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Grayson
Grayson, Volume 2: We All Die At Dawn
From the best-seling, critically acclaimed writing team of Tom King (BATMAN) and Tim Seeley (NIGHTWING) comes the next thrilling chapter of Dick Grayson’s life and the mysterious underside of the DC Universe!
Former acrobat. Former Robin. Former Nightwing. Spy. Dick Grayson, now entrenched in the international spy organization known as Spyral, is on the hunt for the Paragon Protocol—metahuman biological organs that grant normal humans supernatural abilities.
But the secret lifestyle of a spy isn’t easy. Dick must survive a desert with a brutal man known as Midnighter, while protecting the life of an infant. Then there is the fatalistic rock band and the brain damaged Irish bomber. And what exactly is Mr. Minos, director of Spyral, up to?
Collects: Grayson #5-8, Annual #1.
Former acrobat. Former Robin. Former Nightwing. Spy. Dick Grayson, now entrenched in the international spy organization known as Spyral, is on the hunt for the Paragon Protocol—metahuman biological organs that grant normal humans supernatural abilities.
But the secret lifestyle of a spy isn’t easy. Dick must survive a desert with a brutal man known as Midnighter, while protecting the life of an infant. Then there is the fatalistic rock band and the brain damaged Irish bomber. And what exactly is Mr. Minos, director of Spyral, up to?
Collects: Grayson #5-8, Annual #1.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2016
17 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Tim Seeley
1,647 books609 followersTim Seeley is a comic book artist and writer known for his work on books such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, The Dark Elf Trilogy, Batman Eternal and Grayson. He is also the co-creator of the Image Comics titles Hack/Slash[1] and Revival, as well as the Dark Horse titles, ExSanguine and Sundowners. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
December 4, 2020
(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: Brash but buggy, it's a broad blend, basically binary: a bustling but busy belly bolstered by better, brighter bookends.
Notes: Brash but buggy, it's a broad blend, basically binary: a bustling but busy belly bolstered by better, brighter bookends.
May 20, 2016
I LOVED Agents of Spyral, so I was super excited to get my hands on We All Die At Dawn. But midway through the second issue, I knew this volume just wasn't for me.
As I was reading, it felt like chunks of the story were missing. Important chunks. But I kept on reading, because I thought maybe it would all come together in the end.
As I guess it sort of did, but the conclusion was (I thought) extremely unsatisfying.
Along with (what felt like) missing info, it also seemed like the issues would just abruptly end. One minuted someone is dying in the desert, and the next they're back at Spyral. And, yeah, you see how it might have happened, but there's no real explanation.
And if it had just happened once, I could blame it on the fact that maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention. Because, to be honest, some of the dialogue started to sound like Wah-wah-wah-wah in my head.
Zzzzzzzz
But I don't think my attention span or the crunchy dialogue was the problem. Nope. I think the actual problem was that shit just ended. Abruptly.
And the next issue would be about something totally different!
The first issue was jarring, because you kind of came in at the middle of the story, but I thought it would lead to something. I kept hoping that one of these (mostly boring-ass) issues would connect in a BIG way, and fill in the blanks for me.
Like I said earlier, I'm still kinda waiting.
Ok, ok. There were some redeeming moments that made me grin.
Most of them centered on Dick being a looked as a beefcake (<--does anyone even use that term anymore?), so those of you who didn't appreciate the dick jokes in volume one, probably aren't going to be impressed.
Still, Midnighter being able to bypass the Spyral hypno-thingy, because he recognized Grayson's ass was pretty funny. <--admit it!
Oh, and I guess there's supposed to be some sexual tension between Helena & Dick, but it's so poorly done that I actually felt bad for them. Yeah. You heard that right. I was embarrassed on behalf of a couple of cartoons.
Awkward!
Even though I didn'tlike love this, I'll still read the next volume in the hopes that it gets better...or something.
At least the art was nice.
As I was reading, it felt like chunks of the story were missing. Important chunks. But I kept on reading, because I thought maybe it would all come together in the end.
As I guess it sort of did, but the conclusion was (I thought) extremely unsatisfying.
Along with (what felt like) missing info, it also seemed like the issues would just abruptly end. One minuted someone is dying in the desert, and the next they're back at Spyral. And, yeah, you see how it might have happened, but there's no real explanation.
And if it had just happened once, I could blame it on the fact that maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention. Because, to be honest, some of the dialogue started to sound like Wah-wah-wah-wah in my head.
Zzzzzzzz
But I don't think my attention span or the crunchy dialogue was the problem. Nope. I think the actual problem was that shit just ended. Abruptly.
And the next issue would be about something totally different!
The first issue was jarring, because you kind of came in at the middle of the story, but I thought it would lead to something. I kept hoping that one of these (mostly boring-ass) issues would connect in a BIG way, and fill in the blanks for me.
Like I said earlier, I'm still kinda waiting.
Ok, ok. There were some redeeming moments that made me grin.
Most of them centered on Dick being a looked as a beefcake (<--does anyone even use that term anymore?), so those of you who didn't appreciate the dick jokes in volume one, probably aren't going to be impressed.
Still, Midnighter being able to bypass the Spyral hypno-thingy, because he recognized Grayson's ass was pretty funny. <--admit it!
Oh, and I guess there's supposed to be some sexual tension between Helena & Dick, but it's so poorly done that I actually felt bad for them. Yeah. You heard that right. I was embarrassed on behalf of a couple of cartoons.
Awkward!
Even though I didn't
At least the art was nice.
June 20, 2016
So bizarre and pointless.
July 5, 2017
wtf am I even reading???
Is that ... supposed to be a euphemism?
Ah, my favorite, writing dialogue with an accent.
Is that ... supposed to be a euphemism?
Ah, my favorite, writing dialogue with an accent.
January 26, 2016
(Received from Netgalley for review)
After reading both volumes of Grayson, I'd venture to say that the one problem with this book is, in actual point of fact, the title character. Because if you can ignore that this is meant to be Dick Grayson, formerly Robin and Nightwing, and treat him as an entirely new character, then this is a decent spy book. Making the main character Dick just brings in a whole host of issues, including that Dick just isn't suited to be an undercover spy who will be expected to kill for long periods of time. And this is evidently meant to be an open ended investigation. It's an incredible stretch for me to believe that he'd be able to evade suspicion for even a few weeks, much less for as long as he has.
That's not to say that, once stripped of the paper thin Batman tie in, it's a great book. Midnighter just keeps showing up, which I was not thrilled with. Nothing against the character in general, but is pitting him as Grayson's antagonist really what DC wants to do with this character? Because there's very little done to develop him, so there's nothing to really distinguish him from Random Smartass #3. I guess this was being used as the launching point for his own book, but it doesn't help this one.
Now, the first issue in here, the desert story, is actually really good. It's easily the best thing in the book. Unfortunately, the momentum kind of peters out from there. Again, not bad, just ok. Honestly, it feels like the whole series is just treading water, because this has finite written all over it and there obviously has to be some kind of end in mind. But this just felt like stretching out the series to stretch it out, not that there was something actively being worked towards. I don't know, maybe it's just going over my head, but I don't feel like we're going anywhere.
After reading both volumes of Grayson, I'd venture to say that the one problem with this book is, in actual point of fact, the title character. Because if you can ignore that this is meant to be Dick Grayson, formerly Robin and Nightwing, and treat him as an entirely new character, then this is a decent spy book. Making the main character Dick just brings in a whole host of issues, including that Dick just isn't suited to be an undercover spy who will be expected to kill for long periods of time. And this is evidently meant to be an open ended investigation. It's an incredible stretch for me to believe that he'd be able to evade suspicion for even a few weeks, much less for as long as he has.
That's not to say that, once stripped of the paper thin Batman tie in, it's a great book. Midnighter just keeps showing up, which I was not thrilled with. Nothing against the character in general, but is pitting him as Grayson's antagonist really what DC wants to do with this character? Because there's very little done to develop him, so there's nothing to really distinguish him from Random Smartass #3. I guess this was being used as the launching point for his own book, but it doesn't help this one.
Now, the first issue in here, the desert story, is actually really good. It's easily the best thing in the book. Unfortunately, the momentum kind of peters out from there. Again, not bad, just ok. Honestly, it feels like the whole series is just treading water, because this has finite written all over it and there obviously has to be some kind of end in mind. But this just felt like stretching out the series to stretch it out, not that there was something actively being worked towards. I don't know, maybe it's just going over my head, but I don't feel like we're going anywhere.
August 1, 2020
I feel like the first issue in this volume picks up in the middle of a story that was in volume 1, because it kept referencing stuff that I had no idea about. Maybe the first volume should have been the first 5 issues instead. The book works best when they tell stand alone stories like the one that takes place in Ireland. I'm assuming that's the story from the Annual. The overall backstory is REALLY confusing, like what's going on with Mr. Minos. It has the potential to be great if they can streamline the story some.
Mikel Janin's art is stunning. I just wish they used a different color pallet. A lot of the panels were so dark I couldn't make out what was even going on in them.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Mikel Janin's art is stunning. I just wish they used a different color pallet. A lot of the panels were so dark I couldn't make out what was even going on in them.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2025
Not that good
July 18, 2017
Dick's thighs save lives!
3 stars.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one. It's complicated to rate because I really, really, REALLY loved the first issue but it kind of went downhill from there. What attracted me to the first one was Dick's characterization. Sure, most of my review was drooling over how gorgeous the art was but when I felt like the story was all plot and not a lot of Dick's feelings on everything, it waned for me. I read this books for Dick Grayson and this one seemed like it wanted to get at the root of Minos' plot and not a lot on Dick's development.
The first issue where Dick is traveling through the desert and trying to keep the baby alive was really touching. Dick has always been fantastic with children, it seems. When Midnighter is talking about studying Dick's moves, what he's really referring to is Dick's charm and his showmanship. Dick's such a dynamic character and he's so confident in who he is and what he believes in. So, when he's telling this baby a story about trying to do his best to save Batman, and he's telling them "You just have to remember: sometimes you stand on the edge and there's a monster on the other side. And you tell him... You just tell that monster: Come on... come on big boy! I'm still waiting for you." - he tells the baby this story to try to teach them to be brave, even when it seems hopeless. It's a clear parallel to what he's going through because Helena couldn't keep going and Midnighter is telling him to save himself. Dick says, "If we're dead, she's dead. So we're not dead." Dick's going to stubbornly lead this charge until he literally can't walk anymore because he doesn't believe in giving up.
One thing I'll say about this book, it kept up with the whole Dick doesn't like guns thing until he was kind of required to use one. I liked that although the inclusion of the schoolgirls bugged me this time. I hate the whole "X is gay, isn't that a waste" thing. It's really offensive.
The plot in Israel was... questionable. Also, boring villain. It was a little CW-y for my tastes that Dick's goodness saves the day but I liked the bit where he tells Batman about what happened. Dick and Bruce sharing their feelings is rare but I love seeing it!
The bit where Dick played an Irishman was fun! The majority of the plot was boring but clearly Dick had a lot of fun pretending to be Rock.
So, the first issue was great. Then the volume waned until the last issue where things picked up a bit. the ending with Minos was... an ending. I'll pick up the third volume because I hope it gets better from here.
The art was gorgeous as ever! Seriously, Dick and Agent 1 are freaking gorgeous. It's annoying.
3 stars.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one. It's complicated to rate because I really, really, REALLY loved the first issue but it kind of went downhill from there. What attracted me to the first one was Dick's characterization. Sure, most of my review was drooling over how gorgeous the art was but when I felt like the story was all plot and not a lot of Dick's feelings on everything, it waned for me. I read this books for Dick Grayson and this one seemed like it wanted to get at the root of Minos' plot and not a lot on Dick's development.
The first issue where Dick is traveling through the desert and trying to keep the baby alive was really touching. Dick has always been fantastic with children, it seems. When Midnighter is talking about studying Dick's moves, what he's really referring to is Dick's charm and his showmanship. Dick's such a dynamic character and he's so confident in who he is and what he believes in. So, when he's telling this baby a story about trying to do his best to save Batman, and he's telling them "You just have to remember: sometimes you stand on the edge and there's a monster on the other side. And you tell him... You just tell that monster: Come on... come on big boy! I'm still waiting for you." - he tells the baby this story to try to teach them to be brave, even when it seems hopeless. It's a clear parallel to what he's going through because Helena couldn't keep going and Midnighter is telling him to save himself. Dick says, "If we're dead, she's dead. So we're not dead." Dick's going to stubbornly lead this charge until he literally can't walk anymore because he doesn't believe in giving up.
One thing I'll say about this book, it kept up with the whole Dick doesn't like guns thing until he was kind of required to use one. I liked that although the inclusion of the schoolgirls bugged me this time. I hate the whole "X is gay, isn't that a waste" thing. It's really offensive.
The plot in Israel was... questionable. Also, boring villain. It was a little CW-y for my tastes that Dick's goodness saves the day but I liked the bit where he tells Batman about what happened. Dick and Bruce sharing their feelings is rare but I love seeing it!
The bit where Dick played an Irishman was fun! The majority of the plot was boring but clearly Dick had a lot of fun pretending to be Rock.
So, the first issue was great. Then the volume waned until the last issue where things picked up a bit. the ending with Minos was... an ending. I'll pick up the third volume because I hope it gets better from here.
The art was gorgeous as ever! Seriously, Dick and Agent 1 are freaking gorgeous. It's annoying.
June 24, 2018
I love so many quotes in this volume – I honestly couldn't decide which to put at the start of this review, so here are all of my favorites:
"...But I'd know that ass anywhere. Grayson."
"You know Nightwing's moves. Do you know Robin's? You can do jazz. How are you at punk rock?
"The flying Grayson. Nightwing. Robin. They were about more than fight moves. They were about inspiration. Comfort. Trust. Family. I gave that up to become a spy. A spider man. A tsuchigumo. I have changed. But I'll always be Dick Grayson."
"...Holy child in the desert, Batman."
Not gonna lie, I did many many happy dances while reading this. Dick Grayson and his acrobatics will never not get me excited.
As usual, great art and plots. The desert scenes had some really nice panels. And while the first issue felt a little out of place (plot-wise), the rest had great stories, especially the issues with the Fist of Cain.
Two highlights:
1. The fight against Paragon was on point. Dick calling out all the Justice League's weaknesses was actually amazing. Great writing there.
2. The ending was a shock and kinda intense. Mr. Minos had some pretty crazy shit going on...
Overall, better than the first volume. I recommend Grayson: We All Die At Dawn to all Dick Grayson fans.
"...But I'd know that ass anywhere. Grayson."
"You know Nightwing's moves. Do you know Robin's? You can do jazz. How are you at punk rock?
"The flying Grayson. Nightwing. Robin. They were about more than fight moves. They were about inspiration. Comfort. Trust. Family. I gave that up to become a spy. A spider man. A tsuchigumo. I have changed. But I'll always be Dick Grayson."
"...Holy child in the desert, Batman."
Not gonna lie, I did many many happy dances while reading this. Dick Grayson and his acrobatics will never not get me excited.
As usual, great art and plots. The desert scenes had some really nice panels. And while the first issue felt a little out of place (plot-wise), the rest had great stories, especially the issues with the Fist of Cain.
Two highlights:
1. The fight against Paragon was on point. Dick calling out all the Justice League's weaknesses was actually amazing. Great writing there.
2. The ending was a shock and kinda intense. Mr. Minos had some pretty crazy shit going on...
Overall, better than the first volume. I recommend Grayson: We All Die At Dawn to all Dick Grayson fans.
June 25, 2016
Nightwing yes...Grayson..hell no. I cannot get into this whole spy vs spy thing.
September 16, 2021
Jim Grayson. Juan Grayson. Heh. (Read issue #8, you'll understand.)
We start out where volume 1 left off -- the hunt for the Paragon Protocol, the metahuman biological organs that grant normal humans supernatural abilities. But (Wildstorm Comic's) Midnighter wants them off the market to save the world. Eventually we see EXACTLY what Mr. Minos, director of Spyral, is up to. And that maybe he's not even who he thinks he is.
Collects GRAYSON #5-8 and GRAYSON ANNUAL #1.
We start out where volume 1 left off -- the hunt for the Paragon Protocol, the metahuman biological organs that grant normal humans supernatural abilities. But (Wildstorm Comic's) Midnighter wants them off the market to save the world. Eventually we see EXACTLY what Mr. Minos, director of Spyral, is up to. And that maybe he's not even who he thinks he is.
Collects GRAYSON #5-8 and GRAYSON ANNUAL #1.
January 31, 2016
This is the thing I don’t like about spy movies. The writers feel like they have to put so much in the story, without enough explanation, and it all gets confusing. Or maybe I’m just dumb. But then you add all the conspiracies and the intrigue and it’s that much more complicated.
First, there’s all the organizations. (That aren’t really explained.)
A.R.G.U.S.
Spiral
Stormwatch
The AWOL
The Fist of Cain
Checkmate
And all the other science fiction stuff that you’re not even sure how it fits in the story. (Because they’re not really explained.)
Nanocytes
Paragon
Spyder
The God Garden
Wetware
Teleportation ‘Doors’
And of course, the conspiracies, and plans within plans. Which would be less effective if they were explained.
On top of that, it seemed like there were parts of the story missing - things that happened in other books? Superman supposedly made an appearance, but he wasn’t anywhere in the volume.
It makes for a bit of confusion, but at least the action is still good, and the relationship between Dick and Helena makes it interesting. Where the story was good, I really enjoyed it.
And I loved A Story of Giants Big and Small (in the middle of the volume). It was a great, er, story. With some really good writing. The smaller self-contained stuff is just easier to follow. When you start to get too big, it starts to get too confusing.
Overall it was good. And it ended well - of course, with more intrigue. The students at the school were pretty funny - some more could have taken place there.
Recommended, if you’re following Dick’s turn as a spy. But it may not have been quite as good as volume 1.
Thanks to NetGalley and DC Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
First, there’s all the organizations. (That aren’t really explained.)
A.R.G.U.S.
Spiral
Stormwatch
The AWOL
The Fist of Cain
Checkmate
And all the other science fiction stuff that you’re not even sure how it fits in the story. (Because they’re not really explained.)
Nanocytes
Paragon
Spyder
The God Garden
Wetware
Teleportation ‘Doors’
And of course, the conspiracies, and plans within plans. Which would be less effective if they were explained.
On top of that, it seemed like there were parts of the story missing - things that happened in other books? Superman supposedly made an appearance, but he wasn’t anywhere in the volume.
It makes for a bit of confusion, but at least the action is still good, and the relationship between Dick and Helena makes it interesting. Where the story was good, I really enjoyed it.
And I loved A Story of Giants Big and Small (in the middle of the volume). It was a great, er, story. With some really good writing. The smaller self-contained stuff is just easier to follow. When you start to get too big, it starts to get too confusing.
Overall it was good. And it ended well - of course, with more intrigue. The students at the school were pretty funny - some more could have taken place there.
Recommended, if you’re following Dick’s turn as a spy. But it may not have been quite as good as volume 1.
Thanks to NetGalley and DC Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
June 2, 2016
Well that was...underwhelming.
When you title a series Grayson, and most of the hype around said series revolves around the presence of said Grayson, one would expect this Grayson to actually be in his own book.
Instead, we're lucky enough to receive glimpses of Agent 37 as he occasionally pops up to grace the pages just when you're starting to lose interest in the threadbare story.
Now you see me, now you don't...
Some of my disinterest probably comes from the fact that I haven't read the first volume, but I think I got the gist of the thing eventually. There were some magic body parts involved (no, not that kind) and a super-baby that no one knows is a super-baby? Okay, so maybe I should have thought about it a bit more.
#sorrynotsorry
I'm gonna go through this story by story to make it easier to follow (aka I'm too lazy to do anything else.)
Spoilers ahead.
Story 1: We All Die at Dawn
So Grayson, Helena and Midnighter are all panicking ever so slightly because their jet is about to crash and there's a lady on it who's in the process of giving birth. Midnighter becomes the Midwife instead and Dick's acting as a cheerleader in the background, while Helena struggles to land the plane without killing all of them. We're off to a good start then.
The plane does crash and the baby does get delivered safely, but for some reason, the mother dies and our heroes don't. I remain mystified by this.
Cue happy realization that they have not only crashed, they did it in the middle of absolute nowhere in a blistering desert with little to no supplies. Even better, the nearest town is only a 200 mile trek away. And the road trip begins.
The rest of the story is Midnighter being the most whiny brat he can be, Helena pretty much just dying of blood loss and Dick being fabulous with artful stubble and a baby in his arms.
I'm not complaining when he gets shirtless. Nope.
Eventually Helena is left to decorate one spot in the desert, Midnighter another, and Grayson also almost joins this box of baubles (insert pretty boy comment) when a very convenient childless couple just happens to pass by. The End.
In summary: Despite the sketchy beginning, and even more questionable ending, I actually liked this story for its take on Dick as a person. He's shown to be heroic because he has unwavering resolve and kindness, and that's what I've always liked about him: he's genuinely a nice guy. The whole thing was obviously engineered to appeal to any female with a still beating heart (and maybe some gents as well) - there's baby cuddling, aforementioned stubble and well drawn abs, and even some tragic past monologues, as if we didn't like him enough already. Art-wise too, it was well done, with gorgeous panels of sand dunes showing the empty loneliness of the desert. Sadly, after this, the art quality declines rapidly and we never see Dick again, so that's that.
Story 2: The Brains of the Operation
This one starts with a zombie orca on wooden legs trying to eat Grayson and Helena. I'd like to know what the storyboarding process was here. Did the writers sit down and go:
"We need to start this one with a bang. Any suggestions?
"Let's see, what would a pair of spies encounter on a reconnaissance mission of a high-tech criminal hideout?"
"I know! A killer whale that crawls around on land with spider legs!"
"Brilliant, now we can have that coffee break!"
Anyway, while Helena is messing with some dude's mind, Dick gets kidnapped by Midnighter (who apparently recognized him by his butt, no wonder Batman wears a cape) and they have a man to man talk in the usual way - by beating the living daylights out of each other. From this point on, we will never see Agent 37 from a normal angle again. Prepare to console yourself with views of the back of his head or break-dancing shots.
Midnighter locks him up after confusing Dick with a Hypnos implant, the logistics of which I still don't understand, but whatever. An ambiguously Asian granny called the Gardener annoys Grayson with the realization that the badly named evil syndicate, the Fist of Cain, plans to disrupt an Israeli peace rally by using the negative feeeeelings of...the Brain. Yeah, that was mumbo-jumbo and you're gonna have to deal with it.
Helena figures out the same thing after her seance and Grayson flails a bit. The End.
In summary: That was super-boring and difficult to follow. Nothing about anybody's actions made sense. It was after I read the entire volume that I realized that the Gardener was supporting the Cain clan - until then her ambiguous dialogue made me think she had some other agenda in mind. The art is kinda psychedelic in here, and nothing to write home about. It's worth noting that though the next story continues this plot, everyone looks drastically different in it. Grayson's eyes go from blue to black, he suddenly gets a major dose of hair gel in prison, the Gardener's hairstyle changes...
Hint to DC: when you aim for the female demographic, these kind of details matter. We notice.
Basically this is the frying pan, and the next story is the fire.
Story 3: Sin by Silence
In case you weren't already dumbfounded by the illogicality of the last story, listen to this: the villains plan to instigate mayhem by holding a rock concert and unleashing the power of the Brain. Which begs the question of why a peace rally would have a concert in the first place. The stupidity continues, as the Gardener just decides to let Dick go after all the shenanigans in the last story. Ah, the power of true love.
He arrives just in time to see Helena fail to stop the idiots they call antagonists and the crowd goes wild. Literally. Midnighter also has a sudden change of heart because intentions are like disposable forks around here and joins in the heroic fray.
Then we get a very long action sequence that is best summed up by Grayson doing some fancy street dancing:
They win since Dick is immune to the evil Brain, because plot convenience yo. Even more ludicrousness as Helena kisses our golden boy in an attempt to stay sane.
*hysterical laughter ensues*
Yeah, right. Kissing Dick Grayson to clear your brain, that's a hoot.
Midnighter abandons Granny Gardener and Helena conveniently remembers nothing afterwards. The End.
In summary: I don't know what just happened. I don't care.
Story 4: A Story of Giants Big and Small
This one is an intermediate page filler that seems to have been written on the behest of the Irish tourism board. If it wasn't, please explain the appearance of the two page map and St.Francis. You can't, can you? Thought so.
Here, Grayson and Helena are out in Ireland doing a double agent thing in an attempt to take down a magical mobster call St.Francis. This apparently has something to do with the organ trafficking from earlier, but as I've come to expect, they don't explain it well. They do this by trussing Helena up and Dick masquerading (literally) as a long dead minor scientist villain. Confusion ensues, and they get their man, not bothered about the consequences to other people.
More nonsense in the form of a Batman gambit by our beloved Spyral agents and a truly obscure conclusion. Again, one of the storyboard people thought that the masks from the Mission Impossible series were a brilliant idea and decided that the entire plot should hinge on it. Because that worked so well the last three times they did it.
The artwork is so bleary, I suppose it had something to do with the local weather. Truly immersive stuff, this:
In summary: I don't really understand what this story was trying to prove. That Spyral agents make up twisted schemes? That Dick and Helena have great teamwork? That it rains a lot in the UK? That Ireland is really green? WHAT WAS THE POINT DC? WHAT WAS THE POINT?
Story 5: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die
We finally get to the end of this mess. And I for one, am relieved.
In this one, the hidden agenda of the mysterious Spyral director Minos is finally revealed, and I still don't know what it was. He sets off a series of things that rapidly - wait for it - spiral out of control. It starts with a conversation between Minos and Helena, at the end of which he shoots her in the heart with a crossbow. Naturally, having plot armour instead of actual bullet proof vests, Helena survives and wheezes to Dick that Minos has thrown them for a loop.
If you're wondering, the puns come naturally to me.
Dick explodes out of the gym class he was teaching and discovers Agent 1, a random hot Arabian dude, fighting off a Justice League clone villain called Paragon. I sit in the back yawning and having Amazo flashbacks.
Grayson proves himself to be fabulous and the DC universe to be complete BS as he takes down Paragon really easily, in essence, defeating the Justice League by himself. Don't forget his gaggle of fangirls who insisted on changing into costume before coming to help. No wonder he's literally the butt of their jokes, they have no substance at all.
Helena somehow avoids complete cardiac arrest and turns up in time to shoot a gloating Minos. Only it turns out that was a robot clone, as Minos cheerfully reveals to the mysterious lady he is chatting to in a cafe. Now that he's convinced everyone he's dead (where have I seen this plot before?) all he has to do is reveal every superhero's secret identity. The philosophy is that the world doesn't need saviors that lie to the populace, because we would all rather be dead than lied to. Mysterious lady aka Agent Zero puts that highly intellectual line of reasoning to an end by shooting the actual Minos and sparing us a great deal of pain later. We never learn who Minos is.
In summary:: As Agent Zero said - "Honestly, Mister...whatever...do you really think I care?". Aptly put, DC, you summed up my feelings about this volume.
Overall, a volume that could have been a lot better but failed because it had ambitious aims that wouldn't fit in the scale of a spy story. My biggest complaint remains, that between all the Midnighter angst and the Helena angst, there was no time for Grayson. Also, did they just retcon the previous Helena Bertinelli and this one took her place? How does that work?
Never mind, I just remembered that DC Rebirth is happening.
When you title a series Grayson, and most of the hype around said series revolves around the presence of said Grayson, one would expect this Grayson to actually be in his own book.
Instead, we're lucky enough to receive glimpses of Agent 37 as he occasionally pops up to grace the pages just when you're starting to lose interest in the threadbare story.
Now you see me, now you don't...
Some of my disinterest probably comes from the fact that I haven't read the first volume, but I think I got the gist of the thing eventually. There were some magic body parts involved (no, not that kind) and a super-baby that no one knows is a super-baby? Okay, so maybe I should have thought about it a bit more.
#sorrynotsorry
I'm gonna go through this story by story to make it easier to follow (aka I'm too lazy to do anything else.)
Spoilers ahead.
Story 1: We All Die at Dawn
So Grayson, Helena and Midnighter are all panicking ever so slightly because their jet is about to crash and there's a lady on it who's in the process of giving birth. Midnighter becomes the Midwife instead and Dick's acting as a cheerleader in the background, while Helena struggles to land the plane without killing all of them. We're off to a good start then.
The plane does crash and the baby does get delivered safely, but for some reason, the mother dies and our heroes don't. I remain mystified by this.
Cue happy realization that they have not only crashed, they did it in the middle of absolute nowhere in a blistering desert with little to no supplies. Even better, the nearest town is only a 200 mile trek away. And the road trip begins.
The rest of the story is Midnighter being the most whiny brat he can be, Helena pretty much just dying of blood loss and Dick being fabulous with artful stubble and a baby in his arms.
I'm not complaining when he gets shirtless. Nope.
Eventually Helena is left to decorate one spot in the desert, Midnighter another, and Grayson also almost joins this box of baubles (insert pretty boy comment) when a very convenient childless couple just happens to pass by. The End.
In summary: Despite the sketchy beginning, and even more questionable ending, I actually liked this story for its take on Dick as a person. He's shown to be heroic because he has unwavering resolve and kindness, and that's what I've always liked about him: he's genuinely a nice guy. The whole thing was obviously engineered to appeal to any female with a still beating heart (and maybe some gents as well) - there's baby cuddling, aforementioned stubble and well drawn abs, and even some tragic past monologues, as if we didn't like him enough already. Art-wise too, it was well done, with gorgeous panels of sand dunes showing the empty loneliness of the desert. Sadly, after this, the art quality declines rapidly and we never see Dick again, so that's that.
Story 2: The Brains of the Operation
This one starts with a zombie orca on wooden legs trying to eat Grayson and Helena. I'd like to know what the storyboarding process was here. Did the writers sit down and go:
"We need to start this one with a bang. Any suggestions?
"Let's see, what would a pair of spies encounter on a reconnaissance mission of a high-tech criminal hideout?"
"I know! A killer whale that crawls around on land with spider legs!"
"Brilliant, now we can have that coffee break!"
Anyway, while Helena is messing with some dude's mind, Dick gets kidnapped by Midnighter (who apparently recognized him by his butt, no wonder Batman wears a cape) and they have a man to man talk in the usual way - by beating the living daylights out of each other. From this point on, we will never see Agent 37 from a normal angle again. Prepare to console yourself with views of the back of his head or break-dancing shots.
Midnighter locks him up after confusing Dick with a Hypnos implant, the logistics of which I still don't understand, but whatever. An ambiguously Asian granny called the Gardener annoys Grayson with the realization that the badly named evil syndicate, the Fist of Cain, plans to disrupt an Israeli peace rally by using the negative feeeeelings of...the Brain. Yeah, that was mumbo-jumbo and you're gonna have to deal with it.
Helena figures out the same thing after her seance and Grayson flails a bit. The End.
In summary: That was super-boring and difficult to follow. Nothing about anybody's actions made sense. It was after I read the entire volume that I realized that the Gardener was supporting the Cain clan - until then her ambiguous dialogue made me think she had some other agenda in mind. The art is kinda psychedelic in here, and nothing to write home about. It's worth noting that though the next story continues this plot, everyone looks drastically different in it. Grayson's eyes go from blue to black, he suddenly gets a major dose of hair gel in prison, the Gardener's hairstyle changes...
Hint to DC: when you aim for the female demographic, these kind of details matter. We notice.
Basically this is the frying pan, and the next story is the fire.
Story 3: Sin by Silence
In case you weren't already dumbfounded by the illogicality of the last story, listen to this: the villains plan to instigate mayhem by holding a rock concert and unleashing the power of the Brain. Which begs the question of why a peace rally would have a concert in the first place. The stupidity continues, as the Gardener just decides to let Dick go after all the shenanigans in the last story. Ah, the power of true love.
He arrives just in time to see Helena fail to stop the idiots they call antagonists and the crowd goes wild. Literally. Midnighter also has a sudden change of heart because intentions are like disposable forks around here and joins in the heroic fray.
Then we get a very long action sequence that is best summed up by Grayson doing some fancy street dancing:
They win since Dick is immune to the evil Brain, because plot convenience yo. Even more ludicrousness as Helena kisses our golden boy in an attempt to stay sane.
*hysterical laughter ensues*
Yeah, right. Kissing Dick Grayson to clear your brain, that's a hoot.
Midnighter abandons Granny Gardener and Helena conveniently remembers nothing afterwards. The End.
In summary: I don't know what just happened. I don't care.
Story 4: A Story of Giants Big and Small
This one is an intermediate page filler that seems to have been written on the behest of the Irish tourism board. If it wasn't, please explain the appearance of the two page map and St.Francis. You can't, can you? Thought so.
Here, Grayson and Helena are out in Ireland doing a double agent thing in an attempt to take down a magical mobster call St.Francis. This apparently has something to do with the organ trafficking from earlier, but as I've come to expect, they don't explain it well. They do this by trussing Helena up and Dick masquerading (literally) as a long dead minor scientist villain. Confusion ensues, and they get their man, not bothered about the consequences to other people.
More nonsense in the form of a Batman gambit by our beloved Spyral agents and a truly obscure conclusion. Again, one of the storyboard people thought that the masks from the Mission Impossible series were a brilliant idea and decided that the entire plot should hinge on it. Because that worked so well the last three times they did it.
The artwork is so bleary, I suppose it had something to do with the local weather. Truly immersive stuff, this:
In summary: I don't really understand what this story was trying to prove. That Spyral agents make up twisted schemes? That Dick and Helena have great teamwork? That it rains a lot in the UK? That Ireland is really green? WHAT WAS THE POINT DC? WHAT WAS THE POINT?
Story 5: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die
We finally get to the end of this mess. And I for one, am relieved.
In this one, the hidden agenda of the mysterious Spyral director Minos is finally revealed, and I still don't know what it was. He sets off a series of things that rapidly - wait for it - spiral out of control. It starts with a conversation between Minos and Helena, at the end of which he shoots her in the heart with a crossbow. Naturally, having plot armour instead of actual bullet proof vests, Helena survives and wheezes to Dick that Minos has thrown them for a loop.
If you're wondering, the puns come naturally to me.
Dick explodes out of the gym class he was teaching and discovers Agent 1, a random hot Arabian dude, fighting off a Justice League clone villain called Paragon. I sit in the back yawning and having Amazo flashbacks.
Grayson proves himself to be fabulous and the DC universe to be complete BS as he takes down Paragon really easily, in essence, defeating the Justice League by himself. Don't forget his gaggle of fangirls who insisted on changing into costume before coming to help. No wonder he's literally the butt of their jokes, they have no substance at all.
Helena somehow avoids complete cardiac arrest and turns up in time to shoot a gloating Minos. Only it turns out that was a robot clone, as Minos cheerfully reveals to the mysterious lady he is chatting to in a cafe. Now that he's convinced everyone he's dead (where have I seen this plot before?) all he has to do is reveal every superhero's secret identity. The philosophy is that the world doesn't need saviors that lie to the populace, because we would all rather be dead than lied to. Mysterious lady aka Agent Zero puts that highly intellectual line of reasoning to an end by shooting the actual Minos and sparing us a great deal of pain later. We never learn who Minos is.
In summary:: As Agent Zero said - "Honestly, Mister...whatever...do you really think I care?". Aptly put, DC, you summed up my feelings about this volume.
Overall, a volume that could have been a lot better but failed because it had ambitious aims that wouldn't fit in the scale of a spy story. My biggest complaint remains, that between all the Midnighter angst and the Helena angst, there was no time for Grayson. Also, did they just retcon the previous Helena Bertinelli and this one took her place? How does that work?
Never mind, I just remembered that DC Rebirth is happening.
February 13, 2019
So far the two volumes have reached a conclusion of sorts. Spyral's mission is revealed and a main characted is killed to simplify matters a bit. A new mystery is introduced, though. This comic is a good choice for anyone who likes James Bond-like spy games and great artwork.
The story starts explosively with Grayson, Midnighter and Matron as they deliver a baby in a helicopter that is going down after being hit by an EMP. The baby survives, but the mother does not. The three of them must now walk to the nearest city, but their chances are low.
The search for the Paragon Brain is interrupted when Midnighter teleports Grayson to the God Garden where they duke it out. Grayson wins and is asked by an elderly woman to save the garden. The threat comes from the Fist of Cain who intend to use the Paragon Brain to trigger homicidal hatred in the general public.
Minos's plan has come near its fruition, so he must remove the people who know too much, starting with his own agents. The organs they collected are integrated into Paragon, a monster with the powers of the JLA.
The story starts explosively with Grayson, Midnighter and Matron as they deliver a baby in a helicopter that is going down after being hit by an EMP. The baby survives, but the mother does not. The three of them must now walk to the nearest city, but their chances are low.
The search for the Paragon Brain is interrupted when Midnighter teleports Grayson to the God Garden where they duke it out. Grayson wins and is asked by an elderly woman to save the garden. The threat comes from the Fist of Cain who intend to use the Paragon Brain to trigger homicidal hatred in the general public.
Minos's plan has come near its fruition, so he must remove the people who know too much, starting with his own agents. The organs they collected are integrated into Paragon, a monster with the powers of the JLA.
August 3, 2016
I liked issue 5 and 8, but fuck issue 6 and 7.
Okay to break it down Grayson is getting deeper into Spryal. I have a feeling that if you enjoy spy movies or books you'll enjoy this more. Basically the big bad, isn't really the big bad, and the huge reveal at the end is suppose to be "OMG" but honestly none of this interest me.
The only reason i read this still is because of Grayson. Dick has the ability to make you super intrigued. And for the women, he got a ass you'll die for. But for me it's his honest personality and determination to always do good. Something to root for in a person.
Still this book feels like it's thrown together and placed in a event I don't know (and don't care to) read. Ohwell, I'll keep pushing on!
Okay to break it down Grayson is getting deeper into Spryal. I have a feeling that if you enjoy spy movies or books you'll enjoy this more. Basically the big bad, isn't really the big bad, and the huge reveal at the end is suppose to be "OMG" but honestly none of this interest me.
The only reason i read this still is because of Grayson. Dick has the ability to make you super intrigued. And for the women, he got a ass you'll die for. But for me it's his honest personality and determination to always do good. Something to root for in a person.
Still this book feels like it's thrown together and placed in a event I don't know (and don't care to) read. Ohwell, I'll keep pushing on!
August 25, 2015
The first New52 comic to actually hook me! Because Batgirl had heart and Powergirl and Harley Quinn is fun, but Grayson has some real long-term plotting. I never expected that another agent was shadowing Dick on his missions. Even if he escapes the Spyral organization, the killer may follow him home. I'm legitimately interested to figure out who it is and see how he and Bertenelli try to resolve it.
The short stories in this volume all top the first volume, too. The first is an abrupt standalone sees Dick stranded in the middle of a Saudi desert with Helena Bertenelli and Midnighter, people from two agencies at war, with no hope but walking towards a sandy horizon, trying to reach civilization before the baby in their custody dies. The baby has a supernatural heart that Midnighter thinks, if extracted, could save them all. But Dick would sooner die of thirst on the next dune than take her life. There's no flippy action, just the trudging of a man who's more concerned with keeping the baby shaded and comfortable than that he's dying.
If you want this series of be zanier than that, don't worry: the very next story opens with an orca chasing our secret agents riding mechanical crab legs. It's great fun reading the balance of Dick's great unease living in the agency with humor, like his students ogling him in gym class. It'll be a shame if his class of young girls training to be masked mercenaries don't have a future somewhere in the DC Comics universe.
If there's a low point, it's that The Midnighter begins to get overused as a villain. He shows up two stories in a row out of nowhere to antagonize Dick, not really explaining much of his cause or fleshing out his personality. He's just a prick who's good at fighting and appearing at the right time, which starts making him into a plot device. But even he moves on to the next stage of his life by the end of this volume's stories, and provides one of the series' highlights by IDing Dick despite his facial camouflage because, "I'd know that ass anywhere."
Chances are you've seen the meme, but it's even funnier in context of the series. The book is a surprising pleasure with art that holds up from the first volume. It's the first DC book since Gail Simone's Secret Six that I'll continue following along trades.
The short stories in this volume all top the first volume, too. The first is an abrupt standalone sees Dick stranded in the middle of a Saudi desert with Helena Bertenelli and Midnighter, people from two agencies at war, with no hope but walking towards a sandy horizon, trying to reach civilization before the baby in their custody dies. The baby has a supernatural heart that Midnighter thinks, if extracted, could save them all. But Dick would sooner die of thirst on the next dune than take her life. There's no flippy action, just the trudging of a man who's more concerned with keeping the baby shaded and comfortable than that he's dying.
If you want this series of be zanier than that, don't worry: the very next story opens with an orca chasing our secret agents riding mechanical crab legs. It's great fun reading the balance of Dick's great unease living in the agency with humor, like his students ogling him in gym class. It'll be a shame if his class of young girls training to be masked mercenaries don't have a future somewhere in the DC Comics universe.
If there's a low point, it's that The Midnighter begins to get overused as a villain. He shows up two stories in a row out of nowhere to antagonize Dick, not really explaining much of his cause or fleshing out his personality. He's just a prick who's good at fighting and appearing at the right time, which starts making him into a plot device. But even he moves on to the next stage of his life by the end of this volume's stories, and provides one of the series' highlights by IDing Dick despite his facial camouflage because, "I'd know that ass anywhere."
Chances are you've seen the meme, but it's even funnier in context of the series. The book is a surprising pleasure with art that holds up from the first volume. It's the first DC book since Gail Simone's Secret Six that I'll continue following along trades.
January 17, 2016
The story seems to be getting a little side tracked from the premise stated in the first book. That being said, it was still a good story, and I'm anxious to see where it goes from here.
December 16, 2015
Tom King does not disappoint..Love Robin as Grayson what can I say....lol
July 6, 2017
Am I missing how Dick, Helena & Midnighter ended up in the desert together?
I guess for the sake of the story it doesn't matter?...they were all chasing the heart and end up in a dry pickle?
I love this series & I'm really enjoying myself. I especially liked the brain chase to Tel Aviv & the Irish stories. I like the idea of Dick still being pure of heart, and like it even more when he's playing spy (for reals).
Totally have no idea what's happening with Spiral & Mr. Minos. The ending was more of a head-scratcher than a big reveal, so I guess we'll find out?
I guess for the sake of the story it doesn't matter?...they were all chasing the heart and end up in a dry pickle?
I love this series & I'm really enjoying myself. I especially liked the brain chase to Tel Aviv & the Irish stories. I like the idea of Dick still being pure of heart, and like it even more when he's playing spy (for reals).
Totally have no idea what's happening with Spiral & Mr. Minos. The ending was more of a head-scratcher than a big reveal, so I guess we'll find out?
September 9, 2022
I enjoyed the first volume more but this was still good. Is Mr Minos reconstructing Paragon for Spyral or himself? Dick & Helena are still kickin and clickin as a team, better than ever. Helena in this series is way different than the Huntress I'm used to... shes better.
January 27, 2016
damn, damn, DAMN! It's so good! I still have no idea wtf Spyral is and that kind of bothers me so this should really be a four, but I enjoyed it so much that I can overlook that part, at least until the next volume. Because I truly need to know what Spyral is about. But that last volume, HOLY CHILD IN THE DESERT, BATMAN! It was super good, and I can't wait to see where that storyline goes.
Thanks to edelweiss for gracing me with a copy of this! A better review will be later, once I've processed my feels!
Thanks to edelweiss for gracing me with a copy of this! A better review will be later, once I've processed my feels!
October 29, 2015
This was another good volume, however not as good as volume one. This has more short spy stories, but it's starting to tell a bigger storyline now. The Desert story was fun and shows how heroic Dick really is, the story in the annual was interesting but unnecessary, and then the following story was only okay. The end really brought it back though, a lot of big things happen and it sets up big new things.
If you like volume one, you'll like volume 2.
If you like volume one, you'll like volume 2.
October 15, 2015
I liked this much better than volume 1. The story is moving forward and becoming more coherent. I am enjoying the use of Midnighter here. Some really nice artwork here as well.
May 5, 2017
Really enjoyed this. I'm irrationally annoyed that I don't have volume 3 already. I believe a trip to the comic store is in order tomorrow.
May 13, 2018
Tohle byla slušná jízda, příběh se výrazně posunul a dočkali jsme se i nějakých zajímavých zvratů.
Dick Grayson je pořád skvělá postava, která si v sobě přenechává poněkud dětský optimismus a hlavu v oblacích a že přeci jen se vše dá vyřešit bez zabití apod. I tak ale se pomalu začíná měnit a nenechá se sebou manipulovat. Každopádně všechny postavy co v sérii jsou mě baví a přijdou mi dobře napsané. Hlavně jsem rád že se zase objevil Midnighter (začínám ho mít fakt rád)
Jediné místo kde celá jízda trochu zpomalila byl Annual, který se mi ze začátku zdál zbytečný a vypadal jako taková suchá výplň ale nakonec i ten mě překvapil zajímavým zvratem.
Kresba Janina i Mooneyho je skvělá a je dobrý nápad je mezi sešity střídat.
Takže pokud máte rádi odlehčenou špionážní jízdu určitě tuhle sérii zkuste, zatím na dechu neztrácí.
Dick Grayson je pořád skvělá postava, která si v sobě přenechává poněkud dětský optimismus a hlavu v oblacích a že přeci jen se vše dá vyřešit bez zabití apod. I tak ale se pomalu začíná měnit a nenechá se sebou manipulovat. Každopádně všechny postavy co v sérii jsou mě baví a přijdou mi dobře napsané. Hlavně jsem rád že se zase objevil Midnighter (začínám ho mít fakt rád)
Jediné místo kde celá jízda trochu zpomalila byl Annual, který se mi ze začátku zdál zbytečný a vypadal jako taková suchá výplň ale nakonec i ten mě překvapil zajímavým zvratem.
Kresba Janina i Mooneyho je skvělá a je dobrý nápad je mezi sešity střídat.
Takže pokud máte rádi odlehčenou špionážní jízdu určitě tuhle sérii zkuste, zatím na dechu neztrácí.
May 21, 2018
Woohoo! Dick's personality is main reason why I love this book and why I probably will love whole series. He's funny, heroic, kind of still childish, kind of growing up and sexier like never before. I find storyline getting better, mysterious, loved it.
Oh, and Midnighter's back, yahoo!
Oh, and Midnighter's back, yahoo!
Read
July 12, 2025Continues to be some of the most fun I’ve had reading a comic in years. Bond-esque spy thrills set set against the backdrop of classic DC lore. So good!
May 31, 2020
This was more interesting and less cheesy than vol 1! A pretty good spy thriller.
"That's what spies do... we lie"
"That's what spies do... we lie"
January 29, 2016
If the first volume of Grayson was a surprising but ultimately welcome opening hit, then this second volume We All Die at Dawn is the swing of the bat that capitalizes on the plot threads introduced in and brings its runners home. Writers Tim Seeley and Tom King continue the momentum they established in the first half of this extra-sized arc, with a number of strong character-driven stories that ultimately conclude in a satisfying manner.
The opening chapter is a bit of an odd one, with Dick Grayson, Helena Bertinelli, and Midnighter stranded in a desert with a newborn child after a disastrous mission. But it's also arguably this series' finest chapter, with a powerful character arc that pits Dick's desperate and unflinching optimism against Midnighter's cold but rational logic. It's also stuffed with historical comic references and metacommentary underneath its surface that remind you that yes indeed, this is the man that the young heroic Robin of old classics grew up to become. Mikel Janin's artwork is on full display here, effectively utilizing double-page spreads to convey the vastness of the desert, as well as finely detailed facial expressions and body language to express characters' motivations without narration or expository dialogue. The confidence of this series' ability to "show, not tell" is a strength that carries forward, even if it strangely seems to anger some readers who prefer spoon-fed narration that writers like Scott Lobdell and Will Pfeiffer are known for.
Continuing on, Grayson and Bertinelli travel all around the globe to collect superpowered organs in a variety of locales. Like the previous volume, We All Die at Dawn forgoes the decompressed story arcs in favor of episodic stories with self-contained conflicts that gives each chapter a sense of completeness with a beginning and end. At the same time, these characters are moved one step closer to an endgoal with each "episode", which eventually culminates in an exciting concluding chapter full of answers, revelations, and twists. The supporting character cast continues to be a delight. The camaraderie between Grayson and the cool and professional Helena feels organic and unforced, while the brutally honest Midnighter plays an interesting foil to more idealistic-yet-deceitful Grayson.
Scripts for these chapters are alternated between indie veteran Tim Seeley (of Hack/Slash and Revival fame) and rising star Tom King (who has broken out on the scene with The Omega Men and The Vision). Mikel Janin's pencils are dynamic and full of motion, while fill-in artist Stephen Mooney's artwork is acceptable, though a bit disappointing in comparison to Janin's.
If there's one major flaw with this series so far, it's the method of collection. Between Agents of Spyral and We All Die at Dawn, the arc of Grayson is one extended story arc, feeling much like a season of cable television. The first volume ended at an odd juncture, and the second volume started at one. It's highly recommended that these two volumes are read together, because the full experience is quite satisfying.
The opening chapter is a bit of an odd one, with Dick Grayson, Helena Bertinelli, and Midnighter stranded in a desert with a newborn child after a disastrous mission. But it's also arguably this series' finest chapter, with a powerful character arc that pits Dick's desperate and unflinching optimism against Midnighter's cold but rational logic. It's also stuffed with historical comic references and metacommentary underneath its surface that remind you that yes indeed, this is the man that the young heroic Robin of old classics grew up to become. Mikel Janin's artwork is on full display here, effectively utilizing double-page spreads to convey the vastness of the desert, as well as finely detailed facial expressions and body language to express characters' motivations without narration or expository dialogue. The confidence of this series' ability to "show, not tell" is a strength that carries forward, even if it strangely seems to anger some readers who prefer spoon-fed narration that writers like Scott Lobdell and Will Pfeiffer are known for.
Continuing on, Grayson and Bertinelli travel all around the globe to collect superpowered organs in a variety of locales. Like the previous volume, We All Die at Dawn forgoes the decompressed story arcs in favor of episodic stories with self-contained conflicts that gives each chapter a sense of completeness with a beginning and end. At the same time, these characters are moved one step closer to an endgoal with each "episode", which eventually culminates in an exciting concluding chapter full of answers, revelations, and twists. The supporting character cast continues to be a delight. The camaraderie between Grayson and the cool and professional Helena feels organic and unforced, while the brutally honest Midnighter plays an interesting foil to more idealistic-yet-deceitful Grayson.
Scripts for these chapters are alternated between indie veteran Tim Seeley (of Hack/Slash and Revival fame) and rising star Tom King (who has broken out on the scene with The Omega Men and The Vision). Mikel Janin's pencils are dynamic and full of motion, while fill-in artist Stephen Mooney's artwork is acceptable, though a bit disappointing in comparison to Janin's.
If there's one major flaw with this series so far, it's the method of collection. Between Agents of Spyral and We All Die at Dawn, the arc of Grayson is one extended story arc, feeling much like a season of cable television. The first volume ended at an odd juncture, and the second volume started at one. It's highly recommended that these two volumes are read together, because the full experience is quite satisfying.
February 20, 2019
This series continues to be a blast. Seeley & King are leaning all the way into the big, crazy absurdity of this series, giving each issue its own individual bit of weirdness for the heroes to overcome. It feels like a great Warren Ellis series, building a larger mystery on the back of its premise-driven single issues.
I particularly love how well Mikel Janin's art matches Seeley & King's tone. It's a huge selling point for this series, and when Janin has to step out for whatever reason, the book feels markedly different. That's not to say it becomes bad by any means, it just highlights a really solid example of art and writing lining up perfectly.
Also, bravo to these guys for pushing the story to move as fast as possible. We're only two volumes in, and I feel like a TON has happened. A lot of comics series, New 52 in particular, have a tendency to stall out as they play it safe, trying not to get too far ahead of themselves. This book, however, ends on a perfect cliffhanger, that takes everything the series has been building to and turns it on its head. I can't wait for the next volume!
I particularly love how well Mikel Janin's art matches Seeley & King's tone. It's a huge selling point for this series, and when Janin has to step out for whatever reason, the book feels markedly different. That's not to say it becomes bad by any means, it just highlights a really solid example of art and writing lining up perfectly.
Also, bravo to these guys for pushing the story to move as fast as possible. We're only two volumes in, and I feel like a TON has happened. A lot of comics series, New 52 in particular, have a tendency to stall out as they play it safe, trying not to get too far ahead of themselves. This book, however, ends on a perfect cliffhanger, that takes everything the series has been building to and turns it on its head. I can't wait for the next volume!
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