In Batman Rebirth #27, DC Comics gives fans what they’ve all been waiting for: Kite-Man’s origin story. Charles “Chuck” Brown was created as an average thug with an unrealized love for aerodynamics, being one of the four engineers that built the Jokermobile.

Our story takes place during the War of Jokes and Riddles which pins the Riddler and Joker against each other, each with their own army of supervillains. One day Charles and his son, Charlie, were flying kites and Charlie says, “Hell yeah!” Charles talks to his son about how “hell” is a bad word and Charlie should not use it. Little did Charles know, that moment would be the last he would have with his son.

Batman approaches Charles at a bar one night and forces him to set up a meeting with the Joker. The plan was for Charles to pretend he wanted to join the Joker’s side and then Batman would foil the Joker’s plan. Little did Batman know that after their meeting, the Riddler also brings Charles in for a meeting. The Riddler threatened to kill Charles unless he betrayed both Joker and Batman. At this point Batman shows up, as well as the Joker and his army. A huge battle breaks out between Batman, the Riddler’s team, and the Joker’s team with Charles caught in the middle. The Joker gives Charles one more chance to earn his trust. He puts a bomb around his chest and sends him off to meet with Batman. Charles and Batman meet up and when Charles tries to activate the vest, it does not work. He then discovers that it was the Riddler who deactivated the bomb and on it, left him a riddle, “I love to dance and twist and prance. I shake my tail as away I sail. I fly high up into the sky. What am I?” Charles realizes that the answer to the riddle is a kite. Charles then discovers that the Riddler has poisoned the string on Charlie’s kite and his son Charlie is in grave danger. Charlie dies in the hospital from the poison. The death of his son was the call to action that Charles needed to take a stand and join the Joker, under a new name… Kite-Man!

The next day the Joker hears a knock on his door. Joker answers and stunned, says, “Is this a joke?” Kite-Man stands in his new kite-fashioned costume and replies, “Kite-Man.” Joker, confused, responds, “Kite-Man?” Charles stares down the Joker and replies, “Hell yeah,” ending this fantastic issue of Batman Rebirth. Kite-Man does not always get the credit he deserves, but this origin story brings a new light to the character.