[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.

Tarzan and Family

Tarzan is a character whose initial adventures written by his creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs, are published from 1912-1947, a period of 35 years. But, how old is Tarzan? Does he age? It fairly easy to figure out how old Tarzan is when the first novel Tarzan of the Apes is first published. Though serialized in 1912, it’s not collected as a novel until 1914. With that in mind, we can look at the story itself to determine how old he is at the time of publication- 1912. In the story, Tarzan’s parents are shipwrecked off the coast of Africa in 1888. When Tarzan first meets other Caucasians he is 21. It’s safe enough to assume that when Tarzan meets Professor Porter, his daughter Jane and D’Arnot that the story is taking place in the present of 1912- the time of writing. This places Tarzan’s birth in the year 1891, meaning a reasonable 3 years passed from the time of his parents’ shipwreck to his birth.

Surprisingly, Burroughs introduces Korak, Tarzan’s son quite quickly.  His first appearance is as an infant in The Eternal Lover (aka The Eternal Savage) in which Tarzan and family make a guest appearance.   Korak appears next in The Beasts of Tarzan, the third of Burroughs Tarzan novels.  The fourth book in the series, The Son of Tarzan, features Korak (Jack Clayton).  This novel is set 10 years after The Beasts of Tarzan (1914).  This puts Tarzan himself in his early 30’s assuming that Jane became pregnant pretty quickly after they wed.  By the end of The Son of Tarzan, a number of years have passed and Korak is 18 which puts Tarzan about 40.   So, within the span of the first four novels, Tarzan has aged quite a bit.  But, there are 20 books to go!

It might be easy to place some of the later stories earlier in Tarzan’s career, except that there is a sense of continuity from story to story.  Not only does Korak get married and have a son himself, Jackie Clayton.  Korak is a supporting character in Books, 8-10, Tarzan the Terrible, Tarzan and the Golden Lion and Tarzan and the Ant Men.  These three books are all from the first half of 1920’s.  At this point, Tarzan is now a man in his 40’s having the adventures one would normally associate with a younger person.  As ludicrous as it sound, Tarzan is a grandfather at this point with Korak’s son Jackie being mentioned in these three books.  Without going on about the quality of the storytelling, the inclusion of children and grandchildren adds something to the Tarzan lore.  Tarzan’s family provides another level of drama, but also an additional aspect of relatability.  While Tarzan does not age out of his effectiveness, he’s still an older man.  As a perfect physical specimen he’s still believable in his adventures, or at least one can suspend disbelief enough so that he can still be the protagonist of these stories and still have a family, he’s not permanently stuck as a 30 year old without the story beats of growing older.

James Bond and the MCU

On the other side of things we have film.  A character like James Bond is perpetually stuck in his prime with very little character development.  The same tropes are recapitulated over and over to varying degrees of success.  With comic book films characters like Superman, Batman and Spider-Man are rebooted and/ or recast so that the issue of age can be bypassed.   This creates a situation in which the same stories tend to get told over and over.  The same villains are reused in each new series of films. 

Conversely, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has attempted to show that these characters can age.  Hawkeye’s children have been shown to grow, Cassie Lang has aged and Peter Parker has graduated high school.  A number of characters have died, and Tony Stark was shown to have married and had a daughter in Avengers: Endgame.  However, recasting and rebooting seems inevitable, it’s hard to imagine a character like Steve Rogers never appearing on the big screen again.  In Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy he attempted to give a proper ending to his set of Batman stories.  The effectiveness and quality of that ending s debatable, but it doesn’t change the fact that Bruce Wayne’s arc as Batman came to an end, giving the sense that he had grown and moved on and wasn’t stuck in the same spot in his life.  It’s a tricky balance, giving characters the opportunity to change and grow opens up story direction, while holding them prisoner to a set age range leads to reused stories and this tends to detract from the overall interest over time.

Milton Caniff’s Terry and the Pirates

Looking back at some early newspaper comic strips, we can see the value in letting characters in serialized fiction age, develop and grow.  In Terry and the Pirates, Milton Caniff allowed his characters to age in essentially real time.  When we first meet Terry Lee in 1934, he’s 10 years old.  As the strip progresses, we see Terry , not only aging, but maturing.  Without Terry aging, many of the high points of the strip would not come to pass.  He goes through puberty, discovers girls and experiences love.  Caniff explores a unique and surprising sexual tension between Terry when he is in his mid teens and Burma.  Burma, as readers know has been around the block and is at least 10 years older than Terry.  The strip is always topical.  Terry goes on to join the Army Air Corps when the United States becomes embroiled in World War II and he continues to learn more about love and about life.  If Caniff had not allowed Terry to age, the strip could not have become as renowned as it is, and it would not have reached the same heights of artistic greatness.  The best parts stem from it’s topical nature as well as how Terry matures as a person in that world.  

Peter Parker and  Dick Grayson

There are two excellent examples of what happens when traditional comic book characters are allowed to age and grow and experience real life- Spider-Man and the original Robin, Dick Grayson.  They are both characters that go from teenagers (pre-teen in Dick’s case) through college to adulthood.  From the outset of the “Marvel Age of Comics,” Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby attempted to create characters and tell stories that had a lot more grounding and interpersonal drama than the static lives that had been portrayed since the late ’30’s/ early’40’s.

Peter Parker has a monumentally important character moment in the course of his first appearance and origin from Amazing Fantasy #15, that is well known to the general population- with great power comes great responsibility.  With the death of Uncle Ben, Peter learns that he has to use these powers with a purpose, and for the greater good.  The burden of responsibility becomes a core element of understanding Spider-Man’s motivation.  While this character growth as Peter Parker is essential to Spider-Man’s origin, it’s an example of how a character can grow and change emotionally.

More importantly, Peter Parker who  started out as a  high school student in 1962, graduates in 1965 in Amazing Spider-Man #28.   He subsequently enters Empire State University.  With the first few years of his existence, the character has aged in nearly real time.  His college years slow down to a crawl as he doesn’t finish college until Amazing Spider-Man #185 published in 1978.  Along with the supporting cast, A LOT happens to Peter in those years.  Imagine if he had just remained a high school student with the same problems.  It may be forgotten, but before Gwen Stacy died in Amazing Spider-Man #121, Peter had been considering proposing marriage.  He got a job as a staff photographer at the Daily Bugle and was trying to get settled so he and Gwen could have a life together.  This happened in Amazing Spider-Man #99 and it really sets things in motion for their relationship as it leads up to her death almost two years later.  

It’s not just Peter but his supporting cast.  Gwen goes through the death of her father and subsequent mourning, Mary Jane continues in and out of the group as Harry Osborn’s sometimes girlfriend, and Flash Thompson goes to Vietnam, does a tour and comes back a changed man.  All these play upon the life of Peter Parker.  At one point, Gwen even convinces Aunt May to ease up on Peter so she won’t continue to treat him like a child.  Ultimately, these stories aren’t possible without Peter aging and growing into a man.  Since “One More Day,” the storyline that retconned his marriage to Mary Jane, Peter has regressed back to seeming younger and things just happen to him without any sense of real growth or development.  He’s trapped in a cycle of his own bad luck.  Without Peter continuing to age and grow he will never get out of it.  Keeping Peter mired like this for the supposed sake of relatability only works if one expects readers to turn over every few years.  That was the philosophy about comic readership for years until the “Marvel Age of Comics” launched with Fantastic Four #1.  However, DC Comics did aging and character growth better, especially with Dick Grayson.

The original Robin, the Boy Wonder is the poster child for why characters should be allowed to grow and age.  From his first appearance in Detective Comics #38 in 1940, he was essentially unchanged for twenty-nine years.  Something finally happened in Batman #217, Dick Grayson went to college, Hudson University to be exact.  In the second half of the sixties, starting with the “new look” era for Batman, Dick had obviously had been shown to be older.  He wasn’t twelve anymore, he was certainly around 16 or 17.  While it didn’t happen overnight, it was a significant shift for the character.  Since then, Dick has been shown to continue to mature and age, including stepping into his own identity and out of Batman’s shadow as Nightwing.  This was chronicled chiefly in New Teen Titans, with his first appearance in his new identity in Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (July, 1984).  Since then, Dick has continued to be his own man.  He’s always part of the Bat-family, but there’s not way to take him back to being Robin.  So much has transpired in his life that regressing him would be a huge disservice to the character.  His current solo series by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo is without question one of DC’s best titles and has received numerous awards and nominations.  And, to think, Dan Didio wanted to kill him back in 2006 because he didn’t think characters who aged work.

How Slowly Should the Clock Move?

Along with Dick Grayson, fan favorite Wally West has shown personal and professional growth since he took over the mantle of The Flash at the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths.  In addition to maturing as a person into a husband and father, he had massive character development into the role of The Flash.  He went from someone not sure he could be The Flash to an iconic version of the character.  Fans decried his erasure from continuity in The New 52 so vociferously, that he was the prime mover for Rebirth occurring.  None of that would’ve been possible had Wally West not been allowed to age and grow.  It took around twenty years for wally to age up around ten years in story.  It’s easy enough to follow Dick Grayson’s journey with about four years per every in story year when analyzing his college years.  There’s not a hard and fast timeline, and some characters may age faster, but the development of characters and the ability to grow like people do is critical to good storytelling.  Readers almost always say they want characters to grow, what they don’t want is inorganic change, change for the sake of change and retcons that don’t fit the character.

What Happens Next?

At the time of this writing, Dick Grayson is enjoying critical and sales success.  Peter Parker is mired in a war between editorial and fans.  Spider-Man may still sell, but it’s not getting any accolades for the stories, whereas Nightwing is arguably the best book of the Big Two and just won an Eisner Award for best ongoing series.  What do you want to see?  Would you rather have Dick back as Robin?  Would you like Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage reinstated?  

Over on the original Earth-Two, DC Comics devoted a whole Earth to the concept of characters aging and growing in real time.  After the Crisis on Infinite Earths it became harder to do so with the legacy characters who were still around.  There’s a middle ground, but I think it’s essential for characters to be allowed to age and grow to give stories the sense that they matter, to make characters seem real as they go through their lives and to continually move things forward as opposed to keeping them in an unchanging status quo that doesn’t reflect real life changes.

Perhaps, it’s time to have a parallel Earth that reflects the characters as they move forward like the original Earth-Two.  Perhaps, there should be an imprint of timeless stories, but not written down to a younger audience.  Perhaps, there should just be some series set in the past that allow earlier points in continuity to be explored and clarified.  Ideally, there would be a way to keep classic versions of characters in a timeless manner, but also keep characters growing and developing to keep them interesting.  Given a choice, it would be best to allow characters to grow and develop and move forward in their lives, just like real life.

The post Should Comic Book Characters Age? appeared first on DC Comics News.

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

Writers: Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Daniele Di Nicuolo
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

It’s Dick Grayson’s turn to experience the nightmares of Insomnia and reveal his greatest fears…and a couple are pretty clever!

Positives

The two most interesting aspects of this issue come at the end when we see what Dick Grayson is really afraid.  There’s a lot of potential in the idea that Dick’s nightmare is that he’s killed Batman and that Barbara Gordon becomes more machine than human.  Dick’s role as Robin is revisited monthly in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest and the concept is central to the idea of the shared DC Universe.  Dick is the iconic character that has been allowed to grow and change over time, he’s not perpetually stuck in the same 5 year age range, and he’s never been de-aged to take him back to his Robin days.  Dick being afraid of killing Batman goes right back to his early days as The Boy Wonder.  Very easily he could’ve inadvertently caused the death of the Caped Crusader.  It’s not a stretch.  It’s compelling to think that Dick still holds this in his head despite the fact one would expect he would’ve grown out of it.  It’s linked to the death of his parents as the idea of a “survivor’s complex” is explored.  We don’t get this outright in Knight Terrors Nightwing #1, but’s it’s there as an idea.

The idea that Barbara could become more machine that human is just as interesting in a different way.  Clearly, Dick loves the person Barbara is and it’s not dependent on her physical abilities.  As Babs has had to rely more on technology to keep her spinal column working correctly, it’s quite clever that Cloonan and Conrad see the possibility that Dick’s afraid she could end up relying on it too much and lose who she is in the process.  It could even be a meta-jab at DC for putting her back in the Batgirl role at the beginning of the New 52 when it’s clear that Oracle is the iconic Barbara Gordon!  While this will play out in the next issue in some fashion, it’s also possible that Dick is afraid Babs will end up relying too much on the technology of computers as Oracle and retreat from the physical world into a cybernetic world.  I think the former is what’s intended, but there are two possibilities.

Negatives

Unfortunately, Knight Terrors Nightwing #1 does suffer from one major problem and it’s that it’s part of the Knight Terrors event, so the majority of the mystery and tension is non-existent.  Cloonan and Conrad to there best to work within the framework with some great ideas outlined above and Di Nicuolo adds some truly frigthening images and gives us a truly scared Dick Grayson.

The creative team is limited by the framework and it doesn’t take much to imagine this issue taking place without the context of the Knight Terrors event and it being a real mystery for the reader.  This would up the stakes as well as give Dick a mystery to solve that the reader doesn’t already know the answer.  It’s a sort of backwards way to tell a story, usually you don’t give away the big reveal- it’s NIGHTMARES! as part of the solicit when holding that back could’ve been a really big surprise.  Again, one can’t hold Cloonan and Conrad responsible because they do their job in coming up with some compelling ideas that are innovative but also fit with the character.

Verdict

Going into Knight Terrors Nightwing #1 already knowing what Insomnia’s endgame is detracts from the issue greatly.  The creative team gives a great showing with what they have to work with, but this issue would’ve worked so much better had the audience not been privy to what was going on and Dick had to figure it out.  That said, there are some really compelling ideas from Cloonan and Conrad that have the potential to play out epically next issue and Di Nicuolo gives a great showing on the horror aspect.

The post Review: Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1 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

Who killed the Fastest Man Alive?  The fate of Wally West begins here!  While Dick takes on this task, Donna Troy leads the rest of Titans to Borneo to save the animals.

Positives

After seemingly allaying readers’ fears about Wally West, Titans #2 utilizes a number of call backs to trigger some nostalgia that instantly connects the long history of these characters to the current status quo.  Dick’s reputation as a detective leads him to take the lead on the investigation as to who murdered Wally West.  Wally himself will assist- what?  It’s not all bad news!

Titans #2 opens with a flashback to the younger version of these characters as they prepare to take on Brother Blood, this sequence is great because we get to see Dick as Robin, Donna in her classic red Wonder Girl attire as well as Garth in his original Aqualad look.  It immediately recalls the Wolfman/ Perez run of New Teen Titans that catapulted this group of characters to the top of the comic industry in the ’80’s.  The splash page is also an homage to the cover of New Teen Titans #1.  These touches are additional elements that build on the accurate character beats.

Positives Cont’d

It’s great to see Donna leading the team.  Donna Troy seems to have been passed over in the past 20 years in favor of other Wonder Girls, and it feels right that she gets to lead the team.  It’s interesting that Taylor has Donna and Kory talk about it since Kory had been the mentor for the most recent iteration of the Teen Titans in Teen Titans Academy.  The team is responding to what appears to be a massive natural disaster with a fire in Borneo.  It’s clever to show the team responding to natural disasters like JLA would or a  ” job for Superman” if they are supposed to be the preeminent super team in the DCU.  It contributes to the idea that the Titans ARE taking over for the Justice League.  Nicola Scott again does a fantastic job on the artwork.  She makes the younger version of the Titans in the flashback truly look younger.  Scott always delivers and Titans #2 is no exception.  

Negatives

One can only hope that the surprise ending is misdirection!  Stay tuned for details!

Verdict

Titans #2 is a step up from last issue.  The threat actually fits better and the set up with Brother Blood’s new lease on life works better than the distraction of Peacemaker and Amanda Waller.  Overall, Titans #2 feels more concise and directed in terms of plot, and the character moments enhance the plot more effectively.  If last issue didn’t grab you, this one may have what you want. Nicola Scott’s art remains consistently wonderful, however.

The post Review: Titans #2 appeared first on DC Comics News.

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

Writers: Tom Taylor and C.S. Pacat
Art: Travis Moore and Daniel Hore & Jonan Trindade
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Bestowed with Superman-like powers, Nightwing must face Neron’s temptation- hand over Olivia and keep the powers.  

Positives

Is there any question that Nightwing would know how to use super-powers wisely?  Nightwing and Superman (Clark Kent) have very similar personalities and outlooks on life, despite their dissimilar origins and because of their similar origins.  As this series has been all along, Nightwing #104 is character focused.  Taylor doesn’t ever make the reader try and believe that Nightwing is actually tempted to keep the power, it’s not in his nature.  The insight comes from seeing what Nightwing does with his short-lived powers and the obvious parallel that Taylor builds with the Man of Steel.  Clark’s appearance is appropriate in the issue as it also turns the plot back towards the mission the Justice League turned over to the Titans back in Nightwing #100, to take over for the League while the League is on hiatus.  

While Nightwing may not be tempted, the reader might be.  Even some of Dick’s teammates seem to wish he had the powers permanently as they observe how well they suit him.  This comparison to Superman runs deep in the Nighwing lore, Nightwing selected his name from Superman’s adventures in Kandor as Nightwing a Batman-like identity that Superman used for the first time back in Superman #158 (January 1963).  The history of the Kryptonian Nightwing has been altered through the years, but it remains a deep point of connection between Dick Grayson and Clark.

Negatives

If there’s negatives in Nightwing #104 they are sins of omission as opposed to commission.  Barbara (Batgirl/Oracle) Gordon while appearing in the background of the Titans’ fight with Neron’s hordes is missing in the wrap up.  This series has used Dick and Babs relationship that it feels odd for her not to have a significant moment at the end of story arc.  

While the editor’s note tells the reader when this story takes place, the timing doesn’t match up exactly with the publishing schedule.  Most significantly, it was a little odd reading Titans #1 last week when this issue clearly concludes before the events of that issue.

Verdict

Overall, the negatives in Nightwing #104 are minimal at best and the “Rise of the Underworld” story arc concludes with a strong look at Dick Grayson’s character.  Initially, while Neron seemed to fit as a villain for the Titans, he doesn’t seem like a proper antagonist for Nightwing.  Despite this the finale provides a character driven story that does fit what makes Nightwing tick.  The issue also utilizes the deep history between Dick and Clark to add depth to the events.

The post Review: Nightwing #104 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 Lloyd

Summary

The Titans have taken the place of the on-hiatus Justice League.  But, just as they’re getting started and getting things in place, one of their own has been targeted- Wally West, The Flash!

Positives 

It’s hard not start with the beautiful art of Nicola Scott that graces the pages of Titans #1.  Whether it’s an intimate close shot of Raven holding Garfield as a mouse, or the wide shot of Dick and Donna talking to Garth on the beach or the new Titans Tower in Bludhaven, Scott makes the book look incredible.

One of the biggest draws for Dick Grayson as a character is that he’s been able to age, grow and develop.  This concept is applied to the Titans as a whole and it’s easy to see that this is the draw for the team- a group of friends who’ve grown up together.  It almost doesn’t matter what  crisis they face, it’s really about the group of friends- Nightwing, Donna Troy, Wally West, Garfield Logan, Victor Stone, Raven, Starfire and a number of others over the years.  Tom Taylor captures this as the team comes together for this new stage in their careers.   It’s really interesting that Garth (Aqualad/Tempest) is set apart in the story.  Dick makes it clear he wants Garth to be part of the Titans, but he can’t.  It’s nice to see that it’s not out of animosity or misunderstanding demonstrating simply that Garth has different priorities right now.

With all that Wally’s been through over the past five years beginning with Heroes in Crisis, it’s clear that the wound he suffers on the first page is not fatal despite the intensity of the dramatization in the issue.  It’s interestingly juxtaposed against the rest of the team bringing things together.  It’s going to be the journey of how Wally gets out of this as opposed to a shocking death.

Negatives

It seems like it’s a bit of piling on after Jeremy Adams has done all the work in undoing the damage wrought on the character.  It may feel tiresome to some to have Wally targeted on page one.  However, Wally, because of the trials he’s already come through is the only one who could be on the verge of death and it be clear it’s not a cheap stunt or meaningless death.

The inclusion of Peacemaker and Amanda Waller was a direction I didn’t expect and it feels slightly off.  Time will tell if they work as antagonists for the Titans.

Verdict

There’s a lot of heart in this issue as Scott communicates it through the characters faces and body language and Taylor wisely plays off the established history of these characters.  It began way back in Brave and the Bold #54  with Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash, the sidekick proteges of the Justice League of America.  It then started again with the New Teen Titans in 1980 by Marv Wolfman and George Perez.  Titans #1 begins the latest series to feature these friends who’ve grown up together.  Certainly the journey will be fun and exciting, but the heart of this issue as well as the popularity of this group of characters is their friendship and shared experiences that continue on just like real life.

The post Review: Titans #1 appeared first on DC Comics News.

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

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Bruno Redondo, Scott McDaniel, Rick Leonardi, Eddy Barrows, Javier Fernandez, Mikel Janín, Karl Story, Eber Ferreira, Caio Filipe and Joe Prado
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Heartless makes a play for the soul of Blüdhaven and Dick counters with well…damn near everybody…showing why he is the HEART of the DC Universe, in this moth’s landmark Nightwing #100.

Positives

“You will believe a comic can make you cry” should be emblazoned upon the cover of Nightwing #100.  I gravitate towards comics that are character and relationship focused.  That is certainly the heart of this issue, and of course with Dick being the heart of the DCU it’s a no-brainer that his opposite number should be Heartless (see Nightwing 2022 Annual for more on this.)  It seems sort of obvious now, but Taylor has slowly built up Heartless over his run on Nightwing and it’s making more and more sense.  As nice as it is to see this coalesce, the most amazing aspect of Nightwing #100 is the emotional exchange between Dick and Bruce (Batman) Wayne.  

Over the years, Bruce has been depicted the cold, distant, emotionally flatlined and oppositely the “father” of a super-hero family.  Readers have their favorite version of the character, but I’ve always preferred the more adjusted takes.  The sweet spot for me is the Bronze Age when Batman could be a dark, menacing creature of the night, but at the same time be a real person who, while driven had recognizable relationships with those in his supporting cast.  It may not have always been wine and roses, but you never got the feeling that Bruce was a borderline sociopath.  Nightwing #100 places a stake in the ground that gets Bruce closer to that Bronze Age incarnation.

Positives Cont’d

Dick Grayson first appeared in Detective Comics #38 and was quickly made Bruce Wayne’s legal ward.  In the Golden Age the relationship was depicted somewhere between father/ son and older brother/ younger brother.  In the ensuing years the relationship would go from best buddies to barely being able to talk to each other.  What finally happens in Nightwing #100 is a pivotal moment for both men as they finally acknowledge to each other their father/ son relationship in a meaningful way.  It not only acknowledges that they are father and son, but that they feel the love that exists between parents and children.  It may not seem like it from this description, but in the moment this is where the tears come in.

Dick and Babs (Barbara Gordon) enlist nearly the entire DC U in stopping Heartless.  After this, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman make Dick the offer to lead the Justice League and take the lead in defending the Earth.  Dick’s choice is the choice that makes the most sense for him as he reunites the classic New Teen Titans line up and revives the Titans.  A lot happens in this issue including a maybe stealth proposal to Barbara?  It’s so quick, you might miss it, heck, maybe I’ve misinterpreted it.  It’s an anniversary issue that nails down a lot of absolutes about Dick’s character and it’s beautiful..  Instead of multiple tales that depict different bits and pieces of his character they all are contained in the single story.  However, the issue is illustrated by numerous artists from Nightwing’s past for the nostalgic aspect.

Negatives

You’re kidding, right?

Verdict

Though we’re just a couple months into 2023, it’s not hard to imagine that Nightwing #100 is the single best issue of the year.  It’s that good.  It’s possible that this creative team may top themselves in the following eleven months, but this entry can easily win that prize.  This has it all for Nightwing fans, and it also feels essential to the DC Universe.  It demonstrates why Dick is so important to the DC Universe both inside continuity and for fans.  It works on both levels and it brings all the emotion possible.

The post Review: Nightwing #100 appeared first on DC Comics News.

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

Writer: Tom Taylor, Jay Kristoff and C.S. Pacat
Art: Eduardo Pansica & Julio Ferreira and Inaki Miranda
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

We’re gifted a trio of tales in the Nightwing 2022 Annual. We see the origin of Heartless and learn what goes on in Haley Grayson’s mind when Dick’s out. Finally, Jon Kent drops by for some help.

Positives

All three stories in the Nightwing 2022 Annual have something to offer.  The lead tale presents the origin of Heartless, the mysterious villain who’s been haunting Nightwing since issue #78.   While the character’s origin is truly disturbing, Tom Taylor does a lot of cool things in the story.  Not only does Heartless’ story begin at Haly’s Circus the night the Flying Graysons fell to their death,  Taylor effectively gives us a “dark” Alfred in the villain’s own childhood butler. Furthermore, we get a couple of callbacks to previous issues that are more important than the reader would’ve imagined at the time.  It may just be the first chapter in the next story arc, but its inclusion in an annual gives it added weight.  It’s also able to stand on its own without breaking up a longer arc while providing the necessary information.

The second story is a fun little tale that explores what goes on inside Haley’s mind when Dick is out of the apartment.  Dick and Babs go on a date and we learn just how alike Haley and Dick are.  It’s a cute, fun story, and it also keeps the Dick/Babs relationship at the forefront of this series.  It’s got a clever twist as well.

Positives Cont’d

The Nightwing 2022 Annual wraps up with a visit from Jon Kent.   While the aged-up version of the character is still a bad idea, having Dick Grayson as his mentor is a great one.  This tale not only shows why he’s a good mentor for Jon but how he came to be a good teacher.  It effectively shows what he learned from Batman as well as the fact at times how not to be like Batman.

In some of the flashbacks we get to see Dick in the classic pixie boot Robin costume and it’s nice to know that this is still part of continuity, despite his appearances in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest in a modified classic look.  The classic Robin costume is a reminder that those days of Robin would be welcomed in a solo series.  Dick is popular enough to carry two titles, isn’t he?

Pansica and Ferreira won’t make you forget about Bruno Redondo, but their art is stylistically similar enough to keep the reader convinced that they’re still in the same world.  Lucas’ colors assist with this as well, although the specific choices reflect more the tone of the individual stories.  It’s subtle, but it’s effective.  Inaki Miranda really sells the flashbacks of pixie boot Robin.  It’s not that he’s simply there, but he looks so good being there!

Negatives

As probably DC’s best title on the market, “negatives” are difficult to find in this issue.  Though, the shorter stories may benefit from some expansion or a bit more context.

Verdict

The Nightwing 2022 Annual uses the format effectively by telling, not only a special tale about the origin of Heartless but also two stories that are fun and insightful that are designed for a shorter format not seen often in contemporary comics from DC.  Combined, the stories give the reader a little something different while fitting into the whole of the series.

There’s a balance of tone between the stories as well, the shorter tales take a bit of the sting out of the lead feature.  It’s nice to cleanse the brain with some fun and heartwarming content after the wrenching origin of Heartless.

The post Review: Nightwing 2022 Annual appeared first on DC Comics News.

Confused?

Specifically, the upcoming WB Montreal game is NOT linked in any way to the upcoming CW TV show, Gotham Knights. It’s not an adaptation, it is not a spinoff, nor is it a tie-in. The company even went so far as to formally establish this in the Tweet below.

Message from the Belfry: the #GothamKnights game and the upcoming TV show of the same name are separate projects with no connection to one another. We can't wait for you to experience the action of our Gotham Knights soon.

— Gotham Knights (@GothamKnights) June 3, 2022

“[The Gotham Knights] game, ” the tweet reads, “and the upcoming TV show of the same name are separate projects with no connection to each other. We can’t wait for your to experience the action of our Gotham Knights soon.”

WB vs CW – What is The Difference Between These Gotham Knights?

Although the CW trailer has received mostly negative criticisms, the game has had its own complaints. From Red Hood using magic and Batgirl’s disabled tropes – the latter recently removed – to the quality of Nightwing’s glider method, Gotham Knights has much to improve on, apparently. However, the majority of hate is still being felt by The CW series based on those trailer reactions.

Regardless of their differences, however, both game and series have the same springboard event: The Death of Batman.

To further establish the difference,  here is the synopsis and trailer for for the WB Montreal’s upcoming platform:

Batman is dead. It is now up to the Batman Family – Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and Robin – to protect Gotham City, bring hope to its citizens, discipline to its cops, and fear to its criminals… You must evolve into the new Dark Knight and save Gotham from chaos. Your legacy begins now. Step into the Knight.

Now, the upcoming CW series:

Bruce Wayne is murdered and his adopted son forges an alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies. As the city becomes more dangerous, these mismatched fugitives will become its next generation of saviors, known as the Gotham Knights.

https://youtu.be/FnUkN3h9yQw

The series also stars Supernatural alum Mischa Collins as Harvey Dent, fated to become the villain Two-Face.

The game will be available this October, while the series is scheduled for a 2023 release.

Official Source – Gotham Knights Game Clarifies It’s Not Associated With the Show (comicbook.com)

The post WB Montreal’s ‘Gotham Knights’ Game Distances Itself From CW Show Of Same Name appeared first on DC Comics News.

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

Writer: Matthew Rosenberg

 Artist: Neil Googe

Letters: Troy Peteri

Colors: Antonio Fabela

Reviewed by: Carl Bryan

Summary

“I was warned that immortality can make one nostalgic, but I didn’t expect it to happen quite so soon. – NIghtwing to Alfred

Positives

Matthew Rosenberg provides a wonderful sidebar story in the DC versus Vampires storyline.  As a recent fan of all the alternate timelines in which Tom Taylor’s DCeased, Sean Murphy’s White Knight, and Rosenberg’s DC vs Vampires, we get the best of “what could be”.

As we already know, the vampire king is Dick Grayson, but the implications of this are explored on a lot of different levels by Rosenberg.  Pair that with a vampire hunter in Damian Wayne (albeit, he is a vampire as well…shades of Marvel’s Blade) and you get quite the family affair of sibling rivalry.

Enter Alfred. Why did DC kill him in the main timeline? Sigh… his voice is one of reason, for both Dick and Damian.  

Positives 2.0

The artwork is reminiscent of what is going on in Tom Taylor’s Nightwing comic. The panels and the “map” type storytelling is excellent.  I hope this type of storytelling continues to bleed to other artists as Neil Googe knocks this out of the park!

Negatives

Interestingly enough, there is one in this book.  If Dick knows that Damian is going to kill him and he subsequently encourages his vampire minions to kill Damian, why do we have the ending we have?  No spoilers here on the ending, but it gives cause to pause as Dick gives all the wrong cues to end up where he is now.  Huge plot hole!Verdict

Rosenberg gives us a great diversion story that delves a bit deeper into the Bat family angst in this vampire world. Is this a cliffhanger, a one-shot, or a cash grab? I mean… I’ll pay for Alfred to be placed into a Lazarus Pit anytime?

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