Dick Grayson: Robin/ Nightwing/ Agent 37 Appreciation 2021

[nightw1ng]

Honestly, this is the first time in years that I've enjoyed the Nightwing book again. It actually feels hopeful and upbeat, which is what Dick should be compared to the rest of the Batfamily.

[Restingvoice]

Oh about Dick not smiling and quipping, I forgot in the very first preview when saving the pup, he said it himself he usually opens with something witty, but he's not usually this disgusted, and he didn't smile until after he rescued the pup.

So it is the bullies. He's just that disgusted.

[BloodOps]

Man this was so good.

The only complaint I had is that we read most of it prior to the comic coming out.


Seeing Dick back in the spotlight is well overdue, as the 4th pillar of DC, he needs to be involved more.

[K. Jones]

This was really good comics, but it did go by too fast. You have that with books that had too many previews, of course. I was pleased with a lot of bullet points. Dealing with Alfred was the biggest win for me, as Dick might be Bruce's best apprentice but if he's a chip off any old block, it's probably more the Alfred Block - performer, loyal friend, master of SPYCRAFT ... oh yes, he's like "Alfred Junior" in a lot of ways so it's really nice to see that played out. Getting back to Blockbuster. Friendship with Babs, I guess there's a Post-Death Metal dynamic presently that we can see how it shakes out. Probably more Sam & Diane nonsense but at least she'll be supporting here, too. Bodyguard does* look like Onyx it's true, that was my first thought as well. Maybe someone new though. Another "Bat City Mayor" comes and goes.

My biggest curiosity hails directly from Melinda's identity and just the continuity/chronology questions of what it means to have a Zucco kicking around, because there's so many things to think about. There's Golden Age Zucco. There's Bronze Age Zucco. There's TAS Robin's Reckoning. There's Dark Victory with "Fat Tony". There's the svelte Zucco of the New 52 Chicago run and his new family. There's Scott Snyder's whole Sonia angle, which was an angle I liked. There's a lot, you know? In my own head I've been pondering the notion that there almost had to be "Two Tony Zuccos" if you want to include all the really cool stories, elements and revisits. But comics being comics, I've never opposed to evil siblings we've never heard of, so Melinda being Sonia's sister could work fine for me. It does basically demand some answers about Sonia's whereabouts within this story.

I really like what Taylor is doing already with the mixing of Dick's Flying Grayson/Zucco origin, Blockbuster rivalry, Alfred-mentor/mentee thing, and presumably cross-purposes between Babs, Melinda, and maybe if Sonia shows up, these various powerful women making things challenging for him. I think it's a good mix of story elements to throw in a blender for a first issue. Now I'll just go re-read the Tim Seeley stuff from Grayson up through Rebirth and turn my brain back on from the Fugue State that was "Ric".

[Vordan]

-Overall the issue was good if safe which is frankly what the character needed after the Ric saga. Reminds me of Seeley Nightwing Rebirth. Blockbuster is set up as the big bad, Dick & Babs are together. Pretty standard status quo to start.
-Issue was pretty thin on plot and was more about setup. Not a whole lot happens and the pace will need to pick up to retain my interest
-Art’s good as expected
-The dog made me roll my eyes. It’s one of Taylor’s cliches that he loves to introduce a “hecking gud boy” animal for his characters to coo over (he did it in Wolverine, Injustice 2, and probably elsewhere) and I just am utterly indifferent to the cheap “feels” bait
-Dick seems to be written well but I hope Taylor won’t make Babs the brains and Dick just an idiot who follows directions over the comm
-Another Zucco daughter? I’ll give it a shot but I need to get a reason why he created another OC
-I liked the Alfred letter and Dick being richer than Bruce now is funny

All in all I’d give it an 8/10. Does a good job and there’s potential here, but Taylor needs to avoid a lot of his usual cliches to keep me interested. But it’s a damn sight better than pretty much everything since Humphries left the book

[Drako]

I love how the girls are showing him support in this.

-The dog made me roll my eyes. It’s one of Taylor’s cliches that he loves to introduce a “hecking gud boy” animal for his characters to coo over (he did it in Wolverine, Injustice 2, and probably elsewhere) and I just am utterly indifferent to the cheap “feels” bait

If Batwing is anything like Jonathan, the real wolverine, i'm happy!

[dropkickjake]

Not a whole lot happened, but everything that happened was given proper space to breath. I like that. I'm curious about Melinda. Seems like its your standard "You put my dad away, now I hate you!" plot line, but could go in any direction really. Dick/Babs interaction was fine, but there was enough in it to give ppl pause about the BabsSmart DickDumb trope. The art was beautiful. Best art in a Nightwing book I've seen in a bit. That two page spread for the title... wow. Didn't see the neon/Casino bludhaven that seeley seemed to mention in his tweet. that was disappointing, but maybe it'll come up again. Either way, Bludhaven doesn't really feel like knock-off Gotham yet, which makes me happy. All in all, it doesn't (yet) feel like Dick is going to save the universe, but it does feel like this is going to be a great, smaller scale story about Dick Grayson. I like that.

Re- other kids in the will: First, making arguments from silence is silly. The whole argument feels a little silly to me. This is about the hypothetical scenario in which Alfred didn't leave anything to the others? Really? Secondly, the letter itself didn't mention that he gave Dick the money because he had a better relationship with him, but because he trusted his goodness the most. He trusted Dick to do the most good possible with the money. Makes sense to me.

[Rac7d*]

Let’s keep this up all year
The foundation for a Nightwing solo series is being laid down
23D16526-4DF8-4DF8-ADD3-43DC3A7FA516.jpg

[Vordan]

Let’s keep this up all year
The foundation for a Nightwing solo series is being laid down
23D16526-4DF8-4DF8-ADD3-43DC3A7FA516.jpg

Critics love Taylor’s stuff so no surprise it’s reviewing well. Gotta admit I am wary of people obsessing over critic scores in regards to comics the way they do movies, TV, and video games. Don’t feel like the obsession over aggregate scores has served those mediums well.

[Robanker]

This was fun! I'm glad to have a Taylor DC book I enjoy. Redondo's art is the real triumph here, and I don't mean that as a dig to anyone else working on it (with special mention to the colors being decidedly on point).

It was a good opening statement. Taylor writes a good Dick Grayson who is more himself than he's been in a long time, Ric or no. Right level of humor and seriousness. The Barbara dynamic worked well too and I love that dog.

This feels very much like it's riffing on the Dixon run. Looking forward to the next issue and "HATS ON ICE"!

[Restingvoice]

BrunDo's design notes. A tiny backpack with magnet to hold the escrima sticks

It's Wingding, B

Inside his apartment, which is different than old Clancy's. By the looks of it, and how Dick is comfortable hanging out without mask outside the building, there's no other tenant or superintendent.


https://stxleslyds.tumblr.com/post/6...ightwings-suit

[Drako]

Oh! He made a little backpack! That's actually brilliant! No need for a belt or anything, he can keep his visual as clean as possible!

Awesome!

[Pohzee]

BrunDo's design notes. A tiny backpack with magnet to hold the escrima sticks

It's Wingding, B

Inside his apartment, which is different than old Clancy's. By the looks of it, and how Dick is comfortable hanging out without mask outside the building, there's no other tenant or superintendent.


https://stxleslyds.tumblr.com/post/6...ightwings-suit

Is that a costume redesign I see? Arms stripes, no boot swishes, boxing wraps, and a backpack none of which are seen in the current issue. Perhaps an Oracle inspired upgrade is in the works.

[mib86]

I love those trapeze-like escrima sticks, considering Dick's circus background, they are so appropriate.
It makes you wonder why no one has ever thought about it before, in all these years.

[Lady Nightwing]

Oooh, new costume. That's pretty exciting