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Batman's The War Of Jokes And Riddles From Tom King And Mikel Janin Is All About, Anyway

Published Mon, 10 Apr 2017 13:30:59 -0500

Last updated Mon, 10 Apr 2017 13:46:22 -0500

Bleeding Cool told you that Tom King was planning an upcoming "The War Of Jokes And Riddles".

You know, by reading the comic and seeing what the characters in it said to each other. And then looking up catalogue solicitations online.

…The War Of Jokes And Riddles by Tom King and Mikel Janin. Taking place in the aftermath of Year Zero, when The Riddler controlled Gotham for a whole year. It will run from Batman #25 to #32.

And at the Dallas Fan Expo, Tom King talked a lot. Batman News got a full report. Here are a few snippets interspersed with artwork that Ton King has been tweeting out.

"Brilliant Mikel Janin cover for The War of Jokes and Riddles."

Batman #24 will be a sort of recap and wrap-up of the run so far, with a cliffhanger that leads into "The War of Jokes and Riddles." He says the last page will be shared and talked about for decades.

"Coming in Batman: The War of Jokes and Riddles, a story of the past that will shape the future of the DCU."

It begins in Batman #25, which is a deluxe sized anniversary issue, and is an eight-part story arc.

"A year after he began, Batman thinks he understands the pain and power of Gotham. And the war comes, and he learns he knows nothing."

The basic premise: the Joker and the Riddler clash, as neither one wants the other to destroy Batman and rob them of the satisfaction. This causes a "gang war" to erupt with people taking sides, all while Batman is caught in the middle trying to keep the city safe.

"Joker vs. Riddler, a war that divides and destroys his city. In the midst of the carnage, will the Dark Knight rise again or finally fall?"

We'll see some cool fights, like Deadshot vs. Deathstroke and Solomon Grundy vs. Killer Croc.

"The Riddler is tired of jokes."

The arc will be broken up into acts, after a fashion: issues 25-26, 28-29, and 31-32 will be part of the main story, with art by Mikel Janín.

"The Joker is tired of riddles."

Issues 27 and 30 will feature a guest artist he couldn't announce at the time, and they will take a look at what it means be a bottom-tier villain during one of these big wars. It may or may not focus on Kite-Man.