Batman #13 courtesy DC Comics, a Buzzfeed exclusive
DC Comics, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo unleash the Joker on Gotham City as Death of the Family kicks off this Wednesday. Buzzfeed has an exclusive first look inside Batman #13 in which the clown prince of crime emerges in the Gotham City Police Department.
The Joker has been missing for a year. The villain’s carved off face was left hanging in Arkham Asylum back in Detective Comics #1. Greg Capullo captures the shock and horror on Jim Gordon’s face as he realizes the foe is back. In the New 52 continuity the Joker shot Barbara (just like in Alan Moore’s classic The Killing Joke) but in the reboot Barbara recovered to become Batgirl again. It’s chilling to see Joker taunt Commissioner Gordon about Barbara.
Batman #13 courtesy DC Comics, a Buzzfeed exclusive
The Joker will target every member of the Batman family (and some enemies) in this new arc. With a title like Death of the Family perhaps the Batman alliance of heroes will be left broken.
I can only imagine the Joker by Snyder and Capullo – the team that gave us that creepy kid in the Owl mask saying “hurt him some more” as Batman was tortured by a Talon.
For more of the preview pages here’s the Buzzfeed link.
Batman’s greatest enemy is back this week. The Joker, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. You could call it a dream team. Call it Batman’s nightmare. The most infamous villain in comic book history returns in this week’s Batman #13 from DC Comics .
When publisher relaunched with The New 52 in September 2011 the Joker met a horrific fate at the end of Tony Daniel’s Detective Comics #1. The Joker’s face was carved off and nailed on a wall in Arkham Asylum. The clown prince of crime has been missing ever since.
Batman #13 by Snyder and Capullo kicks off the “Death of the Family” storyline. DC teases the classic villain will be used in “dark, horrifying, unnerving” way and the return will affect Batman, the Bat-family and Gotham City.
“Joker is my favorite villain of all time,” Snyder told on The Source. “Not just in comics. In everything – film, books, TV. He’s the greatest, hands down. So this story is something extremely important and personal to me – something I’ve been building in my head ever since I started working in Gotham.”
“When Scott told me that he’d written a Joker story for our next arc, I couldn’t contain my excitement,” added Capullo. “Talk about a dream come true! For me, the Joker is the ultimate rogue and the villain I most wanted to draw. I gotta tell you, after hearing what the story is about, this isn’t a dream come true. It’s a nightmare! A macabre and bloody, flesh crawling nightmare. We hope you’ll have the nerve to face what’s coming. Warning: It ain’t for the faint of heart!”
Given the cliffhanger of Detective Comics #1 could the classic villain be sporting a new face?
“Wait ’til you see him,” Snyder said. “Greg’s sketches literally gave me chills. Point blank: This is Joker like you’ve never seen him before. He has a mission. He has a secret. And he has a serious axe to grind with Batman. It isn’t going to be pretty, but it’s going to be a wild ride.”
This will be the first major story with the Joker in the relaunched DC continuity. The story title makes you think of the classic “Death in the Family” story in which the Joker killed Jason Todd. The Joker will target everyone in the Batman family: Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, Red Robin and more. With a title like “Death of the Family” could the Joker’s new plot be to destroy Batman’s alliances with the other heroes of Gotham City? Could the Joker have been masquerading as another character this past year in the New 52?
Batman #13 courtesy DC Comics
Since the Joker’s face was carved off in Detective Comics #1 Snyder tells Comics Newsarama that means Capullo can create a new look for the classic villain.
“He really is going to, obviously, have a new look,” Snyder said. “At the same time, we want it to echo his iconic look. So it’s Joker in a much more horror movie fashion. But, without giving too much away, you will see the iconic face and the grin, and he might look a little bit different and scarier. But you’ll find that he’s still himself at his core. And he’s really here in his blood-stained clothes going to work.”
Capullo has a warning for readers.
“I would say that if you have any kind of heart conditions, or any kind of medical issues that could cause seizures or what-not, that you should check with a doctor prior to buying this story arc, because we don’t want to be responsible. DC does not want to be responsible for any fatalities or hospitalization or young or old people who may encounter this story and it just simply be too much for their system.”
Death of the Family with Capullo’s Joker redesign begins this Wednesday in Batman #13 and continues for five issues with tie-ins in other Batman family books.
The Red Hood and Red Robin will team up against the Joker in Teen Titans #15 by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth. Batgirl will guest star and Batman artist Greg Capullo created this creepy image. This is not the final cover.
The Joker has committed such horrible acts against Bruce, Barbara and Jason – it’s difficult to decide who I want to deal a brutal dose of retribution against him!
The Joker returns in Batman #13 next month in Death of the Family. The villain’s campaign of terror will continue into the December Batman family of books. The Source shared new preview images and teasers for the December titles.
Batman #15 courtesy DC Comics
The Joker’s attacks have hit Batman and his allies hard but Batman #15 reveals “the final madness” of the Joker’s plan and his confrontation with the Riddler! Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo promise a terror ride for their take on the classic rogue.
Detective Comics #15 courtesy DC Comics
Death of the Family continues in Detective Comics #15. John Layman and Jason Fabok bring in guest stars Poison Ivy and Clayface as Batman tries to discover what the Joker has done with the Penguin.
Batman and Robin #15 courtesy DC Comics
Will the Joker finally meet his match in Damian? The Clown Prince of Crime has a showdown with the Robin trained by the League of Assassins and Batman. Batman and Robin #15 by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason could feature one of the best fights of this crossover!
Batgirl #15 courtesy DC Comics
How many funerals and a wedding? Barbara Gordon faces the Joker for the first time since he shot her in Batgirl #15. What kind of sick wedding does the Joker have planned for Barbara? I hope she gets her shot at revenge. Gail Simone and Ed Benes just knocked it out of the park with Batgirl #0.
Nightwing #15 courtesy DC Comics
Can Dick Grayson stop the Joker’s next murder attempt? Death of the Family hits home when the Joker strikes Haly’s Circus in Nightwing #15 by Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows.
Death of the Family continues in these Batman books this December. DC noted these images are not the final covers.
With or without costume Barbara Gordon is just an amazing character and hero. Gail Simone proves it in Batgirl #0. Simone is on fire in a thrilling scenario showing Barbara’s birth as a crime fighter and foreshadowing the villains in her future. It’s been hinted that James Gordon Jr is alive and chilling seeds are sown in this origin story. The final panel is a knockout and leaves you excited and scared for Batgirl’s potential reunion with the Joker in the upcoming crossover Death of the Family.
Simone and Ed Benes create a compelling stand-alone story demonstrating why I love Barbara and why Batgirl is a symbol of motivation and inspiration.
The creative team that gave us the Court of Owls unleash Batman’s ultimate enemy this October! The Joker returns in Batman #13 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo in Death of the Family.
DC Comics revealed a variant cover by Aaron Kuder showing the rogue at this sinister and dark humored best…or should I say worst!
The idea of the Joker drawn by Greg Capullo is frightening and exciting. Bruce Wayne’s arch foe returns in Batman #13this October by the artist and writer Scott Snyder. Capullo teased the villain’s return at Fan Expo Canada comparing the classic rogue to a classic horror film.
“We’re going to scare and frighten the s**t out of you all,” said Capullo. “This is going to be Joker meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Joker had his face on ice, and he’s robbed and stolen the face back. I think it would be cool to have this stuff rotting away, so there’s flies buzzing around him. You guys think that’s cool? I hope all your pants will get tight, and your nipples will stiffen, and you’ll enjoy it.”
Death of the Family will affect the Batman family of books. Here’s a link to covers of October’s books teasing the Joker’s plans.
The Joker returns in October’s Batman #13. DC Comics released the Batman family book solicits for November with new images of the Joker and his plans for Batman in the Death of the Family crossover. Batman #14 shows a chilling image of the Joker in his own makeshift Batcave-like control center watching his targets.
Batman and Robin #14 courtesy DC Comics
Batman and Robin #14,Catwoman #14 and Batgirl #14 will tie-in to Death of the Family as the Joker plots against Selena Kyle, Damian Wayne and Barbara Gordon.
Catwoman #14 courtesy DC Comics
The most haunting image is for Batgirl #14. As discussed this past weekend at GeekGirlCon, Gail Simone has made Batgirl a story of overcoming trauma. Barbara has come so far – it will be gripping to see her face the criminal that left her paralyzed in their last encounter and threatens her real family now.
Batgirl #14 courtesy DC Comics
The November issues set the stage for Death of the Family affecting Nightwing and Red Hood and the Outlaws in December. By Editor
