Nightwing 3 (January 2012)

Almost there… almost there. Higgins’s Nightwing writing is improving by leaps and bounds. Though the soft cliffhanger is weak and there’s a big irregularity in the timeline (Dick’s parents were alive “five years ago,” meaning Batman’s been through three Robins in four years in the new DC universe?), it’s a decent issue.

Barrows and new co-penciller Eduardo Pansica help a lot. Though it’s still too static in the regular people talking scenes, there are some good pages in this issue. One sequence has Dick tripping out and hallucinating; it looks great.

As far as the plot goes, it’s still old Robin comics recycled, but Higgins earnestly presents it all. Sure, Dick probably won’t take over day-to-day control of a circus and be Nightwing in his off hours, but this issue convincingly presents it as a possibility.

I’m almost onboard, but still wary–Higgins hasn’t exactly proven himself reliable.

CREDITS

Past and Present; writer, Kyle Higgins; pencillers, Eddy Barrows and Eduardo Pansica; inkers, J.P. Mayer, Paulo Siqueira and Eber Ferreira; colorists, Rod Reis and Allen Passalaqua; letterer, Carlos M. Mangual; editors, Katie Kubert and Bobbie Chase; publisher, DC Comics.

Blue Beetle 3 (January 2012)

So the evil Mexican American woman isn’t just a mob boss… she’s a witch. Okay. I guess it’s not a traditional stereotype. Right?

There’s some really hideous art from Guara and Mayer this issue. The Blue Beetle costume looks boring, which isn’t hideous just bad design. No, peoples heads are strange sizes in comparison to one another. Whenever there’s a two shot, someone’s head is twice as big as the other person’s. Makes no sense.

Bedard finishes–according to the issue title–the series’s first arc this issue and, basically, the Blue Beetle kid now has the Blue Beetle fused to his back. It’s a rather unsatisfying arc in terms of narrative gesture.

Though, when Bedard can’t think of a logical reason for the artificially intelligent Blue Beetle battle armor to come off the kid… he has the kid whine it off.

Bedard’s writing is simultaneously ill-conceived, bewildering and terrible.

CREDITS

Metamorphosis, Conclusion; writer, Tony Bedard; penciller, Ig Guara; inker, J.P. Mayer; colorist, Pete Pantazis; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rex Ogle and Eddie Berganza; publisher, DC Comics.

Nightwing 2 (December 2011)

Nightwing might be a little better. I mean, not a lot, but a little. Barrows, for example, gets positively ambitious when it comes to page layouts. Maybe he’s been reading some eighties Batman, since Higgins is still ripping them off.

Two big developments this issue—first, Dick Grayson now owns Haly’s Circus. Not sure if he owns the pre-Flashpoint Haley’s Circus too, or just the one with the inexplicably changed name. Second, Haly’s Circus has a secret.

Now, I’m pretty sure Dick once owned Haly’s in the eighties and, if he didn’t, he at least solved its big secret. It’s a shame DC didn’t just reprint the old eighties Robin backups covering the same material, as the art and writing were, you know, good.

Another strange element is all the gratuitous sex in the new DC Universe. Dick hooks up with a bimbo. Yippee.

Still, better than last issue.

CREDITS

Haly’s Wish; writer, Kyle Higgins; penciller, Eddy Barrows; inkers, J.P. Mayer and Paulo Siqueira; colorist, Rod Reis; letterer, Carlos M. Mangual; editors, Katie Kubert and Bobbie Chase; publisher, DC Comics.

Nightwing 1 (November 2011)

From the cover of Nightwing, it looks like DC’s employing everyone in the Rob Liefeld school of not understanding human anatomy. Of course, at least Eddy Barrows gets a little better in the comic itself. Not much, but a little.

The problem with the book isn’t Barrows, of course. It’s Kyle Higgins. He read some Batman comics from the seventies and eighties and he’s regurgitating the Dick Grayson Robin backups and DC’s calling it “new.”

Worse than the predictable plotting is the narration. Higgins’s first person narration for Dick Grayson is badly written, more than a little moronic and also fails to make Dick likable. He seems rather inane from his narration; I don’t think he has a single interesting observation.

Nightwing might be my least favorite DC relaunch book so far. Higgins is trying to turn Dick Grayson into Peter Parker at times. It’s uninspired and just plain dumb.

CREDITS

Welcome to Gotham; writer, Kyle Higgins; penciller, Eddy Barrows; inker, J.P. Mayer; colorist, Rod Reis; letterer, Carlos M. Mangual; editors, Katie Kubert and Bobbie Chase; publisher, DC Comics.