The Humor
Yeah, before the trolls get triggered and start calling us Marvel fanboys for loving jokes in superhero properties, settle down for a second and prepare for a cold, hard truth. Humor, if not forced, increases the joy and likeability of any story – it’s a fact. After all, we’re watching grownup men and women run around in tights, using codenames, and battling each other. Surely there’s a joke in there somewhere.
Tynion hasn’t overdone it in the humor department here, though, as he knows just the right level of funniness and general lightheartedness to keep it fresh. From Luke Fox’s quip that his Batman AI is cooler than the actual Dark Knight to Batman’s smirk and laughter (yes, he laughs in this issue), there’s a genuine feeling of goodness to this book. While there’s still plenty of sadness and melancholy to go along with it, it’s balanced out nicely by the buoyant moments.
Not everything needs to be over-the-top hilarious like Deadpool or Squirrel Girl, but a little bit of fun never killed anyone. The Caped Crusader will always be a super serious guy and his stories darker than the blackest night; however, it doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy himself occasionally. Let him loosen that top button of the cowl every now and then and smile. Why so serious?