Batman vol 3: Death Of The Family s/c back

In a book trailed as one of the biggest Bat-shockers for a while, the highest rumble on the Richter scale of comic reading, to me anyway, was that DC only used one of five issues from this volume in THE JOKER: DEATH OF THE FAMILY H/C. I would have expected at least three the way they've been doubling up recently. Holy double-fisted cash-counting Batman, will these evil money grabbing fiends never stop?!! Also... I really must stop reading BATMAN 66 which is rapidly becoming a guilty pleasure (first trade to come soon, hopefully) as it has been great fun.

Moving swiftly on... I still just don't really understand the negative reaction of Dick, Damien, Tim, Barbara and Jason to Bruce after the Joker's antics during this story arc. Anyone who wants to explain it to me, please feel free, because I must be missing something. It's a fun enough story, I guess (lovely art from Greg Capullo, I should add) plus as a chemist I did chuckle at the epilogue punch line.

Also, nice to see they carried through the die-cut cover theme of the single issues through to this hardcover with a partially transparent plastic dust jacket acting as the Joker's skin mask over the skinned face underneath. [Editor's note: this transparent dust jacket is for first printings only. This they have publicly declared.]

Still, after an extremely strong start, this title is starting to feel slightly like it's treading water and the rubber shark is fast approaching. Now if only I could find my Bat-shark repellent...?