We finish up last week’s comics with another interlude in Batman and Dick Grayson’s battle with Spyral seemingly comes to an end in Nightwing.
Batman 30
Written by Tom King
Art by Davide Gianfelice, Clay Mann, Seth Mann and Danny Miki
We get another “interlude” in the WAR OF JOKES AND RIDDLES, with the second issue of “The Ballad of Kite Man.” I… don’t get Tom King’s fascination with Kite Man and I’m quickly getting bored with all of this. King gives us a glimpse into the life of a loser. His ex-wife hates him, she tells their son his father is a joke. And Batman basically leaves Kite Man alone to see if Joker will let him in on his plans while the Dark Knight takes out all the other super villains.
Kite Man is a complete joke. We are given no reason to think otherwise here. But instead of feeling sympathy for the character and everything he’s being put through during this war between Joker and Riddler, I just find myself asking, “Why am I supposed to care?” I’m interested in what happens with Bruce’s proposal to Catwoman. This story arc is just a tease to keep us waiting just a little bit longer. And I’m about out of patience for it.
Nightwing 28
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Javier Fernandez, Miguel Mendonca, Diana E. Conesa and Chris Sotomayor
Nightwing and Huntress team up and take down Mr. Minos, who was the big bad of the GRAYSON series pre-Rebirth, and it’s not really much of a question. It’s a standard story-ending issue, with everyone coming together and a big reveal to set up the next arc (this time around, Nightwing’s former partner Talon, has been released, setting up a confrontation).
Of course, the final pages of the issue deal with Nightwing and Huntress letting off some steam in Dick’s bedroom post-adventure, and Nightwing’s ex-girlfriend, Shawn, seeing them together as she approached his apartment looking to get back together. Between his own book and his current guest spot in Batgirl, Grayson has a lot of romantic entanglements going on. This should be fun going forward.