Episode 180 – Batman: A Death in the Family

<p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 8.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Content warning: A minor is murdered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 8.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In this episode, we examine one of the most popular Batman stories of all time: A Death in the Family from Batman #426-429 by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo, published by DC Comics!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 8.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In 1988, DC established a pair of 900 numbers to allow readers to vote whether Jason Todd, the second Robin, would live or die. Spoiler alert: He dies. But that’s not even the most memorable part of this truly bizarre tale that features a cameo appearance by the Ayatollah Khomeini and sees the Joker go from international arms dealer to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 8.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Can the Dark Knight Detective avenge the gruesome death of his teenage ward and stop the Clown Prince of Crime from killing a roomful of U.N. delegates? And is there any chance that this story achieves that diplomatic immunity known as ... The Comics Canon?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style= "margin-bottom: 8.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><strong><span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In This Episode:</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style= "margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-a