Warning! Spoilers ahead for Titans United #1
In DC Comics’ new Titans United series, Kite-Man finally gets a superhuman upgrade. After being the butt of many jokes throughout his career as a kite-themed Gotham villain, it looks as though Charlie Brown has finally found a means to become a significant threat in the DC Universe, surprisingly giving the Titans’ Hawk and Dove a run for their money. While Chuck Brown is inherently a ridiculous character to begin with, he may actually become a legitimate threat to the Titans as their new series continues.
Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang in 1960, Charlie Brown’s Kite-Man was created to be a fun homage to the Peanuts’ character of the same name (who often has misadventures involving a kite-eating tree). Using a giant kite to conduct aerial-based attacks and crimes in Gotham, it was later revealed in 2017’s War of Jokes and Riddles that Riddler orchestrated Brown’s evolution into Kite-Man during Batman’s second year, hoping to cure the Joker’s depression and make him laugh at the ridiculous concept of kites being used as a motif for a villain. As a result, Kite-Man has never been taken seriously, though he did help Batman as a double agent during the war, all the while using his catchphrase: “Kite-Man, hell yeah!” Furthermore, he’s also known for being the unlikely fiancé of Poison Ivy in the animated Harley Quinn series, though that in and of itself turned out to be a joke seeing as how Ivy left him at the altar for Harley.
However, it looks as though Titans United from Cavan Scott and José Luis will see Kite-Man somehow getting actual superpowers. While the Titans were dealing with a man named Evan Morton, who spontaneously gained the powers of the Titans themselves, they get a call from fellow Titans Hawk and Dove, calling in backup as they were struggling to fight Kite-Man on their own. Naturally, this came as a bit of a surprise, seeing as how Chuck Brown is typically an easy takedown for any capable hero. However, it seems as though Kite-Man’s new powers are a real game-changer.
Interestingly enough, it looks as though Charlie Brown may now have wind-based powers of some sort, seeing as how he’s levitating on his own while commanding a swirling purple wind to lift Dove off the ground as well. It seems as though Kite-Man is potentially going to use his new powers to make a genuine name for himself. Perhaps Chuck Brown will finally start to be taken more seriously, rather than constantly being the punchline of so many jokes in the DC Universe (like being compared to the Condiment King). Furthermore, it’s also likely that his new powers could be connected to the new powers Morton displayed as well.
In any case, it’s going to be interesting to see how the Titans react to Kite-Man having become a significant threat, as it would certainly be embarrassing if he manages to take them all down in future issues. Regardless, Kite-Man has always been the type of underdog that fans can’t help but root for despite his ridiculousness. While it may put the Titans in danger, here’s hoping Charlies Brown will get at least some time on top for once as Titans United continues.
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