Nightwing #44 preview and discussion thread (SPOILERS!)

[Murrocko]

I liked everything about this except Dick coming across as a time displaced when it comes to tech. He was just a spy, he's in his early 20's. I don't expect him to be social media obsessed, nor do I want that, but I hate when he's characterized as the technologically inept member of the bat-family compared to Tim and Babs.

Also not a fan of this personal trainer career choice. He's Bruce's son, something like being philanthropist working with various charities and what not, makes more sense for the character to me, as opposed to crossfit. He's should be a public figure due to his relationship with Bruce, he's helping people from the ground up, and there's stories that can be told with corrupt rich within Bludhaven or anywhere in the world.

[Mataza]

It was very hit and miss. My concerns about the Dick and technology were somewhat realized. I thought the Luddite and technology incapable/against technology narrative was bad. I really have no idea why they want to continue to push that angle with the character as it just makes him look unintelligent. It makes no sense for someone 21-24 that grew up with smartphones and was trained by Batman and even became Batman to be this way with tech.

Eh, Dick is smart, just not tech oriented, he never was. He doesnt care about it and sees it mostly as a necesity (he can handle it tho, unless its too advanced). which is what we saw in the comic. I remember him having troubles with an G list villain that beat him once or twice by messing with his domino mask.
It makes perfect sense, it just means he isnt perfect or has a complete skillset, and thats fine. I remember him struggling with reading stuff in mandarin while he was Batman too.
Bruce was always the scientist.

[oasis1313]

Eh, Dick is smart, just not tech oriented, he never was. He doesnt care about it and sees it mostly as a necesity (he can handle it tho, unless its too advanced). which is what we saw in the comic. I remember him having troubles with an G list villain that beat him once or twice by messing with his domino mask.
It makes perfect sense, it just means he isnt perfect or has a complete skillset, and thats fine. I remember him struggling with reading stuff in mandarin while he was Batman too.
Bruce was always the scientist.

The process of designating different characters as "the scientist," "the acrobat," "the super-genius," "the gun-toter", "the obnoxious kid" is very lazy on DC's part. If they're always type-casted in absolute roles, there is no way for them to grow. Why NOT have a storyline where Dick says to himself, "Man, I gotta get caught up on this tech stuff!" and actually show him making an effort to LEARN--perhaps from Babs or Tim or even Alfred? Dick should be able to adapt to anything.

[gregpersons]

I liked everything about this except Dick coming across as a time displaced when it comes to tech. He was just a spy, he's in his early 20's. I don't expect him to be social media obsessed, nor do I want that, but I hate when he's characterized as the technologically inept member of the bat-family compared to Tim and Babs.

Also not a fan of this personal trainer career choice. He's Bruce's son, something like being philanthropist working with various charities and what not, makes more sense for the character to me, as opposed to crossfit. He's should be a public figure due to his relationship with Bruce, he's helping people from the ground up, and there's stories that can be told with corrupt rich within Bludhaven or anywhere in the world.

I agree with the first part. I don't mind the idea of Grayson as a personal trainer; it's a modern career, at least. Personally, I don't love the view of Dick as Bruce's "son" either — I prefer their relationship to be "younger brother/older brother" and he's Bruce's first "student." Especially since in the new continuity, Dick wasn't Robin until he was already a teenager. In my mind, Dick isn't Damian's older brother — he's Damian's uncle.

Anyway, this issue just feels like the writer is out-of-touch, and forcing his "get off my lawn" view of smartphones/social media onto Nightwing. It feels like a Baby Boomer read a trend piece on Millennials then wrote this as though it was the first ever solo Nightwing story.

I'm less annoyed that the run is ignoring what's come before & more annoyed that Nightwing always seems to be written like a moron who only seems to have three characteristics: Didja know he was trained by Batman? Didja know he was raised in the circus? Didja know he's got a good butt?

You know what I'd love to see in a Nightwing book?

(1) No inner monologues about Batman or the circus.

(2) He is written as a credible 20-something man in an American city. If Nightwing is supposedly 30 or younger, he has never seen a telephone booth in his life — much less used one.

(3) He is shown to be an exceptional athlete and a competent detective.

We've seen these things happen, but there hasn't ever been a run in Nightwing that's been able to consistently do all 3 of those things.

[Aioros22]

Wow, this has been the most discussion I`ve seen out of an issue of Nigthwing in months and 80% of it is about Dick being a technophobe.

[TheCape]

Wow, this has been the most discussion I`ve seen out of an issue of Nigthwing in months and 80% of it is about Dick being a technophobe.

Well, if what Percy is focussing on, at some point we would go back to bicth about Bludhaven too .

[Aioros22]

Hey, at least it`s something new to bitch about.

I wonder if they`re trying hard to discern Dick from Tim.

[TheCape]

Hey, at least it`s something new to bitch about.

I wonder if they`re trying hard to discern Dick from Tim.

Nah, i think that is just Percy bringing back the 90s .

[Mataza]

The process of designating different characters as "the scientist," "the acrobat," "the super-genius," "the gun-toter", "the obnoxious kid" is very lazy on DC's part. If they're always type-casted in absolute roles, there is no way for them to grow.

This is true, it is a horrible thing to do to your character. Especially considering that having 4 robins is an incredible asset for DC, not something they should be lamenting or limiting. These 4 guys are all great and can make for very interesting stories, boogles the mind how something so valuable can be so underapreciated.

Ask any Robin fan if they wouldnt like a story with any combination of them interacting. Jason trying to oneup Dick, Tim and Damian constantly bickering but in the end actually being effective, Jason and Damian finding common ground, Damian and Dick having a heartwarming moment, Tim and Jason discussing approachs to crime fighting, etc.

Why NOT have a storyline where Dick says to himself, "Man, I gotta get caught up on this tech stuff!" and actually show him making an effort to LEARN--perhaps from Babs or Tim or even Alfred? Dick should be able to adapt to anything.

I think this story showed him as very capable in the field (just not really interested in it, which is fair), at the end of the day his doubts couldnt be answered by babs herself. Him experimenting with the technology is a way for him to learn how to deal with it.
I really liked that he went to someone else first, this is Dick Grayson, he is suposed to be the heart of DC, he should talk to other people (we already see he thinks he can handle it himself, which is why he tells Barbara not to call Bruce). In fact he should have been contacting Cyborg, but having him and Babs have an exchange worked on other levels as well, so they used her.

You would seem to be overreacting and assuming a ton of stuff, this story did no diservice to Dick, and i believe you are too much on the defensive, which i cannot blame. I dont remember reading this many complains when seeley spent over 30 issues making dick into an inexperienced, submissive and incompetent damsel in distress that never had a clue what was going on.

[TheCape]

This is true, it is a horrible thing to do to your character. Especially considering that having 4 robins is an incredible asset for DC, not something they should be lamenting or limiting. These 4 guys are all great and can make for very interesting stories, boogles the mind how something so valuable can be so underapreciated.


I think this story showed him as very capable in the field (just not really interested in it, which is fair), at the end of the day his doubts couldnt be answered by babs herself. Him experimenting with the technology is a way for him to learn how to deal with it.
I really liked that he went to someone else first, this is Dick Grayson, he is suposed to be the heart of DC, he should talk to other people (we already see he thinks he can handle it himself, which is why he tells Barbara not to call Bruce). In fact he should have been contacting Cyborg, but having him and Babs have an exchange worked on other levels as well, so they used her.

You would seem to be overreacting and assuming a ton of stuff, this story did no diservice to Dick, and i believe you are too much on the defensive, which i cannot blame. I dont remember reading this many complains when seeley spent over 30 issues making dick into an inexperienced, submissive and incompetent damsel in distress that never had a clue what was going on.

I'm not sure if that is i would describe Seely's run, i question from time to time (his quips could get on my nerves sometimes), but damsel in distress???, that's a bit much.

[Mataza]

He spent an issue waiting to be rescued.

[TheCape]

He spent an issue waiting to be rescued.

When he did that?.

[JayPursuits]

Eh, Dick is smart, just not tech oriented, he never was. He doesnt care about it and sees it mostly as a necesity (he can handle it tho, unless its too advanced). which is what we saw in the comic. I remember him having troubles with an G list villain that beat him once or twice by messing with his domino mask.
It makes perfect sense, it just means he isnt perfect or has a complete skillset, and thats fine. I remember him struggling with reading stuff in mandarin while he was Batman too.
Bruce was always the scientist.

I also remember a time when Midnighter needed his help curing people of "Martian vampirism" and understand what the hell he was doing and was nearly successful but failed because the creator ensured anyone who tried curing them would die to cover his tracks and putting together his Robin suit and Nightwing suit, including the very tech that allows him to detect Microwave radiation and a killswitch and not to mention creating the gadgetry he used Prior to Death of the Family New 52 storyline. I also remember him building his own car and creating his own HQ within his own apartment, hack JLA teleporters without Batman even knowing, and surprising Superman by hacking into a terminal using the Tamaranean alien language he learned from Starfire. EDIT: He also has some tech and hacking capabilities in the current Titans, Booth being the only artist to draw Nightwing in something that resembles armor.

It actually does not make any sense. The real reason Nightwing seem like a low-tech hero is because after Higgin's run, the next time he was Nightwing, they spent so much time designing a costume for a character that had the Pre-52 look but little functionality in....almost anything. It's not like they actually thought "Oh yeah, Nightwing being low-tech should be a consistent, in-character thing". Ben Percy probably thought he was just because he didn't put out a lot of tech.

Also, Percy wrote Dick as Agent 37 torturing some guy for information in Detective Comics #35/#36 was it IIRC. He clearly will change the character to suit his stories.

[Mataza]

He is smart, prepared and can do many things on the fly. He can hack, he can synthesize drugs, he can analyze tech, he is comfortable in a lab wearing robes if needed be. But he likes doing things the old fashioned way whenever possible. He can handle the most advanced technology available. But the tech we see in this issue is a few generations beyond what he has ever handled. Its suposed to make this threat bigger, not communicate us that Dick cant operate the microwave oven.


@TheCape Issue 28

[OWL45]

He is smart, prepared and can do many things on the fly. He can hack, he can synthesize drugs, he can analyze tech, he is comfortable in a lab wearing robes if needed be. But he likes doing things the old fashioned way whenever possible. He can handle the most advanced technology available. But the tech we see in this issue is a few generations beyond what he has ever handled. Its suposed to make this threat bigger, not communicate us that Dick cant operate the microwave oven.


@TheCape Issue 28

I completely agree with your view on how he is portrayed in this issue. He is clearly smart, observant, and analytical just prefers to approach problems in a more old school fashion. Which I think the noir vibe in the art really brings across. It’s like we can’t have anything nice with this character. As soon as a writer actually tries to do something different with the character fans start having a fit. Which several writers have expressed frustration with in the past. Some are to quick to jump the gun. They made him Batman people complained and they put in him back as Nightwing. They made him a Super Spy people complained and they put him back. They put him back in blue and resurrected Bludhaven and people still complained. I think as fans we have to step back and be open to a different interpretation of our favorite characters. I personally feel the character has been on a downward trend and they have just been giving up by the numbers stories. This new run with Percy actually seems promising.