While fans on social media have been devouring every detail about James Gunn’s forthcoming reboot of DC’s primary movie and TV superhero universe, I’ve been much more eager to see the continuation of an entirely different project from DC. The new animated series “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!,” now streaming on Max, is set in the same continuity as Max’s “Harley Quinn,” with many of the same characters, and it’s just as gleefully profane and creatively goofy as its predecessor.
"Kite Man: Hell Yeah!" is streaming on Max
These are decidedly not family-friendly superhero cartoons, which is probably why they’re not connected to the mainstream DC universe that’s aimed at a wide audience. Given the seriousness and pomposity of so many modern superhero movies and TV shows, though, “Harley Quinn” and “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” are refreshing in their irreverence.
Anyone who enjoyed the over-the-top violence, foul-mouthed humor and oddball characters of “Harley Quinn” will find the same things to enjoy in “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!,” including a brief appearance from Harley herself (voiced by Kaley Cuoco).
While Harley and some of her key supporting characters show up as guest stars, “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” is all about Kite Man (Matt Oberg), the amiable kite-themed supervillain who was first introduced on “Harley Quinn” as a love interest for Poison Ivy (Lake Bell). He was tossed aside when Harley and Ivy declared their love for each other, but he’s bounced back with his new girlfriend, fellow D-list supervillain Golden Glider (Stephanie Hsu). Together, they decide to purchase Noonan’s, the dive bar where low-level villains hang out during their downtime.
‘Kite Man: Hell Yeah!’ carries on the tone and style of ‘Harley Quinn’
Early episodes of “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” are set up like a workplace sitcom, as Kite Man and Golden Glider deal with the challenges of becoming unexpected business owners. That includes hiring immortal interdimensional villain Malice (Natasia Demetriou) as a server and facing competition from Villigan’s, a Planet Hollywood-like chain of villain-themed restaurants.
“Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” is often funniest when it just focuses on its characters hanging out at Noonan’s, getting into silly arguments or misusing their superpowers. Like “Harley Quinn,” though, the 10-episode first season of “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” eventually builds a larger story that involves a major global threat, in this case from the doomsday weapon known as the Anti-Life Equation. Uber-villain Lex Luthor (Lance Reddick) and Villigan’s owner Helen Villigan (Judith Light) are both after the weapon for their own purposes, and Kite Man and Golden Glider become its unlikely protectors.
To the show’s credit, it remains light and funny even when raising the stakes to the level of global annihilation, which is something that “Harley Quinn” can’t always manage. A big part of the success comes from including some of the most entertaining minor characters from “Harley Quinn,” and James Adomian’s exuberant, insecure version of musclebound villain Bane is so enjoyable to watch that he nearly steals the show.
Bane was already a highlight of any “Harley Quinn” episode he was in, and in “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” he further explores his sensitive side, by falling in love with an unattainable woman and bonding with a child pulled out of a storybook. Adomian’s mangled impression of Tom Hardy in “The Dark Knight Rises” has already surpassed its inspiration to become perhaps the definitive take on the dark and tortured character.
The characters are the heart of ‘Kite Man: Hell Yeah!’
That endearing version of Bane fits perfectly into “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!,” which is remarkably wholesome for a show with so much murder and mayhem. Kite Man, who notes that he was voted “most nonthreatening” in high school, is a perfect example of non-toxic masculinity, giving Golden Glider the same kind of unconditional support he gave Ivy when they were together on “Harley Quinn.”
Golden Glider, who came off as just a placeholder during her “Harley Quinn” appearance (when she was voiced by Cathy Ang), is now a fully realized character with her own issues, including a complicated relationship with her mother. She’s a bit more brooding than Kite Man, with dangerous powers that she can’t always control, but they have a healthy, loving relationship that grows stronger over the course of the season.
They also foster a genuine community at Noonan’s, and it’s sometimes disappointing when the show spends more time away from the bar in its later episodes as the larger superhero plot reaches its climax. Thankfully, the creators make sure to balance the big set pieces with more low-key subplots, including a surprisingly central role for a time-travel toilet that facilitates multiple character arcs. Following through on that kind of ridiculous throwaway idea is a hallmark of the smart humor on both “Harley Quinn” and “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!”
Seeing some of the main characters from “Harley Quinn” has me looking forward to its upcoming fifth season even more, but I’d be just as excited to see another season of “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” With Reddick and Light relishing their antagonist roles, plus a distinctive ensemble cast of its own, “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!” carves out its own identity as the lighter, more positive counterpart to the sometimes angst-ridden “Harley Quinn.” It’s exactly the kind of superhero show we could use right now.
