Death in the Family: Robin Lives #3 – Review

How far we've come! What I initially thought would be a monthly nightmare of nostalgia bait has quickly turned into one of my favorite DC books of the year. I've been waiting with bated breath to see what happens, especially now that the Joker is back on the loose. So let's dive back into the potential world of yesterday and see what might happen to our heroes next…

I always think of you …

Oh my God. If you've already read the book or seen the cover, you know something very important. Every issue of this series starts with the exact same thing. The Joker is killed at Batman's hand. This month, however, we get a little more context. Jason Todd is holding the gun that shot him. Not only that, they all seem to be in the Batcave. Do I sense a plot brewing involving the Joker finding out Batman's secret identity? I have to say, I'm pretty relieved that this reveal is coming now. DeMatties is clearly more interested in exploring these characters over the course of the series than shocking us with an ending.

So after our little flash forward, we cut back to the “present”. Joker is hiding out in an old video store, watching old comedies with an imaginary dynamic duo. We hear a narrator from Dr. Dev the whole time. I've heard from some people that the narration and dialogue in past issues has been way too dense. While I certainly think there is a lot of it, it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all.

Following the identity reveal in the last issue, Bruce takes Dr. Dev to his parents' grave. Here they discuss his identity as Batman, what he believes, what he's doing, and whether it's right. This is something readers may have thrown together a thousand times, but it's really interesting to hear Bruce say it. He presents his reasoning not as an argument for why it's perfectly fine to have a child sidekick, but simply as a reason why he did it, even though he's starting to realize it might not have been the right idea. Although, in classic Batman fashion, the Bat-Signal prevents him from any deeper introspection.

I and others were afraid this story would become a Joker-fest. And while he features more prominently in the story, he's certainly not the only villain. We've had Scarecrow, Copperhead, and now the return of a DeMattes original! Mother Grimm (who, to my knowledge, only appeared in Legends of The Dark Knight) makes an appearance. Obviously, this is an example of Batman seeing himself in the villain and reconsidering the legitimacy of his cause. DeMatteis really walks the line between tough and just right. Nice to see him staying on the right side.

Penny for your thoughts

Bruce tells Alfred what's been bothering him. It's a fantastic moment. Alfred's request to shut up and listen instead of sulking was definitely needed and it really felt like they were close to coming to an important conclusion. We have to agree with the narrator though: “What would have changed if they had ended that conversation?”

Jason has escaped the Institute and donned his cape again to hunt down the Joker. Bats goes in search of him and runs to his other station, and the two are able to finish their earlier conversation about Nightwing's remorse. Now, I think, is a good time to talk about the art. In every issue, I have been consistently delighted by Leonardi's artwork, and that hasn't changed. His sketchy style is entirely in keeping with one of the book's themes. Nobody is perfect. We are all human with imperfections and roughnesses. They are not smooth and bright like statues and idols, but rough and jagged like humans.

The coloring is also top notch and I often find myself just looking at the dark purple of the street or skyline. If I could make one criticism, it would be that the proportions sometimes look a little off, for example Bruce's arm is too short. This is especially true in the DKR homage panel where Bruce and Dick jump off a building. His arm looks a little too small and squat and his head is at a weird angle. I must say, though, that this is one of the few cases of this happening, so it's hardly a problem.

Recommended if …

• They just can't wait to find out what happens next.
• You're a fan of Jason Todd. It's one of the best books he's been in in a long time.
• a closer examination of the thoughts of the caped crusader will pique your interest.

In total:

I'm really glad that this series has remained as high quality as it is. I would have dumbed it down a bit, but no, the standards are still high. I'm excited to see what we get next month and see if this book can end as strong as it started.

Score: 9/10

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