Nightwing #1 Review

Ever since I saw him on that odd, Starfire-focused future episode of Teen Titans I've always thought Nightwing was pretty cool. He was grown up Robin, but with a bit more of an edge to him. He had something else to prove. He had his own city, Blüdhaven (Gotham's sister city) and his own new, fresh set of rogues that he had to take on. I never got to read much of Nightwing, so I only ever knew about him as a side character going on quests with Batman, or fighting for a cape against Jason Todd. 

Dick Grayson, though, I know a little more about. How he was Robin, then Nightwing, then even Batman. In comics, there are few who can say they've eclipsed the master (Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson come to mind immediately). But Dick Grayson has a little more going for him, and that, I think, is in part due to the relaunch of the New 52 in 2011. 


As I explained last year in my "Teen Titans" #1 review, DC did a company-wide relaunch, undoing all previous continuities it had--except for the Batman and Green Lantern titles. Nightwing, thus, still has some of the Bat-continuity. It's difficult to explain, and at this very point in time, it doesn't matter. They just undid the undoing back in "Convergence," which is cool. I mean there's no more continuity, but who cares? 

Back to my point: imagine being Dick Grayson. You've been raised by a caring man who has a bit of a sociopathic demeanor about him. You grow up kicking criminals that would terrorize the entire world right in the face. You join a group of young warriors as one of the few without any powers, and then, you hit a major step in puberty, and grow out your hair and dress like this:

This goes on for a while, until you finally do it: you become the Batman. You've done it, you've finally become what you were born to be! 

And then Bruce Wayne returns. And you're simply Nightwing once again, and even relegated back to Gotham. The comic we're looking at today will explore Dick Grayson and his return as Nightwing. It's quite the promising premise, so let's see if it can hold up! 

                                               

The cover is okay, I guess. Nothing about it stands out besides the new costume design for Dick, in that the batacross his chest is no longer its normal blue, but rather the red he would adopt for the New 52. I'm not sure why this was done, but my best guess would be to relate him more to the other Robins at the time. With Red Hood, Red Robin, Damian as Robin wearing red, I guess they just wanted to tie Dick closer to the other boys. One odd choice was to make his eyes red, though. It becomes a point of inconsistency throughout the book. Sometimes they're red and other times they're white, like a comic book character's eyes are normally behind a mask. I'm also not sure why there's a pool of red behind him. I get the bats, but, it's weird. Blood, maybe? Nah. 

The book starts with, what else?, a narration. 

He was only Batman for a year?! Wow, he got a lot done in just 365 days...

One of the challenges any book faces with a new #1 issue is catching up new readers with what's been going on with the character as well as keeping it refreshing and entertaining for old readers. What this book does well is show most of the relevant information of Dick's past (bearing in mind that in the New 52, the Teen Titans do not exist prior to the book...maybe...nobody knows). We get pretty quick that he was Batman, but is no longer he and is instead hanging out around Gotham.

Then again, it makes you wonder why the bats on this page are blue instead of read. Is it symbolic, that he is leaping away from his past a blue-Nightwing and is instead the newer red one? Personally, I don't have a preference. While the blue is cool and iconic, the red design does help this version of the character stand out in my mind--though, it may also confuse some newer readers with the design of Batman Beyond's suit, with the red bat on his chest. 

In any case, this book addresses right away Dick's feelings on not being Batman: pretty happy. Yeah, and it makes sense. As we see in his first fight sequence of the issue, Dick had a decent time in Batman's shoes, but it was pretty exhausting. He was lucky to escape with his head intact. 

Red-Eyes Black Nightwing. Atk: 2400, Def. 2000. 

The design of this page is really neat. It's fast, with quick beats running along the page that serve as quick glimpses into the action. It mirrors the speed of the battle well, and just from an aesthetic standpoint looks cool, like TV screens, as if someone were watching him. It's the first of two double-paged fight sequences, the second serving to wrap the fight up. What's interesting, and never explored, about his opponent is the similar logo displayed on his chest to Dick's. Ah well.

After Dick gets away, we get another glimpse into his backstory as he stumbles upon Haly's Circus. 

What's good is that the circus actually serves purpose in the story, as if it belongs there. Dick is beginning to settle into his old, yet somehow new, life as another remnant from his old life has returned in Gotham. After serving for a year as Batman, it would be natural that several of his fears of his past would be either vanquished, suppressed, or prepared for him to confront. As Batman, Dick had to fight Batman's horrifying rogues on his own, sometimes with Tim Drake, sure, but it taught him how to become much stronger a a super hero, as a warrior in the darkness. Facing Haly's Circus would be no simple task for a younger Dick Grayson, but this comic has shown, so far, that this isn't a young Dick Grayson. 

Most of the book never mentions his time as Robin. We readers are aware that he was Robin, but it doesn't need to be repeated. The focus is on Nightwing, and rightfully so. It's that good balance of story and backstory I mentioned earlier. This is a good example of giving good backstory as well as insight into where the character is now. 

But, we have to cut away for a moment. As this is a comic book about super-heroes in the 2010s, we have to introduce our new villain for the arc. Alright, let's see what this guy is about. 

You should've had your glasses off this whole time, you idiot. You're dumb. Better have a sweet outfit later...

Eh. I mean yeah he takes down two thugs pretty well, but, we just saw Nightwing do the same thing with a beefier opponent on a moving train. Pretty easily as well. So, this guy really isn't intimidating. He doesn't even mention why he's in Gotham. That at least would give some reason to cut over to him. We don't see him again for the rest of the issue--like this, anyway.

Oh well, let's see what Dick is up to. 

How dare that cereal box tell Dick how to eat his breakfast. 

I mean, it's a cool pad, but, Mr. Grayson...why is the Nightwing suit out in the open?! The caption boxes make it very clear that this is a bad part of town. From what I know, most bad parts of town will include people busting into houses, to take things that are out in the open. Leaving the Nightwing suit is a one-way street to being exposed. Not even Peter Parker, one of the biggest goofballs in all comic history, doesn't leave his suit hanging around. He at least hangs it in a closet.

Anyway, he decides to head on over to Haly's circus to see the gang...and someone that's apparently going to dress up as the Joker. What? 

I mean...really? Purple suit, white face-paint, red lipstick, and a green wig? He's the Joker. And sure, everyone at this point in time thinks the Joker has been dealt with by Batman, but that's still a very open wound to be pouring salt in like that. Unless you'll have him careened across the circus floor like a rag doll, then maybe people will get a kick. The really strange part here is that nobody mentions how odd it is that he resembles the Joker. There's the throwaway line about clowns in Gotham, but, come on. In some origins, the Joker is even tied to the murder of Dick's parents. Couldn't have even mentioned that inside Haly's Circus? Nope? 

Whatever, Dick, just do some acrobatics why don't you? 

Oh, but now you'll wear blue?!

You know, I would remark on how dangerous and stupid it was for one of the acrobats to insist that Dick get back up there after--what?--ten or so years of him being away since he was traumatized by his parents being murdered in this event. But I won't. Too obvious.

While it is cool to see Dick doing all of this again, and to see him mention his parents in an endearing way, I do find it odd that he's able to just jump back into this. I've never tried this at all, but I know it's a very difficult thing to learn. While Dick has been keeping in shape quite well, the specific exercises he's needed to do this can't be part of his typical training regime. Think about all the technique he's learned since donning the identity of Robin, and evolving into Nightwing? How much practice that took? He mentions that he's kept up with his acrobatics, but to what extent? He doesn't have the wires and bars like he does here. Plus, he has to make himself look bad, almost as if he's been doing better than the people who do this for a living. 

I know it's odd for me to be pointing this out in a comic about a guy who can apparently morph his eye color without a second thought, but still, it's worth bringing up. 

After leaving the circus, Dick makes a throwaway remark about having bad luck with redheads (heheh) before being attacked by...some guy? 

The attacker, whose name and identity are a complete mystery, is able to outmatch Dick in terms of acrobatic ability, but not necessarily in fighting. He just catches him by surprise is all. What is interesting are his remarks that Dick Grayson is the best killer in Gotham. Hmm. Maybe he's just crazy. This is Gotham, after all. Another quite obvious question, that Dick just lets go, is how the heck he knows who Dick Grayson is as Nightwing. 

Maybe someone did steal the Nightwing outfit one night and go around as him. 

The book concludes with our two-clawed killer ready to strike Nightwing, who is remembering just how much fun it is to be a hero in a city that has its top criminals either pretending to be penguins, lawyers, or clowns. 

Everything burned after the Fire Nation attacked...

This comic is good. Not great, but not bad. Again, it has a well-balanced relationship with its backstory and story, focusing mostly on Dick's return and thoughts on Haly's circus. It is evident that he has lived quite the live before this issue, which is good to stir curiosity about the character for anyone looking to pick up a Nightwing book for the first time.

In the end, this issue did what the New 52 set out in its beginnings: create intrigue for an older character for a newer audience. While the book's lifespan would be cut short in the wake of Forever Evil, it would evolve into one of the better New 52 books, and this was a decent start to it. Kyle Higgins reintroduces Dick Grayson back into the fold as Nightwing in a meaningful way, and Eddy Barrows brings great art to the page with good, distinguishable character designs, with most of the good focused on Dick/ Nightwing. 

So, this concludes #1 month, and I hoped you've enjoyed it. It was definitely one of great variety, and I hope to continue this variety throughout the year. But for next week, I'm thinking we get back some good old-fashioned comics. Ah, yes, next week: the penultimate chapter of our look into Doomsday's teenage tantrums! See you then. 

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