[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Bruno Redondo
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

There’s more to last issue’s celebration of Dick Grayson…and none of the Bat-family sees it coming.  Heartless enacts his plan to take down Dick Grayson!

Positives

For a while, comic writers have been accused of writing for the trade.  Single issues when collected in these trades are called graphic novels sometimes, despite not being conceived as such.  However, with Nightwing #114 it’s clear that Tom Taylor has constructed his run on Nightwing like a novel.  The theme of Heartless has run throughout while Taylor developed his cast of characters with their own stories along the way.  Heartless is still around and Dick Grayson’s journey under Taylor is inextricably linked with Heartless.  He’s not just an adversary or danger from which Bludhaven must be saved, Heartless is in some ways the opposite of Dick Grayson.  As long as this idea isn’t overused it can be very effective, perhaps one remembers Mike W. Barr and Michael Golden’s Batman Special #1 from 1984 with the story “The Player on the Other Side.”  Nightwing 2022 Annual recounted much of Heartless’ backstory that explores the similarities between Dick and Heartless.  This adds a cohesiveness to the run as well a through line.

Even though most of the recent issues of Nightwing have been illustrated by some fine comic book artists, it’s great to have Bruno Redondo back on art chores for the entire issue.  It’s not just his look, or ability to communicate with characters’ expressions, but his layouts and dramatic choices.  An early two-page spread is a great demonstration of this.  It’s great storytelling!

There are lots of character moments peppered throughout Nightwing #114 that range from Dick’s good heart, the lovely and infectious dynamic between Dick and Babs, and the way Bruce Wayne views his family.  This was on display in the emotionally moving Nightwing #100, and it’s echoed here.  It’s one of the consistent aspects of the series that have made it a fan favorite.  

Negatives

It’s hard to find a negative with this issue.  It is slightly surprising for the meat of this issue that Taylor takes us back to Dick’s celebration from last issue, whilst only teasing what comes next on the opening pages.  It remains to be seen how well this storytelling technique works for “Fallen Grayson.”

Verdict

Nightwing #114 is a solid start to Taylor and Redondo’s final story arc.  It includes many of the elements that have made their run successful over the past three years.  Redondo is in fine form as he returns to the title and the story points towards a big wrap up for what comes across as a longform graphic novel.

The post Review: Nightwing #114 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Travis Moore
Art: Travis Moore
Colors: Alex Guimares and Ivan Plascencia
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

We already learned there was more to Bea Bennett.  Now learn her full secret history and what she shares with Dick Grayson! An espionage rollercoaster!

Positives

Fleshing out Bea Bennet is a great idea after revealing her pirate past in Nightwing #106.  Travis Moore puts a lot of hard work developing the script as well as the art.  He utilizes a lot of elements from Dick Grayson’s past to create the story.  As a longform espionage story there are lots of twists and turns and they utilize this aspect of the genre well.

The strongest part of Bea’s past is her time with the Quartermaster, something we’ve know for a while.  Nightwing 2024 Annual provides some context.  Showing that Bea and Dick were both taken in as orphans and adopted by someone to care for them is an enjoying parallel.  While this story doesn’t give full closure for Bea, it does demonstrate that she’s got a separate life beyond her relationship with Dick when he was “Ric” Grayson.

Negatives

Bea Bennet’s story in Nightwing 2024 Annual doesn’t have enough space to be effective.  It’s understandable that this wasn’t going to play out over a five year period in an ongoing series, but it has that sort of scope.  Because of this, a lot of the twists and turns feel forced.  It also doesn’t provide enough space to connect readers with Bea outside of being “Ric’s” girlfriend.  The pieces of that puzzle are there, but this story has so much that it is told too quickly to be effective.

This leads to the connected places in Bea and Dick’s lives being a bit contrived.  Moore works in a lot of intersections and parallels that would be more effective in a story that had more space and/ or was a different set of characters.  One of the things that’s lost by giving Bea such a circuitous backstory is that is eliminates the sweeter moments of her romance with “Ric.”  Bea is no longer “just a girl” that he meets, she’s someone there specifically to watch him.  It’s contrived.

The speed at which the twists come down the stretch of the narrative make it difficult to focus on what’s happening.  There’s not enough time for the impact to be meaningful.  This makes the ending feel rushed.  The first half of the story is paced a bit better.

Verdict

While Nightwing 2024 Annual has some interesting ideas, the pacing of the story and amount of twists make it difficult to create the right connection with Bea.  The idea of giving her her own story is solid, but it would’ve been stronger if the tale had been centered around her and the Quartermaster instead of turning her into a near super-spy.  The story is unbalanced with too much plot and not enough of Bea herself. The art is strong and Moore’s effort on the project is clear.

The post Review: Nightwing 2024 Annual #1 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor, Marv Wolfman and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Daniele Di Nicuolo, Bruno Redondo and Howard Porter
Colors: Adriano Lucas and Hi-Fi
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

It’s Dick Grayson’s birthday, and after a mission with Tim and Damian he faces a bigger threat…receiving the Key to the CIty of Bludhaven.

Positives

Some have criticized Tom Taylor’s run on Nightwing for not moving fast enough and settling into too many stories that are no more than “look how great Dick Grayson is” plots.  A couple issues ago I commented that it was clear that Taylor had settled in for the  long game with the Heartless storyline.  Taken together, this is a defining run for Nightwing.  Nightwing #113 not only continues to focus on Dick Grayson’s character and relationships, for my money the most significant part of any story, but also throws in some celebration (this SHOULD be issue #300) as well as a tease for what will be a definitive encounter with Heartless in the upcoming “Fallen Grayson” arc which will also be Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s swan song on the title.

Nightwing #113 opens with a fun action sequence with Dick, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne as they work a mission together.  Taylor peppers it with revealing and purposeful dialogue that not only propels the issue, but works the overall characterization of the three as well as supporting characters like Batman and Barbara Gordon.  This sections absolutely sings and is a “how to” balance story and character.

The majority of the issue is similar.  Dick receives the Key to the City from his sister, the mayor, and along the way Taylor makes the character bits stand out.  Not only does Bruce Wayne get a compliment on his parenting from Melinda’s mother, but Dick forces Barbara into the spotlight as he makes sure she is honored for her work as well.  These bits build these characters and the relationships between them.  It seems like a no brainer that Dick and Babs will at the very least be engaged to be married by the end of this run.  It’s a logical conclusion.

Positives Cont’d

Taylor turns over the scripting duties to comic book legend Marv Wolfman for a short sequence (illustrated by Bruno Redondo) that is as much from Marv’s own point of view as it is his in-story stand-in Marv (of Marv and George’s Pizza- George Perez that is).  It serves not only as a tribute to Nightwing/ Dick Grayson, but also to George Perez who passed nearly two years ago.  It’s a special moment that might get you a little misty.  The issue concludes with Heartless commencing the final stage of his plan to take out Dick Grayson.  

The second story by Michael W. Conrad and Howard Porter is a neat “silent” story in the tradition of “Silent Interlude” from G.I. Joe- A Real American Hero #21 and the opening sequence of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (1968).  Conrad and Porter present a five minute incident as Nightwing has to get on a train and defuse a bomb.  Slow down with this one in order to experience the excitement and Porter’s art.  Conrad uses a ticking clock throughout to give the reader a sense of the passage of time that is very effective.  Porter, inking himself on this story, appears to be channeling the legendary Gene Colan.  Porter’s linework and use of shadows seems evident of Colan’s influence.  It also serves as an argument that Porter should ink himself.

Negatives

While Di Nicuolo turns in a fine job on most of the art on the main story, Redondo has been missed for a lot of recent issues.  He’s as much a part of the success of this series as writer, Taylor.  It’s a shame the legacy numbering will only appear as an acknowledgement on this issue and won’t be reflected on future issues as the only numbering.  Dick Grayson deserves that.

Verdict

Nightwing #113 is a wonderful set up for the final Taylor/ Redondo arc.  Taylor reinforces the focus on character and relationship (including some not mentioned above), but prepares the reader for what will surely be a massive encounter between Dick and Heartless.  To top it off the issue is rounded out by a well conceived and beautifully illustrated story by Conrad and Porter, respectively.

The post Review: Nightwing #113- Legacy #300 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Sami Basri, Vicente Cifuentes and Francesco Francavilla
Colors: Adriano Lucas and Francesco Francavilla
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Gotham City: Batman investigates a murder with an M.O. that matches Heartless and the Dark Knight calls in Nightwing to help…and more begins to feel familiar as the investigation begins.

Positives

Tom Taylor is playing the long game with Heartless.  I don’t think he’s writing for the omnibus, but I think he’s got a long plan for Nightwing that casts Heartless as not just a “big bad,” but a thematic opposite of Dick Grayson.  It seems likely that Taylor saw the interruptions in the series over the past couple years, “Beast World,” “Knight Terrors,” “Fear State,” etc…, and planned the long story with this in mind.  Nightwing #111 brings Heartless back into play, but also includes a smaller story that allows Taylor to focus on Dick’s relationship with Bruce and related themes of adoption and being an orphan.  The moments between Dick and Bruce are particularly strong and it succeeds in focusing the issue on character.  Along these lines, Taylor also settles any lingering Bea vs. Babs questions with a caring question from Bruce, and insightful but straightforward answer from Dick.

This provides Nightwing #111 to include some touching moments from Dick’s childhood in parallel as a comparison to Heartless’ past which we first saw back in Nightwing Annual 2022.  These plot lines point to a larger scope that promises Heartless to become a true epic as well as developing Heartless into Nightwing’s true opposite number.

The back up story takes the reader on a journey deep into the past of Dick Grayson’s family.  The art by Francesco Francavilla provides the atmosphere that one expects in his work.  It pairs well with the period nature of the story and whets the appetite for something from Dick’s family’s past.

Negatives

It would be nice to have Bruno Redondo back on this title.  He’s still providing covers, but his art has been a big part of this series and his work is missed here. 

Verdict

Nightwing #111 feels like a return of sort.  The plot gets back to Heartless which brings the reader back to where Tom Taylor’s run began back with Nightwing #78.  Perhaps, Taylor has moved past the events which have been interrupting the DC Universe and Dick Grayson will soon face off against Heartless in a definitive if not final confrontation.

The post Review: Nightwing #111 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Nicola Scott
Colors: Annette Kwok
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

What will the Titans do to make a difference in Borneo, and how will the team finally save Wally?  

Positives

There’s something about the way that Nicola Scott draws Donna Troy that acknowledges her classic look from her New Teen Titans days and convinces the reader this is the same character albeit older.  Scott imbues a personality with all her faces that engage the reader and assist in conveying the emotional and character beats of the story.  There’s a warmth and familiarity that comes along with it that makes Scott’s work special and recognizable.

There’s an interesting idea at work in Titans that progresses in Titans #5.  Just how would super-heroes address environmental issues?  Beast Boy is a perfect choice through which to tell that story.  With Beast Boy it comes across as a character driven tale.  It makes sense that Garfield would experience an empathy and connection with the animals he connects with when he uses his powers.  Raven’s description of what happens is a beautiful way to convey what he experiences.

In this new post-Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths DC Universe with the Titans as the preeminent super team it makes sense that they would recruit other members to help them in their work.  If they are attempting to find a way to make a differences ecologically, getting Swamp Thing involved is more than obvious.  Levi Kamei assists the team in Titans #5 and it’s a great use of the newest avatar of the Green.  

There’s a surprising twist at the end of the issue that appears to open up the scope of the influence of The Church of Eternity.  Taylor is planting a lot of seeds (pun intended) and it’s looks to be satisfying to see it play out.

Negatives

While it’s good that Wally’s fate has been sorted in Titans #5, it may have come a little too quickly.  Hopefully, the Beast World crossover will fit organically with what is going on, however at this point it seems that it will be a diversion away from the Church of Eternity storyline that has been in the background since issue #1.

Verdict

Taylor presents a different approach to how super-heroes interact with their world.  It may not be for everyone, but comics have always reflected the world in which they are produced, and this particular aspect suggests something not only different, but pertinent in our own world.  It provides a different kind of connection as well as showing that saving the world can have a different meaning.

The post Review: Titans #5 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Stephen Byrne and Serg Acuna
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Dick and Bea head off on board her ship only to run into more trouble and betrayal than can be imagined!  It’s a pirates life!

Positives

Tom Taylor goes into a direction you don’t see coming in Nightwing #108.  There have already been surprises with Bea Bennett’s revelation as Captain Blud, but there’s even more.  It’s not fair to give away spoilers  in this review, but there are some surprising developments.  We will have to say that the surprises are not only unexpected, but quite engaging.

The pace of the plot itself is surprising as well, I certainly didn’t think things would develop this quickly.  This makes it possible for this arc to have some more turns in it.  One of the major developments really gets to the heart of Dick Grayson’s character and his relationships with other.  It’s has the possibility to go really complex and at the same time change the direction of the series depending on how it all plays out.  It’s not entirely clear how much misdirection there is.

Nightwing #108 also concludes the back up tale by Michael W. Conrad.  The first two instalments from the previous two issues are neatly tied up with this third and final chapter.  The conclusion is heartwarming and it, along with a far reach back into Bat-history put a big smile on my face.  Conrad shows how the Bat-family can connect on a personal level, and this three-parter even shows how Dick (and Babs?) have cultivated their own mini family.

Negatives

Titans: Beast World is on the horizon, and with the next two issues of Nightwing part of the crossover, it feels like this arc is racing along to accommodate it.  It feels like it’s going to split this arc in half.  It’s a little disappointing because this issue ends on a cliffhanger and it won’t be an organic transition.  A lot seems to be left for this arc and interrupting it with the crossover is counter productive.

Verdict

Nightwing #108 is another solid issue in this run.  The surprises surprises and they suggest some deeper developments to come.  This whole “pirate” storyline has been interesting from the first time the Hold was introduced.  There’s a lot of heart in this issue between both stories, which is one of the strengths that is a part of this title.

The post Review: Nightwing #108 appeared first on DC Comics News.

One can’t blame those writers for following the entertainment trends of the era, it only makes sense.  Except when it doesn’t; when the approach doesn’t fit the core essentials of the character.  Those writers were crafting tales that fit popular trends because it’s what they thought would sell, they were not, however, focusing on the elements that had made Batman popular to begin with.  And, this is where we are today.

It’s not hard to see how many of today’s comic book writers are  writing for the time and not for the character.  It’s not easy to always balance that.  You can’t write Batman like he’s still in 1940, unless it’s a period piece of course.  The trick is to keep the character grounded at his core while exploring relevant issues that make the story feel contemporary while losing nothing of what makes Batman who he is.  Unfortunately, it seems many writers in comics today are making these same mistakes.  DC Comics as a whole seems to not understand the difference at times.  There are some recent examples we can look at to see what’s going on as we explore what makes a character that character especially ones with a long publishing history.

Alan Scott, The Green Lantern  

There are different kinds of changes that can be wrought on a character, marriage, children, death of a loved one, loss of powers, etc…..  Sometimes, characters can be reinvented, though it seems that it’s rarely for the better as a reworking that eliminates the core elements of the character most likely will alienate fans of the character.  There’s a lot of this going on at DC Comics in a number of titles, and the most recent example is Alan Scott, The Green Lantern.  This is easily the most incendiary topic in this editorial.  It would’ve been such even had writer Tim Sheridan not gone on X (formerly known as Twitter) to essentially call anyone who did not support the book as a homophobe or bigot.  He has actually completely overlooked the larger issue, which is the topic here- Is Tim Sheridan actually interested in the character of Alan Scott and his 80 year history?

Alan Scott first appeared in All-American Comics #16, cover dated, July 1940.  That first story presents the origin of The Green Lantern.  While there was very little deep or nuanced storytelling during the Golden Age for the character, writers did eventually pair up Alan with an adversary, the Harlequin, a criminal who would not only match wits with the Green Lantern, but who was also interested in his romantic affections.  This should be familiar to readers as Batman and Catwoman have had a similar relationship since their first meeting back in Batman #1 (Spring 1940).  While Bruce and Selina never dated or got married in the Golden Age, the two flirted with Selina even trying to put aside her criminal ways at times .  Batman let her go on more than one occasion because he was so enamored with her, including that first appearance.  It wouldn’t be until the Bronze Age that Bruce and Selina got together, got married and had a daughter in continuity.  It was the continuity of Earth-Two, but it’s a very similar situation to Alan Scott and Molly (The Harlequin) Mayne.

Like the Bat and the Cat, Alan and Molly finally got married in the Bronze Age.  Both pairs of characters had a similar dynamic as hero/villain/love interest.  Bruce and Selina’s marriage resulted in daughter, Helena Wayne, the Huntress, but ended in tragedy as Selina died trying to protect her family after a false claim by a former confederate.  Devastated, Bruce was never the same and died in action a few years later.  Alan and Molly got married only after Alan learned that his first marriage had resulted in the birth of twins that his wife had hidden from him.  When Alan and Molly got married in their twilight years (Infinity, Inc Annual #1) they had a ready-made family.  Not to say it was always easy (Alan had to rescue her soul from Hell at one point), but the couple remained happily married until Flashpoint and the launch of The New 52 in 2011 when all previous DC continuity was restarted.

By the time The New 52 launched, fans of Alan Scott had more than a costume and power set to like about the character.  Heck, even more than just the fact he was a traditional hero!  During the Bronze Age, writers, chiefly Roy Thomas filled in the gaps between the Golden Age and “the present” to develop a more complex Alan Scott with compelling story elements in his long life.  Not only had Alan been duped into marrying Rose Canton (the Golden Age Thorn) but he’d fathered two children with her in their short marriage whose existence she’d hidden.  It was a surprise to Alan when he found out and it provided a whole new avenue of stories and character nuance to explore.  Alan’s relationship with his children Jennie-Lynn (Jade) Hayden and Todd (Obsidian) Rice were central to Alan’s character from the mid ’80’s until Flashpoint in 2011.  When Todd was revealed to be gay, it provided a whole other level to the friction between father and son that had been present since their first meeting.  Even if it wasn’t intended by creators Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway, it was a natural interpretation of his character that writer Marc Andreyko seized upon when he outed Todd in Manhunter Volume 3 #18.  This insightful reading of the character by Andreyko was not only a contemporary element for inclusion, but yet another addition to Alan Scott’s story that grew the character deeper and more complex.  Scott is a man of the 1940’s and homosexuality was viewed very differently than it is today, or in the ’80’s when Rice was first created.

Even outside those aspects of Alan Scott specifically related to his sexual orientation, he was shown in the Bronze Age and beyond to have a very close friend in Jay Garrick, the original Flash.  Their bonding extended to their respective wives as well.  This was 80 years of storylines and character development when all was seemingly thrown away when James Tynion IV retconned Alan’s sexuality in the Green Lantern 80th Anniversary issue.  

With the launch of The New 52, DC Comics presented a new take on the concept of parallel Earths and the multiverse which had played a significant role since its introduction in The Flash #123.  In Earth 2 #1 (2012) we meet Alan Scott, a young man unencumbered with any history as he is a brand new version of the character who has yet to become Green Lantern.  This Alan Scott is gay.  Writer James Robinson wanted to have a gay character since Obsidian had been wiped from existence with Flashpoint.  Making Alan Scott this new gay character makes sense in a metatextual way. 

The New 52 Earth 2 characters were last seen with any sort of significance in Earth 2: Society #22 in 2017.  In a matter of five years, the New 52 Alan Scott was obsolete as DC had already launched the Rebirth initiative with the promise that the original Justice Society of America would return “soon.”

After a time travelling appearance in Justice League #32 (2019), the Justice Society of America including Alan Scott and Power Girl (more on that later) returned not only to continuity, but the present in Doomsday Clock #12.  It would’ve seemed that the original Golden Age Green Lantern was back with his history and character intact.  It was then a surprise that raised many questions about Alan and his history and family when the aforementioned Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super-Spectacular retconned Alan’s sexuality.  

With the publication of Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1,  this mini-series serves to re-contextualize Alan’s history.  With that being the purpose, how much are DC Comics interested in the substance of the character of Alan Scott?  When you eliminate a character’s history and motivation, relationships etc, what’s the interest in the character then?  All that’s left is the superficial aspects, a name, a costume, a power set?  Is Alan Scott: The Green Lantern writer, Tim Sheridan actually interested in the attributes that made  Alan Scott a founding member of the JSA?  The stories that have shaped him?  The substance of his character as a founding member of the JSA and one of the first heroes of the DC Universe?  The established history with his teammates, and family?  Or, is Sheridan interested in the idea of Alan Scott?  Is he just a JSA character that can provide representation?  Is he invested in the established history and depiction of Alan Scott or simply writing the story of a gay man in the 1940’s?

If the substance of Alan Scott’s history and character attributes are changed is it really still the same character, or is it the substance of a new character wearing the superficial particulars we associate with Alan Scott?    We can’t see how much history has changed, because very little has been done with that so far.  We’ve seen Jade and Obsidian in Infinite Frontier, but there’s no guarantee they are still in play.  The same goes for Molly Mayne-Scott.  Is that marriage still something that’s part of these characters’ history?  In this recontextualization will we learn that Alan lied and misrepresented himself to both his wives?  Is this an heroic action? We’ve seen a retcon in Justice Society of America and The New Golden Age that indicates Molly had a son who has grown up into a character known as The Harlequin’s Son.  This is new, so what else has changed?  A quick examination of Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 depicts what we do know has changed.

In this first issue, Alan is blackmailed by FBI head J. Edgar Hoover in joining the JSA.  This is a massive change from the established origin of the JSA.  The JSA formed when British Agent Intrepid asked The Flash, Green Lantern (and Batman in pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity) to help with a mission in Europe which was first told in DC Special #29 (September 1977).  It led to all the founding members coming together with a final save of Washington, DC from a special Nazi bomber and stopping the assassination of U.S. President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Is this still the JSA’s origin?  If so, was Alan Scott involved?  

While some of the ideas that Sheridan introduces are compelling and fitting for the story of a gay man from the 1940’s, it doesn’t fit Alan Scott ‘s 80-plus year history.  Changing something about a character that fundamentally changes the character’s history and make up does not honor the substance of the character or engage the fanbase that’s built up around the character over the years.  For Alan Scott, that’s 80 years.  There have been so many stories with so much consistency in Alan’s portrayal, changing things doesn’t  genuinely fit.  He’s now a reluctant hero not that interested in using his power to fight evil and and is being controlled through blackmail.  It’s a change that seems to be there for other reasons and is not pertinent to the core of the character.  What if Superman was Superman only because he was being blackmailed over the fact he was an alien.  What if that was the mitigating factor in his decision to be on the JL and/ or to be a hero at all?

It’s this that raises my question about Sheridan’s interest and even DC Comics’ interest in the character.  It doesn’t make sense to move a character away from the aspects that brought the character appeal over the years.  Ignoring these established things in favor for traits that are topical would logically turn fans away as seen with Batman in the ’50’s and ’60’s.  It’s something we’ve seen recently with another well established character that has since changed back.

“Ric” Grayson

The reasons behind the “Ric” Grayson era of Nightwing may be different from the motivation for changing Alan Scott’s sexuality, but the results are the same.  When Nightwing was struck with amnesia he developed a new personality that severed all his relationships with the Bat-family- Bruce, Alfred, Barbara Gordon, his brother Robins, etc.  Not only were these relationships severed, but “Ric” forgot his history and his personality shifted somewhat.  Without Dick Grayson as part of the Bat-family, memory of his history or friendships and his past as a blank slate…he was no longer the character people liked.  He was no longer the character that appealed to readers.  “Ric” was a different character, with a different outlook on things and different relationships.  While this direction may have garnered new fans, and kept some, readers were ecstatic to have Dick return. 

Essentially, everything people liked about Dick Grayson was gone with “Ric.”  Dick is a character that has a long history and to eliminate that takes away what people like about the character.  It’s no different than what’s being done with Alan Scott.  The change to “Ric” was an in-story change, but the results were the same.  This situation is different when compared to Alan Scott because it doesn’t appear that DC or the writers didn’t care about him.  Instead, it felt like they wanted to either kill time or have a reason to change his name from “Dick.”  It’s important to remember, however, that like Batman before him in the 60’s, readers lost interest in Nightwing because he was divorced from the elements that had made him popular.  There are some other DC Comics characters that are suffering the same treatment as Alan Scott.

Power Girl … Paige Stetler ?

Alan Scott isn’t the only JSAer suffering an identity crisis that suggests the writer isn’t really invested in what made the character popular.  Power Girl has recently been relaunched in a new eponymously titled ongoing series from DC Comics.  Power Girl has been around for nearly 50 years, like Alan Scott, the New 52 resulted in a new version of the character.  Unlike Alan Scott, the New 52 version had minor changes to the character.  Especially notable is that Power Girl maintained her personality, attitude and a very similar history with one of the most significant aspects being retained, her friendship with Helena Wayne, the Huntress.  This is of course the New 52 version of the Huntress who managed to be very similar to her original incarnation with all the essential elements intact.  While there is now a third version of Helena Wayne appearing currently in Justice Society of America, it’s her bestie Power Girl who’s suffering at the hands of writer, Leah Williams.

The chief element of Power Girl’s characterization that fans point to for liking the character is her personality.  From the outset, she was portrayed as a brash, confident, outspoken young woman.  She’s always wanted to be her own and make her own way and not rely on her cousin, Superman.  More than anything this has defined her character.  Her history after the Crisis on Infinite Earths suffered, but her original origin was returned to her in 2005.  Through it all she maintained her personality that had won her fans.  It is very perplexing then that despite professing that the Power Girl in current continuity is this original version when the most glaring inconsistency is her personality in this new series by Leah Williams.  It’s diametrically opposed to what readers have come to love about the character.  It’s like seeing Batman as a snarky, wise-cracking, bombastic street acrobat.  It just isn’t who the character is.  Furthermore, the writing itself contradicts the stories that are referenced in the comics themselves as well as the official DC Comics blog that servers as a primer for readers on the character and this series.

The blog states that this version of Power Girl is the original pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Earth-Two version.  It references her first appearance in All-Star Comics #58, her changing back story and return to form in JSA: Classified.  What’s confounding is that while these new stories by Leah Williams reference her past, including the Karen Starr identity and supposedly her job as a Tech company entrepreneur, Williams doesn’t appear to understand the substance of them.  

In the back up stories from Action Comics #1051-1053, PG is being attacked by Johnny Sorrow.  He claims that he and Power Girl are the last two survivors from their universe.  If PG is from the original Earth-Two, this doesn’t make any sense.  It’s well established that Psycho-Pirate is the only other survivor from Earth-Two as well as the only one who remembered the Multiverse for decades after the Crisis on Infinite Earths wiped out the multiverse.  Furthermore, Johnny Sorrow was never an Earth-Two character.  He appeared in Earth 2: Society, but the blog makes it clear that the Earth 2/ New 52 Power Girl is a different character, and these new stories aren’t about her.  In fact, Johnny Sorrow made his first ever appearance anywhere in New Earth continuity (post-Crisis, post-Zero Hour) in Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80 Page Giant #1, (December 1999).  He would have no memory of any life on Earth-Two, since he never appeared in that continuity.

The blog explains that Power Girl was raised in a simulation on her symbioship, however the title scrawl from Power Girl #1 says she was sent to Earth to watch over baby Kal-L.  Both Kryptonians were sent as infants so PG could certainly not look after baby Kal-L as she was a baby herself.  Her ship took longer to arrive, and thus she was raised by it arriving on Earth as a young woman when it took longer than anticipated.

The blog states that she doesn’t wear the “S” symbol because she didn’t work long with Superman on Earth-Two.  This is patently false for a number of reasons.  Her reason for not wearing the “S” can be found in All-Star Comics #64, her 7th appearance ever as seen in the image below.

And interestingly, the blog clearly indicates that the All-Star Comics stories are part of her past, a past that did include time together plus she made the decision about the “S” BEFORE she revealed herself to the world.  Also, the title scrawl mentioned above claims she DID work along side Superman.  

One of the most curious and off-putting aspects of Power Girl’s portrayal in this series is her 180 degree personality shift.  The blog claims the biggest thing for PG is her identity:

“A Power Girl so far removed from her point of origin, so many worlds and continuities away, that anyone would have a hard time telling who she’s really supposed to be—much less herself. This is a Power Girl who needs to undergo some serious soul searching to find out what she’s really about, which is where we find her today.”

It’s not clear how PG got to this point.  We have the Karen Starr identity referenced so we know that part of her history is intact.  The blog says she has returned with the rest of the JSA during Doomsday Clock.  The quote from the blog above tries to make readers believe that she’s having some sort of identity crisis, but as it states elsewhere in blog, that was resolved in Infinite Crisis and the JSA: Classified storylines.  Leah Williams suggests these identity issues in her stories, but never explains how PG went from a confident, independent woman insecure, unsure of herself and dependent on Superman for an identity (she wears the “S” now).  When did that happen?  It’s diametrically opposed to how she’s always been portrayed.   It doesn’t make sense and it appears that Williams (and blog writer Alex Jaffe) isn’t aware of the substance of the character.  To Williams she’s just an alternate Supergirl, instead of a distinct character that has always behaved differently from the main universe Supergirl.  In fact, it appears that is the length and breadth of Williams’ understanding of Power Girl.

There’s another bizarre quality to Williams’ portrayal of Power Girl.  She writes Power Girl like she’s new to Earth, like her rocket landed, she met Kal-L and a few days later found herself lost and showed up on the main DC Earth.  She seems wholly unconnected with her past with the JSA which is currently on display in Justice Society of America which is currently publishing.  That book acknowledges Power Girl’s past and provides a depiction that is in line with her established personality.

The question remains: Is Leah Williams actually interested in Power Girl as a character?  Does she understand anything about her history or personality?  These are the elements that won Power Girl fans over the years.  Williams seems to be ignoring them outright, or she’s just ignorant of them to begin with and has made no attempt to make them make sense.  Either way, it points to a lack of interest in the character other than the most basic superficial description, simply an alternate Supergirl, like Sheridan’s Alan Scott, a version of the character that doesn’t utilize the history of the character and shows no interest in the substance of the character.

And, There’s More…

This situation isn’t confined to Power Girl and Alan Scott.  The new Wonder Woman series from Tom King’s pen indicates much the same.  King is known for his controversial takes on characters, more often that not bending characters to fit the stories he wants to tell.  The new Wonder Woman is no different, and in this case the intent from the outset seems less rooted in an interest in Wonder Woman, but a desire to tell a story that requires great leaps in status quo and characterization to make work.  When did all those Amazons emigrate to the U.S.?  Are there even enough Amazons on Themiscrya to be statistically significant even if they ALL moved to the U.S.?  Why would Diana sit by and wait if the killer was identified as an Amazon immediately?  Why wouldn’t she investigate immediately?  The real reason is that that is not the story King wants to tell.  He doesn’t even seem to want to tell the story from Diana’s POV as The Sovereign is narrating the tale.  Very little so far indicates that King is interested in Wonder Woman outside the broadest definition of her.

It’s not new though, Human Target depicted all the Justice League International characters wildly out of character except for Guy Gardner.  He was already broken so King didn’t have to break him.  Strange Adventures turned the hero, Adam Strange into the villain.  King does it in nearly all of his stuff, the most notable outlier being Superman, “Up in the Sky” which perfectly depicts the Man of Steel.  If a writer has to change the fundamentals of a character is his/her interest really in the character or the idea of the character?

Even the new Birds of Prey comic doesn’t seem to really be interested in the core concept of the Birds of Prey.  Kelly Thompson is approaching the book like the concept is just a team of women.  She isn’t including founder Barbara Gordon, or centering the series on the relationship between Barbara, Dinah (Black Canary) and Helena (Huntress) Bertinelli.  In fact, Dinah is the only one of these characters in the comic.  Combined with the fact that the series reads like Thompson was looking for an excuse to write Harley Quinn, a character who has zero business being involved with the Birds of Prey, it again appears that the writer isn’t actually interested in what the made the Birds of Prey concept popular to begin with.  Instead, it’s being rebranded as something else, which would indicate that this rebranding is what Thompson is actually interested in and not the substance of the concept as it was developed over the years.  For Thompson, Birds of Prey is just a team of women characters, and again that’s the absolute basic definition of the concept with no substance.

The Balance Between Character and Story … Both Matter

I won’t say that some of the the stories mentioned above don’t have compelling aspects.  However, the big question is whether or not they work for the characters with which they are associated.  At one point comic book writers understood they were writing characters.  Characters that had histories, personalities, ways of operating….  Readers were following these characters because of how they had been built up and developed over he years.  Readers followed the continuing stories because they were invested in the substance of the characters.  Like people in the real world, we are attracted to substance, not color, gender or any other superficial element.  It’s the person inside that matters, and if that changes, that’s when relationships break down.

Even Alan Moore when writing Watchmen created his own characters instead of using the recently acquired Charlton characters that he had originally intended to use.  That story would have destroyed them for further inclusion in the DC Universe.  And, that’s what a lot of these writers are doing.  Adam Strange can’t be used in the DC Universe if Strange Adventures is “in continuity.”  The same goes for the characters in Human Target.  Everything readers liked about Power Girl has been removed from her characterization.  Fans just want to forget this run already, especially since they are getting the Power Girl they love over in Justice Society of America.  Alan Scott is completely out of step with his history and characterization and Sheridan’s aspersions about the JSA make this series inaccessible to existing fans of the team and Alan Scott.  

Creating new characters is the best option if one is not actually interested in existing characters but just the ideas of the characters and not the substance of the characters that have been developed through the years.  There’s got to be a balance.  Create a new character if necessary to tell a story, but don’t destroy or bend existing characters unrecognizably in order to tell a story.  We can only hope that some of these takes get cancelled and return the characters who were beloved to begin with.  We can also hope that writers will have the opportunity and means to tell their stories in a manner that will allow them to be judged on their own merit.  With long standing characters it’s difficult to separate the quality of the story, the writing, the themes if they do not fit the character.  It’s a balance, and the pendulum is swinging away from the importance of the substance of characters to simply the broadest definitions of them leaving the stories that MADE these characters left out in the cold.

The post Are Today’s Comic Book Writers Actually Interested in the Characters They Are Writing? appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Stephen Byrne and Serge Acuna
Colors: Adriano Lucas and Ivan Plascencia
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Nightwing finally learns about Bea’s past, but in order to get the box that was stored in The Hold, he has to do a favor for her first that will cement her role as the new Captain Blud.

Positives

Tom Taylor keeps the story in Nightwing #107 focused on character.  This allows for whatever happens to feel legitimate.  It’s strange to see “Ric” Grayson in flashback, but Taylor makes it work because Dick is written accurately.  Bea is a bit of an unknown quantity since she’s been revealed to have a secret past, and what Taylor provides for her past is seamlessly woven into her previous appearances during the “Ric” era.  

The task Dick has to provide for Bea is not antithetical to him, but the situation provides some challenges.  He’s got to go off with Bea to apprehend her wanted criminal brother.  Barbara is not surprisingly a little concerned for multiple reasons.  Bea’s past is quite interesting as we learn that she is the new Captain Blud, the person in control of The Hold.  Bea’s mantle of Captain Blud dates back to the founding of Bludhaven, she’s descended from THAT Captain Blud.  This is an interesting legacy to fulfill and uphold. 

Positives Cont’d

The relationship between Bea and Dick is intriguing.  Dick’s a good person so he’s going to do the right thing.  There’s no lack of tension with Barbara, you can tell she’s a bit afraid.  While not spoken, it feels implied that she’s a little worried for Dick falling for Bea all over again.  It’s something nice to have on the table, but it’s not something that should come to pass.

The second story is the middle chapter of a three-part mystery.  Michael W. Conrad also focuses on  character, this time it’s Dick and Jason Todd.  Dick and Jason certainly have a complex relationship as brothers, brothers who are not alike, yet also have so much in common.  Conrad makes this the crux of the story, and it works very well.  The contrasts in personality make me think of the pre-Crisis Jason Todd that was much more like Dick Grayson.  How would this story have been different if this had been THAT Jason.

The mystery is good.  There’s not a lot that’s been revealed.  Last issue, we saw a fairly non-descript fellow watching Dick as he baked with Cassandra Cain.  This issue Dick and Jason get jumped by some thugs (it doesn’t go well for them) in an alley on this guys orders.  You just can’t tell what’s going to happen.  The character moments between Dick and his family/ friends make the unraveling enjoyable.

Negatives

The only negative with Nightwing #107 is the fear that Dick’s going to get knocked on his head and go back to being “Ric.”  Not that it would last, but it would be a difficult journey for Dick and Babs, AND Bea when Dick came back, AGAIN!  

Verdict

Nightwing #107 is another fine entry in the series.  If you’ve been enjoying this there’s no reason to think that you won’t enjoy this issue.  Character reigns supreme and there’s an intriguing story developing in the lead tale.  That sense of character continues in the second story and ties the issue together.  Hopefully, you’re here for Dick Grayson, the person and not simply the punch ups and actions.

The post Review: Nightwing #107 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer:  Tom Taylor
Art: Nicola Scott
Colors: Annette Kwok
Letters:  Wes Abbott

Reviewed by:  Matthew B.  Lloyd

Summary

Three plotlines interweave in Titans #4: Wally’s fate, Gar’s concern for Borneo and the fallout from last issue’s encounter with the Church of Eternity.

Positives

It’s not clear exactly why, but in Titans #4, but Taylor makes the reader feel like one REALLY is experiencing a group of friends that have been so since childhood and are experiencing adulthood together as well.  There are little details like Linda Park West showing up, Babs in the mix and the change Beast Boy feels about the Titans making a bigger statement than simply punching evil in the face.  There’s a palpable maturity to the characters.

As always, Nicola Scott makes the book look great.  She captures some subtle emotions especially when Garth and Linda greet each other and when Wally protests being kept on the sidelines.  Taylor hits the readers with a big surprise that connects back to the previous issue, and if you have forgotten the surprise from that issue and this one will hit harder.

Negatives

The inclusion of the Suicide Squad and Amanda Waller detracts from the other aspects of the issue.  While Taylor has set them up as the big adversary since issue #1, if you’re not a fan it feels like wasted space.  There are three other plot threads that all have more going for them.  This space could’ve been used to push one of the other plot lines forward with more urgency.

Verdict

Titans #4 bogs down a little bit despite having some really interesting and satisfying moments.  There are lots of good ideas at play in this series, but the Suicide Squad pages in this issue could’ve been used more effectively.  Overall, it’s satisfying to see the Titans feel like old friends readers have grown up with.

The post Review: Titans #4 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Stephen Byrne and Serge Acuna
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Dick Grayson’s time as “Ric” Grayson finally catches up with Nightwing when he learns the secret of Bea Bennett.  Plus, Dick and Cassandra Cain are cooking up something in the back up story.

Positives

With crossovers and events out of the way, we finally get back to what was introduced in Nightwing #99.  Nightwing had learned of The Hold, a mysterious storage center that is run by a fellow named The Quartermaster.  In Nigthwing #106 we learn that Nightwing has had previous dealings with the Quartermaster when he was going by “Ric” Grayson.  It would’ve been easy to completely forget about “Ric,” but Tom Taylor has come up with a way to connect that part of Dick’s recent past despite the current run doing everything to make the readers forget it.

The revelation about Bea is a surprise and certainly has the potential for more development.  It extends an olive branch to those fans of the “Ric”/ Bea relationship while connecting Bea to the intriguing introduction of The Hold and the Quartermaster back in Nightiwng #99.  What “Ric” stored in the hold that is missing will of course drive the storyline.  Taylor has a plot element as well as character set up for this story arc.  The opening of Nightwing #106 also incudes a nice transition back to normalcy that includes a lighter moment with both Barbara and Beast Boy from the Titans.The inclusion of Heartless integrates this arc with the larger tale that Taylor has been telling.  Will this be the resolution to Heartless saga or is Taylor going to keep Heartless around as an arch nemesis for Dick Grayson?

The backup story in this issue is a nice treat as Dick is paired with Cassandra Cain in a return to the milieu of Batgirls.  It’s a fun change of pace story that sets up a continuing plotline.  Stephanie Brown also makes an appearance.  One can only hope that we’ll get a full on Nightwing/ Batgirls team-up as this story plays out!

Negatives

Nightwing has been one of DC’s best series for the past couple years, so it’s no surprise that this issue is short on negatives.  One can hope that Bruno Redondo will get back to regular interiors soon.  His work is missed.

Verdict

Nightwing #106 is a great start to a new story arc with a balanced approach between plot and character.  This issue continues to prove why this comic continues to be one of DC’s best.  Hopefully, this will be the start of an uninterrupted run of tales.  As Dick says in this issue, “We’ve had a lot going on.  But, it’s finally time to ask…What’s in the box?”

The post Review: Nightwing #106 appeared first on DC Comics News.