Batman: Death of the Family is a cross-over event in the Batman universe, a 23-issue story arc published in 2012-2013 including the titles Batman, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Red Hood, and the Outlaws, Suicide Squad, and Teen Titans. The event takes place during the Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo run.
The story deals with the Joker’s return to Gotham with a plan to get revenge on all the people Batman has come to rely on over the years, and then destroy the family. The title is, obviously, a reference to the classic story arc A Death in the Family, published in 1988.
What to read before Batman: Death of the Family?
There is no reading requirement before going into the Batman: Death of the Family event. At best, Detective Comics #1, collected in Detective Comics: Faces of Death can serve as a prelude, but completely unnecessary to understand the story as everything you need to know will be mentioned in the main storyline.
All there is to know is that the Joker cut his face off then vanished for a long time – a piece of information mentioned in the story. The main story takes place in Batman.
Death of The Family Reading Order
Death of The Family Reading Order by Collected Editions:
You can have all the Batman: Death of the Family story-arc with two collected editions. You’ll find the main event in the Batman collected edition. All the tie-ins have been collected in The Joker: Death of the Family. You’ll just have to alternate between those two books to read the story in order.
- Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Batman #13-17. - The Joker: Death of the Family
Collects the tie-in Catwoman 13-14, Batgirl 13-16, Suicide Squad 14-15, Batman and Robin 15-16, Nightwing 15-16, Detective Comics 15-16, Red Hood and The Outlaws 15-16, and Teen Titans 15-16.
You can also find all the issues in every collected edition by titles:
- Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Batman #13-17. - Batgirl Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Batgirl #14-19, Batgirl Annual #1 And Batman #17. - Nightwing Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Nightwing #13-18 And Batman #17. - Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Issues #0, 14-18, Batman (2011-) #17 and Teen Titans (2011-) #16. - Catwoman Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Catwoman #0, 13-18 and A Story From Young Romance #1. - Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: Emperor Penguin
Collects Batman: Detective Comics #13-18. - Suicide Squad Vol. 3: Death is for Suckers
Collects Suicide Squad Issues #14-19. - Teen Titans Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Teen Titans #14-20. - Batman and Robin, Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Collects Batman And Robin #15-17, Batman And Robin Annual #1 and Batman #17.
Batman: Death of The Family Reading Order: Issue by issue
- Batman #13
- Batgirl #13
- Catwoman #13
- Batman #14
- Batgirl #14
- Catwoman #14
- Suicide Squad #14
- Batman #15
- Detective Comics #15
- Batgirl #15
- Suicide Squad #15
- Batman and Robin #15
- Nightwing #15
- Red Hood and the Outlaws #15
- Teen Titans #15
- Batman #16
- Detective Comics #16
- Batgirl #16
- Batman and Robin #16
- Nightwing #16
- Red Hood and the Outlaws #16
- Teen Titans #16
- Batman #17
Aftermath
- Red Hood and the Outlaws #17 & #18
After Batman: Death of the Family?
Batman: Endgame (see reading order) is a six-issue comic book story arc described by Scott Snyder as the concluding chapter of his Joker story, and is essentially a sequel to the events of Batman: Death of the Family.