Batman: A Death in the Family
Writer: Jim Starlin
Penciller: Jim Aparo
Inker: Mike De Carlo
Colourist: Adrienne Roy
Letters: John Costanza
Publisher: DC Comics
Today's guest review is by Jimmy McGlinchey:
Posing as a mild-mannered accountant, the entity known as @JimmyMcG on
Twitter is an enthusiastic DC Comics follower who has been collecting DC
comics since 1989. Other interests include travel, cinema, television
and trivia. You can follow him on twitter @JimmyMcG.
What’s it all about?
In the 1980s, Dick
Grayson had quit his role as Robin to Bruce Wayne’s Batman, moving
on up to the persona of Nightwing. His role as Robin was taken over
by Jason Todd, a young street orphan who Batman came across when
finding Jason trying to steal the tyres from the Batmobile. Todd was
a much darker incarnation than Dick Grayson’s Robin, prone to
defying Batman’s orders and being rebellious. In a comic before the
“Death in the Family” storyline, it was implied that Jason caused
the death of a serial rapist, who, being the son of a diplomat, would
escape prosecution for his crimes.
Jason Todd as Robin was not popular with the readers and, with the availability of technology to poll readers, DC Comics decided to use this to promote a storyline whereby the readers decided if Jason Todd should live or die.
As “Death in the Family” begins, Batman makes the decision to bench Jason Todd, fearing his emotional state would cause him injury. Jason, while suspended, makes a discovery that his mother was in fact his step-mother, and that three possibilities of his real mother were located in either the Middle East or Ethiopia. Jason sneaks away to try and locate his mother. However, Batman is also on the way to the Middle East as a certain escaped lunatic has absconded there with a stolen cruise missile in tow….
Jason Todd as Robin was not popular with the readers and, with the availability of technology to poll readers, DC Comics decided to use this to promote a storyline whereby the readers decided if Jason Todd should live or die.
As “Death in the Family” begins, Batman makes the decision to bench Jason Todd, fearing his emotional state would cause him injury. Jason, while suspended, makes a discovery that his mother was in fact his step-mother, and that three possibilities of his real mother were located in either the Middle East or Ethiopia. Jason sneaks away to try and locate his mother. However, Batman is also on the way to the Middle East as a certain escaped lunatic has absconded there with a stolen cruise missile in tow….
