Dick Grayson: Robin / Nightwing Appreciation 2020

[Avi]

I remember the rumors and speculations that surrounded Tiger and before Rebirth entered the picture I thought I could see the path they were going for, and Raptor and him definitely aren't that different in their thinking. I think team-ups with Tiger could go both ways depending on the situation and the goal either of them follows.

Fernandez is one of my favorite Nightwing artists. His pencils could be a but rushed sometimes due to semi-monthly shipping, but his storytelling was and is superb. The final issue of Rise of the Raptor he absolutely killed it. His recent Nightwing commissions on Twitter have been amazing, I'd love to have him back sometime. I loved Chang as well, I'd take him back too in a heartbeat.

That's true. Fernandez definitely knew how to tell a story through art even then and he has only improved since. Another artist of that "era" I wouldn't mind seeing again is Minkyu Jung.

It's an all-new dynamic for the Dynamic Duo when Nightwing and Gotham's mysterious new Batman join forces against the Magistrate. But when the totalitarian force controlling the city declares the two heroes their primary targets, Nightwing will need to call on the full force of his hidden resistance, including two Batgirls, Huntress, and Two-Face! But even then, will it be enough? Find out in this action-packed conclusion!

The solicitation has me slightly more intrigued, but only slightly. I've sorely missed Helena and Dick interacting and the other three should be interesting as well. Especially if the Batgirls are Cass and Steph. At least it'll be a pretty Issue much like the January one.

[WonderNight]

I hope spyral comes back, such a cool corner of the dcu nightwing could make his own.

[Digifiend]

Previews for Nightwing #76:
https://aiptcomics.com/2020/11/13/dc...-nightwing-76/

and Teen Titans #47 (with narration from Dick):
https://aiptcomics.com/2020/11/13/dc...een-titans-47/

[Restingvoice]

They lost me at "Why me? Why am I getting shot? Why not Batman"

[Avi]

So I'm guessing Dick's narration of TT will be connected to the Last Tales and FS? If they say the thing missing is teaching, then they might as well just say "we need to be the X-Men".

In the last weeks most of the books I have read have had some breaking the 4th wall and calling storylines out... The problem with Nightwing is that they just continue to be the problem and try to say "look how self-aware we are! Give us praise!" or at least that's how it seems to me.

[Godlike13]

Previews for Nightwing #76:
https://aiptcomics.com/2020/11/13/dc...-nightwing-76/

This is so bad. So let’s show for the 100th time how KG Beast shot Dick, that he was this guy that calculated and sniped Dick from however far away with out a word. But now here he is monologuing how he wants to shoot him. Why is he not shooting him then. What the hell is he waiting for there lol. This is so dumb. This just like with Cobb. Under Jurgens villains just become boring mustache twirling cliches that don’t make any sense. But that’s just how Jurgens is conditioned to write his bad guys, so that’s how he writes them. Even if it’s complete nonsense and uncharacteristic.

[Avi]

Nightwing will be in Death Metal #7. And he might actually get to do something?
https://twitter.com/GregCapullo/stat...30642379100161

[Claude]

Nightwing will be in Death Metal #7. And he might actually get to do something?
https://twitter.com/GregCapullo/stat...30642379100161

Woo! They've been leaning *heavily* on the fact that the current Justice League arc with him will have an impact on the end of the event, so hopefully this is a sign of that importance.

[Badou]

Nightwing will be in Death Metal #7. And he might actually get to do something?
https://twitter.com/GregCapullo/stat...30642379100161

No, he probably won't do anything other than what is shown in that image. Just be in a few panels fighting the Robin creatures. Just like with Metal, Death metal isn't a story where Nightwing has any kind of role in it. So I wouldn't go in expecting anything or get your hopes up. After this long we know who the story is focusing on and that isn't going to change last minute before the end.

[Frontier]

I finally read Nightwing: Year One.

My random thoughts:

- Is there any way to write a Batman and Robin breakup that doesn't end up making Batman look like a jerk? I guess not. I guess it's in-line with Robin: Year One but he didn't feel that bad in Batgirl: Year One. That Robin anniversary story kind of had a nice twist where Bruce intentionally drove Dick away to help him grow, but I don't think that's what Dixon was going for here.

- Matt Hagen had a kid? Huh.

- I feel bad that Alfred gets stuck mediating between his kids.

- When was the last time Dick and Boston Brand interacted?

- I'd kind of prefer Bruce bringing Jason to the fold didn't involve practically kidnapping him...

- Nightwing and Batgirl's "date" was fun, even though it seemed like Dick was 100% okay with cheating on Kori up until Babs put a stop to it. Actually, considering what we know happens later on, I guess he was always comfortable cheating on Kori with Babs when it came down to it.

- Babs follows "orders" better than Dick does? I kind of got that sense. Especially when she went along with the plan to pit Dick and Jason against each other for the "challenge" by basically tricking him.

- First chronological appearance of Killer Croc was kind of random, but I guess it was a nod to the time when Croc was more of a crime boss than he is now.

- I kind of see where fans come from with the issue of them re-contexualizing Jason as a "too confident" Robin who didn't take it seriously enough, but Dick did admit he thought Jason had the chops to be Robin by the end.

- So, chronologically, where does this fit in with Judas Contract? Was Dick already Nightwing when Slade attacked him? Did he finish his business in Gotham and then rush off to save the Titans from HIVE?

[Pohzee]

There was that Detective Comics #1027 with Dick and Deadman.

[Rakiduam]

I finally read Nightwing: Year One.

My random thoughts:

- Is there any way to write a Batman and Robin breakup that doesn't end up making Batman look like a jerk? I guess not. I guess it's in-line with Robin: Year One but he didn't feel that bad in Batgirl: Year One. That Robin anniversary story kind of had a nice twist where Bruce intentionally drove Dick away to help him grow, but I don't think that's what Dixon was going for here.

- Matt Hagen had a kid? Huh.

- I feel bad that Alfred gets stuck mediating between his kids.

- When was the last time Dick and Boston Brand interacted?

- I'd kind of prefer Bruce bringing Jason to the fold didn't involve practically kidnapping him...

- Nightwing and Batgirl's "date" was fun, even though it seemed like Dick was 100% okay with cheating on Kori up until Babs put a stop to it. Actually, considering what we know happens later on, I guess he was always comfortable cheating on Kori with Babs when it came down to it.

- Babs follows "orders" better than Dick does? I kind of got that sense. Especially when she went along with the plan to pit Dick and Jason against each other for the "challenge" by basically tricking him.

- First chronological appearance of Killer Croc was kind of random, but I guess it was a nod to the time when Croc was more of a crime boss than he is now.

- I kind of see where fans come from with the issue of them re-contexualizing Jason as a "too confident" Robin who didn't take it seriously enough, but Dick did admit he thought Jason had the chops to be Robin by the end.

- So, chronologically, where does this fit in with Judas Contract? Was Dick already Nightwing when Slade attacked him? Did he finish his business in Gotham and then rush off to save the Titans from HIVE?

It doeasn't fit t all. Nor Batman, nor Barbara, nor Jason fit in Dick's live at the time he became Nightwing, it was a bad idea forced them in it. All of suden is not about growth but manipulation and betrayal. Awful story all around.

[SiegePerilous02]

I finally read Nightwing: Year One.

My random thoughts:

- Is there any way to write a Batman and Robin breakup that doesn't end up making Batman look like a jerk? I guess not. I guess it's in-line with Robin: Year One but he didn't feel that bad in Batgirl: Year One. That Robin anniversary story kind of had a nice twist where Bruce intentionally drove Dick away to help him grow, but I don't think that's what Dixon was going for here.

Pre-Crisis was probably the closest we'd get, at least because both Bruce and Dick were kind of acting like jerks and then talked it out like adults towards the end. Just reading the first chapter of this was enough to make me put the book down in disgust.

The Robin anniversary story was an improvement in comparison, but still not ideal.

[Frontier]

Pre-Crisis was probably the closest we'd get, at least because both Bruce and Dick were kind of acting like jerks and then talked it out like adults towards the end. Just reading the first chapter of this was enough to make me put the book down in disgust.

The Robin anniversary story was an improvement in comparison, but still not ideal.

I mean, I think there was enough good in the story in-spite of that, but it's definitely not my favorite take on Bruce and Dick's relationship.

[Badou]

I didn't like Nightwing Year One. It just felt like such a big swing and miss compared to some of the other Year One series. Robin Year One wasn't perfect but good enough and Batgirl Year One was great I thought. The two read well together, but I hate how Nightwing Year One is still the default origin in most cases and completely took the agency from Dick's character. I find the whole thing just frustrating. Judas Contract being in continuity post crisis was always a bit weird. At times it felt like it was, or some version of it at least, but then with Nightwing it wasn't. We are still dealing with it now given that Lazarus Contract was their attempt at rewriting it for Rebirth. Nightwing's whole origin is such a mess now.


Anyway, something I do kind of like is the Nightwing costume in the Teen Titans Future State series. No interest in the series itself but the costume I like, haha. Hasn't been posted here I think and we get a better shot of it in the recent solicits. I think going back to the gold and blue color scheme while using New 52 design looks really fresh. It changes the feel from the mostly black design that I've gotten frustrated with lately. I don't like the blue on the current costume being so thin and I always disliked the bird motif on the Nightwing costumes or logo. The bird stuff to me always made it feel like a Robin derivative. Like they think "Dick was Robin before so obviously his new costume and identity should be bird related too". If that is their mindset then Dick should never have given up Robin in the first place. It's like when they wanted to make Nightwing red so all the current and former Robins would be red like Robin is. Just not a fan of it.

But with how awful the Ric story was Dick needs something fresh to put that whole disaster behind him. So a new costume with a new color scheme like the one here I think could be really fun.