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carroq's review
3.0
I am disappointed that I did not like this one as much as the previous two volumes. It felt like it suffered from a little ADD at times. There were two different writers on this one and they switched off, so that probably has something to do with it.
The Joker storyline was great. It really showcased how insane he can be. It segues into a couple of issues that felt out of place to the series though. While it involved characters that have been introduced, they didn't contribute to Barbara's story much or in an authentic way. Batgirl should be the star, but she is kind of overshadowed.
The plot involving her brother is resolved. This portion of the story just didn't catch me though. Something about James Gordon Jr. just felt off throughout this series. He seemed shoehorned into a villain role that didn't need to exist.
Being a book from DC it isn't bad in any particular way. I think it could have been a lot better. The parts that tie into plots from other titles probably would have been better off in a different collection.
The Joker storyline was great. It really showcased how insane he can be. It segues into a couple of issues that felt out of place to the series though. While it involved characters that have been introduced, they didn't contribute to Barbara's story much or in an authentic way. Batgirl should be the star, but she is kind of overshadowed.
The plot involving her brother is resolved. This portion of the story just didn't catch me though. Something about James Gordon Jr. just felt off throughout this series. He seemed shoehorned into a villain role that didn't need to exist.
Being a book from DC it isn't bad in any particular way. I think it could have been a lot better. The parts that tie into plots from other titles probably would have been better off in a different collection.
delaneybull's review
3.0
Death of the Family was such a shift in tone to the other issues in this volume that I honestly couldn't get through it. Plus, the body horror was way too much. The other stories were fine, but I really couldn't get invested since there was this gigantic diversion in the middle of the volume.
lberestecki's review
5.0
4.5 Stars.
I liked the issues written by Simone a lot more than the other issues. I'm really bummed out that she isn't going to be the author of this series in the future. This volume was definitely really dark, but it was well done - the ending made me really excited to get Volume 4. Simone also did a fabulous job of writing Joker - he physically made me uncomfortable, which is how it should be with a crazy villain like him. This wasn't my favorite volume in the run, but it was still awesome.
I liked the issues written by Simone a lot more than the other issues. I'm really bummed out that she isn't going to be the author of this series in the future. This volume was definitely really dark, but it was well done - the ending made me really excited to get Volume 4. Simone also did a fabulous job of writing Joker - he physically made me uncomfortable, which is how it should be with a crazy villain like him. This wasn't my favorite volume in the run, but it was still awesome.
renatasnacks's review
3.0
Oh man. I like Gail Simone, and I like Batgirl, but I grabbed a stack of new Batgirl GNs from the library and was like, oh yeah, this is why I mainly read Marvel, because this is UPSETTING.
I mean it's well done, if you like upsetting things? Which I... don't really. But the art is good and I liked Batgirl Annual with Catwoman & Strix... kind of makes me want to pick up Birds of Prey to follow Strix, who I liked.
I mean it's well done, if you like upsetting things? Which I... don't really. But the art is good and I liked Batgirl Annual with Catwoman & Strix... kind of makes me want to pick up Birds of Prey to follow Strix, who I liked.
booksnarks's review
5.0
I always thought that out of the entire Bat Family, Barbara would be the most likely one to break Batman's moral universal of 'no killing,' especially when it came to the Joker, and especially after he broke her. That's the overall theme of this volume, and from the opening pages of the chapter, Barbara makes it clear that she is going to kill the Joker, and that Batman's greatest mistake was letting him live that long.
Barbara and Joker's reunion was not as epic as I would have liked it to be, but it was pretty close to being perfect. The best was seeing the aftermath and looking at how it affects her relationship with Bruce going further, because it is quite clear that in a way, Barbara perhaps could not forgive Bruce for letting the Joker live for so long. All of this is much more harrowing when the Joker tells her that the reason Batman hasn't killed him yet is because he loves him and he couldn't live without the Joker; it is almost tragic, when, in the closing pages of the story arc, part of Barbara (and the rest of the Bat Family) start to somewhat believe that.
Perhaps though, the greatest with this volume lies in its final pages when Barbara finally snaps and does the unthinkable; it was great, and tragic, and painful, and so deeply complex.
Barbara and Joker's reunion was not as epic as I would have liked it to be, but it was pretty close to being perfect. The best was seeing the aftermath and looking at how it affects her relationship with Bruce going further, because it is quite clear that in a way, Barbara perhaps could not forgive Bruce for letting the Joker live for so long. All of this is much more harrowing when the Joker tells her that the reason Batman hasn't killed him yet is because he loves him and he couldn't live without the Joker; it is almost tragic, when, in the closing pages of the story arc, part of Barbara (and the rest of the Bat Family) start to somewhat believe that.
Perhaps though, the greatest with this volume lies in its final pages when Barbara finally snaps and does the unthinkable; it was great, and tragic, and painful, and so deeply complex.
nerdywerewolf's review
4.0
I loved this one! The Joker storyline was great and so was the James Jr. arc. I'm glad I got the next two, because there's kind of a cliffhanger ending...
crowyhead's review
3.0
It turns out I'm just so tired of The Joker. So bored. I liked the elements of Batgirl dealing with the trauma of her injury at The Joker's hands, but I keep feeling like this series would have been so much better without The Joker actually showing up. Ho hum.
antsneversleep's review against another edition
4.0
Dark, dark, dark.
Story felt sort of choppy at points, but I still loved it.
Story felt sort of choppy at points, but I still loved it.
sherpawhale's review
3.0
I've already gone on the record as feeling that Death of the Family was kind of meh. Nothing new to say. I wish Gail Simone didn't get unceremoniously dumped, then rehired. Seemed like her contribution could have added to something more than it was.