Providing somewhat of an interlude in King's main storyline, "The War of Jokes and Riddles" looks back on a time when Gotham--and Batman--found themselves stretched to their ultimate limits. With Riddler and Joker at war with each other--and Gotham caught in the crossfire--it is up to the recently-cowled Batman to stop them, while defining the limits of who he is, and who he is willing to become.

Dark and complex, King plays out the dramatic conflict between these two villains as well as the havoc they leave in their wake. Also mixed into the story are the ordinary (and un-ordinary) people caught up in the fight. (Kite Man's story is just one example of the hard-hitting surprises this volume has to offer.)

With stunning visuals and King's signature writing style, "The War of Jokes and Riddles" is an effective stand-alone framed under the touching developing romance between Bruce and Selina. With the biggest story yet of his run, King continues to deliver.

Just finished volume four of the Rebirth Batman series, The War of Jokes and Riddles. While not as good as the previous arc I did enjoy it. The story was a bit off to me in how The Riddler was portrayed, however, especially his buff, unbuttoned shirt look, sporting a question mark carved in his skin rather than part of a costume. He reminded me more of an Irish thug from a Scorsese movie rather than the skinny riddle spouting villain of years past. 4⭐️’s

I really didn’t enjoy the last volume, I am Bane, and I was starting to wonder if Tom King wasn’t really all that. With this volume, my worries are greatly allayed. Really dark, super atmospheric art, and great storytelling. At first I was confused until I realized it was a flashback, but that’s a minor point. Really great takes on the joker and the riddler that make them King’s own. Can’t wait for the next volume to see what happens, it’s at the end of the flashback, and with Batman and Selina.

Loved the art. Loved the story. Interesting take on the joker and riddler.