PUBLISHER DC Comics
WRITER Scott Snyder
ARTIST Greg Capullo
COVER ARTIST Greg Capullo
PAGES 224 pages
Full Color
Graphic Novel

One year ago, the Joker limped off the streets of Gotham, mutilated and scarred when someone had taken the pale white skin right off of his face.

But now, the Dark Knight’s greatest foe has returned but for once, Batman doesn’t seem to be his target. Instead, the Joker turns his vile hatred towards Commissioner Gordon, Alfred, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood and Red Robin … the only family Bruce Wayne has left. The Clown Prince of Crime will unleash his most unpredictable, vicious and psychotic assault ever on everyone Batman holds dear.

Can Batman stop his arch-rival’s most deranged assault ever? Or will the cost of a deadly secret be a family member’s life?

#1 New York Times best-selling creators Scott Snyder (AMERICAN VAMPIRE) and Greg Capullo (Spawn) present the long-awaited return of the Joker, as he unleashes his most terrifying, personal assault ever on the Dark Knight. BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY collects BATMAN #13-17 along with backup stories illustrated by award-winning artist Jock (BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR).

"This is a book you need to read. Whether you're a fan of comics or not. If you're a fan of good storytelling and can buy into the conceit that a man dressed as a bat can make a difference in the world, then there's no better book for you than this one."—Huffington Post

"One of the best Batman runs in the history of the character. The fact that two of the biggest names in the industry are handling the return of the Joker is just icing on the cake."—IGN

I've read some good Joker stories over the years, most notably 'The Killing Joke' one-shot by Alan Moore. This arc compares very favorably to that. After DC (and Marvel) rebooted most of their lines in 2011, Scott Snyder took over Batman. The first two volumes saw Batman battle a mysterious ancient cult for the control of Gotham.

This volume sees the return of the Joker. After an inexplicable absence of a year the Joker makes a dramatic return to a life of mayhem and chaos. He raids the GCPD to steal his face from an icebox and from there lures Batman into an elaborate trap by systematically and slowly reenacting his famous crimes from the past. Joker's tactics and Batman's response puts a severe strain on Batman's relationship with his extended 'family', hence the title.

Snyder's Batman series is dark, constrained and tense. He likes to put the Dark Knight in the most perilous situations to test his mettle and his morals. Capullo's art is a good complement to this style. He keeps the panels crowded and cluttered and induces a real sense of claustrophobia and fear. Snyder has written the Joker just right, and in some parts he is incredibly creepy. The extent and scope of his crimes (which provides an unwanted glimpse into his twisted psyche) is downright terrifying. The conclusion is sort of bittersweet and a bit ambiguous. Readers will be left to wonder if the Joker really succeeded in his goals or not.

Years from now we will look back at this arc as one of the more memorable Batman stories. This deserves to be in the pantheon of great comic book arcs.

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Excelsior!