I’m a sucker for heel turns and B-listers, so this is right up my alley. I have liked every chapter in ‘The War Of Jokes and Riddles’, but the Kite Man stuff has really been my favorite. There is a lot shading, deep greens, and blues, that all serve to create a perfect mood for such a somber story. The inks and the colors also add a ton of weight and texture to the images. He also has a way of subtlety breaking panel borders that give page layouts an extra bit of detail that raises how visually pleasing this book is. Mann was the penciler on the first part of the Kite-Man arc, and his ability to capture emotion on faces is crucial to all of this working. ArtĪlthough Mikel Janin does the cover for this issue, the interior is handled by Clay Mann, Seth Mann, and Jordie Bellaire. It’s a great use of juxtaposition to show readers how different these two are and why an escalating war between them on this level is natural. We see the Joker losing control and we see Riddler basking IN control. Art by Clay MannĪnd of course, King continues to write both Joker and Riddler as very dangerous. All these are done in great one or two-panel sequences and they are a ton of fun. Freeze’s ego gets the best of him, and Cluemaster is kind of a selfish dick. Tweedledee and Tweedledum are chilling, Two-Face is insane, Mr. This issue also showcases how great King handles Batman villains. The Kite Man stuff still works as its own tale, but sandwiching it like this amps up the tension in both. The pacing on this arc has been strange, bordering on experimental, and incorporating a story within a story only makes it that much more unique. Splitting the Kite Man story into two parts, and not consecutive ones either, was a bold risk that pays off. And so I guess I am.’ will become a classic line. If there is any justice in the world, ‘I am a joke. We get a great tour of some of Batman’s greatest B-listers, further making Kite Man into a true anti-hero, and it expands on the tragedy of the character, especially with what we already know happened to his son. The choice to have such an emotionally charged conversation off panel/page serve as a narration, while we “watch” Kite Man interact and question various villains serves three great purposes. Tom King once again gets us into the mind Kite Man through his son. When I reviewed the first part of the Kite Man interlude ( Batman #27), I called it “stuff of classic villain making full of ill choices, some what good intentions, and the kind of gut-punch ending all good comic book stories about bad guys becoming bad guys need.” Having read the second part, this now seems even truer. “The War of Jokes and Riddles Interlude-The Ballad of Kite Man Part 2” But there is something more personal and deep at the core of what Kite Man is doing, and perhaps there is redemption for the once one-joke villain. Charles Brown has ingrained himself in the Joker’s army, interacting with various villains as he attempts to gather information for Batman. The War of Jokes and Riddles takes another interlude as we once again dive into the life and mind of Kite Man.
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