Batman #17 comes out tomorrow, however a copy did find its way online today via The Pirate Bay. I, like many others, was so excited that I couldn't wait til tomorrow, knowing that I could read it now. First off, in a way I'm glad I didn't wait. I was seriously disappointed. In fact, I don't usually encourage people to download stuff without eventually running out to buy it, however, this is a case where I do. I just don't feel as if DC should profit from what could've been an amazing story but instead simply "copped out". Well, that is how I feel anyway.
Now, because I hope you don't waste your money to be as disappointed as I was, I am offering some details of keys parts of the issue below. Be warned though this is 100% spoiler!
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It starts out with Joker and the Bat family at the dinner table. The whole bat family aside from Batman has bloody bandages wrapped around there heads with only there eyes uncovered. Alfred appears (alive and jokertized) to serve them the platter (which has been seen in other issues dripping with blood). Whats in the platters you ask? The faces of Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, Robin, and Red Robin.....but wait Batman frees them and unwrapps Robins bandage sorta freaking to reveal....his face? Yep they all have their faces...it was just a joke. Ugh. Next Batman races after Joker when the rest say they are okay and to go get him. He goes. They then realize that the two headed cat Joker was holding (didn't i mention that? oh, no, sorry) has a bomb-ish pimple looking thing that blows and jokertizes them all. Batman fights some with joker and saves him from accidentally stepping off a cliff saying "not like that, not by accident. What happens to you will be by me." (something along those lines). As the bat family is fighting each other they start to fight the joker poison and pulls themselves together. Joker told Bats about it, but he doesn't save them because he "trusts them and they make him stronger". Batman figures out the joker did let go of the batboat that day (was mentioned in an earlier issue) and thats as far as he got to the bat cave. Also, he informs Joker that He figured out WHO HE IS (real name, family, everything) and before he can say Joker's real name, Joker smacks him with the hand buzzer/shocker thing and falls of the cliff. Back at the mansion we find out that everyone is alive. No one died, nor do we find out who Joker really is (or was). The end....blah.