A review by drew1013
Batman Vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles by Tom King

2.0

Far too many instances of “wait...wtf?” Plot holes and unrealistic actions from characters we know well. Also, Kite Man. I’m just holding out for the relationship stuff between Batman and Catwoman to continue to develop. Stellar artwork, it saves the book. Just beautiful.

In this flashback, Joker loses his sense of humor and goes to war with Riddler over who gets to kill Batman and get their mojo back. Kite Man gets a (very dark and tragic) origin.

At one point, Deadshot and Deathstroke are fighting (like 2 off-brand toys at the dollar store, the same figure painted 2 different colors) for 4 days and about a hundred innocent people die. Then on the fifth day, Batman steps in and kicks their asses in 30 seconds.

Sooooo..... even though he knew about them killing innocent people, he just let it happen for 4 days?

I don’t fucking think so. Nor do I buy Joker throwing a knife at Riddler only to have Nigma catch it midair in his fingers like a fucking king fu movie. Nor do I buy that Joker blows up a building with cops outside, then walks up and shoots 2 cops in the street less than 30 feet from the other cops and walks away without anyone hearing the shots. I don’t buy Riddler escaping from Arkham by saying the names of the guards’ kids and they just let him fucking go instead of unloading on him at point blank.

Ugh. Just get back to the Catwoman stuff... it’s what we’re all here for, right?

Also, if the big reveal, the shameful thing that Batman needs to confess to Catwoman before he can let her marry him, is that he got fed up and tried to stab Riddler in the face... wouldn’t she be more pissed about the hundred people he just LET DIE for no reason? He didn’t kill Riddler but he’s ashamed of trying, and yet he allowed a hundred people to die when he could have stopped it at any time and doesn’t even stop to dwell on it?