The biggest problem is that there was no real death of the family, nothing really major happened to drive them apart. There was one scene in the cave where the family says Bruce should have told them, then at the end of the arc they all make up excuses to blow him off. Nothing major, and they will team up again as necessary. I bet any money in this Riddler story they will still trust Bruce's decisions.

DofF should have been about manipulating characters, making them doubt each other and so at the end, they really have nothing to do with each other. As it is at the moment, it's forgettable because nothing major happened between the family.

The scene in the cave and the ending of 17 could have been in one issue, minus all the superhero joker stuff with the same result.

all the solo writers have said that the DOTF arch will effect each character for awhile it will change them i would say be patient and let the story progress and the family is not just mad that bruce didnt tell them about joker getting into the cave the Joker told them all a secret and tortured them which will come into play also if you read the TT#16 joker did something to red hoods mask and maybe to tims mind but i think over time this story will grow into something major

@havoc1201: Do you think DOTF is related to Tim's probable irrational behaviour (take a look at Teen Titans solicits/cover - May 2013)?

also if you think nothing has changed you have not read red hood #17 bc it shows that the aftermath is getting pretty bad i wont go into details but the last couple of pages are serious, this is not over by any means and the rest of the Bat family will have issues to deal with as well,Nightwing #17 shows his aftermath as well.

Pretty much sums it up !

I think the major problem is Twofold

1). It was overhyped. DC and Snyder said it'd completely change the Bat Family. It hasn't.

2). The crack in the team is nonexistent, as evidence of Batman Inc and Damian's death.

Damian being in DotF means that Bat Inc takes place after DotF. The family is back together in Bat Inc, so literally nothing important happened.

In relation to your first point, the Batman writers have made some half hearted efforts to make it some as if DoTF is a game changer for the Bat family. Take a scene from Detective Comics 19 aka Detective Comics 900. The tension between Nightwing, Batgirl and Batman feels forced. Not to mention Inc has undermined DoTF.

Basically the whole crossover was just too overhyped.Everybody was talking about how big and game changing it is but it never was and it should have never been.

@lvenger: But they still help him. Or at least Batgirl does. (Nightwing didn't but that's because he's going to Chicago. (On that note I'm quite proud of how Layman has incorporated what seems like every Bat Family title into his story,yet still ties it into his epic with Emperor Penguin.))

The point thought Lvenger is that it doesn't particularly change the Bat Family. Dick doesn't trust Batman now, but did anyone else ever really trust him?

- Additionally, it's another trivial story with the Joker who, as far as i'm concerned, should have been dead a long time ago.

- However, we simply get some ridiculous explanation from Bruce as to why he doesn't kill the joker.

- Gee, Bruce is scared of Gotham bringing something out that's worse than the joker? Boo hoo Bruce, do you need alfred to tuck you in at night as well, or should that role be given only to the joker who is your apparent "butt buddy" and accomplice?

- Oh , and the joker just gets away again does he? Or he "seemingly falls to his death"? Yes, because that isn't highly cliche.

- As far as i'm concerned, DOTF was one of the most trivial , irrelevant and cliche stories i have ever read in Comics. Fortunately for snyder, it's a significant ways away from taking that title for me.

- However, i will definitely not be picking up Snyder's drivel in trade.

Snyder is decent. However, he gets overshadowed by people who are good, and it makes him look bad in comparison. DotF was decent, but the Death of Damian Wayne blows it out of the water. Swamp Thing was okay, but Animal Man is just genius, and when you pair them together it makes Swamp Thing look bad.

I really felt like someone should have dies in that story arc.