters in distress and making them seem useless in comparison to Batman. Further it will look crappy from a narrative standpoint in the TP's and HC's that these stories in the satellite books will have no endings, since the only "real" ending to this story is in Batman #17. I pox on this story I say, Boooooo on you Mr. Snyder.

That's my biggest problem with it as well. You have the Joker defeat all the Bat family members in their own titles in such a short period of time and then have to read Batman #17 to see Batman save them. It sort of devalues their worth as a hero a bit. Nightwing did just defeat the Joker a year ago, right? And then they all went on and on about how big a threat he was but then they all still lose. I mean I get at the end of the day this is Batman and Joker's story and everyone else is just there to service those two's development, but I'd rather read about the characters in their own stories where they can be the main focus.

Ignoring all that it is still an exciting Batman and Joker story with some amazing art to go along with it, but I am curious how it is going to read in trades. I guess they could include the climax in Batman #17 in the other books' trades to make it read a little better, but I dunno.

[sunofdarkchild]

Ultimately the tie ins are of next to no importance. The story would have been served with each of the other books only having one issue where they got captured at the end, or maybe even without any tie-ins whatsoever.

[darkseidpwns]

Well I know I was slightly miffed/infuriated that Batgirl #16 had no conclusion and all the spin-off bats have no real endings to their stories and have to have Batman save the day. It's disrespectful to Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood's characters to be resorted to being the support characters in distress and making them seem useless in comparison to Batman. Further it will look crappy from a narrative standpoint in the TP's and HC's that these stories in the satellite books will have no endings, since the only "real" ending to this story is in Batman #17. I pox on this story I say, Boooooo on you Mr. Snyder.

You just stole my argument...I'm suing.

[batGRRRl4ever]

That's my biggest problem with it as well. You have the Joker defeat all the Bat family members in their own titles in such a short period of time and then have to read Batman #17 to see Batman save them. It sort of devalues their worth as a hero a bit.

....but I am curious how it is going to read in trades. I guess they could include the climax in Batman #17 in the other books' trades to make it read a little better, but I dunno.

I bet in Batgirl #17 Fawkes will just have a few thought boxes (miss thought baloons ) stating, "Boy, sure glad Batman got us out of that terrible sitch with Joker. Now I gotta find my brother who now has my mom hostage, before her finger goes bad!"

Ultimately the tie ins are of next to no importance. The story would have been served with each of the other books only having one issue where they got captured at the end, or maybe even without any tie-ins whatsoever.

THIS. This story could have EASILY been done with no tie-in's and probably should have. But of course DC wouldn't have made as much $$$ without this bloated and unnecessary crossover for all the satellite books. Simply for Batgirl, her first confrontation with Joker in this continuity since TKJ and there is NO resolution to it in her book AT ALL. And that just stinks.

[Marveluted]

Ultimately the tie ins are of next to no importance. The story would have been served with each of the other books only having one issue where they got captured at the end, or maybe even without any tie-ins whatsoever.

I agree. It's almost a better experience if you don't read the satellite titles. Although I think Layman's Detective Comics has been pretty grand, they're very secondary to the main plot.

What Snyder himself has actually been writing has been phenomenal. You can't crucify the man for what other writers on other titles contribute to support his main story.