Batman: Joker's Daughter (One-Shot) Review

Writer: Marguerite Bennett

Artist: Meghan Hetrick

Is "Daughter" like Father? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

Who is The Joker's Daughter? What horrors lurk in the mind of this deranged lunatic, and why is there more to her than meets the eye? More than just a crazy person who stumbled upon The Joker's face, more than just a woman with a mission, The Joker's Daughter sees herself as a woman on the path of greed, dominance and lordship over the Gotham Underground. This special issue tells a sordid tale in the life of one of DC's most popular new villains!

I've been avoiding reading anything Joker's Daughter, as despite the Joker connection drawing me in, the fact the character was being written by Ann Nocenti put me off. Thankfully however Batman Annual #2 writer Marguerite Bennett wrote the script for this issue so I could finally check this character out.

Marguerite Bennett has proven to be a very talented new writer, having done a terrific job of both the Batgirl Zero Year tie-in and Batman Annual #2. Bennett's storytelling was probably the best part of this issue, with the monologue from Joker's Daughter adding a lot of depth to the story. Bennett also showed how unlike fellow Joker worshiper Harley Quinn, this girl is much more disturbed, having a very mixed up sense of purpose. Added to this the brilliant pacing and intense character interaction and I'd gladly read more stories featuring Joker's Daughter, as long as Bennett was writing them.

Meghan Hetrick's artwork was also amazing, suiting the tone of Bennett's script perfectly. The detail of Hetrick's art was simply outstanding, being very consistent, having little to no imperfections. Hetrick's layouts were also very dynamic, giving a natural flow to the story as well as a lot of impact to the action sequences. Added to this the symbolic nature behind some of her layouts along with the realistic tone that the facial features add and I'd be very happy read more comics featuring Hetrick's artwork.

Joker's Daughter is a refreshing alternative to the usual Batman stories, giving a nice introduction for people who're trying the character for the first time. Highly recommended.

Rating: 9/10

Batman: Detective Review

Writers: Paul Dini & Royal McGraw
Artists: Don Kramer, J.H. Williams III, Joe Benitez & Marcos Marz

I have been going through my Batman stories over the last few months, mainly focusing on the key modern stories, having started with Hush, and progressed from there. This however is my first review of a story that's purely Detective Comics, though it's also my tenth Batman review in total since Hush.

Plot

Batman has to solve a series of cases, with some notorious Gotham City criminals getting in his way.

Review

This was a fantastic collection of comics, all being very unique, and entertaining. Most of the issues in this book are written by Paul Dini, with Royal McGraw writing the second last issue. Both writers did an excellent job in this book, but I have to give most of the credit to Dini, as besides writing all bar one of the issues, most of his were also much more exciting. What I loved most about the writing throughout the book though was how diverse it was, as although I love a story that progresses through a book it's nice to get a collection of one-shot stories, especially when they're all very unique and entertaining. I also loved how each story also had a slightly different style, and pace to it, as if one didn't appeal quite as much as you'd hope the rest most likely will. The action throughout these stories was also handled perfectly, as although some finished a bit suddenly they were all extremely exciting.

The art in this book was also brilliant, as although there was four different artists each one suited the story, or stories that they worked on. Don Kramer would be the artist to work on the most issues, having done three out of the six issues collected with the legendary J.H. Williams III, as well as Joe Benitez, and Marcos Marz working on one issue each. It's hard to pick who's the best artist out of these as they are all amazing, but Williams III probably just gets it, as his artwork is simply beautiful. Kramer however being on the most issues caught my attention more, and I especially loved seeing him draw the Joker as he looked as crazy as ever, and Kramer's tone made the story a lot more fun. All the artists also did a brilliant job of showing the characters facial expressions, adding a lot of depth to the issue as well as making it extremely easy to tell what they were thinking.

With a title like Detective you'd expect a lot of detective work to be going on, and you'd be right. It's always nice to see the Dark Knight doing what he does best, as although having his family, and technology has made it so he doesn't have to do quite as much detective work, it's always nice whenever he does. All the different cases that Batman investigates in this story are interesting, and I love the monologue narrative that we get from Batman during it. I did however feel that some of these investigations had rather abrupt endings, as with all the fantastic build-ups some of the endings felt rushed. This however is expected from stories that last one issue, and the ones that were brilliant all the way through were truly astonishing.

The second story in this book would see the Riddler turn over a new leaf, becoming a private detective. Now with Riddler being one of my favourite villains of all time I always like to see him make an appearance, though unfortunately he's not always used to his strengths. I however felt that this would be a great turning point for the Riddler, as although the concept would be played for too long, it was nice to see him go against the Dark Knight in a different fashion, sticking to the law. I also loved the dialogue from Riddler in this story, and also enjoyed seeing him continue his private detective job in the background of the remaining stories in this book.

This book would also see a lot of Batman's classic villains make appearances, with the key three noticeable ones being Joker, Poison Ivy, and Penguin. Now I'll talk about Joker's appearance a bit later, but it was nice to see both Penguin, and Ivy in this book, and I especially loved the way that they were used as it was so different to how they're usually involved with Ivy needing Batman's help, and Penguin trying to turn legit. Both encounters were extremely entertaining, with Ivy's being really exciting, and Penguin's being fun, and slightly humorous.

My favourite story in this book however would be the last one, which would feature Joker kidnapping Robin (Tim Drake). Now it's been clearly established that Joker likes to torture, and kill Robin's, even going out his way to try and kill Black Mask for taking his job when he killed Stephanie Brown. This story was however extremely lighthearted, reminding me of Batman: The Animated Series, which Dini was one of the key writers for. I also loved seeing my favourite Robin put in this position, as although I'd have been really upset if he somehow died, I enjoyed seeing him try and work out a way of escaping, and defeating the Joker.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing book, collection some outstanding stories, and although some were much better than others it was very fun, and entertaining. The style, and uniqueness of each story showed that this was written by Paul Dini, as it had a very similar feel to Batman: The Animated Series which he was a key writer for. The stories themselves were also extremely dramatic, and exciting, and I'd highly recommend this collection to anyone, especially if you were a fan of Batman: The Animated Series.

Rating: 8/10

The next Batman book I'll be reviewing will be Batman and Son.

Batman: War Crimes Review

Writers: Bill Willingham, Andersen Gabrych, Bruce Jones & Will Pfeifer

Artists: Pete Woods, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Eddy Barrows, Ron Randall & Tom Derenick

I'm back to doing my Batman reviews, and I still plan on reviewing the remaining key Batman stories up until the start of the New 52. This is also my eighth review on the series with my last review being on Batman: Under The Red Hood.

Plot

It's one year since Gotham City's Gang War, and Arturo Rodriguez is reporting new information surrounding Stephanie Brown's death. There is also someone out to give Batman a bad name, going around dressed as him, committing terrible crimes.

Review

This was a fantastic story, and a terrific follow-up to the War Games crossover. The main writers on this book would be Bill Willingham, and Andersen Gabrych, with Bruce Jones, and Will Pfeifer also working on short stories at the start of the book. Both Willingham, and Gabrych did a terrific job of continuing from where War Games left off, as although a year has past, it felt very natural, having the exact same feel as it. The storyline itself was also very exciting, and dramatic, having a lot of suspense, and mystery around it. I also loved seeing Batman doing some detective work, as although it's not uncommon, it doesn't happen too regularly, and at the time due to having Oracle (Barbara Gordon) he didn't need to be a detective as much, so it was nice to see this again. The earlier stories in this book were also interesting, especially "Taking Sides" which was also written by Gabrych, but they were overshadowed by the main story.

The main artwork on this story would be shared by Pete Woods, and Giuseppe Camuncoli, with Eddy Barrows, Ron Randall, and Tom Derenick also working on the short stories at the start of the book. I felt that both Woods, and Camuncoli's art was amazing, but this time round I much preferred Camuncoli's art, as although I preferred Wood's art on Batman: War Games Act One: Outbreak, Camuncoli's art much suits Batman as a character and was only slight poorer that Woods during War Games due to his art focusing on Robin (Tim Drake). Both artists put a tremendous amount of detail into their artwork, and I really enjoyed how they managed to give the dark, and brooding tone to the Dark Knight (especially Camuncoli). I was however not a fan of Wood's Joker, and also felt that besides Batman that the characters expressions looked a bit awkward in Camuncoli's art, but besides that both were brilliant.

The main story in this book was remembering the gang war that happened throughout War Games, with it being one year since all that carnage. I personally really enjoyed War Games, with it being one of the better Batman crossover events, so the fact that they made a follow-up to it was amazing. I especially enjoyed how they went on to talk about Stephanie Brown more, as this would be the first sign that her death has had an affect on people. I also enjoyed seeing Arturo Rodriguez, but found his complete change of attitude strange, even though it was apparent that his views on Batman were different.

There would be a key question made throughout this story, and that was whether it's right for Batman to have all these children fighting crime in his name? Now in the real world this would be a simple no, but due to it being Batman's world things are different. To be fair he shouldn't have kids fighting alongside him, especially considering how many of them have died (three since Damian Wayne died). I do however feel that for his character he needs these children working with him, as having grew up with no parents, he feels the need to be a father figure, and feels the affect of every death. It is still a sticky question however, but due to it ultimately being fiction it doesn't really matter as long as we get great comics out of it (which we do).

A familiar villain from War Games would feature in this story, with the Black Mask once again making life difficult for Batman. This Black Mask was such a great villain for Batman, and I loved how he managed to get involved in so many stories. I also loved his character, and this story would continue to show it perfectly, showing how he's both power hungry, whilst deep down a bit of a coward. I also loved seeing Black Mask battle Batman in this story, and especially considering the amazing dialogue that was written, with the brilliant references to War Games.

Black Mask wasn't the only villain in this, as Batman's greatest nemesis the Joker would also appear, having a mysterious objective. It's always nice to see Joker, and especially when he's used properly. Now this may not go down as one of Joker's greatest appearance, but I actually rather liked seeing him take a back seat, especially considering he still had a lot of attention, as most writers that add him without making him the main villain neglect him, which ultimately ruins his characteristic in the story. The witty dialogue from Joker was also amazing, and when his real agenda was revealed I was so excited, with it adding a lot more tone, and drama to that part of the story.

Final Verdict

A brilliant story, and a fantastic follow-on from the outstanding War Games crossover. This showed just how much War Games affected the Batverse, and how everyone is dealing with it one year later. It was however still a very unique story, not just using the event of War Games for the sake of it, being very deep, and independent. Due to all this I'd easily recommend this to anyone, especially if you've read War Games, and if not I'd also recommend reading that as well.

Rating: 9/10

The next Batman book I'll be reviewing will be Batman: Face the Face.

Batman #23.1 Joker Review

Writer: Andy Kubert

Artist: Andy Clarke

Villains Month is here, and everyone will have their favourite villain that they are looking forward to reading. Mine personally is this man, the Joker, and although I was sceptical about Andy Kubert becoming a writer, I had a lot of hope that he would do a good job. So did he?

Plot

Following his troubled childhood Joker takes a gorilla from a zoo, and helps it to become his sidekick, Jackanapes.

Review

This has to be one of the worst comic book issues that I have read in a long time, and it's such a shame as I was really hoping for something brilliant here. Andy Kubert doesn't do a terrible job of writing this issue, as to be honest it's a fun story, and I liked how he was going for a fun Joker story. I did however feel that it didn't suit the Joker, and the story in itself felt too silly, as although I was hoping for something much darker, this goes to far in the opposite direction. I did however get the feeling that Kubet understood Joker, but at the same time he didn't appear to be able to execute that into a brilliant story, and if this is a sign of what he'll be like as a writer he should stay as the amazing artist he is.

The best part about this issue was the art, and Andy Clarke did a phenomenal job. It would have been nice to see Kubert himself on art, as I love when artists who turn to writing do their own artwork. Clarke however is a much better artist, and I'm glad he worked on this issue, as it makes it almost worth the purchase. The detail in his artwork is simply outstanding, and I really enjoyed how he managed to show Joker's expressions throughout the issue, as although some of them aren't what I'd expect from the Joker, they had to follow the story, which needed this. I also loved the layout as it really helped give tone to this story. Blond's colours were also amazing, helping to add tone, and vibrancy to the issue.

Kubert took an extremely risky move at the start of this issue by showing Joker's childhood, and it didn't pay off. Now I understand that with Joker you can put him in nearly any kind of situation, as he's that unpredictable. There is also the fact that his origin is that mysterious that even if you told it there would be the question whether it's real or not, as although this comes from Joker himself, does Joker really remember? Besides this it didn't do much for me, as although it showed symbolism of his character, and how he's possibly been shaped, also helping lead into this story, it just didn't feel right for the Joker, and after this I'm happy that it's questionable about what's real or not with Joker's past.

This wasn't entirely centred around his childhood, as it'd quickly jump forward in time to Joker, and his gang at the zoo, with it apparently being the reason for the flashback. During this sequence I found Joker's expressions to be rather odd, as it didn't seem like the Joker, even if he was being serious. I did however find his gang interesting, as although they weren't spectacular, being far from a Harley Quinn, they added some humour to the issue. I especially loved seeing Max Roboto again, as given his limited history it was nice to see him added.

The main centre of this issue would be Joker bringing up a gorilla from a baby to an adult, calling it Jackanapes. Now those keen Batman fans will already have spotted that Jackanapes is already an existing character, being a foe of Damian Wayne during the possible future that was shown in Batman #666. Now the tie to this title is the only thing I liked about Jackanapes in this issue, as along with Max Roboto this shows that Kubert may be leaving some teasers for his upcoming Damian: Son of Batman limited series, which is set in that possible future.

Final Verdict

This may appeal to some people, but it certainly didn't to me, being too ridiculous. It also felt very rushed, and didn't have a lot of character interaction. It was however fun to a certain point, and showed that Andy Kubert understood the character, but at the same time also showed that he couldn't execute it into a decent story. Due to all this I wouldn't recommend this, as it's not worth the gamble to see if it's for you.

Rating: 2/10

Batman: Under the Red Hood Review

Writer: Judd Winick
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Shane Davis, Paul Lee & Eric Battle

After spending time reviewing other series I finally come back to doing my Batman reviews, as I plan on reviewing all the remaining key Batman from this till just before the start of the New 52. This is also my seventh review on the series with my last review being on Batman: War Games Act Three: EndGame.

Plot

When the mysterious Red Hood starts taking over Black Mask's turf it draws the attention of Batman, and Batman can't help but notice something familiar about the Red Hood.

Review

WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL SPOIL THE IDENTITY OF THE RED HOOD!

This was a fantastic story, and in my opinion one of the best Batman story in the last decade. Judd Winick did a tremendous job of producing a story that wasn't just suspenseful, but interesting, and exciting. I also loved how Winick opened it with Batman discovering the identity of the Red Hood, then flashing back before the reader knows, making the built up to the reveal much more suspenseful. The drama, and action was also handled very well, and Winick handled the interaction between Batman, and other character's perfectly, showing a fun jumpy Nightwing (Dick Grayson), and a brooding Batman. I also loved how Winick showed that Batman had a clear idea of who the Red Hood was, but that he didn't want to believe it. Winick also did a brilliant job with the crime element, which is needed for a good Batman story, and overall his work on this story was amazing.

The art on this story was mainly done by Doug Mahnke, with Shane Davis, Paul Lee, and Eric Battle doing stand in issues. Mahnke's art was amazing, and wonderfully detailed. The way he drew all the character's was brilliant, but the Red Hood had to be the one that I liked the most, which was good considering he's the central character. Mahnke also did a great job of showing emotion, as you could easily tell what the character's were thinking, and I found this especially interesting for Black Mask who's face doesn't make that easy. The action was also handled perfectly, adding drama, as well as more suspense, which really helped the tone of the story. The layout was also brilliant, adding more depth. The other artists all did a great job, and although I would have preferred Mahnke doing all the art, there contributions were nice, with Davis' being the most impressive of the three.

Before getting to talking about Red Hood himself, I thought I'd talk about the trouble he was causing, and more importantly how Black Mask reacted to this. The way Black Mask's been hit just after War Games was very interesting, and I loved seeing the mighty falling so fast. I also liked how he had a gangster mentality about the entire scenario, by initially wanting him dead, to wanting him to work for him, to eventually just wanting rid of him one way or another, and it made for some intense, and amusing sequences, which were extremely entertaining.

Now Black Mask wasn't the only person that Red Hood was messing with, as Batman was also all over the place when it came to this character, especially when it came to his biggest fear about who he might be. In fact he was that worried that he went to both Green Arrow, and Superman asking how they managed to come back from the dead. It was however his conversation with Green Arrow that interested me the most, as you get to see a more humble side to Batman, which is very rare. Besides all this I loved how Winick showed the conflict in Batman's thoughts, without making them obvious.

Now I come to Red Hood himself, and here is where the spoilers lie till the end of the review. Most people will however know who the Red Hood is whether you've read this story or not, with only new comic book fans probably not knowing, so it won't be a surprise. Anyway the Red Hood was revealed to be none other than Jason Todd, the second Robin who was killed by the Joker. Now I loved this, and I've loved the character since (especially when Winick's wrote him), as I never liked Jason as Robin, whereas I do like this new Jason, who's much cooler, and less whiny, and rebellious. I also loved how there was emotion in this character, who couldn't take in the fact that Batman never avenged him, which added more depth, and showed that he did care.

This story would also have a story showing the Red Hood's origin following his death, till this story, which featured in Batman Annual #25. Now this was handled very differently than the rest of the story, but in a good way, as it showed how Jason managed to rise from the dead, and how he became the Red Hood, showing emotion, and passion, in a very subtle way. It was however not quite as good as the main story, but none the less a great addition, which makes the story feel more whole.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant story, and one of the best Batman stories in the last decade, being in my opinion slightly underrated. The story itself was very interesting, with some amazing action, whilst being very suspenseful. The mystery of the Red Hood itself was also amazing on my first read through, not knowing who he was. Due to all this it's easy to recommend this story, as it's one that any comic book fan should read, and especially if you've been enjoying Red Hood and the Outlaws, but have never read this.

Rating: 5/5

The next book I'll be reviewing from this series will be Batman: War Crimes.

Joker Review

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Lee Bermejo

I have been meaning to read this story for quite a while now, and after reading, and reviewing Batman: Broken City, I decided to buy more work from Brian Azzarello, including, Superman: For Tomorrow (which I also wanted for Jim Lee's art), which I've read, and reviewed since, this book, and Luthor. I'm also a huge Batman fan, and Joker is my favourite villain, so that was another reason.

Plot

Somehow Joker has been released from Arkham Asylum. When no one wants to pick him up an aspiring crook named Jonny Frost decides to pick him up, and becomes his right hand man.

Review

This was a brilliant book, and very enjoyable. To be honest although I'm a big fan of both Batman, and Joker I didn't know what to expect from this story. This is the case for most Joker stories, and that's one of the things I like about the character, his mysteriousness, although I'll talk more about Joker later on in my review. Brian Azzarello did a tremendous job in this book, and it was probably the most unique Joker story I have ever read. As I said in my intro I've been trying to read more of Azzarello's work, and that's mainly due to his brilliant Wonder Woman run that's out the now. This however isn't the first time I've read Azzerello's work on a Batman themed book, as like my intro also said I've read Batman Broken City. I wasn't the biggest fan of Broken City, but I did enjoy it, and I can see the odd similarity in this story. Azzarello has however taken all the things I liked in that story, scrapped the rest, and added more bizarreness, all of which I liked. Azzarello also did a very good job of writing the Joker, and although he hasn't done better than the other great writers that have wrote the character, he has done him justice, and showed his unpredictability.

Lee Bermejo's art was nothing short of phenomenal on this book, and it really helped set the tone of the story. I have to be honest I haven't seen much of Bermejo's art before, which I'm ashamed of as it's awesome, and some of the best art I have ever seen. I was actually introduced to Bermejo's art with the Before Watchmen: Rorschach series (which was also written by Azzarello), and I really liked it. I then started to see his art on covers like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and when I decided to get this book, and Luthor I was very happy to get the chance to see more of his amazing artwork. The detail in Bermejo's artwork is fantastic,as there is nothing that lacks detail. I also love how he deals with expressions, as some artists have beautiful artwork, but awkward expressions, whereas Bermejo's doesn't. What I especially liked about Bermejo's art was that although he made it very obvious who all the well known characters were, he added his own unique look to them, like having Riddler with question mark tattoo's, and Penguin with a small mohican like hairstyle. Also unlike Broken City I liked the realistic looking Killer Croc, as it fitted with the realistic story setting. I also loved the Bermejo's cover, and liked that it was nothing more than a smile, Joker's most distinguishing feature, making a simple, but bold statement. Patricia "Trish" Mulvihill's colours were also nice, and really helped to make Bermejo's art even better.

Jonny Frost

I was going to start by talking about what I thought about the Joker in this book, but I decided to start with Jonny Frost, who in my opinion is the main character. Although Joker is the title character, and main focus of the book, Jonny is the character who is telling the story, his story. This story is basically the telling of Jonny's life since meeting the Joker, and how it's changed his life. I personally liked that the story was getting told this way, as it felt like the film Goodfellas, with Jonny being similar to Ray Liotta's character Henry. I say that the two are similar as in Goodfellas Henry is aspiring to progress in the mobster lifestyle, whereas in this story Jonny is aspiring to become a known name, and sees Joker as his way to that. It's also similar as both stories are told with a monologue. Anyway I actually really liked Jonny as a character as although he felt like the normal crook, he had some personality, and a goal. I also loved that he knew how to act, as although he was scared of Joker he wouldn't admit it. I also think that having someone like Jonny telling the story makes sense, as it would be hard to write a story from Joker's point of view as it would need to be constant madness, which would be hard to write.

Joker, a Serious Mad Man

Now I'll talk about Joker. I really liked Joker in this story, and with his name on the cover I'd hope so. As I've said I'm a huge Joker fan, and he's been my favourite villain for as long as Batman's been my favourite hero (since the 90's Batman Animated Series). The impracticability of Joker is something that I really like, and it's the characteristic that sets him above any other villain. I also love that Joker doesn't really seem to care about what he's doing, as long as he can laugh whilst doing it, and that also makes him more unique. What was different about Joker than most times was that he seemed to actually be in a crime family, or something similar, with him in control of the other villains (or most of them anyway). As I said earlier I think that Azzarello has done an amazing job with Joker in this story, as he's kept enough of his characteristics to make long time fans of him enjoy this story, but changed enough to make them go, "oh, that was something different." I especially liked the relationship between Joker and Jonny as Joker is trying to make something out of him, whilst using him at the same time, and Jonny is looking to become a big name. It's always apparent that Joker's associates aren't his top priority (take Monty in this story for instance), so whilst reading this I was expecting something to happen between them, but I won't say whether there was or not, as to avoid spoilers.

When I said earlier that Joker was controlling most villains, the one he wasn't was Two-Face. Apparently whilst Joker was in Arkham Two-Face had taken over most if not all the Racket's in Gotham City, and Joker wasn't happy about this. I liked that there was conflict between Joker, and Two-Face, as a story where everyone kisses up to Joker wouldn't be fun, or enjoyable, and wouldn't seem right. It was nice to see the two get into a mini gang war, as it makes the story feel more realistic than most Batman related stories, something that this book has done all the way through. I don't really want to talk too much about the conflict as to avoid spoilers, but it was fabulous, and I loved that there were two characters that driven to be on top that they wouldn't back down.

Joker and Killer Croc Bully Penguin
(or Abner as he's called in this book)

I'll move on to talk about Penguin's appearance in this book. I wasn't actually going to mention his appearance any more that that he made an appearance, but there were a few things that made his appearance stand out more than say Riddler's. The main thing that stood out was that Joker called Penguin Abner, the only thing that Penguin is called throughout the story. I like to think of myself as a fairly knowledgeable Bat fan, and I can't recall Penguin ever getting called Abner before or after this (if anyone know why Joker's calling Penguin Abner please let me know by leaving a comment). To be honest the only way you can tell it's Penguin is due to his obvious features (beak like nose, and round stomach). I did however like Penguin's appearance in this story, as although we know Penguin for being a business man, we all know that deep down he's a coward, and this story shows that. I liked that Joker, and Croc shoved Penguin around, and got him doing whatever Joker wanted.

Now I'll finish off by talking about Batman's appearance. It was nice to see Batman as a background character, and that was one of the things I liked most in this story. With the title being Joker you want it to be centred around Joker as much as possible, and having Batman as a heavy feature wouldn't help that. I did however like that he made an appearance in this book, as at the same time it wouldn't be right if he didn't. There were two things I liked about Batman's appearance more than anything. The first was the way Bemerjo drew him, as it was simply fantastic, and the second was the way people talked about him, as whenever they were talking about him they wouldn't say his name, which I really liked.

Final Verdict

A very interesting, and entertaining book. Azzarello, and Bermejo have done a brilliant job of giving us something that's not only enjoyable, but unique. The story is dark, but also emotional, and above all else, a very good read. I would highly recommend this book as it's very enjoyable, and well worth the read.

Rating: 4.5/5

Batman #17 Review

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo

This has been my personal favorite story to have come out of the New 52, and I'm slightly sad to see it end, but everything has to end, and it's better to end whilst ahead, as some stories drag on, and lose quality cause of that.

Plot

The grand finale to the Death of the Family crossover. Joker has all the Bat-Family sat around a table with Batman at the head of the table. The fates of everyone involved is in the balance, and Batman has to figure a way to stop Joker, without anyone dying.

Review

A brilliant way to end a terrific storyline. Scott Snyder has done a brilliant job on this story, and like he's done throughout he's ended it in a way that is very entertaining. The thing I liked about this issue was that nothing was has it seemed. Okay some of my own speculations were hinted in this issue (as to what was under the trays), but at the same time Snyder gave something that nobody could have fully predicted, and if they did I'd be surprised, and amazed. I also liked that Snyder continued to toy with me as a reader by pushing me a little closer to the goal whilst moving it by miles. I always like when you're questioning the contents of an issue, and this issue does this brilliantly, as I was questioning it before during and after reading the issue.

As usual the art was amazing and Greg Capullo did a fabulous job. His work on the series has been nothing short of phenomenal, and although he's not my favorite Batman artist he has done something very different with this series, and I will always remember it. His style of artwork more than suites this story, and I have really enjoyed the gruesomeness of his artwork throughout. Capullo also puts ton's of detail into his work, and it's easy to notice, as you have a character like Joker, who has his removed face as a mask. The detail in Capullo's art shows all the decay, and rot on Joker's face, and it's truly wonderful. He also adds suspense and drama with his artwork, and I love that he tries to show Batman in the shadows every now, and then without using it as an excuse to lower the work load.

As I said earlier Snyder and Capullo did a brilliant job with the suspense in this issue, and that was one of the things I loved most about the issue. At the start of the issue it is highly speculated to what's underneath the trays that Joker showed each member of the Bat-Family at the end of their tie-in stories. I also loved that despite the speculation that there was still a lot of variables that Snyder kept hidden till later on in the issue, and that he didn't spoil them at the start of the issue. The only minor annoyance I had with the issue however was during this sequence. Although I liked the suspense it kind of took away from the dread that the tie-ins ended on, but it was minor, and I personally would prefer having that than losing the suspense.

I loved that the symbolism was still on show in this issue, mainly with the first page of the issue having a skeleton bat coming out of the dark. It shows the role reversal between Batman, and Joker, whilst also showing how Joker's perspective on Batman, which is Joker feels that Batman should be in the darkness, and that the Bat-Family have exposed his, bringing him into the light (or at least that's how I see it). I liked this as at the end of the day this is what is driving Joker in doing what he's doing, as he wants a focused Batman that has no baggage to hold him down.

The coup de grâce was that there was a fight between Joker and Batman. How could this issue not end without the two arch rivals fighting one another. The fight was nothing short of outstanding, and it really added to the story. The dialogue during the fight couldn't have been any better, as it added to the speculation as to what either person knows about the other. I also liked that Joker started to act more serious, and that Batman changed into an entirely new gear. It showed how far he'd been pushed, and that he was still able to think of an ingenious plan that allows him to play things his way, and not Jokers.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

I usually hate giving away spoilers, but for anyone that can't contain themselves, and want's to know the outcome of this issue read the paragraph bellow.

What happened to the Bat-Family? Nothing. Joker was only playing a game with them, and although he planned to kill them he never succeeded. What did Joker know? Nothing again. It is revealed that Batman visited Joker as Bruce Wayne, and that although it was obvious by Bruce's conversation that he was Batman, Joker couldn't care less for his identity by blanking him out, not wanting to ruin his personal fun. What has this done to the Bat-Family? A lot. The events in this storyline will affect ever member of the Bat-Family in some way or another, and it will also be questionable as to whether the Bat-Family still trusts Batman. What happens to Joker? He falls down a waterfall loosing his face mask. It is unknown whether he's dead or not, but I'd be surprised if he was.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant end to a extraordinary story. It will be hard work to top this story but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Snyder manages to do it. I would highly recommend both this issue and the entire storyline which hasn't disappointed (at least not in this series).

Rating: 5/5

Teen Titans #16 Review

Writers: Scott Lobdell & Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Brett Booth

I have enjoyed this series since it started over a year ago, and although it's had a few bumps along the way, it's still been a very fun series. I was looking forward to this part in the Death of the Family crossover, as it also has this series crossing over with Red Hood and the Outlaws, something I wanted to see, especially considering Scott Lobdell writes both.

Plot

This issue sees Red Robin (Tim Drake) facing of against Red Hood (Jason Todd) in a fight to the death, with their fathers on the line.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and probably the best in the series so far. Scott Lobdell, and Fabian Nicieza have done a terrific job on this issue, and after Red Hood and the Outlaws #16 being terrible, I was dreading that this issue would follow suit. Gladly it didn't and it was truly a marvelous issue. Lobdell produced a brilliant plot for this issue, with Nicieza doing a phenomenal script. All the characters were handled brilliantly in this issue, something that's not always happened in the past, and it also didn't entirely focus on the Red's, which I liked.

Brett Booth once again did a truly phenomenal job on the artwork, and I will be sad to see him leave this series. I will however gladly greet him on Nightwing, as well as former Nightwing artist Eddy Barrows joining this series, and I think the swap in artists will make the series' more fresh, and dynamic, as sometimes having the same artist for a long time can make a series stale (although it's not happened with Booth or Barrows so far). Booth did however finish with a bang, as he did nothing short of perfection on this issue. I've always loved his art, and if you see his art in this issue you can see why. His style is very unique, whilst fitting in with the series' he works on, and I think he could do a brilliant job on any series. He draws all the characters perfectly, but I mostly enjoy how he draws Joker, and the Red's. I also have to give a lot of credit to Andrew Dalhouse, as his colours in this issue are phenomenal, and really give the tone, and feeling this series needs.

Brotherly love. To older readers it may be strange seeing Tim and Jason having a brotherly bond, but I for one have enjoyed it. There will be a lot of people who will dislike this as Tim and Jason actually kind of hated each other prior to the New 52, and it was Nightwing (Dick Grayson) that Tim had a brotherly bond with. It made a lot of sense then because Jason was out of the picture for so long, but now I actually think it's better having Tim and Jason have the bond, as Jason really needs someone from the Bat-Family that he can connect with, and Tim is the best candidate, as he still doesn't forgive Batman (Bruce Wayne), he's never really liked Dick, and Robin's (Damian Wayne) characteristics would clash with Jason. Plus also Bruce has Damian as a partner, and although Dick mainly works solo he still has a close connection with Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), so having Tim and Jason having a brotherly bond pairs them of nicely. Plus Tim wanted to be Red Robin, and not Robin to respect Jason's memory, which has to count for something. Anyway I was always looking forward to this as they'd already acknowledged that they were friends, and with Lobdell writing both series' there wasn't any reason not to have them crossover. I also hope that they have some involvement with each other in the future, whether in a crossover or not, as despite this being good it wasn't necessarily the best circumstances.

The fight itself was amazing, and I loved how shocked Tim was when Jason pulled his gun on him. What I really liked about this fight was that both characteristics were shown perfectly, as you could see the reluctance in both of them, whilst seeing their individual characteristics. You see Jason jumping in feet first, not wanting to take anything for granted, whilst Tim was only fighting to survive, giving himself time to figure everything out, both of which I liked. Booth also did an amazing job of the art in this sequence as it was very dynamic, and showed the emotions between both characters perfectly. I also loved Joker's involvement in this sequence, and liked that he was goading them on, taking nothing but amusement from the Red's predicament.

The only thing I disliked in this issue was that there was a point in the middle that was focused on setting up future events. Don't get me wrong I'm interested in these events, and if done properly they could produce some fabulous stories, but there is a time and a place for things like this, and this wasn't the time. A similar thing happened in RHATO #16, and to me they just feel forced, and could easily wait till the next issues.

Final Verdict

This issue was phenomenal, and the best in the series so far. The fight between the Red's doesn't disappoint, and it's a fitting conclusion to what's been a sketchy crossover (the Teen Titans and RHATO crossover, not Death of the Family). I would highly recommend this issue, and hope that the series continues to be as good.

Rating: 4.5/5

Red Hood and the Outlaws #16 Review

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Timothy Green II

This has been a very good series, and I have really enjoyed it, but this issue is disappointing. Scott Lobdell has done a brilliant job making this series very fun, but there have been a few imperfections along the way, and a few disappointments.

Plot

This issue sees Arsenal (Roy Harper) lead the Teen Titans, along with his fellow Outlaw, Starfire in rescuing all the people infected with Joker Venom. The only problem is that certain members of the Teen Titans aren't overly fond of having Arsenal bossing them around.

Review

This was a very disappointing issue. I was expecting a lot, especially following a very decent start in the last issue, but unfortunately it didn't continue that way. I have always tried to give Lobdell the benefit of the doubt in the past, as although not all his writing has been brilliant, most of the time it's fun. He's really disappointed me, as I was hoping for an epic crossover between this series, and Teen Titians, but unfortunately it's been a bit of a mess. Although I liked seeing the Outlaws and the Teen Titans meet, it could have been much better, and could have had a lot more thought put into it. I do however hope that Lobdell puts this series back on track following this issue, as it's been a very good series so far, and I would hate to see it continue being this poor.

I wasn't too sure if I liked the art in this issue or not. Timothy Green II did do a great job, and I loved his art in the last issue, but I didn't as much this time. The way he draws both the Outlaws, and the Teen Titans is brilliant, and although it could have been better, it was still good. It was his art on the people infected with Joker Venom that I didn't like, as it looks too cartoonish, which doesn't suit the story, and very unrealistic. Although some people may like this style of art, I personally don't think it suits this issue, and would have preferred the Joker Venom infected left out, or a different artist. Green II did however do a decent job of putting detail in his artwork, and although it had it's few imperfections it was still very well done.

Although the story could have been better, I actually enjoyed seeing Arsenal take charge, and in a big way. I always expected to see him lead the Outlaws at one point or another, but I never expected him to lead the Teen Titans, let alone at the same time. I especially liked the way Arsenal reacted with the Teen Titans, and more so how they reacted back. It was interesting the clash in personalities between him, and Wonder Girl, as he was the person taking charge, whereas she was the person most of the Teen Titans looked at for leadership. The interaction I liked the most however was Arsenal, and Bunker, which was slightly amusing.

Starfire also had a decent presence in this issue, and I especially liked her interaction with Solstice. I would however have liked to have seen a bit more of her in this issue, as besides this most of the story focuses on Arsenal, and the Teen Titans.

There was also a couple of unexpected appearances in this issue from Deathstroke, and Hugo Strange. Although it was nice seeing them, it was a bit random, and could have waited till Death of the Family was over. I am however looking forward to seeing a further appearance of them in this series, and a little more explanation as to why they're making an appearance. I will also be disappointed if I have to wait a long time to see them in this series again, as it would make their appearance in this issue even more redundant.

I saved my biggest complaint till last, which is the fact that Red Hood (Jason Todd) doesn't make an appearance. Although I liked seeing a issue that had more spotlight on Roy, it didn't half come at a bad time. With a storyline like Death of the Family, which features Joker, it's the perfect opportunity to have Red Hood face Joker. With all the past they had, mainly Joker killing him, I was expecting a brilliant story, and the fact he's barely made an appearance, and no effort in the story so far upsets me. All I can hope for is that both Red Hood, and Red Robin (Tim Drake) have a huge part in Teen Titans #16 which is out next week, and that this disappointing crossover ends with an epic bang.

Final Verdict

This was a very disappointing issue, and will defiantly disappoint Red Hood fans. I would only recommend this issue to anyone who's been following this series, or Death of the Family, but it would be pointless to get it otherwise, and isn't a good jumping on point. I would however also recommend it to anyone who's read Teen Titans #15, as although I personally disliked it they may like it, although I still caution them against it.

Rating: 2.5/5

Nightwing #16 Review

Writer: Kyle Higgins
Artist: Eddy Barrows

This has overall been a very good series, and one of my favourite out of the Bat titles. Kyle Higgins has really done a terrific job, and although the series hasn't always been brilliant, it has been fun.

Plot

This issue sees Nightwing rush to Haly's Circus where he finds Joker, and dug up former members of Haly's Circus.

Review

This was a very good issue, and Higgins did a great job. Although this issue was very fast paced, it was still very good, and written brilliantly. For a two part story, Higgins has really done a fabulous job of utilizing the most he can get out of it, and has kept the tone of the series the same,whilst adding the psychotic element that comes with Joker. What I've liked most about this story is that it's centered around Haly's Circus, which has been a big feature in this series. It makes he story twice as personal for Nightwing, as Joker isn't only attacking the Bat-Family, but also Haly's Circus, that Dick has started to see as a second family.

The art in this issue is fantastic, and Eddy Barrows continues to produce some fabulous work. He's done a brilliant job throughout this series, and I will be sad to see him leave, but I do look forward to seeing him work on Teen Titans, and also look forward to seeing Teen Titan artist Brett Booth join this series. Barrows art in this issue is just as phenomenal as any of his other artwork, and it really makes the issue look fabulous. There are ton's of detail in his artwork, and it's hard to fault any of it. The way Barrows draws Joker is also fantastic, as he really makes him look gruesome, whilst still looking realistic.

I really enjoyed the suspense in this issue, and how Nightwing was confused at certain points. Higgins did a really good job of this, as it felt like something Joker would do, and although it wasn't as surprising as some of his other antics, it was handled brilliantly, which made the sequence better than most of Joker's other plans. The shock on Nightwing's face at certain points also added brilliantly to the atmosphere of the issue, and showed just how impaired he was.

I don't really want to talk much about the rest of the comic, as to avoid spoilers, but it was very dramatic, and had some amazing action sequences, which Barrows made amazing. Rod Reis also did a fabulous job with the colours in this issue, and really made some of the action sequences look even more amazing than they already were.

It was also nice to see Sonia Zucco make an appearance in this issue, as it showed that Dick, and her story is far from over.

Like Batgirl #16, and Batman and Robin #16 the ending was both good and bad. I won't spoil the ending, but will explain why I think it was both good and bad. The ending itself sets up Batman #17, which is the finale of the Death of the Family crossover. This was nice as the ending of Batman #16 was brilliant, and looked like it would involve the rest of the Bat-Family in the finale, but at the same time it leaves this part of the crossover ending unfinished, which may not suit the few people who have been reading Nightwing, but not Batman.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing issue, and one of the best final issues of Death of the Family so far. I would highly recommend this issue, as well as most of this series, and especially the Death of the Family tie-ins (this issue, and the last).

Rating: 4.5/5

Batman and Robin #16 Review

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Pat Gleason

I have been a big fan of this series, and although it's been in a bit of a rut as of late, it is still a very fun series. I'm happy that this part of the Death of the Family crossover hasn't used Batman as much as the other titles usually featuring Batman, as there are already quite a few, and it would question where he got all the time from. A similar question I've been asking about the Joker.

Plot

This issue sees Robin faced against his own father Batman. Batman is apparently affected by Joker's Joker Venom, and isn't going to stop until he kills Robin.

Review

This was a very good issue, but the whole two part story has felt forced into the Death of the Family crossover, and more so in this issue. Each time I pick up this series I hope it returns to being as good as it was when I started reading it, and although Peter J. Tomasi has improved in this storyline it still isn't quite there. Although I didn't love this issue I still think that Tomasi did a decent job, but wasn't too sure if I liked the way he put Batman against Robin. It's an interesting idea, especially at a time like this, but I'm personally not sure if it worked, but I'll talk more about that later. I didn't mind the way Tomasi wrote Joker, as although he wasn't terrible at writing him, he isn't the best. I did however think that although forced that it was a good way of involving Robin in the Death of the Family crossover.

Once more I was torn over whether I liked Patrick Gleason's art or not, as I like his overall style, and think it really suits this series, but at the same time think that it was inconsistent, and didn't look right in certain places. The main thing about Gleason's art that I question myself over is the way he draws the Joker, as he has done a great job of showing the decay on his face mask, but at the same time it doesn't look right in certain panels, as it looks very unrealistic, and too weird, in a bad way. The facial expressions of the Joker are also very weird, especially his eyes, as he almost looks high on drugs in certain panels, which doesn't look right. I do however like the way Gleason has drawn Robin, and have always liked it throughout this series. I also liked how he drew the Joker Venom infected Batman, as he looked like a cross between Batman, and Joker, and Gleason drew it just as I imagined, which was nice.

The main theme in this issue was Batman vs. Robin. I think the idea of Batman vs. Robin is brilliant, and would love to see it done in a different way further down the line, but I didn't think it was right for this issue. Although I say this I do see good reasons for having this happen, as it's the right moment to have a Joker Venom infected Batman, especially after current events, and it's also a brilliant way to bring Damain into Joker's game. The fight itself was however a bit long, and it felt a bit rough, and weird in certain panels, which wasn't very nice.

Although the fight itself left a slightly bitter taste, Damian's actions during it were brilliant. I loved that we get to see some development of Damian in this issue, as although he'd never kill Batman it shows just how far he's willing to go to save him. Although there are a lot of fans that dislike Damian (you could say this about most characters) I've really enjoyed him over the last few years, and his development has been the one that has kept me most interested. I've liked seeing how he shows more and more affection towards his father throughout time, as despite action the bad boy he appears to be a child looking for his fathers approval. This issue however showed exactly how Damian feels toward his father, and I liked that he's only fight him to defend himself, and would rather die than kill him.

The ending was both good and bad. I won't spoil the ending, but will explain why I think it was both good and bad. The ending itself (like the ending of Batgirl #16, and what I expect the ending of the other Death of the Family series will be) sets up Batman #17, which is the finally of the Death of the Family crossover. This was nice as the ending of Batman #16 was brilliant, and looked like it would involve the rest of the Bat-Family in the finally, but at the same time it leaves this part of the crossover ending unfinished, which may not suit the few people who have been reading Batman and Robin, but not Batman.

Final Verdict

This was a very good issue, and although it wasn't one of the best additions to Death of the Family it's by far not the worst, and worth getting. I would highly recommend this issue to anyone who has last issue, or considering getting it, but wouldn't recommend it as a jumping on point.

Rating: 4/5

Batgirl #16 Review

Writer: Gail Simone
Artists: Ed Benes & Daniel Sampere

I have really started to love this series, and am happy I picked it up during the Death of the Family crossover. I hope that this series will stay as good as it's been during this crossover, as I've really enjoyed it, so much that I've decided to continue getting the series.

Plot

This issue sees Batgirl, and Joker's wedding take place but it doesn't quite to Joker's plans, especially once James Gordon Jr. gets involved.

Review

This was a great issue, but a bit of a disappointing ending to the Batgirl part of the Death of the Family crossover. Don't get me wrong it's still a terrific issue, and Gail Simone has once again done an excellent job, but I felt that it was a little rushed. Although this issue wasn't as good as the previous two the series itself is still the second best entry in the Death of the Family crossover, coming behind the main part in Batman, which was always going to be the case, and the crossover wouldn't be right otherwise. Although most of this issue happens in one massive sequence I did like how Simone handled it, and although it felt a bit rushed, I liked how she introduced certain characters, or a change in their personalities at the right time, especially the introduction of James Gordon Jr. into the issue.

Like issue 14 this issue had both Ed Benes, and Daniel Sampere doing the artwork, with Benes doing the first 10 pages, and Samprere doing the last 10 pages. I still much prefer Sampere's art, as although both are great, his is a lot smoother, and looks a nicer. They both do an excellent job of drawing the characters, and although I prefer Sampere's art, I still like Benes' rough style. I think that this rough style suits Joker better than Sampere's smooth style, but they both draw him excellently, and much better than some of the other artist on the other series in the Death of the Family crossover. Although as I've said in the past I don't like two artists working on the same issue, or even story, I did however not mind it as much in this issue, as each artist's tone's suited the section of the issue they respectfully drew, as Benes draws the emotion and drama perfectly, whilst Sampere makes the action sequences look phenomenal.

I really liked how this issue started, and how it showed Barbara in a wheelchair having a therapy section, which deals with a recurring dream of her killing the Joker. I think this was a brilliant way to start the issue, as it makes it a bit more easier for newer readers to join on, without totally confusing them. I also loved the sequence itself, as the history between Batgirl, and Joker, and especially her getting shot by him in Batman: The Killing Joke is the main reason I was looking forward to this part of the Death of the Family crossover. I also loved that the sequence itself wasn't too graphic, as it may have been too much for people who have been reading the series so far, but at the same time loved that it was obvious that Barbara really wanted to kill Joker, and to be honest you can't blame her.

The thing that made this issue a bit slow was that Batgirl was going along with Joker's plan for longer than necessary, and although I liked most of the way the transition between her playing along, and attacking Joker was set-up, I still felt that it took up too much of the issue, leaving little room for the rest of the story. I did however like how we saw the sinister side of Joker during this, and that although his plan seemed silly that he's actually thought everything through, and for a change was serious.

The thing I liked most about this issue was James Gordon Jr. Having not read all the issues in the series I don't know exactly how big a role he's played in the issues prior to the Death of the Family crossover, but I have really enjoyed his involvement during the crossover, and especially in this issue. I always thought that James might have had a bigger plan than was shown during this story, but it turns out that he was only manipulating certain situations when it benefited him, and that there was no bigger plan (or at least none that was apparent). I did however like him in this issue, as he was someone that could talk the talk with Joker, and wasn't intimidated of him. I also liked that he actually manipulated Joker, and although Joker could have stopped him easily, it was nice to see. It also set up the fight between Batgirl, and Joker, and his goons perfectly.

The fight between Batgirl and Joker was brilliant, and although most of the fight focused on Batgirl taking down Joker's goons it was still very exciting, and allowed Batgirl to take out her frustrations. I also liked that Joker acted like his usual self during this fight, and that he didn't care about the consequences, just wanting to put his plan back on course. It was also nice that James didn't get involved in this fight, as he's always been a manipulator, and not a fighter.

The ending was both good and bad. I won't spoil the ending, but will explain why I think it was both good and bad. The ending itself (like the ending of Batman and Robin #16, and what I expect the ending of the other Death of the Family series will be) sets up Batman #17, which is the finally of the Death of the Family crossover. This was nice as the ending of Batman #16 was brilliant, and looked like it would involve the rest of the Bat-Family in the finally, but at the same time it leaves this part of the crossover ending unfinished, which may not suit the few people who have been reading Batgirl, but not Batman.

Final Verdict

This was a terrific issue,and although not as good as the other issues in the Batgirl part of Death of the Family, it was still very good. Although it was really good I'd only recommend it to people who already have the rest of the Batgirl part of Death of the Family, as it's not a brilliant jumping on point. I would however recommend it to anyone considering getting the other issues, as it has been a brilliant story.

Rating: 4/5