Kite Man: Hell Yeah! Review

Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, the spinoff of the animated Harley Quinn series, turns the focus to another ragtag group of villains. Kite Man was a great character in Harley Quinn, always delivering comedic moments and even some genuinely heartfelt ones. The character showed a lot of promise as the focus of his own solo project, and DC’s decision could not have been better. Hailing from the team behind Harley Quinn, with that series’ star Kaley Cuoco serving as an executive producer on Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, the show is a lot of fun.

While Kite Man is the titular character, the DC animated series has another important lead character in the form of Golden Glider. The pair, who got together in Harley Quinn, decide to buy their favorite bar and make it the talk of the town in an effort to stick it to Lex Luthor and his Legion of Doom. Matt Oberg as Kite Man and Stephanie Hsu as Golden Glider are joined by a talented ensemble of DC villains and other characters in a hilarious tale of love, friendship, and everything else in between.

Kite Man: Hell Yeah!’s Setting Offers A Fresh Spin On The Superhero Genre

Kite Man: Hell Yeah! revolves around Kite Man and Golden Glider buying Noonan’s and trying to make their dive bar grow into a major spot. It’s refreshing to see a different kind of superhero story, as the animated series doesn’t focus on heroes versus villains but a ragtag group of characters trying to make their bar work. They’re up against competitors and face several twists and turns throughout the course of the season. Harley Quinn season 4 felt like a step down, but I’m pleased to say Kite Man: Hell Yeah! brings the franchise back up.

Speaking of Harley Quinn, she and Poison Ivy appear in the series as a nice nod to the original show. Also from that series are some of the major players in Kite Man: Hell Yeah! One of the series’ best aspects is its ability to balance returning characters — giving them a bigger role than they had in Harley Quinn — and newcomers to the franchise, all of whom call Kite Man and Golden Glider’s dirty bar their home.

That creates a bond between the cast nicely develops as the season continues. And after Bane, now a series regular, stole the show in every scene he appeared in Harley Quinn, he finally got his time to shine as one of the most hilarious characters in Kite Man: Hell Yeah! Another major DC villain, Lex Luthor, is crucial to the show’s plot in many ways, which offers a nice balance of well-known DC characters and more obscure players to the animated series.

The DC Series Brings Laughs & Plenty Of Heart

Kite Man is a worthy lead to follow

Those who watched Harley Quinn know what to expect from Kite Man’s solo series, with the DC show offering plenty of laughs and emotional moments throughout season 1. I dare say that Kite Man: Hell Yeah! might even beat Harley Quinn in the comedy department, as Noonan’s colorful characters and their banter lead to many laugh-out-loud moments. The main difference between both shows is that Kite Man: Hell Yeah! tells a more personal story about a fallible protagonist, while Harley Quinn goes all in on the DC universe.

The late Lance Reddick is excellent as Lex Luthor, taking over the role from Giancarlo Esposito, who serves as the voice of Lex in Harley Quinn. The character leads to some of the show’s most explosive moments alongside Judith Light’s Helen Villigan. Keith David’s Darkseid is another major presence in the series, with the way the frightening villain behaves and fits into this iteration of the DC universe being one of the best aspects. Newcomer Malice adds a dose of unpredictability to the show.

Chuck, aka Kite Man, has an interesting arc to follow throughout season 1. The character often compares himself to others, namely Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom, which leads to some impulsive decisions that keep us on their toes. The chemistry between Kite Man and Golden Glider is perfect, with the characters making for a couple that is as entertaining to follow as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy from the original series. With hilarious jokes, well-rounded characters, and the rich DC universe to explore, Kite Man: Hell Yeah! season 1 soars high to deliver a fun and heartfelt adventure.

The first 2 episodes of Kite Man: Hell Yeah! are available to watch now on Max, with the remaining 8 episodes of the DC series releasing weekly.

Kite Man, along with his partner Golden Glider, ventures into the world of business by opening Noonan’s, a dive bar in Gotham’s underworld, shadowed by Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom. The couple balances their criminal exploits with managing the bar, where Gotham’s infamous rogues come to unwind. The series, spinning off from “Harley Quinn,” showcases the humorous and chaotic private lives of these villains, filled with absurd heists and personal drama.

Pros

• A refreshing spin on the superhero genre
• Hilarious dialogue and situations
• Kite Man and Golden Glider lead an all-star cast of characters