The Joke That Is Kite-Man
Written By: Tom King
Art By: Clay Mann, Seth Mann, Jordie Bellaire, Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 6, 2017
*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*
It's Jokes and Riddles time again and............. and I'm just getting tired of this damn story. Let's just get to this damn thing because for this issue we have the second part of the Kite-Man interlude and I'm just going to fill you in on what happened last issue real quick so we can just go into this. Previously, we saw Bruce Wayne invite the Joker and the Riddler to his home for dinner so that he can decide who he wants to give a billion dollars to so that they can win the war and after hearing all about how the Joker just wants to choke Batman to death, while the Riddler wants to not only kill Batman, but everyone in his family as well, Bruce Wayne ends the dinner and makes a joke to Alfred about how his mother would be appalled because he didn't even offer them coffee or sherry........ Yeah, it was a bit of nonsense and something tells me it won't end there. Let's jump into this issue and see who Bruce Wayne sided with and find out who will win the War of Jokes and Riddles. Let's check it out.
Explain It!:
Throughout this issue we see a narration of Kite-Man remembering a conversation he had with his son about how everyone thinks he a joke for the things he does and for the things he doesn't do, but it's okay in the end because as long as you can laugh with them, you're a part of the joke as well........... With that, we see Kite-Man just getting the shit kicked out of him throughout this issue because we find out that Batman has taken up sides with the Riddler and is systematically taking out everyone that Kite-Man is paired up with while their out and about doing their whole "war" thing. Now right away all of this feels odd because there's never a mention about who Bruce Wayne gave money to, all we have is Batman on Riddler's side and him being the reason that the Joker is going to lose............. Even though the whole war is about who gets to kill Batman............ What the fuck is going on.
In the end, Batman takes out all of Joker's men and leaves Kite-Man until last because Riddler knew that Kite-Man would tell them where the Joker would run off to now that he's won the war........ because Kite-Man is a joke, but none of this means anything to me because the whole thing seemed to be based on who would get to kill Batman and we leave this issue without ever even knowing what went down after the dinner with Bruce Wayne last issue........... Plus, if Batman could just take out all the villains whenever he wanted, like we see here, what's been stopping him this whole time while the citizens of Gotham have been getting killed left and right?
That's it for this issue of Batman and while I haven't been liking this arc at all, I did have a little glimmer of hope going on inside me when going into this issue because right now I think that the last Kite-Man interlude was my favorite issue of this arc so far........... and yeah, I only gave that a 6.5/10, but still I thought that maybe I could get something out of this issue that I've been missing from the rest of the arc.......... you know, like a story or something, but goddamn was I wrong because two pages into this issue and all ideas of what's come before have been thrown out the damn window because Batman is on Riddler's side, even though all the Joker or Riddler want to do is kill our hero. That's the bitch of it too because during Kite-Man's narration, I did find that some of that emotional and actually started feeling for Kite-Man a bit, but since the story said "fuck it" to everything that came before, I just left this issue angry as hell because nothing makes sense. The art is phenomenal and that kills me too because I love Clay Mann and I wish he was on a book right now that was telling a decent story............ but you won't find anything decent in the story department here.
Bits and Pieces:
Everything you thought the War of Jokes and Riddles hinged on is thrown out the window in this issue because nothing seems to make sense anymore to what we were given previously. Motives for why are villains are at war, reasons why Batman can't just stop the villains in their tracks...... all gone and wrapped up with a Kite-Man narration, which sadly, is the best part of this story. The art is amazing, but I just can't deal with this War of Jokes and Riddles anymore because there seems to be no rhyme or reason to anything.
5/10
Great Review! Marvel's Secret Empire was a masterpiece of comic book logic and storytelling compared to this strange mess. Rebirth has NOT been kind to Batman.
ReplyDeleteI really couldn't have said it better. I just shake my head in disappointment whenever I read Batman now. Ironically my face looks like joker's while I do it.
ReplyDeleteI now actively read Batman just to see how much angrier Tom King can make me. I need help.
ReplyDeletewe all need help, marc!
DeleteThe arc isn't about Joker and Riddle, neither about the war.It's about "jokes" like kite-man stuck in the middle of a crazy war that unfolds infront of them without no one knowing why it started at the beginning and why they are fighting for at the end.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was about Batman's biggest regret.
DeleteReally like Tom King writing my Dick Greyson cant say im a fan of him writing anything for batman none of his stories have been too special to me the i am Gotham arc was probably the best and king almost killed him via airplane suicide
ReplyDeleteI gave Tom King's Batman a 10 one time. I think Jim gave the same issue a 10. What the hell happened to that writer? We've gotten one good / great arc, and a bunch of awfulness since.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, great review, Eric! I also found myself caring a bit about Kite Man because the narration; but King couldn't let the issue end without ruining it. Well-deserved FU5. 5 for art, 0 for story.
ReplyDeleteI loved this issue. Before I become the resident Tom King fan, let me clarify that I am NOT. I loved "I am Gotham" and disliked "I am Suicide". I see all kinds of Tom King talk on this Information Superhighway thing. Everything from perfect 10's to "Fuck You 5's" I find both extremes to be nonsense.
ReplyDeleteQuick personal story. A few years ago I was at a thrift store. While I was in the fitting room I overheard a woman telling her friend, “there's a man in there trying on woman's clothes”. I quickly replied with, “Oh my goodness, where?” I laughed, and then she laughed too. The truth is, I was humiliated. I often feel like a complete joke. Not just with “transgender” issues, but also every time I put myself out there in to the world. I often feel like a joke. I usually try to laugh with it, though I sometimes get upset by it when I'm all alone. I felt such empathy for Kite-Man that it almost made me cry. I haven't done that since “I am Gotham”.
While this issue doesn't answer the question of, who Bruce chooses to ally himself with. It does show us which side his costumed alter-ego decides to lend his talents to. Why Eddie doesn't try to kill Bats immediately is a riddle, I am excited to get the answer to it. The War of Jokes and Riddles continues to tell my favorite type of comic book stories. Big world changing ideas told through the emotions of the characters that are effected by it. 8.75 for me.