Comic Books

> > 16
BATMAN #16

• “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” continues!

• Batman heads into his showdown with The Joker as the madman’s plan is finally revealed – in Arkham Asylum!

• It all lead’s into next month’s terrifying conclusion!

• And in the backup story, in the midst of The Joker’s assault on Batman and his allies, get a secret glimpse into what started The Crown Prince of Crime on his horrifying journey!

Written by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Art by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, & Jock
Cover by Greg Capullo
Variant Cover by Aaron Kuder

Price: $3.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 2.7%

Reviews

UserAddedSpoilers
flapjaxx01/18/13NoRead Review
jwt657701/17/13YesRead Review
canadianD01/17/13YesRead Review
TheNextChampion01/17/13NoRead Review
ghostmann01/16/13NoRead Review
1700
Pulls
Avg Rating: 4.7
 
Users who pulled this comic:
 

Comments

  1. Avatar photo misterckent says:
    January 14, 2013 at 4:03 pm

    Conclusion next month?! I’m having too much fun!

  2. Avatar photo scottie67 says:
    January 14, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    Can’t wait to see what awaits Batman inside arkham. I really hope all the build-up is worth the payout. I want to truly see something disturbing, by the look of the cover it might be.

  3. Avatar photo USPUNX says:
    January 14, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    I wish this arc was longer. The return of the Joker deserves more issues, this all felt a little rushed.

    • Avatar photo jpriester73 says:
      January 14, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      Agreed. We’ll see how it goes but it feels like the first 3 issues were like the first 30 mins in a two hour movie. I’m not sure how he’s going to fit the next hour and a half in two issues. I trust Synder though, he hasn’t let me down yet.

    • Avatar photo theWAC1 says:
      January 14, 2013 at 10:40 pm

      SUPER rushed, but not really much happening. Seems like 3 issues inside Arkham would have been nice, but hopefully I put it down and go,Damn that was crazy, then its all good. Most anticipated issue of the arc by far.

  4. lcarrero89 says:
    January 14, 2013 at 7:59 pm

    I may be wrong but did’nt Snyder mention on his Twitter that this was the hardest issue hes had to write, because of the events that happen in it? Im so excited!

  5. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    January 14, 2013 at 9:48 pm

    We’re finally going to figure out what the purpose of the horse is.

    This arc has been fun but the exposition last month really dampened the pace for me.

  6. Avatar photo PymSlap (@alaska_nebraska) says:
    January 15, 2013 at 1:12 pm

    Great story going into 16. I loved the face off on the bridge over the aquaduct. Have you heard this song from last year? “Dark Knight In Shining Armor” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1FUjLOpfy4

  7. WookieLoveMachine says:
    January 15, 2013 at 3:54 pm

    Tomrrows schedule
    8am – go to work.
    11:30am – MRI on shoulder
    12:30pm – Sushi date with the wife.
    12:45pm – Eat as fast as I can- Get to LCS for Bats #16
    12:55pm – read #16 in my car
    1:30pm – get back to work sit at my desk and read #16 again.

    Sounds like a good day to me

  8. Avatar photo WheelHands says:
    January 15, 2013 at 6:56 pm

    If anything happens to Alfred, I’m starting a petition.

  9. Avatar photo TheRealVenom says:
    January 16, 2013 at 1:04 am

    I know i’m in the minority here but frankly I expected more from this arc. Its been good, don’t get me wrong, but for waiting for the Joker for a year, and how built up this has been its kind of fallen short.

    Not nearly as sharp or cerebral as Court of Owls was. common those upside down and sideways pages? amazing..

    Nothing so far has stuck out as memorable in the arc. Aside from Alfred being tortured. Thats the scary I was looking for.

    • Avatar photo deepspacesamurai says:
      January 16, 2013 at 1:08 am

      Maybe this issue will change your mind

    • Avatar photo theWAC1 says:
      January 16, 2013 at 10:02 am

      I’ve felt the same way, but from what I’ve read I think this issue is gonna take me where I want to go. I think this issue is the equivalent of the “maze” issue from Court of Owls that you spoke of, both in terms of storytelling and entertainment. It’s Batman in the enemy’s domain and I’m sure he’ll be tested, and hopefully there’s some creativity. I’m really optimistic that its gonna be good.

    • Avatar photo TheRealVenom says:
      January 17, 2013 at 12:37 pm

      This ish was much better! thats the joker I was looking for. Some of Capullo’s panels were really twisted. He draws a really scary joker. awesome.

      Too bad this arc finally hit its stride and there’s only one more issue in it left.

  10. Avatar photo Nordh says:
    January 16, 2013 at 11:22 am

    This is probably my favorite issue to date in this arc. Bravo Team Bats, bravo! 🙂

  11. Avatar photo msarsur says:
    January 16, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    All hail the King. Scott Snyder, I mean, not Batman… Truly amazing storytelling. Capullo’s art is haunting. It’d be my Pick if it wasn’t for the X-Men…

  12. Avatar photo GaviinNansoong says:
    January 16, 2013 at 5:08 pm

    This is obviously good comics but I just felt like sequences which could have benefited from more space and time were just squeezed into a handful of panels. Ended up feeling like the story was being rushed along rather than picking up pace naturally, or maybe my anticipation is making me devour this in too hasty a fashion.

  13. Avatar photo CyclopsWasRight says:
    January 16, 2013 at 5:20 pm

    This was just epic.

  14. fo sho says:
    January 16, 2013 at 6:00 pm

    Between this book (my favorite issue of this arc so far), Saga and X-Men, having a hard time with my POTW. Will need to do a second pass through these books tonight!

  15. Avatar photo WheelHands says:
    January 16, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    Fantastic. Probably the best issue of the arc.

    I was hoping it wouldn’t resemble the trip through the Owls’ maze too closely, and it didn’t. I really enjoyed the swiftness with which Batman took out the rogues gallery, it was like Morrison’s Arkham but condensed. Like he didn’t have time to fuck around. That’s my king.

    The appetizers that Joker had set up were appropriately shocking without trying to hard. It’ll take a while to get the tapestry and the burning horse out of my head. Capullo really kicked it up a notch with this one. Beautiful stuff.

    This run feels like Snyder’s true love letter to the legacy. Whether it’s intentional or just instinctive, he leaves little treats for longtime Bat fans. Just in this issue alone, off the top of my head, I was reminded of a couple things; The dancing reminded me of Nicholson’s Joker, Morrison’s Arkham as I said earlier, Batman on the horse reminded me instantly of DKReturns, the scene in the backup reminded me of the scene in the hospital with Joker and Two-Face in DK. There are other things earlier in the arc, too (I said it before, but sometimes it seems like Hamill and Ledger are in my head arguing over who’ll say which line). It might just be me, but even if it is, it means that Snyder and Capullo are pressing all my personal Batbuttons.

    5/5. Might be my POTW, but I haven’t read Saga yet.

    You’re really gonna leave us hanging on the Alfred thing, aren’t you Scott? I hope you realize this means that I won’t breathe for another month, you beautiful sick bastard.

    • Avatar photo BradLWoods3 says:
      January 16, 2013 at 11:44 pm

      Great observations!

    • Avatar photo WheelHands says:
      January 16, 2013 at 11:49 pm

      It’s wonderful because it’s a tribute without being derivative. That’s a delicate balance to strike, and Snyder pulls it off admirably.

    • Avatar photo jpriester73 says:
      January 18, 2013 at 2:05 am

      I thought the same thing about the dancing and the horse brought me straight to TDKR. Didn’t pick up on the Two-Face thing but now that you mention it I see it too.

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      January 19, 2013 at 10:45 am

      I hadn’t considered the horse/DKR relation. Nice observation.

    • Avatar photo daningotham says:
      January 30, 2013 at 9:50 am

      I was trying to place all the scenes with the Joker and the Batman too from the past. Was the scene when Joker is holding the baby from No Man’s Land? I just recently read those trades and at the end there is a scene with Joker holding a baby.

    • Avatar photo daningotham says:
      January 30, 2013 at 9:53 am

      @WheelHands: I totally agree about the backup reminding me of the scene with Two Face and the Joker from DK. Especially when Joker puts Two Face’s gun to his head. I couldn’t tell if I thought it was great because it was an homage to the movie, of if I didn’t like it because it was copied right out of the movie. Either way, it made me think.

  16. Avatar photo DrBr00klyn says:
    January 16, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    *POSSIBLE SPOILERS BUT MAYBE NOT!!!*

    I bet it’s a part of Alfred or part of Batman’s parents.

  17. Avatar photo DrBr00klyn says:
    January 16, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    I wa thinking more along the lines of Alfred’s face… not just his ‘stache.

  18. Avatar photo BradLWoods3 says:
    January 16, 2013 at 11:40 pm

    Another great issue. Took some directions I didn’t expect. Can’t wait for the conclusion to find out the answers to the cliffhangers.

  19. Avatar photo UkeRupp says:
    January 17, 2013 at 1:00 am

    Fantastic issue as expected. Can’t wait to figure out what is under the dome! However, I don’t think that it has anything to do with Alfred. In the back-up, when the Joker shows Two-Face, Riddler, and Penguin what is on the platter, their reaction seems to show that it something/someone they are familiar with. Perhaps Joker knows the true identity of Batman (this would explain why he would go after Alfred), but would he have told the other three? Would something dealing Bruce Wayne’s butler really have gotten that sort of reaction from the trio? The contents would have to link back to Batman rather than Bruce.
    Any thoughts?

  20. Avatar photo tripleneck (@tripleneck) says:
    January 17, 2013 at 1:15 am

    I like this a lot, but so far I prefer Snyder’s Court of Owls and James Gordon Jr. stories to this one with the Joker. And that’s only for this reason: those were Snyder’s own villains/threats. As quintessential a nemesis as the Joker is, he is well travelled and extremely well known. I think the unknown will always be more threatening and dangerous.

    That said, good on you Mr. Snyder. I don’t think anyone else could write a Joker story with this kind of psychological insight into the character and it IS some truly scary stuff.

  21. glfmntn says:
    January 17, 2013 at 1:48 am

    Couple of things… 1) This book was fantastic for me. Scott Snyder is my favorite writer going now, and Greg Capullo’s art just keeps getting better and better. I really just want to take the panels and wallpaper my room with them. 2) The story for this arc is amazing. Snyder has a really clear view on the Joker’s mind and why he does what he does. But along with having his own vision of the Joker he does a great job of keeping in mind past Joker stories. 3) The little details of Capullo’s art are just crazy. The fly images throughout the issue is just a great attention to detail and adds to the story. 4) Lastly, Snyder and Capullo are so cool to their fans. There are so many instances of answering fan questions, posting on forums, and just responding to fans which is so cool. These guys will take time from the busy schedules just to say thank you to a fan when complimented. These guys care about Batman and their fans. Hopefully this team stays on Batman for a long time to come.

  22. Avatar photo lobsterjohnny says:
    January 17, 2013 at 2:20 am

    I’m so glad Scott Snyder transitioned from Disneyland to writing comics. And I liked the whole Dark Knight Returns references throughout, especially “Superman” getting electrocuted (if that was intentional). Great work as always from Snyder, Cappulo, Jock and Tynion.

  23. Avatar photo APoetSomeday says:
    January 17, 2013 at 9:15 am

    Here’s something that maybe nobody noticed: where’d the ‘Green lantern’ guy go? (Ditto for the impostor formerly known as ‘Aquaman’).

    Of all of Joker’s twisted ‘Justice League’ impersonators: ‘Superman’ bought it with the electrified chainsaw (a sentence I never expected to use anywhere, at any point in my life), ‘Wonder Woman’ got her neck snapped by Joker (or at least, it looks that way) and ‘Green Lantern’ is nowhere to be seen, neither is ‘Aquaman’.

    Snyder & Capullo are far too good for this to happen by accident. There has to be a reason for it.

    In fact, one panel could almost be from their POV (the page before Batman sees the ‘deaths’ of his allies). They also don’t appear in the ‘back up’ feature, or anywhere else for that matter. Given Joker’s meticulous planning, I’d say they have a further role to play and have either been allowed to escape, OR…

    So what’s under the dome? A head is the obvious choice, as is a face, but maybe that’s just what we’re supposed to think…

    This was a really tense issue, which I read in the comfort of my old reading spot from my Uni days. I really get a sense of danger from it and its legitimately scary to me that something may have happened to Alfred…

    Also: I loved the details on Joker’s face as his ‘mask’ slowly yellows and rots away, attracting flies and disease. Its that attention-to-detail that keeps me coming back month after month.

  24. gregroyj42 says:
    January 17, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    this arc has been great, but it is the creepiness of Joker that seperates it from other great batman stories. this to me feels like what Joker really is, a scary SOB

  25. Avatar photo OnASunday says:
    January 17, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    Its going to be a sign that says “the butlers head” under the dome like a gun that shoots a “bang” lol

  26. Avatar photo PerplexedDCreader says:
    January 17, 2013 at 8:20 pm

    Harper Row’s head 😉

  27. Avatar photo mgriffith says:
    January 17, 2013 at 10:53 pm

    Hello, park? My name is Scott. My friend Greg and I just want to let you know that we’re gong to hit it out of you every time.

    ==================================

    Seriously, great issue.

    And think I know what dinner is — or who it is .. and if ‘m right, it’ll be … disturbing. Not sure how I’ll feel about it if I’m right.

  28. Avatar photo jpriester73 says:
    January 18, 2013 at 2:12 am

    This issue was great and James Tynion IV did such a good job on the backup I had to check to make sure it wasn’t Scott writing it. I loved the Dent/Joker back and forth. It also answered my one complaint which was why would the villains embrace the crazy that is the Joker.

  29. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    January 18, 2013 at 11:31 am

    I don’t know what Joker has under that dome but whatever it is Two Face and Penguin recognized it immediately which is something to remember when we’re coming up with theories

  30. Avatar photo ghostmann says:
    January 18, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    I have a question that hopefully one of you fanboys can answer – so that human tapestry had images of events that happened in Batman’s life: Him holding a dead Robin, hanging from the bridge, Alfred tied up, and then there is an image of The Joker standing with his back to us, holding something that looks to be a baby. A baby? When did The Joker ever hold a baby? Or is this something that hasn’t happened yet? And if that is a baby, WHO’S baby is it?

    Perhaps, and this is pretty sick even by Snyder standards, there is a baby under that dinner dome. But that would just be really disturbing of The Joker wouldn’t it? Then again remember The Riddler reaction when Joker showed him and the Penguin what was under it – the Riddler said, “You have got to kidding me!”

    Seems a odd reaction if it was just a severed head – I mean come on, who would be expecting something like a head under there right? So why say something like “You have got to be kidding me!”

    No, I think there is something FAR worse under that dome. I think that The Joker has a baby under there. But who’s baby? Where did he get it?

    Or am I just WAY off track here?

    • Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
      January 18, 2013 at 1:34 pm

      I don’t know about it being a baby, i don’t see why Two Face and Penguin would be amazed at the sight of a random infant, unless there’s a note that says its the mayors baby or something like that. whatever it was they recognized it immediately. i wonder if it’s one of the other villains, maybe Bane or something or it could be harvey bullock for all we know. whoever it is they recognized it

    • Avatar photo ghostmann says:
      January 18, 2013 at 2:59 pm

      Oh and sorry I meant Two Face not The Riddler….

      Anyway, I’m not sure Two face and The Penguin recognized what was under the dome

      SPOILERS (maybe)

      – The Joker lifts the dome and shows them what is underneath

      – The Penguin’s reaction, “Oh lord.”

      – Two Face’s reaction, “You have got to be joking.”

      – The Joker replies, “Do I? It’s in the name I suppose… but that’s the whole thing with a joke, you have to play with their expectations.”

      Again, our “EXPECTATIONS” are that there is someones head under the dome. But I think there is something far worse. That’s the joke.

      IT’S A BABY!

    • Avatar photo WheelHands says:
      January 18, 2013 at 5:36 pm

      The image in the tapestry is from the finale to No Man’s Land. Joker kidnaps all the babies born since they blew the bridges, and Essen (Gordon’s second wife) finds him in the basement of the GCPD holding a gun to a random baby’s head. I won’t spoil the rest, but it’s one of my all time favorite moments in Batman history. It’s also one of the many moments that Joker reistablishes himself as the ultimate villain.

      Sorry to burst your bubble, Ghost.

    • Avatar photo ghostmann says:
      January 19, 2013 at 2:07 pm

      Damn it! I so wanted there to be a baby under that dome! (yeah, I have issues)

      Anyway thanks WheelHands, I’m gonna have to check out No Man’s Land (that came out during one of my sabbaticals from comics)

    • Avatar photo daningotham says:
      January 30, 2013 at 10:05 am

      I just recently read the 4 No Man’s Land TPBs and they are awesome, I highly recommend them. You can totally tell where Christopher Nolan got some of his inspiration for Dark Knight Rises. It’s basically a combination of No Man’s Land and Dark Knight Returns.

  31. Avatar photo sitara119 says:
    January 19, 2013 at 10:56 am

    My only problem is the swiftness in which Bats took down Freeze, Clayface and Scarecrow. Perhaps an additional Issue of Arkham madness would have sufficed.

  32. Avatar photo maxpower00044 says:
    January 20, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Why wouldn’t he make quick work of ham and eggers like Freeze, Scarecrow, and Clayface? All those characters need to rely on gimmick and trickery to get the upper hand on Batman. None of them pose a real threat in hand to hand combat. Especially, in an area as confined as spiral stairs.

  33. Avatar photo smo5000 says:
    January 23, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    Another great issue for a topshelf arc, cant wait for the finale!!

    ***********POSSIBLE SPOILERS****************
    I just randomly thought RedHood’s head was under that cloche cover. I dont have a reason for thinking that, it’s just the first thing that popped into my mind.

  34. Avatar photo daningotham says:
    January 30, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Another great issue. I have a bad feeling about Alfred. He is the only Bat Family member I can’t find mentioned in any Bat Family solicits through April even. Not good.

Leave a Comment