The day the public killed a young boy (Batman : A Death In The Family - Jim Starlin)

Member Name: daemonicragnorak

Product:	Batman : A Death In The Family - Jim Starlin
Date:	28/04/09 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: One of the biggest moments in Batman's career

Disadvantages: Artwork isn't anything special

Robin was Batman's sidekick, I am sure almost everyone will know this but I am also sure that the majority of readers wont have known that over the years there have been 3 Robins (4 if you count the brief spell held by Stephanie Brown). Each Robin has had their own individual personality and styles; this is the story of the second Robin and his eventual death by a public phone poll.

The first was a boy called Dick Grayson, who eventually outgrew the role and moved on, unfortunately he was quickly replaced by a boy called Jason Todd. This replacement wasn't as smart as his predecessor, he was young, reckless and head strong; most of all he wasn't as popular with the readers as Dick was.

It came to a head in the late eighties when the publishers decided something big was going to have to happen to make this character stand out; Jim Starlin was the writer told to make this happen and this book is the result.

The plot starts out with a raid that almost goes sour when Jason looks at it as a game and almost gets shot, so Batman suspends him for being so reckless. After storming out Jason returns to the orphanage he grew up in to find a box of his old processions; inside this box he finds a bombshell, the signature on his birth certificate isn't his dead mum's.

He then travels across the world in search for his mum and ends up joining Batman as it seems his search for the Joker is leading them in the same direction. It ends up with Jason being inside a warehouse that explodes; could it be his death or is he going to some how survive, this is what DC put to the readers to decide via a phone poll.

The result was 5343 votes to 5271, in favour of his death, Jason Todd the second Robin is dead. This was a momentous occasion in comic history, and it has helped define the last two decades of Batman and his relations with other 'good' characters. Initially it caused a storm of hate-mail and complaints, but has become one of the most defining moments in the history of Batman.

The rest of the book looks at Batman starting to come to terms with his loss as well as trying to get justice for Jason, something that has be present in Batman ever since.

The artwork may not be the best, it is a typical eighties comic-book artwork style being used, so it's no where near a pretty as some of the more modern collections; however it is also not awful, and some of the scenes are really well drawn.

If you are a fan of Batman books then this book is essential for you to own; not only does it show why Batman is the way he is to Tim Drake (3rd Robin), it is also one of the biggest moments in the whole Batman time-line. If you haven't read a Batman book before this wouldn't be a bad place to start as it sets yo up nicely for some of the other classic Batman books, such 'A Killing Joke'.

At a price of around £3 off of Amazon (depending on which edition you get) you simply cannot get a better Batman book for this price, anywhere.

Summary: After all the Adam West shows it's sickly sweet to see the annoying Robin die