What is Batman's darkest secret?
"The War of Jokes and Riddles" is by far the longest story arc writer Tom King has attempted on this series. Given that and the flashback-heavy nature of the story, it's especially important that King and artist Mikel Janin nail the ending. Can they ultimately justify this lengthy story detour? Does Batman's dark, terrible secret live up to the hype? Will readers get the closure they've been waiting for regarding Batman's marriage proposal. For the most part, this final chapter does wrap up this arc on the right note and provide the answers fans are craving.
There's been an odd but appealing blend of camp and tragedy throughout this arc, and that juxtaposition is in full force in this issue. The early pages set a somber mood as the present-day Bruce brood and steels himself before revealing his darkest secret to Selina. But that transitions into a boisterous fight scene involving Batman, Riddler and Joker, one that pays clear homage to the 1966 TV series with its choreography and use of flashy onomatopoeia effects. And just as suddenly, the tone shifts from camp back to dark drama as the true fallout of Batman and Riddler's short-lived alliance is revealed. Few creative teams could really pull off these transitions without the issue losing all sense of cohesion, but King and Janin continue to work wonderfully in-sync.
In many ways this is really Janin's show. The opening and closing pages in particular showcase Janin at his absolute best as a storyteller. King generally takes a backseat in these sections, allowing Janin to convey the stark emotions of the script through imagery alone. And he succeeds admirably. The tension of the early pages makes way for the warm, tender interplay between the two characters in the closing pages. The heavy shadows and stark coloring only enhance the impact of these scenes. As with issue #31, the bright, sunlit nature of the Batman/Riddler/Joker conflict works against Janin's strengths and June Chung's moody coloring style, but that problem isn't as pronounced this time around.
I did come away from this issue feeling that more could have been done to sell the reveal of Batman's dark secret. Not that the secret itself doesn't make sense, but merely that the build-up could have been more impactful. This story is less about the titular war than about the circumstances that cause a man to reach his ultimate breaking point. And at the crucial moment, that level of tension isn't quite where it needs to be. Still, both of the big twists in this issue are intriguing and promise to have a profound impact on the series going forward. Not bad for a "mere" flashback story.
The Verdict
While one of the big moments in this issue suffers from awkward build-up, otherwise Batman #32 serves as a satisfying conclusion to this lengthy story arc. It's dramatic and emotionally charged, yet also marked by moments of campy humor. And the twists in this issue promise to have a significant impact on the series moving forward. What more can readers ask for?
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