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“THE BALLAD OF KITE MAN” part two! In our second “War of Jokes and Riddles” interlude, it’s the making of a super-villain! He’s been pushed by Batman to snitch on The Joker, and cajoled by The Joker to betray Batman—now, the flunky who would be Kite Man finally snaps. He’s lost everything, and a life of crime is the only way to go.

20 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2017

3 people are currently reading
40 people want to read

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Tom King

1,031 books2,205 followers

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5 stars
57 (27%)
4 stars
78 (38%)
3 stars
62 (30%)
2 stars
4 (1%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Tawfek.
3,891 reviews2,202 followers
July 10, 2025
Poorly written issue.
This style would work great in novels, but it's hit and miss with comics.
Why?
In novels there is always paragraph cutters when you are switching scenes, so you could even write a novel about two unnamed characters, during four different times of their lives, and it would still be coherent and understandable with some effort from the reader because there is always paragraph cutters.
Here you don't have that you just flip a page and suddenly find yourself in a different scene.
Did I not understand the issue?
No I understood it all, but I still found it distasteful somehow even though it's part 2 for an issue that I awarded 5 stars.
Anyway, The Joker lost the war, he lost his last soldier, and now Batman and The Riddler are searching for him to end it.
And yes! Batman cooperated with the Riddler to end the war, which I didn't see coming.
Profile Image for Siona Adams.
2,624 reviews55 followers
September 8, 2017
This has been the best arc of the Rebirth Batman series so far. I almost wish there was a Kite-man miniseries.
Profile Image for Logan.
1,022 reviews38 followers
October 10, 2017
Good issue, but I don't know, this arc has been very divisive for me, there are parts I like and parts I hate.. Gonna have to see how this one turns out. This was a good issue though.
Profile Image for Jedi JC Daquis.
927 reviews46 followers
November 13, 2017
I am reading The War of Jokes and Readers together with the Mister Miracle mini-series, both by Tom King. Where King succeeds and shines is when he's writing sad, bullied, underdog characters. Issue 30 is an interlude issue that packs an emotional punch. It is about Kite Man, dubbed in the story as a joke villain who is not taken seriously by literally everybody, including Batman and his own family. That kinda sucks for someone who could fly.

This issue moreover follows the same beats as Mister Miracle, though the latter is way more funny and definitely better. Check Mister Miracle, it's perfect.

The downside of this interlude issue is that now I care more about Kite Man than the war itself, which in contrast is bland amd uninspired.
1,647 reviews5 followers
September 18, 2017
Remember how this started as Bruce convincing Selina not to marry him? So glad I haven't been reading this month-by-month or I'd have shown up to DC headquarters just screaming.
Profile Image for Samhain.
562 reviews42 followers
September 8, 2017
Genuinely surprised by the Joker's mild reaction to Batman's choice. I thought he would go berserk for sure, seeing it as a betrayal of their dynamic, even if it's just the beginning. Unless he's containing himself until the last minute and Batman's choice is truly the reason he became his biggest enemy/killed so many people in Gotham? It's gotta be something like that, I mean Bruce was clearly convinced Selina wouldn't want to be with him after he was done telling her this story, so it must be something along the lines of "I created the Joker / I'm the reason there's been so much deaths in this goddamn city". Anyway. Issues focusing on Kite Man are, to my utter surprise, always very good and interesting in Rebirth.I think they've done a very good job with him, turning a laughable villain into a complex character for whom we have sympathy. I never thought I'd say this but, I hope we'll see him again in future issues.
7,105 reviews82 followers
September 8, 2017
Interesting and different. I really love what they made with the Riddler characters in the War of jokes and riddles. Just look like a very bad ass and smart villain.
Profile Image for Eric.
461 reviews
September 9, 2017
Great series

This issue is told from the prospective of Kite Man. The war is coming to an end and Kite Man is questioning his choices in life. This has been a great series. The best Batman Rebirth yet.
Profile Image for Amber.
3,299 reviews42 followers
September 9, 2017
Kite Man, ya'll

Tom King is so interesting in how he likes to play around with perspectives to advance the story. So we get Kite Man, a soldier in between the war, and his thoughts, what the people are are talking about, and what brings him into the action.

The war continues.
Profile Image for Kristina.
68 reviews45 followers
April 3, 2018
At first, I didn't think I'd care about this interlude with Kite Man. Now my heart hurts a little bit.
Profile Image for Craig Schorling.
2,855 reviews12 followers
May 14, 2024
This hit emotionally for me. The dialogue and tone is well done. It is a little side story in the overall story arc but it breaks up the pace and is a good read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews