Posted in: Batman, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, DC Comics, NYCC | Tagged: catwoman, damian wayne, dick grayson, Gotham War, jason todd, new york comic con, nightwing, red hood, robin, tim drake

DC Publish Alternate "Fauxsimile" Version Of A Death In The Family

DC's "fauxsimile" edition of Batman #428 by Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo, Adrienne Roy & John Costanza with the alternate ending.

Published Sat, 14 Oct 2023 16:57:09 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Sun, 15 Oct 2023 06:46:50 -0500

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Bleeding Cool got some gossip from the bar scene of New York Comic Con, regarding upcoming Batman comic book titles. One of a number of major changes we heard, but one that stuck out, was that we were getting a death of a Robin at the end of the Gotham War crossover. A heroic sacrifice from Jason Todd, the Red Hood that would end in his death. I asked around and it seems that, while there is some justification around the edges, and on the pages, it's not true.

But there will be enough "edges" that might justify the decision for DC Comics to publish the alternative ending for A Death In The Family, the storyline that saw the death of Jason Todd in 1988 – but only if readers phoned in and voted him dead. This will be in the form of a facsimile edition – or rather "fauxsimile" edition of Batman #428 by Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo, Adrienne Roy, and John Costanza, but with the alternate ending in which he lives. This will not be the first time it has been in print, a page was used in Batman Annual #25 below, and the whole alternate ending was printed in a Deluxe Hardcover Edition of A Death In The Family. But it's the first time in actual standard comic book form. The "Fauxsimile" was announced by DC Comics at the Gotham City Confidential panel at New York Comic Con today for the 12th of December.

And now you can pretend to be in a parallel universe in which the phone-in vote went a different way. Say, if it's possible, might DC Comics continue it further as a parallel storyline?

Originally, the late Batman editor Dennis O'Neil was considering having Jason revamped or written out of Batman when he recalled a 1982 Saturday Night Live sketch in which Eddie Murphy encouraged viewers to call the show if they wanted him to boil a lobster on air. Just the lobster that was boiled was Jason Todd… talk about a red hood.

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