Batman #29

• Written by Tom King
• Pencils by Mikel Janin
• Inks by Mikel Janin & Hugo Petrus
• Colored by June Chung
• Cover by Mikel Janin

Here’s the pitch: Aldred serves the warring Gotham City villains a 9 course traditional French dinner while Bruce Wayne attempts to broker a peace deal. We see the beginning of Batman’s big mistake. The issue is as much fun as the pitch sounds.

End review.

On to #30!

Batman #30

• Written by Tom King
• Pencils by David Gianfelice & Clay Mann & Danny Miki
• Inks by David Gianfelice & Seth Mann & Danny Miki
• Colored by June Chung
• Cover by Mikel Janin

It is another Kite-Man interlude and it is heart breaking and fun, giving the reader an inside look at the War of Jokes and Riddles from a foot soldier’s point of view. The scenes are set to dialogue boxes of a conversation between Kite-Man and his son while we see him get punched by Batman, fly with Man-Bat and deal with the up frightening villains on both sides of this gang war. The juxtaposition of the very human moment of a father talking to his son and a C-list Batman villain trying to survive fighting for the Joker is well done.

The Kite-Man Interludes have done for Kite-Man what Heart of Ice did for Mr. Freeze.

It is worth mentioning that page 11 has my favorite Two-Face moment ever.

There War of Jokes and Riddles continues to be a classic that is en route be shelved next to Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween among my favorite Batman arcs ever as I read with baited breath to see it stick the landing.