PREVIEW: Batman #17

[InformationGeek]

And so it ends...

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...eview&id=15244

Despite everyone's feelings towards this book, pretty much everybody will see how this all closes out. At the very least, it'll be a visual treat like always.

[RoughNTumble]

oh jeez

ok guys time to place your final bets for what's on the platters

[shingi70]

Noooooooooooooooooioo

[new_onslaught]

Shit, there are 5 platters...

[Batknight]

The suspense is killing me. I should be ecstatic for this since everything up to this point has been fantastic but I can't help but feel worried. I'm afraid like court of owls, and now swamp thing, the story is going to fall apart at the final villain confrontation. I feel like this story is in a better place to create a deep, satisfying, and emotional conclusion than the one's I mentioned before but I just don't know.

[DarkKnghtJared]

I like the DKR call-back with the bat skeleton.

Also...man, there hasn't been many comics that made me filled with anticipation and dread as this one.

[RoughNTumble]

you know what

I'm really starting to believe that both alfred and joker aren't going to make it out of this.

though on comicvine snyder said he had come up with another joker story he wants to tell down the line, so maybe he'll just end up paralyzed or something

[maxpower00044]

Holy crap. Holy crap. The suspense is killin me.

[Mac!]

Nothing is going to happen.

[FailureByDesign]

I kind of hope Alfred isn't dead not only because of the principle but because its just obvious. Joker being revealed as Alfred himself would be a bigger, dramatic shock.

[Doctor Voodoo]

I need a time machine set for Wednesday... right now!

[DurararaFTW]

They are all Jokerised underneath the hoods.

[cgynadu]

wait...so does this preview confirm that the platter contains some part of alfred? i don't how those last couple of panels can be interpreted in any other way.

i really hope this arc ends in a satisfying way because i've been really disappointed with dotf...it has just been so dull and melodramatic. i loved court of the owls, so i'll give snyder the benefit of the doubt, but i've been on the verge of dropping this title--especially since detective has been so great lately.

[Aquacatlungfish]

Teaaaaaaaaased.

It better not be Alfred though.

Oh and the reviewer of BatmanNews.com has read it ad said it was better than the Ann Nocenti issues of Catwoman.

[The Baked Batman]

I have to say, reading the preview of the first few pages left me wanting mooooooore! I cannot WAIT to have this issue in my hands! The only thing I'm worried about is if it's the overly-expected ending of Alfred being on the platters, I have to say I'd be disappointed... But if you think about it, the only way that (Alfred being killed) would hurt the Bat-Family is if the Joker truly did know all of their secret identities. And lets be honest, even though Bruce is CONVINCED Joker is just bluffing he said the same thing about the Court of Owls (That they didn't exist. No way, no how) and we all know how wrong he was... could Batman be wrong again?

Personally I think Joker is bluffing, mostly from what he said to Damian throughout B+R 16, something along the lines of "How could you not look at Batman as a father figure while you two are running along rooftops?" Obviously Bruce is much more than a "father figure" to Damian. If Alfred does have something to do with what is under the platters my money is on it being parts of him (Like fingers or what not) but I think he's still alive somewhere.

No, I don't think Joker killing Alfred will be the big "shock" (that's not saying Alfred won't die anyways) and while I think the theory of Alfred being the Joker (and vice versa) does hold water (remember Bruce's dream of Joker dressed as Alfred with all the others around his bed?) I don't think that will happen either. I'm hoping it's something no one see's coming.

All in all.... I CAN'T WAIT!