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/30.jpg "Batman #30")
The only status quo that Tom King is breaking with his version of Batman is the status quo of it being a good comic before rebirth
Batman #30
| Writer | Tom King |
| Artist | Clay Mann |
| Cover Price | $2.99 |
"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.
CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
Graphic Policy - Brett
Sep 06, 2017Is perfection too much to call something? The first part of Kite Man's story and this create two issues that for me is the best of the year for me. Kite Man has turned from a joke to a tragic character and one I have a lot of sympathy for. Just utter brilliance that can show that even joke characters can be made into something special. Read Full Review
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10
Bounding Into Comics - Daniel Mills
Sep 07, 2017Batman #30 is a fantastic blend of Batman's gangster origins and modern comic sensibilities. We see his entire Rogue's Gallery at work while still remaining within a relatively simple turf war. The Mann brothers and Jordie Bellaire bring this deadly war to life with incredible detail and ease. Tom King's work draws the industry's best artists. A few more issues like this and he may just claim that title himself. Read Full Review
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10
DC Comics News - Steven Brown
Sep 08, 2017Batman #30 is a great read. It's full of action, a great story told from Kite Man, and you really feel bad for his situation. At the end of the book it's revealed that Batman and Riddler left Kite Man alone at every incident because they knew once he was the last criminal left in Joker's army, he'd crack and tell Batman everything. Once Riddler and Batman reveal this"Kite Man knows within himself that not even the criminal community fully respects him! I'm definitely looking forward to how the city and especially Batman will move forward in the next issue. Read Full Review
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10
Comic Book Bin - Herv St-Louis
Sep 12, 2017Clay Mann does not try to replicate Mikel Jann and that makes this comic stronger. His work is less clear and more figurative. But it is the right set of lines for this comic. Read Full Review
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9.5
Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles
Sep 05, 2017While this issue doesn't provide full insight on Batman's plans and the uneasy alliance with Riddler, it is another can't miss chapter in the War of Jokes and Riddles. Read Full Review
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9.5
AIPT - Russ Whiting
Sep 06, 2017Batman #30 is filled with action, humor, heartache, pathos and poignancy " all through the viewpoint of a character six months ago we'd all have scoffed at Tom King for even thinking of enlivening. But he does it. And adds what will surely go down as another classic to his Batman run. Read Full Review
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9.5
411Mania - Sankalp G.
Sep 07, 2017I am not going to spoil this issue, as i think it's best for readers to find it out on their own. The final twist, Kite Man's journey & life, his significance, is all laid out perfectly and it should be read by the reader. At the end of the day, I will still consider it as an interlude but the quality of the issue makes it one of best issues of WOJAR. Read Full Review
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9.5
ComicBuzz - Chris Adair
Sep 20, 2017This is a touching a poignant story that I hope will resonate with readers. As per usual, King scripts his issues full blockbuster battles but they fade to the background as philosophy and idealism take centre-stage. Another highly accomplished piece of work. Read Full Review
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9.4
Black Nerd Problems - Keith Reid-Cleveland
Sep 07, 2017It's been a lot of fun seeing him go from a character I'd never even heard of to the keystone of the entire conflict between the Joker and Riddler. His conversation with his son broke my heart into a million pieces only to rebuild it in a way I never expected. Way to know your audience, King. Read Full Review
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9.3
Comicsverse - Aaron Young
Sep 06, 2017BATMAN #30 follows Charles Brown (AKA Kite Man) as he fights for the Joker against the Riddler. Tom King provides a compelling story filled with drama, emotion, and humor as the "War of Jokes and Riddles" arc continues into its final issues. Read Full Review
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9.2
Comic Crusaders - Bryan Spaulding
Sep 06, 2017Batman #30 does the unthinkable. It turns Kite Man into every person we pull for to succeed. After the tumultuous last month in the US, this is a perfect book to remind us of our collective humanity. Sure, it's a comic book, but as life becomes stranger than fiction, we sometimes turn to familiar characters to keep us grounded. With Tom King at the helm, this book has remained topical, relevant, and very human. Read Full Review
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9.2
IGN - Jesse Schedeen
Sep 06, 2017Batman #30 marks another high point for the current Batman storyline. On one hand, it lends further depth and pathos to Kite Man, exploring just how much this outwardly goofy is motivated by tragedy and loneliness. On another, it changes Batman's role in this conflict in a major way and makes the Dark Knight a source of mystery and uncertainty. And with top-notch visuals from Clay Mann, Seth Mann and Jordie Bellaire, this issue truly fires on all cylinders. Read Full Review
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9.0
The DC Bros - Dillyn Chadwick
Sep 06, 2017Batman #30 is a wonderful issue. King has brought Kite Man to the level of what Geoff Johns did with Aquaman, no longer make him a joke. Sure, everyone still thinks he's a joke but the amount of emotion and empathy there is to his character no longer calls for laughs. I hope King brings this kind of emotion to his future Batman stories. Read Full Review
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9.0
On Comics Ground - Luis Cruz
Sep 06, 2017The War of Jokes and Riddles is great, but when these Interludes come around, they just have a place in my heart above them all. Read Full Review
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9.0
The Batman Universe - Matthew Mahar
Sep 06, 2017Id really have liked to have seen the conversation where Batman latches his cart to Riddlers team. Sadly, it looks like this isnt that story. Maybe someday well get to see it if Tom King continues on the book as long as Scott Snyder stuck with it. Thats probably my main gripe. All of this story is packed into small moments and we lose a lot in the shuffle. I understand thats Kings approach to this arc, a high level recap showing Batmans train of thought throughout an intense period of his life. I just find it interesting enough that I want more. Luckily, we still have the third act to go so things probably arent as wound down as we might think they are. Read Full Review
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9.0
Bleeding Cool - Joe Glass
Sep 06, 2017Because Batman pities him. And we pity him. His pain is something we understand, and we can realise "Oh my god, I'm Kite Man!" And isn't that funny? Read Full Review
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9.0
Newsarama - Justin Partridge
Sep 06, 2017With "The War of Jokes and Riddles" still raging, Batman #30 is another weird gut punch of an issue from Tom King. Though the way he structures his stories can comfortably be called "head-scratching," the actual scripts and artwork throughout the arc have been too good to deny and too strange not to experience firsthand. I have no idea how the "Ballad of Kite Man" will end, but for now, it is a journey I am still enjoying. Read Full Review
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9.0
Comic Book Corps - Josh West
Sep 08, 2017Batman #30 is a shining example of Tom King's unique ability to give an emotional and compelling story to a character no one seems to care about. Read Full Review
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9.0
NerdEnt.Net - Flame Hawk
Sep 10, 2017King does his magic once again showing off how he can give a fresh take on Batman that goes well into the lore and villains that make the character who he is. Read Full Review
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8.5
GWW - Kevin Veldman
Sep 06, 2017Good addition to the War of Jokes and Riddles. King's signature blend of violence and dark humor is strong and the art is spectacular. Read Full Review
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8.3
Comic Book Corps - Jeff
Sep 06, 2017That's all folks! What if we all just pluck to the two Kite Man issues out of this arc, dump the WOJAR, and move on? How weird is that? It is a big disappointment to me that Joker and Riddler are both so annoying in this arc and a character as "nobody" as Kite Man is this interesting. Read Full Review
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8.0
Monkeys Fighting Robots - Manny Gomez
Sep 06, 2017King and company create a nearly perfect two-parter that elevates Kite Man from joke to tragedy. Read Full Review
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8.0
Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez
Sep 09, 2017Batman #30 is the strongest issue of "The War of Jokes and Riddles." That is a major accomplishment with how great this story arc has been thus far. Tom King did an excellent job turning Kite Man's joke status into a key plot point for the story arc's development. Now King has set up a situation where Joker may be even more dangerous while Batman tries to come to terms with his alliance with Riddler. Read Full Review
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8.0
Henchman-4-Hire - Sean Ian Mills
Sep 09, 2017King continues to impress with his off-kilter Big Batman Event. Here's hoping the pay-off is worth this wild ride. Hell yeah. Read Full Review
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7.5
Fortress of Solitude - Sergio Pereira
Sep 06, 2017Overall, Batman #30 keeps the magic of "The War of Jokes and Riddles" alive. It's mysterious, heartbreaking, and jam-packed with all the action and humour you'd expect from King. Add this to your to-buy list for the week. Read Full Review
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7.0
Batman-News - Brandon Mulholand
Sep 06, 2017Part 2 of "The Ballad of Kite Man" focuses on ideas over action. That's not to say that plenty of action doesn't happen in this issue, but it takes a backseat to Kite Man's internal musings. Considering that this story wraps up some major elements of "The War of Jokes and Riddles", and downplays what I am sure many expected to be one of it's main draws (the fighting), I can't help but imagine that some people are bound to be disappointed by this. But for my money, there's still enough to make it worth the cost of admission. Read Full Review
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7.0
SnapPow.com - John McCubbin
Sep 06, 2017Batman #30 isn't the best entry in "The War of Jokes and Riddles," but it's not the worst either. Giving us an engaging continuation to Kite-Man's origin, the creative team deliver yet another emotional interlude, that despite its flaws, adds depth to the story arc as a whole. Read Full Review
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7.0
Dark Knight News - Eric Lee
Sep 08, 2017The second part of "The Ballad of Kite Man" is decent. It has good scenes and pushes the overall narrative. But, King's continual refusal to show the actual war is a frustratingly odd storytelling choice. Furthermore, this deepening backstory for Kite Man feels fairly unnecessary for a such silly character. Read Full Review
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7.0
SciFiPulse - Patrick Hayes
Sep 10, 2017Readable, but not memorable. Definitely an interlude in the larger tale of war between Joker and Riddler. The visuals are fine, but the story leaves one shrugging their shoulders in the necessity of such a tale. Read Full Review
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5.0
Weird Science - Eric Shea
Sep 06, 2017Everything 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. Read Full Review
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4.0
Razorfine - Alan Rapp
Sep 13, 2017Despite an interesting start, the arc has overstayed its welcome and left some troubling continuity (Batman unable to stop the villains of Gotham, the Riddler carving a question mark on his bare chest, and plenty more) that the comic will unfortunately have to deal with in the months to come. Pass. Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
kite man? hell yeah!
+ Like • Comment• Likes (1) -
10
I love this issue, it is so different even to the other numbers within the arc. I agree that the whole story is not being perfect, I don't like that "Batman choosing a side" stuff or the fact that they changed the Riddler so much that he can look just like a perfect rival to Joker, but this number works perfectly, even as a standalone comic book; it's precise and beautiful. I also liked the change in the art, pencils by Clay Mann makes it look like something completely different (I guess it is, as it focus on Kite Man rather than the war between Mr. J and Nygma) I hope they can close the story with a bang in the next couple of numbers. But as a unique comic book, I loved Batman #30. I think it reaches the same heights of quality that more
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10
I'm giving it 10 to balance those 1 ratings that I believe are ridiculous and are based strictly on their own vision of what Batman should be. My "real" rating wouldn't be so far from it though. Tom King is breaking some of the status quo with his vision of Batman as a more grounded and meditative character, without taking away the action and its classic side. It finally gives some meaning to villains we thought pointless before. With all the exposure Batman gets lately, at least we have something a bit different. The art is gorgeous. I love Janin, but Mann really gives this particular issue a tone that suits the narrative perfectly. Long live King!
+ Like • Comments (6)• Likes (1) -
10
I don't know what I just read and I loved it.
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9.0
Tom King really shines in the smaller moments between the big action. This issue is a great example. He makes us care for Kite Man and really feel something. One of the best issues of his run.
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9.0
Had to stop myself from giving this a ten just to try and balance out the rating on this. People giving this a 1 are being ridiculous. To those complaining about Batman taking a side... are you all forgetting about the framing of this story? Batman regrets something he did in his past and is telling us about it. Maybe he's just as pissed off he worked with the Riddler as you are? Maybe he sees it as character suicide and that's why he regrets it? This issue made me smile and had plenty of heart; if you're not buying into Kite Man right now my theory is you have no soul.
+ Like • Comments (4)• Likes (1) -
9.0
Kite-Man has been brought full circle. Never would've thought that like...ever! This issue hit right in the feels. I can't wait to read this again!
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9.0
The Ballad of Kite Man has been one of the best stories of King's Batman run so far. Short, absolutely emotional and improving the overall story by a lot. These two issues are character defining issues for the Kite Man, and I am hoping this is not the end for Kite Man's stories.
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9.0
Another "interlude" issue and the 2nd part of Kite-Man's story during The War of Jokes and Riddles arc. Kite-Man's story is a heartbreaking one, and Tom King does a great job of building his emotional struggle and characterization. There's been a sense throughout this arc that Batman has done a particular regretful thing that he feels the need to confess to Salena. We get the hint that it may have something to do with Kite-Man. A great issue overall.
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8.5
Emotionally resonant and a few good one-liners - read for WOJAR to really resume, though. You know how in some sports the athletes are judged on degree of difficulty? Well, I had to add a half-point just because getting this much story out of Kite Man seems impossible in concept, but is executed rather well.
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8.5
This arc has been a series of hits and misses, but this is one of the hits. Tom King has a knack for writing Kite Man and has made him more interesting to read than Batman in this arc. This issue does end rather abruptly though, I thought I had missed a page or something.
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8.5
Beautiful art and, as usual, an amazing and painful characterization of the new best Batman baddie of all time: Kite Man. King should be proud of himself for bringing to life such an incredible sort-of villain to the canon.
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8.0
That was quite sad I really felt bad for kite man
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7.0
Ill be honest. I dont get this story arch, it is definitely not the conventional story run. But I must say it feels a bit offsetting.
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5.5
I didn't dislike it as much as the other books in this arc because at least we got to see SOME of the action in this comic. However, these Kite-Man interludes are dumb, because we have this arc that just is dragging on and on without any real events to tie us, the readers, down to. This should have been a regular issue of the arc and not focus so much on Kite-Man, and it would have been fine. Overall, I liked the art, but I'm still counting down the issues until we get this arc over with. Tom King is a talented writer, but he really just doesn't know what to do with this story.
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5.5
Weird and frankly off-putting. Looks like something written by a drug addict who likes Batman mythos but Batman himself.
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4.5
This story doesn't make sense. Isn't this whole fight over who gets to kill Batman? So what good would Batman joining a side be? The Kite-Man focus in this issue was totally unnecessary, unlike the previous Kite Man interlude. This story arc has been confusing and pointless. At least the art is great.
+ Like • Comments (2)• Likes (4) -
4.5
Just when I thought Batman couldn't get any worse #30 comes around.... there is nothing here even remotely redeemable. King has completely destroyed Batman... siding with a villain not to mention one who has or will kill a child and just standing there like it's no big deal? This whole issue is pointless, just a depressed kite man's inner monologue wanting to know why people think he's a joke. It doesn't move the story along it doesn't give any new insight to the war between Joker and riddler just an emo kite man sulking. Absolutely awful... **Edit** Ok I'm going to raise my score just a little. I do think a 1 was very knee jerk and unfair of me with the rating. I still do not like this book or King's take on Batman but it's definitely n more
+ Like • Comments (2)• Likes (4) -
4.0
I really need to start looking into comics before I buy them...being in Canada a $2.99 us priced issue can cost you $4.50 after tax in canada. when you have a flagship title like batman usually it is a no brainer to just pick up a copy of the latest issue. but this, thanks to mr king is why now I will no longer be doing that and will have to investigate even batman titles before purchase as much as it pains me to do so. I wish i had bought green arrow or lanterns this week instead. stay away
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4.0
How do people keep giving this a 10 out of 10? Do people forget that the plans that Batman is doing in this issue is nowhere close to the plan that Bruce Wayne gives us in the last issue? This book has become one of the worst stories in rebirth and I hope Tom King get this s*** together or get off of this book for good.
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3.0
FUCK OFF Tom King! STAY Clay Mann!
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1.0
Batman- accomplice of Child killer.
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10
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10
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10
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10
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9.0
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9.0
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8.5
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8.5
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8.5
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8.0
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7.5
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7.5
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7.0
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4.5
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