Batman: A Death in the Family
Encyclopedia
"A Death in the Family" is a Batman
comic book
story arc first published in the late 1980s
which gave fans the ability to influence the story through voting with a 900 number
. "A Death in the Family" ran in Batman #426-429, published in 1988
-1989
. The story was credited to Jim Starlin
(script), Jim Aparo
(pencil), Mike DeCarlo
(ink), Adrienne Roy
(color), and John Costanza (lettering). Covers were illustrated by Mike Mignola
. The story is also collected as a trade paperback
under the title Batman: A Death in the Family, which has gone through multiple printings and is still available today.
, the second Robin
. His relationship with Batman has turned sour of late and his battles with criminals are almost suicidal
. Batman decides that he turned Jason into Robin even before the boy had come to terms with the death of his parents. He therefore relieves him from duty. Jason resents this and storms out refusing to discuss the issue of his parents.
While walking through his old neighborhood, he meets Mrs. Walker, a friend of his parents, who gives him a box containing his father's old papers and other documents, including photos and articles relating to his family — a little water-damaged, due to a leak in Mrs. Walker's roof. Among them, Jason finds his birth certificate
and a stunning surprise: the name of the mother has been almost blotted out, but the initial is "S", not "C" as in Catherine Todd, the woman Jason knew as "Mom".
He concludes that she was in fact a stepmother and resolves to find his biological one. Searching the box, he discovers his father's now out-of-date address book which gives the name of three women whose first name starts with "S", and he tracks their present whereabouts using the Batcomputer. However, all three are based in the Middle East
and Africa
. Jason therefore runs away from home to find them.
Meanwhile the Joker
has escaped yet again from Arkham Asylum
, leaving a trail of death behind him. Batman discovers that he has somehow obtained a nuclear weapon
and will sell it to terrorists
. He tracks him to civil war
-torn Lebanon
where he and Jason meet up. They foil an attempt by Arab terrorists
to destroy Tel Aviv
using a nuclear missile sold to them by the Joker. Sharmin Rosen, a Mossad
agent who was at the scene, and whom Jason was tracking, denies ever giving birth in Gotham City
.
Another of the suspected "mothers" is none other than Batman's old acquaintance Lady Shiva
, whom they track down to a terrorist training camp. It is only with Robin's help that Batman overcomes her in a fight that proves almost fatal for him. When she proves uncooperative, they use a truth drug
to get her to admit that she is not the mother.
They then go to Ethiopia
and meet the third "suspect": Sheila Haywood, an aid worker. She proves to be the right one and she and Jason have an emotional reunion. However, unknown to Batman and Robin, the Joker is aware that Sheila had previously performed "illegal operations on teenage girls" in Gotham. After one resulted in the death of a teen, she was blacklisted as a medical practitioner. The Joker has used this information to blackmail
Sheila into giving him the medical supplies her agency has in a nearby warehouse.
Not only is he denying the medical supplies to the starving in order to sell them on the black market, but the Joker also replaces them with his laughing gas
which, once set off, will kill thousands of people.
Sheila herself has been embezzling
from the aid agency and, as part of the cover-up, hands her own son (now in his Robin costume) over to the Joker. The Joker brutally beats him with a crowbar
. Robin is soon lying unconscious in a puddle of blood, which the Joker complacently remarks is "a bit messy". He then leaves him and Sheila in the warehouse with a time bomb
.
Sheila and Robin try desperately to get out of the warehouse but are still inside as the bomb goes off. Batman arrives too late to save them and they die from their injuries.
The bodies are taken back to Gotham for burial. Since none of their relatives can be found the only ones attending the service are Bruce Wayne and three friends, butler Alfred Pennyworth
, Commissioner Gordon
and his wheelchair-bound daughter Barbara
, herself a victim of the Joker.
Blaming himself for Jason's death, a guilt-ridden Batman resolves to carry on alone. He even turns down Alfred's suggestion to involve Dick Grayson
, his original partner.
The Joker himself, meanwhile, has met none other than the Ayatollah Khomeini
, who offers him a position in the Iran
ian government. The Joker leaves a warehouse containing the dead bodies of his henchmen and an address which Batman easily finds: it is that of the United Nations
building in New York
.
While waiting outside the building, Batman meets Superman
, who has been sent by the State Department
. Superman tries to convince Batman to leave, and his evasive attitude and refusal to answer questions leads Batman to punch the Man of Steel across the jaw; the Caped Crusader's hand is nearly shattered. At this point the Joker turns up: he is to be Iran's representative at the UN.
Ralph Bundy, a CIA
contact, tells Batman to keep away from the Joker since it could start a diplomatic incident, which the government would rather avoid. The Joker has diplomatic immunity
and any crime he has committed has been swept under the carpet.
He is due to give a speech to the General Assembly
and Bruce Wayne uses his high-level contacts in order to get in as an unofficial observer. The Joker appears dressed in Arab clothes and he and Wayne exchange glances. The Joker pauses as the two make eye contact, as if identifying Wayne as the Batman, only to laugh dismissively and go on his way.
The Joker then makes his speech claiming that he and the Iranians are treated with disrespect by the rest of the world. He announces that they will not take any more of such treatment and releases his deadly laughing gas over the Assembly.
However, a security guard breaks up the Joker's weapon and inhales all the gas, clearing the hall. It turns out to be Superman in disguise. He flies out of the building in order to find somewhere safe to get rid of the gas while Batman and the Joker fight it out.
The Joker gets out of the building and into a helicopter sent to him by his sponsors. Batman gets in and, during the fight that follows, one of the Joker's henchmen opens fire with a machine gun
. The bullets fly everywhere, hitting everyone, including the Joker and the pilot, who loses control and crashes into the sea.
Superman saves Batman, who tells him to find the Joker's body. Unsurprisingly, the archcriminal's corpse is nowhere to be found. Batman laments that everything between him and the Joker ends that way: unresolved.
and Batman editor Dennis O'Neil
were already aware that Jason Todd had become unpopular with readers and decided to remove him from the Robin role. The question was how to do that. Seeking a new way to interact with fans, and perhaps inspired by references to a dead Jason in Frank Miller
's non-canonical
future history
comic book miniseries, The Dark Knight Returns, the company set up two 1-900 number 50-cent hotline
s giving callers the ability to vote for or against Jason's death. The call-in period started after publication of the issue in which Jason and his mother are trapped in the warehouse.
Over 10,000 votes were cast, with the final vote being 5,343 votes for Jason to die over 5,271 for him to live. DC published A Death in the Family to massive media
attention, some of it critical. Over a decade later, in a Newsarama interview conducted alongside writer Judd Winick, O'Neil said: "I heard it was one guy, who programmed his computer to dial the thumbs down number every ninety seconds for eight hours, who made the difference." If true, that would have amounted to over 200 votes (and 100 dollars), certainly enough to decide the count. There is no way to confirm that rumor, but it adds uncertainty to the question of whether the poll was an accurate measure of what fans wanted to happen to Jason Todd.
Other notable incidents in the story include Batman punching Superman and treating villains a lot more violently than usual. Aspects of his moral character even come into question. Although the Joker has been responsible for dozens if not hundreds of deaths, it is only now that Batman, for personal reasons, seriously considers crossing the line set by his moral code and killing his nemesis. "His insanity always got him a stay of execution," the character thinks. "But no more. Jason's dead." In a story set shortly after these events, Superman confronts Batman with the fact that he left the Joker to die in the helicopter crash at the conclusion, although Batman pointed out in response that it had already been unlikely that he would survive an escape attempt on his own and trying to save the Joker would have definitely killed them both.
The story touches on a number of contemporary political and social issues, such as the Lebanese Civil War
, the Arab–Israeli conflict
, the Ethiopia famine
, corruption
and the handling of rogue state
s. When he goes to Lebanon, Wayne uses a fake Northern Irish
passport, the province being synonymous with terrorism
at the time.
Although the plot point of the Joker getting hold of an actual nuclear missile
is somewhat fantastic, the smuggling
of nuclear material
is an issue that has been taken seriously in recent years.
The Joker attributes his financial state to "Reaganomics
", seemingly blaming then-president Ronald Reagan
(though in fact it is because the authorities have stripped him of his assets due to his criminal nature).
The story makes clear allusions to the Iran–Contra affair, including the Joker's sale of a cruise missile to Arab extremists with Israel
as their target. Ayatollah Khomeini
makes a brief but important appearance, appointing the Joker as a UN ambassador for Iran. (The Joker's appointment as UN ambassador was later retconned to the fictional nation of Qurac
.) But the story's depiction of Persian
(referred to, in that language, as farsi) as the language of Lebanon and Arabic
as the language of Iran reveals how superficially it treated its Middle East setting.
Overall, the depiction of Batman in a rare emotional state, the murder of a well known superhero, and the phone-voting element have allowed A Death in the Family to remain a significant milestone in American comics.
IGN
Comics ranked A Death in the Family #15 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels.
story arc, Batman is exposed to the Scarecrow's
fear toxin, causing him to hallucinate about Jason's death. However, instead of fear, he reacts in rage, and brutally beats the Joker while screaming Jason's name. He often visits Jason's gravesite and raises his death as a factor in his reluctance to take on new sidekicks, such as Tim Drake
(the third Robin and current Red Robin
), Stephanie Brown (the fourth Robin, and the current Batgirl
), Cassandra Cain
(the second Batgirl), and Damian Wayne
(the current Robin). Jason is memorialized in the Batcave
; his Robin costume is preserved under glass, along with the epitaph "A Good Soldier."
In the Hush
storyline, it was hinted that Todd was really alive, as a young man who strongly resembles him is standing on his desecrated
grave. However, in the end, Batman finds that it was Clayface
mimicking the role. In the "Under the Hood
" arc, it is revealed that it was Todd whom Batman had fought, but Jason then switched places with the shapeshifter in collaboration with the villains Hush
, Riddler
, and Talia al Ghul
. Todd reveals himself to Batman as the murderous vigilante
, the Red Hood
(though the Dark Knight was secretly aware that it was really his former partner all along since their encounter at the cemetery). Jason cripples Black Mask
's criminal organization in Gotham, and kidnaps and tortures the Joker (including beating him to near-death with a crowbar). Jason's also at odds with Batman, Dick, his successor, Tim Drake, and the rest of their allies ever since announcing his return. The details of his return are revealed in Batman Annual #25 and Red Hood: The Lost Years #1-6.
. Like in the comics the Joker abducts Jason Todd to an abandoned warehouse atop a hill (in Sarajevo rather than Ethiopia) and mercilessly beats Todd with a crowbar. He later departs and leaves him locked-in with a time bomb. Batman arrives at the top of the hill, just as the bomb explodes. Batman searches the wreckage, and discovers Jason’s bloodied and lifeless body. Mournfully he holds him in his arms. The story deviates from the original source as it is later revealed that the Joker was hired by Ra's al Ghul
as a distraction for his latest scheme, although Ra's had never intended for Batman or Robin to be killed and later resurrects Jason with a Lazarus Pit. Sheila Haywood is not seen in this film.
in the episode "Emperor Joker!" when he breaks the fourth wall to Batman and shows him his personal "shrine", a museum-like place referencing several Batman storylines including "The Joker's Utility Belt" and "The Laughing Fish". There is a statue displaying the iconic image of Batman holding Jason's body at which Bat-Mite references the "A Death in the Family" saga. He implies that he voted to have them kill Robin.
/Marvel Comics
crossover series JLA/Avengers
. The first reference comes in the second issue, in which after Batman takes Captain America
to the Batcave to investigate the cause of the war between the Justice League of America of Batman's native world and the Avengers
of Captain America's native world, when Captain America sees the Robin shrine in the Batcave, he asks Batman if the shrine symbolizes a memorial to a partner that he lost; Batman answers yes, but then decides to get straight to the main objective. Later, in issue 3, the Grandmaster
reveals the true realities of the two worlds before they were merged, and the loss of Robin is included among those truths.
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story arc first published in the late 1980s
1980s in comics
This article lists major events in the field of comics during the 1980s.Publications: 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989-1982:*Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo debuts in Young Magazine.- March :...
which gave fans the ability to influence the story through voting with a 900 number
Premium-rate telephone number
Premium-rate telephone numbers are telephone numbers for telephone calls during which certain services are provided, and for which prices higher than normal are charged. Unlike a normal call, part of the call charge is paid to the service provider, thus enabling businesses to be funded via the calls...
. "A Death in the Family" ran in Batman #426-429, published in 1988
1998 in comics
-Spring:* Gay Comix , with issue #25, publishes its final issue -October:* Toy Biz buys Marvel Comics* Excalibur is canceled by Marvel with issue #125.-November:...
-1989
1989 in comics
-Year overall:* "Inferno" company-wide Marvel Comics crossover continues, involving the mutant titles The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, The New Mutants, and Excalibur, as well as the X-Terminators limited series and various other Marvel titles...
. The story was credited to Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
(script), Jim Aparo
Jim Aparo
James N. "Jim" Aparo was an American comic book artist best known for his 1960s and 1970s DC Comics work, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman and the Spectre....
(pencil), Mike DeCarlo
Mike DeCarlo
Mike DeCarlo is an American comic book artist.He has worked on such diverse titles as Batman, Cartoon Network Block Party, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Fantastic Four, Simpsons Comics, and adaptations of the Warner Brothers stable of cartoons .-External links:...
(ink), Adrienne Roy
Adrienne Roy
Adrienne Roy was a comic book color artist who worked mostly for DC Comics. She was largely responsible for coloring the Batman line - throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.-Biography:...
(color), and John Costanza (lettering). Covers were illustrated by Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola
Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
. The story is also collected as a trade paperback
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
under the title Batman: A Death in the Family, which has gone through multiple printings and is still available today.
Storyline
The story follows Jason ToddJason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
, the second Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
. His relationship with Batman has turned sour of late and his battles with criminals are almost suicidal
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Batman decides that he turned Jason into Robin even before the boy had come to terms with the death of his parents. He therefore relieves him from duty. Jason resents this and storms out refusing to discuss the issue of his parents.
While walking through his old neighborhood, he meets Mrs. Walker, a friend of his parents, who gives him a box containing his father's old papers and other documents, including photos and articles relating to his family — a little water-damaged, due to a leak in Mrs. Walker's roof. Among them, Jason finds his birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
and a stunning surprise: the name of the mother has been almost blotted out, but the initial is "S", not "C" as in Catherine Todd, the woman Jason knew as "Mom".
He concludes that she was in fact a stepmother and resolves to find his biological one. Searching the box, he discovers his father's now out-of-date address book which gives the name of three women whose first name starts with "S", and he tracks their present whereabouts using the Batcomputer. However, all three are based in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Jason therefore runs away from home to find them.
Meanwhile the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
has escaped yet again from Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
, leaving a trail of death behind him. Batman discovers that he has somehow obtained a nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
and will sell it to terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. He tracks him to civil war
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
-torn Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
where he and Jason meet up. They foil an attempt by Arab terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
to destroy Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
using a nuclear missile sold to them by the Joker. Sharmin Rosen, a Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
agent who was at the scene, and whom Jason was tracking, denies ever giving birth in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
.
Another of the suspected "mothers" is none other than Batman's old acquaintance Lady Shiva
Lady Shiva
Lady Shiva is a fictional comic book character co-created by Dennis O'Neil and Ric Estrada, and published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter as an antagonist of Richard Dragon...
, whom they track down to a terrorist training camp. It is only with Robin's help that Batman overcomes her in a fight that proves almost fatal for him. When she proves uncooperative, they use a truth drug
Truth drug
A truth drug or truth serum is a psychoactive medication used to obtain information from subjects who are unable or unwilling to provide it otherwise. The unethical use of truth drugs is classified as a form of torture according to international law. However, they are properly and productively...
to get her to admit that she is not the mother.
They then go to Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and meet the third "suspect": Sheila Haywood, an aid worker. She proves to be the right one and she and Jason have an emotional reunion. However, unknown to Batman and Robin, the Joker is aware that Sheila had previously performed "illegal operations on teenage girls" in Gotham. After one resulted in the death of a teen, she was blacklisted as a medical practitioner. The Joker has used this information to blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
Sheila into giving him the medical supplies her agency has in a nearby warehouse.
Not only is he denying the medical supplies to the starving in order to sell them on the black market, but the Joker also replaces them with his laughing gas
Joker venom
Joker venom, also called Joker toxin or Smilex, is a fictional toxin, a favorite murder weapon used by The Joker in the Batman franchise of movies, comics, and cartoons...
which, once set off, will kill thousands of people.
Sheila herself has been embezzling
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
from the aid agency and, as part of the cover-up, hands her own son (now in his Robin costume) over to the Joker. The Joker brutally beats him with a crowbar
Crowbar (tool)
A crowbar, a wrecking bar, pry bar, or prybar, or sometimes a prise bar or prisebar, and more informally a jimmy, jimmy bar, jemmy or gooseneck is a tool consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, often with a small fissure on one or both ends for removing nails...
. Robin is soon lying unconscious in a puddle of blood, which the Joker complacently remarks is "a bit messy". He then leaves him and Sheila in the warehouse with a time bomb
Time bomb
A time bomb is a bomb whose detonation is triggered by a timer. The use time bombs has been for various purposes ranging from insurance fraud to warfare to assassination; however, the most common use has been for politically-motivated terrorism.-Construction:The explosive charge is the main...
.
Sheila and Robin try desperately to get out of the warehouse but are still inside as the bomb goes off. Batman arrives too late to save them and they die from their injuries.
The bodies are taken back to Gotham for burial. Since none of their relatives can be found the only ones attending the service are Bruce Wayne and three friends, butler Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
, Commissioner Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
and his wheelchair-bound daughter Barbara
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
, herself a victim of the Joker.
Blaming himself for Jason's death, a guilt-ridden Batman resolves to carry on alone. He even turns down Alfred's suggestion to involve Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, his original partner.
The Joker himself, meanwhile, has met none other than the Ayatollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
, who offers him a position in the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian government. The Joker leaves a warehouse containing the dead bodies of his henchmen and an address which Batman easily finds: it is that of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
building in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
While waiting outside the building, Batman meets Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, who has been sent by the State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. Superman tries to convince Batman to leave, and his evasive attitude and refusal to answer questions leads Batman to punch the Man of Steel across the jaw; the Caped Crusader's hand is nearly shattered. At this point the Joker turns up: he is to be Iran's representative at the UN.
Ralph Bundy, a CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
contact, tells Batman to keep away from the Joker since it could start a diplomatic incident, which the government would rather avoid. The Joker has diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
and any crime he has committed has been swept under the carpet.
He is due to give a speech to the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
and Bruce Wayne uses his high-level contacts in order to get in as an unofficial observer. The Joker appears dressed in Arab clothes and he and Wayne exchange glances. The Joker pauses as the two make eye contact, as if identifying Wayne as the Batman, only to laugh dismissively and go on his way.
The Joker then makes his speech claiming that he and the Iranians are treated with disrespect by the rest of the world. He announces that they will not take any more of such treatment and releases his deadly laughing gas over the Assembly.
However, a security guard breaks up the Joker's weapon and inhales all the gas, clearing the hall. It turns out to be Superman in disguise. He flies out of the building in order to find somewhere safe to get rid of the gas while Batman and the Joker fight it out.
The Joker gets out of the building and into a helicopter sent to him by his sponsors. Batman gets in and, during the fight that follows, one of the Joker's henchmen opens fire with a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. The bullets fly everywhere, hitting everyone, including the Joker and the pilot, who loses control and crashes into the sea.
Superman saves Batman, who tells him to find the Joker's body. Unsurprisingly, the archcriminal's corpse is nowhere to be found. Batman laments that everything between him and the Joker ends that way: unresolved.
Significance
DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and Batman editor Dennis O'Neil
Dennis O'Neil
Dennis J. "Denny" O'Neil is an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of books until his retirement....
were already aware that Jason Todd had become unpopular with readers and decided to remove him from the Robin role. The question was how to do that. Seeking a new way to interact with fans, and perhaps inspired by references to a dead Jason in Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's non-canonical
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
future history
Future history
A future history is a postulated history of the future and is used by authors in the subgenre of speculative fiction to construct a common background for fiction...
comic book miniseries, The Dark Knight Returns, the company set up two 1-900 number 50-cent hotline
Hotline
In telecommunication, a hotline is a point-to-point communications link in which a call is automatically directed to the preselected destination without any additional action by the user when the end instrument goes off-hook...
s giving callers the ability to vote for or against Jason's death. The call-in period started after publication of the issue in which Jason and his mother are trapped in the warehouse.
Over 10,000 votes were cast, with the final vote being 5,343 votes for Jason to die over 5,271 for him to live. DC published A Death in the Family to massive media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
attention, some of it critical. Over a decade later, in a Newsarama interview conducted alongside writer Judd Winick, O'Neil said: "I heard it was one guy, who programmed his computer to dial the thumbs down number every ninety seconds for eight hours, who made the difference." If true, that would have amounted to over 200 votes (and 100 dollars), certainly enough to decide the count. There is no way to confirm that rumor, but it adds uncertainty to the question of whether the poll was an accurate measure of what fans wanted to happen to Jason Todd.
Other notable incidents in the story include Batman punching Superman and treating villains a lot more violently than usual. Aspects of his moral character even come into question. Although the Joker has been responsible for dozens if not hundreds of deaths, it is only now that Batman, for personal reasons, seriously considers crossing the line set by his moral code and killing his nemesis. "His insanity always got him a stay of execution," the character thinks. "But no more. Jason's dead." In a story set shortly after these events, Superman confronts Batman with the fact that he left the Joker to die in the helicopter crash at the conclusion, although Batman pointed out in response that it had already been unlikely that he would survive an escape attempt on his own and trying to save the Joker would have definitely killed them both.
The story touches on a number of contemporary political and social issues, such as the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
, the Arab–Israeli conflict
Arab–Israeli conflict
The Arab–Israeli conflict refers to political tensions and open hostilities between the Arab peoples and the Jewish community of the Middle East. The modern Arab-Israeli conflict began with the rise of Zionism and Arab Nationalism towards the end of the nineteenth century, and intensified with the...
, the Ethiopia famine
Famines in Ethiopia
Traditionally the Economy of Ethiopia was based on subsistence agriculture, with an aristocracy that consumed the surplus. Due to a number of causes, the peasants lacked incentives to either improve production or to store their excess harvest; as a result, they lived from harvest to harvest.Despite...
, corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and the handling of rogue state
Rogue state
Rogue state is a controversial term applied by some international theorists to states they consider threatening to the world's peace. This means meeting certain criteria, such as being ruled by authoritarian regimes that severely restrict human rights, sponsor terrorism, and seek to proliferate...
s. When he goes to Lebanon, Wayne uses a fake Northern Irish
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
passport, the province being synonymous with terrorism
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
at the time.
Although the plot point of the Joker getting hold of an actual nuclear missile
Nuclear weapons delivery
Nuclear weapons delivery is the technology and systems used to place a nuclear weapon at the position of detonation, on or near its target. Several methods have been developed to carry out this task....
is somewhat fantastic, the smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
of nuclear material
Nuclear material
Nuclear material refers to the metals uranium, plutonium, and thorium, in any form, according to the IAEA. This is differentiated further into "source material", consisting of natural and depleted uranium, and "special fissionable material", consisting of enriched uranium , uranium-233, and...
is an issue that has been taken seriously in recent years.
The Joker attributes his financial state to "Reaganomics
Reaganomics
Reaganomics refers to the economic policies promoted by the U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s, also known as supply-side economics and called trickle-down economics, particularly by critics...
", seemingly blaming then-president Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
(though in fact it is because the authorities have stripped him of his assets due to his criminal nature).
The story makes clear allusions to the Iran–Contra affair, including the Joker's sale of a cruise missile to Arab extremists with Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
as their target. Ayatollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
makes a brief but important appearance, appointing the Joker as a UN ambassador for Iran. (The Joker's appointment as UN ambassador was later retconned to the fictional nation of Qurac
Qurac
Qurac is a fictional country in the DC universe. It is a tiny Middle Eastern country on the Persian Gulf, wedged between Iraq and Kuwait. Qurac is often used when DC has need of a terrorist state in the Middle East.-History:...
.) But the story's depiction of Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
(referred to, in that language, as farsi) as the language of Lebanon and Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
as the language of Iran reveals how superficially it treated its Middle East setting.
Overall, the depiction of Batman in a rare emotional state, the murder of a well known superhero, and the phone-voting element have allowed A Death in the Family to remain a significant milestone in American comics.
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
Comics ranked A Death in the Family #15 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels.
Jason Todd's legacy and return
The issue of Jason Todd's death was often raised over the years in the mainstream Batman stories, becoming almost as important a factor in his life as the death of his parents. It intensified Batman's feud with the Joker, making it even more personal. In the course of the Batman: KnightfallBatman: Knightfall
"Knightfall" is the title given to a major Batman story arc published by DC Comics that dominated Batman-related serial comic books in the spring and summer of 1993...
story arc, Batman is exposed to the Scarecrow's
Scarecrow (comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
fear toxin, causing him to hallucinate about Jason's death. However, instead of fear, he reacts in rage, and brutally beats the Joker while screaming Jason's name. He often visits Jason's gravesite and raises his death as a factor in his reluctance to take on new sidekicks, such as Tim Drake
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
(the third Robin and current Red Robin
Red Robin (comics)
Red Robin is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe.On the alternate world of Kingdom Come, a middle-aged Dick Grayson reclaims the Robin mantle and becomes Red Robin. His uniform is closer to Batman's in design, rather than any previous Robin uniform...
), Stephanie Brown (the fourth Robin, and the current Batgirl
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
), Cassandra Cain
Cassandra Cain
Cassandra Cain is a fictional character in the , one of several who has served as Batgirl, an important character in the Batman comic book franchise. Cassandra's backstory presents her as the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, she was deprived of speech and human contact during her...
(the second Batgirl), and Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
(the current Robin). Jason is memorialized in the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
; his Robin costume is preserved under glass, along with the epitaph "A Good Soldier."
In the Hush
Batman: Hush
Hush is a 2002-2003 comic book story arc that ran through the Batman monthly series. It was written by Jeph Loeb, penciled by Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams and colored by Alex Sinclair. The story depicts a mysterious stalker called Hush, who seems intent on sabotaging Batman from afar, and it...
storyline, it was hinted that Todd was really alive, as a young man who strongly resembles him is standing on his desecrated
Desecration
Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character, or the disrespectful or contemptuous treatment of that which is held to be sacred or holy by a group or individual.-Detail:...
grave. However, in the end, Batman finds that it was Clayface
Clayface
Clayface is an alias used by several DC Comics fictional characters, most of them possessing claylike bodies and shape-shifting abilities. All of them have been enemies of Batman.-Publication history:...
mimicking the role. In the "Under the Hood
Batman: Under the Hood
"Batman: Under the Hood" is a comic book story arc published by DC Comics, written by Judd Winick and primarily illustrated by Doug Mahnke. Featuring Batman in the monthly title of the same name, it ran from February to August 2005, before going on a short hiatus and returning from November 2005 to...
" arc, it is revealed that it was Todd whom Batman had fought, but Jason then switched places with the shapeshifter in collaboration with the villains Hush
Hush (comics)
Hush is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman #609 , as part of the 12-issue storyline, Batman: Hush...
, Riddler
Riddler
The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....
, and Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, the now-estranged daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, a love interest of Batman, and the mother of his son Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin...
. Todd reveals himself to Batman as the murderous vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
, the Red Hood
Red Hood
Red Hood is the alias used by several fictional characters, usually antagonists for Batman in the DC Universe.-Joker:The Red Hood first appeared in Detective Comics #168 "The Man Behind the Red Hood" . In the original continuity, the man later known as the Joker was a master criminal going by the...
(though the Dark Knight was secretly aware that it was really his former partner all along since their encounter at the cemetery). Jason cripples Black Mask
Black Mask (comics)
Black Mask is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. An enemy of Batman, he first appeared in Batman #386 . Black Mask was created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake.-Dark beginning:...
's criminal organization in Gotham, and kidnaps and tortures the Joker (including beating him to near-death with a crowbar). Jason's also at odds with Batman, Dick, his successor, Tim Drake, and the rest of their allies ever since announcing his return. The details of his return are revealed in Batman Annual #25 and Red Hood: The Lost Years #1-6.
DC reaction
- An uncolored alternate version of Batman #428 was created in the event that the readers voted to let Jason live. One famous panel is a variation on the iconic scene depicting Batman holding Jason's body in which a jubilant Batman exclaims "He's alive! Thank God!" (A variation of that panel would be used in the Batman Annual #25 story, "The Return of Jason Todd").
- Denny O'NeilDennis O'NeilDennis J. "Denny" O'Neil is an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of books until his retirement....
, editor of the Bat-comics at the time of Todd's death, stated on the back cover of A Death in the Family trade paperback: "It would be a really sleazy stunt to bring him back." However, O'Neil would later regret his decision. - The death of Jason Todd was not the first or last time DC would ever kill Robin, although this was the first time Robin truly died. The image of Batman carrying a dead Robin has been used in previous issues, one particular story being "Robin Dies at Dawn". Frank MillerFrank Miller (comics)Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's The Dark Knight Returns, though not in continuity, in fact predates "A Death in the Family" in depicting the death of Jason Todd (though the Joker had not been responsible), and the story "Fear for Sale" (Detective Comics #566) features Batman's concentration on the threat of Jason's death as a way of counteracting the Scarecrow's recklessness-inducing "fear-removal toxin". Since Jason Todd, DC would kill Stephanie Brown, the fourth Robin. However like Jason, she too would be resurrected, her death being retconned as a hoax that did not actually occur. - In the 2000 miniseries Joker's Last Laugh by Chuck DixonChuck DixonCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, best known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.-Biography:Dixon grew up in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, reading comics of all genres...
, Jason Todd's name is mentioned by the Joker to NightwingNightwingNightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
as a taunt for him to kill him. - In an issue of Batman & Robin, the Joker begins his murderous attempt once more to another Boy Wonder, Damian WayneDamian WayneDamian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
, by trying to win the boy's pity before he attacks him. However, the Boy Wonder anticipates that the Joker would try to kill him, and the Clown Prince of Crime receives a beating from Damian instead, who also uses a crowbar, mirroring what he did to Jason Todd.
Batman: Under the Red Hood
The story is adapted in the first minutes of the DC Animated Original Movie Batman: Under the Red HoodBatman: Under the Red Hood
# "A Death in the Family" # "Main Titles" # "Mob Boss Meeting" # "Amazo" # "Batwing" # "Batmobile to Arkham" # "Interrogation" # "Rooftop Chase" # "Flashback" # "Black Mask Strikes Back"...
. Like in the comics the Joker abducts Jason Todd to an abandoned warehouse atop a hill (in Sarajevo rather than Ethiopia) and mercilessly beats Todd with a crowbar. He later departs and leaves him locked-in with a time bomb. Batman arrives at the top of the hill, just as the bomb explodes. Batman searches the wreckage, and discovers Jason’s bloodied and lifeless body. Mournfully he holds him in his arms. The story deviates from the original source as it is later revealed that the Joker was hired by Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
as a distraction for his latest scheme, although Ra's had never intended for Batman or Robin to be killed and later resurrects Jason with a Lazarus Pit. Sheila Haywood is not seen in this film.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
The storyline is referenced by Bat-MiteBat-Mite
Bat-Mite is a fictional character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. Bat-Mite is an Imp similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk...
in the episode "Emperor Joker!" when he breaks the fourth wall to Batman and shows him his personal "shrine", a museum-like place referencing several Batman storylines including "The Joker's Utility Belt" and "The Laughing Fish". There is a statue displaying the iconic image of Batman holding Jason's body at which Bat-Mite references the "A Death in the Family" saga. He implies that he voted to have them kill Robin.
JLA/Avengers
The storyline is also referenced twice in the DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
/Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
crossover series JLA/Avengers
JLA/Avengers
JLA/Avengers is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to May 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, with art by George Pérez...
. The first reference comes in the second issue, in which after Batman takes Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
to the Batcave to investigate the cause of the war between the Justice League of America of Batman's native world and the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
of Captain America's native world, when Captain America sees the Robin shrine in the Batcave, he asks Batman if the shrine symbolizes a memorial to a partner that he lost; Batman answers yes, but then decides to get straight to the main objective. Later, in issue 3, the Grandmaster
Grandmaster (comics)
The Grandmaster is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. who first appeared in The Avengers #69. He is one of the ageless Elders of the Universe and has mastered most civilizations' games of skill and chance.-Fictional character biography:...
reveals the true realities of the two worlds before they were merged, and the loss of Robin is included among those truths.