The jokes are losing the war.
"The War of Jokes and Riddles" is less a story about the war itself than what that conflict reveals about Bruce Wayne as a person. We've already seen Bruce make some terrible compromises in recent Batman issues, including throwing his lot in with the Riddler. But the worst, as this latest issue promises, is yet to come for Bruce. Batman #31 succeeds in both building tension before that big reveal and capturing the pure, zany fun of Batman teaming up with some of his greatest villains.
In some ways, the tone of this issue actually feels lighter than in previous chapters. That's due in part to the setting. It's rare to see Batman operating in broad daylight, bathed in sunlight rather than moon and shadow. But it works here, as Batman and Riddler enlist the aid of none other than Kite-Man to help breach Joker's impregnable skyscraper fortress. As grim as this story arc has been in general, it's nice to take a break from the darkness and simply take in the silly sights as Batman and his ragtag team soar through the cloudless skies of Gotham on giant hang-gliders. That, plus the emphasis on Joker and Riddler's lame jokes, gives this issue a very off-kilter and enjoyable tone.
But through it all, there's a tangible darkness permeating this issue, whether through Joker's causal acts of malice or the growing sense that this conflict is about to take a dark, brutal turn. That tension continues to build in the final pages as Riddler and Joker come face-to-face once more and Batman is forced to choose once and for all where his allegiances lie. This arc has had some recurring problems with issues that end abruptly, but that's not a problem this time around.
The one problem with the shift to such a bright, cheery setting is that the setting doesn't necessarily mesh well with Mikel Janin's art style. Janin's work is all about emphasizing the surreal, moody side of Batman's world. Normally, June Chung's haunting colors complement his art very well. But here, with bright hues and backgrounds that are often little more than flat color gradients, there's a very garish quality to the art. Janin is still an accomplished storyteller, one who's adept at both conveying the vertical scale of this battle and the sheer madness and rage fueling Joker, but the colors tend to throw this issue off balance.
The Verdict
In terms of story, this is easily one of the more satisfying installments of "The War of Jokes and Riddles" yet. It captures the zaniness of Batman's temporary supervillain alliance, yet never loses sight of the true darkness fueling this conflict. Unfortunately, the bright, sunlit setting brings about some visual problems. Mikel Janin's work simply doesn't have the same impact when exploring the sunnier side of Gotham.
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