Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Batman #15 Review

By J. Skyler
December 15, 2012 - 13:17

It has been said that the eyes are the window to the soul. They reveal the depths of our humanity; passion, hatred, obsession, isolation and devotion can all speak volumes just from a simple glance. Batman has spent much of his life time overcoming fear—becoming the embodiment of fear to those who deserve it—but the Joker is the one thing that actually terrifies Batman, because he can't convince himself that the Joker is truly human. His eyes reveal absolutely nothing to those he looks upon and Batman finds the madman's gaze absolutely chilling.

The death toll continues to rise as the Joker's plan to recreate Gotham City as Batman's "Kingdom" unfolds with alarming speed. Civilians and law enforcement officials are dropping dead left and right in his wake and Batman simply isn't quick enough to stop him. The Joker blames his adversary's sloth on his numerous subordinates, whom he accuses of weighing too heavily on Batman's mind with thoughts of love, attachment and preservation. He's already mentioned that every member of the Family will die for such transgressions against his King, but the "kicker" is that he asserts Batman will be the one to kill them. Batman, of course, is wholly unconvinced. Not only that, he won't even entertain the idea that the Joker actually knows all of their secret identities... and that's where the real problem lies.

Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, Red Robin and Robin have all confronted Batman with what they percieve as irrefutable evidence that the Joker has indeed discovered their aliases, only to have Batman reveal that the Joker may have known their connections to Batman/Bruce Wayne before any of them even joined his crusade. Batman thoroughly denies such a thing is even remotely possible, but the implication is clear: the events of Batman: A Death in the Family, Batman: The Killing Joke and all other atrocities that have befallen his team were done with the explicit knowledge of their private lives. Even as a remote possibility, the fact that Batman has kept this information secret strikes a blow among all of them. Could it be that the true "death" of the Family means ultimately severing ties?

The back-up feature, "Red Light, Green Light" introduces the Riddler into this ongoing epic. In a rare feat, the Joker acknowledges the Riddler as his superior, the only one able to challege Batman intellectually; the only one capable of keeping his beloved King in constant state of self-improvement. What hand will Riddler deal in "Death of the Family?"

Rating: 10 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12