"A Death in the Family" is a landmark 1988 Batman comic book storyline published by DC Comics, running through Batman #426–429. Written by Jim Starlin and illustrated by Jim Aparo, with covers by Mike Mignola, the story is infamous for featuring the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin. In a groundbreaking and controversial marketing stunt, DC set up two 900-number hotlines allowing readers to vote by phone on whether Jason Todd would survive a brutal beating at the hands of the Joker. The final tally was narrow—5,343 votes for his death to 5,271 for his survival—and the story proceeded with the Joker killing Robin in a warehouse explosion.
The storyline also weaves in international intrigue, taking Batman on a globe-trotting mission to track down the Joker, who has become the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations. The narrative explores Batman's grief, rage, and guilt over the loss of his partner, themes that would reverberate through DC continuity for decades. The death of Jason Todd became one of the most consequential events in Batman lore, frequently referenced as Bruce Wayne's greatest failure.
The story's legacy extends far beyond its original publication. Jason Todd's death haunted the Batman mythos until the character was resurrected in 2005 as the Red Hood, a violent antihero. "A Death in the Family" remains a touchstone for discussions about reader participation in storytelling, the expendability of sidekicks, and the darker turn superhero comics took in the late 1980s.