Tim Seeley’s Nightwing is okay, but it feels like a downgrade from Grayson in almost every way. The first volume introduces Raptor, a villain I have mixed feelings towards. There is a lot to like about this guy, such as his playfulness when he starts composing his own theme song, or the fact he used to be in a relationship with Nightwing/Dick’s mother, which serves to explore an element of the protagonist’s past that got little attention up to this point. The problem is that he also makes Nightwing regress to the status of incompetent sidekick, as he becomes the hero’s mentor and fools him for an entire arc, which gets especially irritating when both Batgirl and Batman outright tell Dick that Raptor should not be trusted.
The second volume is bad. Nightwing moves to Blüdhaven a.k.a. Gotham Lite and solves one of the most obvious murder mysteries ever conceived. We are also introduced to Shawn Tsang, the hero's new love interest… who completely pales in comparison to his former girlfriends. Granted, it’s tough to live up to beloved heroines like Starfire or Batgirl, but Shawn’s most obvious personality trait are her severe anger issues, and her one gimmick is that she can fly… by using modified spray cans tied to her ankles. Yes, it’s about as ridiculous as it sounds. It doesn’t help that we only see the two dating for a grand total of ONE issue (a damn good one, but still), after which she becomes a plot device instead of what feels like an actual character.
The third volume is a love letter to Grant Morrison’s Batman, featuring the return of two iconic antagonists from that run. Nightwing is also partnered with Robin for this adventure, and their interactions are equal parts heart-warming and hilarious. This story ties in to Dark Nights: Metal (an event I hated), but it still managed to be my favourite volume in the entire run.
Volume four is easily the weakest. Not only does it have a terrible ending, but it only exists to address a very minor plot point from Grayson that I had completely forgotten about, so it’s also inaccessible for those who haven’t read the previous series. It does have a pretty fun issue where Nightwing fights a bunch of Superman and Green Arrow villains aboard a sinking ship, though.
The final volume is decent. There is a chapter where Nightwing and Raptor figure out each other’s backstories over a game of Blackjack that’s nothing short of brilliant. But we’ve got to talk about the art. I thought it was awful for most of the series, but it gets especially bad here. Blockbuster looks ridiculous in ways I can’t really explain. Characters seem to gain or lose weight between panels. What I thought was a blood puddle in the ground turned out to be a character in a red uniform. It looks that unfinished.
Overall, Seeley’s Nightwing is… fine. It’s not extraordinary by any means, but I had fun with it. Recommended for fans of the character. To everyone else, there are better comic books out there.
ComicBook Meh...
Tim Seeley’s Nightwing is okay, but it feels like a downgrade from Grayson in almost every way. The first volume introduces Raptor, a villain I have mixed feelings towards. There is a lot to like about this guy, such as his playfulness when he starts composing his own theme song, or the fact he used to be in a relationship with Nightwing/Dick’s mother, which serves to explore an element of the protagonist’s past that got little attention up to this point. The problem is that he also makes Nightwing regress to the status of incompetent sidekick, as he becomes the hero’s mentor and fools him for an entire arc, which gets especially irritating when both Batgirl and Batman outright tell Dick that Raptor should not be trusted.
The second volume is bad. Nightwing moves to Blüdhaven a.k.a. Gotham Lite and solves one of the most obvious murder mysteries ever conceived. We are also introduced to Shawn Tsang, the hero's new love interest… who completely pales in comparison to his former girlfriends. Granted, it’s tough to live up to beloved heroines like Starfire or Batgirl, but Shawn’s most obvious personality trait are her severe anger issues, and her one gimmick is that she can fly… by using modified spray cans tied to her ankles. Yes, it’s about as ridiculous as it sounds. It doesn’t help that we only see the two dating for a grand total of ONE issue (a damn good one, but still), after which she becomes a plot device instead of what feels like an actual character.
The third volume is a love letter to Grant Morrison’s Batman, featuring the return of two iconic antagonists from that run. Nightwing is also partnered with Robin for this adventure, and their interactions are equal parts heart-warming and hilarious. This story ties in to Dark Nights: Metal (an event I hated), but it still managed to be my favourite volume in the entire run.
Volume four is easily the weakest. Not only does it have a terrible ending, but it only exists to address a very minor plot point from Grayson that I had completely forgotten about, so it’s also inaccessible for those who haven’t read the previous series. It does have a pretty fun issue where Nightwing fights a bunch of Superman and Green Arrow villains aboard a sinking ship, though.
The final volume is decent. There is a chapter where Nightwing and Raptor figure out each other’s backstories over a game of Blackjack that’s nothing short of brilliant. But we’ve got to talk about the art. I thought it was awful for most of the series, but it gets especially bad here. Blockbuster looks ridiculous in ways I can’t really explain. Characters seem to gain or lose weight between panels. What I thought was a blood puddle in the ground turned out to be a character in a red uniform. It looks that unfinished.
Overall, Seeley’s Nightwing is… fine. It’s not extraordinary by any means, but I had fun with it. Recommended for fans of the character. To everyone else, there are better comic books out there.