Batman #428 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1988. It was published on October 20, 1988.
Synopsis for "A Death in the Family - Chapter 5"
After the explosion, Batman searches among the ashes and rubble of the warehouse where Robin was supposed to be along with his real mother Sheila Haywood. Batman has arrived too late to prevent the bomb from exploding and now the only thing he has left is hope.
Batman remembers how he met Jason when the kid was trying to steal the wheels of the Batmobile, and almost managed to if not for Batman's arrival. After learning that Jason was an orphan, Batman took him in and revealed all his secrets to him, hoping to replace Dick Grayson as the new Robin. Batman trained him, and soon they were fighting crime as the dynamic duo; but Bruce noticed a difference between Dick and Jason.
Jason Todd is dead
While Dick was very talented and natural when fighting crime, Jason was full of repressed anger and he had a rebellious nature. Jason's attitude would put him and Batman in danger on many occasions, leading to Batman placing him on inactive duty. During this time, Jason found evidence that his real mother was still alive and so, Batman and Jason traveled to Lebanon to find her.
After searching for a while, Batman finds Sheila near to death. She tells Batman what happened with the Joker and before dying, she regrets her actions but is proud of Jason. She dies in Batman's arms and the Dark Knight keeps searching for Jason. Moments later, Batman finds Jason's body lying on the ground and after taking his pulse, he finally realizes that Jason is dead. Batman holds the kid's body in his arms and sadly, he carries it away.
Meanwhile, the Joker makes a deal with the leaders of the Iranian Government.
Batman removes what little remains of Jason's costume that could have identified him as Robin and removes the evidence so the authorities won't find anything suspicious and will write off what happened as an accident. Bruce then takes the bodies of Jason and Sheila on his plane back to Gotham City. Before leaving, however, Batman examines the Joker's hideout, but finds only the dead bodies of the Joker's own henchmen and a message written on the wall for the Caped Crusader telling him where to meet him.
Ambassador Joker
Back in Gotham, only four people — namely Bruce, Alfred, James Gordon and his daughter Barbara — attend the funeral of Jason Todd and Sheila Haywood (Bruce was unable to contact any of Sheila's old friends), and afterwards Bruce goes to the Batcave, and looks for the address the Joker left him and it turns out that the clown wants to meet Batman at the United Nations Building in New York City.
Batman is waiting for the Joker to show up when out of nowhere, Superman appears and tries to persuade Batman to leave the place in order to prevent an international incident. Batman doesn't understand Superman and punches him in the face, fortunately only bruising his knuckles. Superman tries to explain better, but at that moment, the Joker arrives and reveals that he is the new ambassador of the Iranian Government to the U.N. and thus, he can't be punished by any of his past crimes due to the diplomatic immunity granted to any ambassador. Batman watches in disbelief as his greatest foe stands in front of him, mocking him after killing Jason.
Appearing in "A Death in the Family - Chapter 5"
Featured Characters:
- Batman (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Alfred Pennyworth
- Robin (Jason Todd) (Origin)(Deceased)(Flashback and main story)
- Superman
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Ayatollah Khomeini
- Sheila Haywood (Dies)
- Barbara Gordon (Cameo)
- James Gordon (Cameo)
- Two-Face (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Ethiopia
- Addis Ababa
- United States of America
- Gotham City
- Wayne Manor
- Crime Alley (Flashback only)
- Gotham Cemetery
- New York City
- Gotham City
Items:
Vehicles:
- Batmobile (Flashback only)
Notes
- This story is reprinted in Batman: A Death in the Family, in Batman: A Death in the Family New Edition and Robin, the Boy Wonder: A Celebration of 75 Years.
- The month of publication is not printed on the cover to this issue.
- At the time of publication, this issue was considered the canonical last appearance of Jason Todd. He re-emerged years later in Batman Annual #25 as the Red Hood. Via retcon, Jason's first canonical "post-death" appearance actually takes place during the twelve-part Hush running through issues of Batman in 2003.[1] Originally, the Jason Todd character from "Hush" was actually Johnny Williams, the new Clayface, but this was altered later.[2]
- Joker's Body Count = 5.
Trivia
- This issue is the final appearance of Barbara Gordon under her regular name. From this point forward, she begins operating under the name Oracle.[3]
- Ruhollah Khomeini was an actual living person who functioned as the Ayatollah of Iran from 1979-1989.[4]
- Assistant editor Dan Raspler wrote a rather bitter note in the letters column about the decision of DC readers on killing Jason and pointed that he voted for the character to live.
See Also
Recommended Reading
| A Death in the Family | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Book One: Batman #426 | Book Two: Batman #427 | Book Three: Batman #428 | Book Four: Batman #429 |
- Joker Recommended Reading
- The Joker (Volume 1)
- The Joker (Volume 2)
- The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Killing Joke
- Batman: The Man Who Laughs
- "Batman: Lovers and Madmen"
- "Batman: A Death in the Family"
- Joker: Devil's Advocate
- Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
- "The Joker's Last Laugh"
- "Superman: Emperor Joker"
- "Superman/Batman: With a Vengeance!"
- The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told
- Joker (graphic novel)