Hey Guys and Gals, JT here for a second day in a row, continuing the "Death of The Family" festivities, this time with Robin taking center stage. With Bruce obviously wanting to keep his son away from this new, even more psychotic Joker, let's see what happens when they finally meet again.
Summary: This issue does a great job of picking up where Batman #15 left off, with Damian talking to Titus about how Damian's the only one that sided with Bruce during the spat in the last issue, and "The Wing, Reds and the Girl" act as if they've never had anything happen on their watch. Damian decides to look for clues with Titus, and Titus sniffs out some urine left behind and Damian tests the urine, which comes up as Hyena urine, causing Damian to get in his work clothes and head to the Gotham Zoo. When Robin gets there to inspect the Hyena exhibit, someone unlocks the cages electrically and the Hyenas attack Robin. Damian takes them out but was bitten by one, and they apparently had a mild Joker Toxin on them, which knocks Robin out, causing him to fall through the roof of the aviary. When he regains consciousness, Joker is hanging over him, wearing his face upside down, which is a hell of a creepy visual. Joker flips down and taunts Robin, saying how he used a more mild Toxin this time, so Robin wouldn't be stiff as a board, like last time, when Robin hit Joker with a crowbar. Joker restrains Robin from the ceiling while walking among a ton of dead birds and such, then shows Damian a video of him torturing Alfred, to which Damian says he's going to break a solemn promise, he's going to kill The Joker. Joker doesn't seemed worried in the least, and continues to say that Robin, Nightwing and the rest are simply holding Batman back from his full potential, as now he has to worry about a ten year old while he's out trying to be the best Batman he can be. Their a burden and Batman is tired of having to watch over them, being run ragged, and he's there to make sure they don't use him all up and there's none left for Joker. But Jokes says he's a horrible guest and he hasn't even offered any food to his poor, starving Robin. He pulls a rope and drops a ton of Beetles, Earthworms, Caterpillars and the like for Robin. Damian frees himself and heads for Joker as Joker exits the cage they were in, locking Robin in. Robin says he isn't afraid of Joker, and Joker says he knows, Batman's biggest fear is being responsible for the death of Robin, and Robin's biggest fear is being responsible for the death of Batman. As he says this, the bugs all come together and form Batman somehow, ready to attack Robin, as this issue closes.
Thoughts: Man.... this was fantastic. You wouldn't think the guy with the least amount of history with Joker would have such a strong tie-in issue. That's a testament to the great job Tomasi did here, I especially loved the fact he mentioned Joker's last run in, which happened back with Dick was Batman. Also, Patrick Gleason may have succeeded, or is at least tying with Capullo for the creepiest Joker so far, because him wearing his face upside down was an excellent touch, but it came off like a mask here more than a face, which makes sense. It's been detached, and now he's been wearing it, it's obviously falling apart, decaying and such, so when it finally DOES come off and we see his face (in the main series, no doubt) It's going to be deliciously gruesome. That stuff aside, the ending lost me, I mean, I know this is Gotham and everything but the bugs turning into Batman...how did that happen? Someone please explain to me, is he confused due to Fear Toxin or something? That aside, I really enjoyed this issue.
Score: 8.5/10
The Joker: Don't you see--You're the Batman's burden. He's tired of holding all of you--propping you up!
OK, so, you know how I get obsessed over details with these events, right? So, in this issue, I was totally bothered by the fact that Joker did nothing to try to ascertain Robin's identity. Since the whole tension in this event is whether Joker knows their identities, his lack of curiosity shows that he either knows their identities or doesn't care. Either way, it seems to undermine the whole event to me. [Sigh.]
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