You’re nothing, but a bunch of bleeders who weigh down Batman! Batman #14 review of the epic “Death of a Family.” Click the jump to read the review.
PLOT:“DEATH OF THE FAMILY” continues! The Joker is back and somehow more sinister than ever! What caused this change? And can even Batman stop a Joker so driven and dangerous? And where is Alfred?
Rating: A MUST READ ISSUE!
Reaction: The only thing to describe this issue is…its BEAUTIFULLY MESSED UP! It is 
so disgustingly messed up from the beginning of the issue all the way to the end. Scott Snyder (writer of Batman) has really done something with this story arc. Batman #14 is not scarier, it’s a psychological thriller!
Batman #14 presents a question that everyone has been asking since Issue #13, “Does the Joker know the identity of Batman?” The kidnapping of Alfred Pennyworth does not only create suspense, it psychologically puts Bruce/Batman in a vulnerable position. The fact that Bruce/Batman is losing control to the Joker on an emotional level means that everything is screwed from this point on. As Commissioner Gordon puts it “But with him (Joker) all you can do is react…” and this is exactly what’s happening in this issue. The readers are reacting to the phenomenal that is “Death of a Family” and no one is off limits. The issue will keep you guessing what Joker is up to and truth be told you can’t guess what’s going on in this issue until the very end.
Praises: It’s a joy to see Snyder putting his all into this story arc. It’s beautifully chilling that it makes your heart race a little bit faster. He is truly creating something worth standing the test of time here. It will be one of those Batman comic books that will be the must read story arcs. The slow chilling suspense is unbearable from start to finish. You can’t take your eyes off the panels as you absorb Greg Capullo’s artwork in this issue. Capullo used a lot of cinematic skills in this issue and it paid off in full as it created a scene of horror and despair.
The back-up story by Scott Snyder and his protégé, James Tynion IV with The Penguin 
and the Joker is a set up for Detective Comics. Detective Comics is one of the Batman comic books that is using The Penguin as one of the main villains in its story arc. The back-up wasn’t as horrifying as Harley and Joker’s back-up in Batman #13. However, this back-up was just cool shock value as the Joker has killed a bunch of crime bosses in a church. The scene is almost like a baptism for The Penguin to take his rightful place as the head crime boss in Gotham City. Jock continues to be second to Greg Capullo’s design of the Joker. On a serious level, no one could have presented a terrifying version of Capullo’s Joker like Jock.
Disappointments: None what’s so ever! Totally pleased with everything!
Batman #15 should be as exciting as its previous issues. If anything, Issue #15 should be the point of the story arc where Batman has to explain himself to the Bat-family. There is no doubt that Issue #15 will be a filler issue where things will be laid out for the readers to know what’s going in “Death of a Family.” It won’t be as horrifying, but it will still be third to the rest of the issues.
Check out some of the panels that I thought were cool.
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