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Nightwing (2016)
Nightwing: Burnback
When Blüdhaven loses its vigilante Nightwing, more than one person steps ups to take the job over to keep the city safe. Find out more in Nightwing .
Destiny...fate...predetermined inevitability...these are all things that Ric Grayson has struggled to reconcile now that he has been given a second chance at life. A life recently unburdened of years of trauma, defeat and struggle when the hero known as Nightwing was shot in the head. Now Ric must come to terms with who he is and what kind of hero he wants to be...if he wants to be one at all. And while Ric is content to walk away from the mantle, one woman has been hiding in the shadows, waiting to solidify an identity of her own...an identity tied for all eternity to the Clown Price of Crime...enter The Joker's Daughter!
While she wasn't shot in the head like Nightwing, Duela Dent might be facing an identity crisis even more traumatic than Ric Grayson's. Fortunately the new Nightwings are doing their best to protect Blüdhaven--learning as they go--allowing Ric to try to help steer Duela away from the life of a homicidal zealot of the crazy Clown Prince of Crime! Nightwing collects Nightwing #57-62.
Destiny...fate...predetermined inevitability...these are all things that Ric Grayson has struggled to reconcile now that he has been given a second chance at life. A life recently unburdened of years of trauma, defeat and struggle when the hero known as Nightwing was shot in the head. Now Ric must come to terms with who he is and what kind of hero he wants to be...if he wants to be one at all. And while Ric is content to walk away from the mantle, one woman has been hiding in the shadows, waiting to solidify an identity of her own...an identity tied for all eternity to the Clown Price of Crime...enter The Joker's Daughter!
While she wasn't shot in the head like Nightwing, Duela Dent might be facing an identity crisis even more traumatic than Ric Grayson's. Fortunately the new Nightwings are doing their best to protect Blüdhaven--learning as they go--allowing Ric to try to help steer Duela away from the life of a homicidal zealot of the crazy Clown Prince of Crime! Nightwing collects Nightwing #57-62.
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2019
35 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Scott Lobdell
1,626 books230 followersScott Lobdell (born 1960) is an American comic book writer.
He is mostly known for his work throughout the 1990s on Marvel Comics' X-Men-related titles specifically Uncanny X-Men, the main title itself, and the spin-off series that he conceived with artist Chris Bachalo, Generation X. Generation X focused on a number of young mutant students who attempted to become superheroes in their own right at a separate school with the guidance of veteran X-related characters Banshee and Emma Frost. He also had writing stints on Marvel's Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix mini-series with artist Gene Ha. He wrote the script to Stan Lee's Mosaic and an upcoming film from POW Entertainment featuring Ringo Starr. He also participated in the Marvel Comics and Image Comics (from Jim Lee's WildStorm) crossover mini-series WildC.A.T.s/X-Men.
He is mostly known for his work throughout the 1990s on Marvel Comics' X-Men-related titles specifically Uncanny X-Men, the main title itself, and the spin-off series that he conceived with artist Chris Bachalo, Generation X. Generation X focused on a number of young mutant students who attempted to become superheroes in their own right at a separate school with the guidance of veteran X-related characters Banshee and Emma Frost. He also had writing stints on Marvel's Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix mini-series with artist Gene Ha. He wrote the script to Stan Lee's Mosaic and an upcoming film from POW Entertainment featuring Ringo Starr. He also participated in the Marvel Comics and Image Comics (from Jim Lee's WildStorm) crossover mini-series WildC.A.T.s/X-Men.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 6, 2020
This whole Ric Grayson thing brings very little to the table as do the 5 extraneous Nightwings. The whole book is just kind of blah. The only thing interesting about it is Travis Moore's art in the first two issues. Dan Jurgens comes along midway through the book as the new writer and delivers some more "Meh" comics. Nightwing is a great character that has been saddled with some lackluster writing lately. Maybe it's time to return Chuck Dixon to the fold? That's still the definitive run of Nightwing as far as I'm concerned.
June 8, 2019
I can't do this anymore. I can't care about any of these characters, any of these stories, any of this crap. Maybe I'll come back when this amnesia bullshit is done. For now, I'm giving up on Nightwing entirely.
May 18, 2022
This was really good omg!
So we have Ric working with the other Nightwings to stop the Joker's daughter and whatever madness she has brought and I love the slow reveal and how it happens and makes for some great character drama and loving the vibes between them and then when a meta-human named "Burnback" appears we see all of them teaming up to take it down and it might be connected to one of the Nightwings and I love the origin and connections and it talks of pain and loss and letting go and loving Dick's evolution here and Bea is just so pretty. Slow reveals yes but this new status quo.. reading it in collected editions is so much better and the art is just gorgeous.
So we have Ric working with the other Nightwings to stop the Joker's daughter and whatever madness she has brought and I love the slow reveal and how it happens and makes for some great character drama and loving the vibes between them and then when a meta-human named "Burnback" appears we see all of them teaming up to take it down and it might be connected to one of the Nightwings and I love the origin and connections and it talks of pain and loss and letting go and loving Dick's evolution here and Bea is just so pretty. Slow reveals yes but this new status quo.. reading it in collected editions is so much better and the art is just gorgeous.
May 15, 2020
Ric Grayson’s here to stay; he may not be Nightwing, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stop defending his city if he has to, and with his new team of reluctant superheroes at his back, he should be ready for anything. Of course, when the Joker’s Daughter comes to town, that idea might be tested to say the least. And then a fiery creature begins setting Bludhaven’s buildings ablaze – and trying to kill its firefighters? Who is Burnback, and can the Nightwings stop him before Bludhaven is reduced to cinders?
This is a bit of a transitional volume of Nightwing; after Ben Percy left, Scott Lobdell stepped in for Knight Terrors, and now he’s on his way out as well. With co-writer Zach Kaplan, he writes the first arc of this volume which features the Joker’s Daughter; I really like her as a villain, but she’s not that interesting here unfortunately. It’s a straight forward plot, and doesn’t really need all six Nightwings to take her down, although it does lean nicely on the different strengths and weaknesses that the new characters bring to the table.
The titular Burnback is a bit more of a surprise. Written by new series writer Dan Jurgens, this murder mystery is probably an issue too long, but has a decent little twist that I didn’t see coming. It’s almost like an episode of Chicago Fire or something, with a superhero twist, grounded in the new Nightwing team - specifically the firefighter, who has a personal stake in the story.
The art’s the continual mixed bag that this series has been for a while. Travis Moore draws the Joker’s Daughter issues, so those are beautiful, before Chris Mooneyham returns for the first two issues of Burnback. I’ve not been a big fan of his work on this series, but at least his scratchy style fits the subject matter, with dark buildings and the fiery Burnback right in his wheehouse. It’s no surprise that when Ronan Cliquet, the new series artist going forward, arrives for the final issue of the trade though, things finally seem to slot into place.
This volume’s kind of all over the place, as one writer leaves and another attempts to bed himself into the series while contending with the previous series artist. Both stories are decent, and capitalize on the new characters that have been previously introduced, but there’s definitely a feeling that the book is spinning its wheels until Jurgens can start properly from next volume.
This is a bit of a transitional volume of Nightwing; after Ben Percy left, Scott Lobdell stepped in for Knight Terrors, and now he’s on his way out as well. With co-writer Zach Kaplan, he writes the first arc of this volume which features the Joker’s Daughter; I really like her as a villain, but she’s not that interesting here unfortunately. It’s a straight forward plot, and doesn’t really need all six Nightwings to take her down, although it does lean nicely on the different strengths and weaknesses that the new characters bring to the table.
The titular Burnback is a bit more of a surprise. Written by new series writer Dan Jurgens, this murder mystery is probably an issue too long, but has a decent little twist that I didn’t see coming. It’s almost like an episode of Chicago Fire or something, with a superhero twist, grounded in the new Nightwing team - specifically the firefighter, who has a personal stake in the story.
The art’s the continual mixed bag that this series has been for a while. Travis Moore draws the Joker’s Daughter issues, so those are beautiful, before Chris Mooneyham returns for the first two issues of Burnback. I’ve not been a big fan of his work on this series, but at least his scratchy style fits the subject matter, with dark buildings and the fiery Burnback right in his wheehouse. It’s no surprise that when Ronan Cliquet, the new series artist going forward, arrives for the final issue of the trade though, things finally seem to slot into place.
This volume’s kind of all over the place, as one writer leaves and another attempts to bed himself into the series while contending with the previous series artist. Both stories are decent, and capitalize on the new characters that have been previously introduced, but there’s definitely a feeling that the book is spinning its wheels until Jurgens can start properly from next volume.
October 17, 2025
Not that good. 1.8 🌟
March 19, 2020
Correct
November 12, 2019
Good Expansion of Ric Grayson & the Nightwings
(Note: Originally read as single issues.)
I'll be honest: I like the Ric Grayson story arc. I like the outsider perspective on heroism and on capes in particular, I like the new people that have stepped up to defend Bludhaven during Nightwing's (to them) unexplained abandonment, and I really, really like the idea of the coming Court of Owls story arc. I realize this isn't exactly a popular opinion, but I like it and I will continue to enjoy Nightwing in any form.
(Note: Originally read as single issues.)
I'll be honest: I like the Ric Grayson story arc. I like the outsider perspective on heroism and on capes in particular, I like the new people that have stepped up to defend Bludhaven during Nightwing's (to them) unexplained abandonment, and I really, really like the idea of the coming Court of Owls story arc. I realize this isn't exactly a popular opinion, but I like it and I will continue to enjoy Nightwing in any form.
June 16, 2021
Just what no one asked for - a mopey amnesiac with an unwarranted chip on his shoulder fighting the terrible villains of gentrification and departmental policies.
Read
December 15, 2022I am actually dying to be out of the immediate post-batman 55 era. I know it's coming and I know it's only two more vols but pleeeease
November 28, 2020
In the last issue here, when Dick is yet again recapping why he is Rick, he says: "All that stuff-- those Batman years are meaningless to me. I can't care about things I can't remember."
This revealed the point of this odd Nightwing/Grayson era. Nightwing is the new reader (or editorial's vision of a new reader) who does not want to be mired in continuity and have to care about crap they never knew or can't remember. He is surrounded by old versions of himself, people playing dress up in his old costumes, each of which was a new status quo and now somebody's favorite. It is all a commentary on the hesitance of the longtime fan to accept anything new, while also pointing to the hypocrisy that lies beneath that because there was some point they were on-boarded and had to glean or not care about what they did not remember because they never experienced it.
What is unclear though is if the bad writing and retread plots are a commentary on how editorial shifts are bad and should be avoided, or if it is meta-commentary on the lack of interest by creators to innovate this far afield, because they know the fans will push toward the status quo returning and all this work will be thrown out the window anyway.
I for one am ready to get behind the people pushing Rick Grayson in front of a train so he traumatically remembers how to be in a good book again.
This revealed the point of this odd Nightwing/Grayson era. Nightwing is the new reader (or editorial's vision of a new reader) who does not want to be mired in continuity and have to care about crap they never knew or can't remember. He is surrounded by old versions of himself, people playing dress up in his old costumes, each of which was a new status quo and now somebody's favorite. It is all a commentary on the hesitance of the longtime fan to accept anything new, while also pointing to the hypocrisy that lies beneath that because there was some point they were on-boarded and had to glean or not care about what they did not remember because they never experienced it.
What is unclear though is if the bad writing and retread plots are a commentary on how editorial shifts are bad and should be avoided, or if it is meta-commentary on the lack of interest by creators to innovate this far afield, because they know the fans will push toward the status quo returning and all this work will be thrown out the window anyway.
I for one am ready to get behind the people pushing Rick Grayson in front of a train so he traumatically remembers how to be in a good book again.
August 11, 2020
Ric Grayson begins to work alongside Bludhaven's new hero team: The Nightwings. 3 Cops and a fireman (Nightwing Prime, Nightwing Blue, Nightwing Gold, and Nightwing Red) have adopted the persona to help the city after Grayson's near-fatal wounding from KG Beast. Fighting against Joker's Daughter then a huge living fire being known as Burnback, the Nightwings find that "Cabbie" is better than them in many ways. (If only they knew that Ric is the original Nightwing...)
Overall, this Volume seemed a little long, but tying up loose ends and putting the character back on the path towards reclaiming his title was worth it. If you've been keeping up with the title, might as well finish it up, as the next Volume starts over with Vol 1 (again).
Reasonable ending. Worth it to keep up on Grayson.
Overall, this Volume seemed a little long, but tying up loose ends and putting the character back on the path towards reclaiming his title was worth it. If you've been keeping up with the title, might as well finish it up, as the next Volume starts over with Vol 1 (again).
Reasonable ending. Worth it to keep up on Grayson.
March 4, 2020
Ric Grayson continues, I'm not sure why this series is getting so much flack, it's been really good.
This time Ric and the Nightwings are up against another Gotham reject, Burnback the second story in this was a lot more enjoyable. Yes it was predictable who was setting all those fires but it led to some nice moments. Ric's love life is still booming, which I was happy to see. it also got rid of one of the old comic tropes which I was even more happy to see, then it leaves on a cliffhanger. Which I'm not sure about as it hints that it's going to undo a lot of progress this series has made, in the last 2 volumes.
This time Ric and the Nightwings are up against another Gotham reject, Burnback the second story in this was a lot more enjoyable. Yes it was predictable who was setting all those fires but it led to some nice moments. Ric's love life is still booming, which I was happy to see. it also got rid of one of the old comic tropes which I was even more happy to see, then it leaves on a cliffhanger. Which I'm not sure about as it hints that it's going to undo a lot of progress this series has made, in the last 2 volumes.
May 15, 2022
3.5 Stars
The Nightwing team is still in action, and in this volume we see them facing the Joker's Daughter as well as a metahuman made of fire.
I think we're all waiting for Dick Grayson to regain his memory and go back to being the Nightwing we know, but at least the wait has been entertaining.
The Nightwing team is still in action, and in this volume we see them facing the Joker's Daughter as well as a metahuman made of fire.
I think we're all waiting for Dick Grayson to regain his memory and go back to being the Nightwing we know, but at least the wait has been entertaining.
February 5, 2025
What do you call a book called "Nightwing" with no Nightwing? False advertising? Fraud? I call it a slap in the face to every fan who has loved this character from the very beginning. Quit this stupid amnesia story and bring Dick Grayson back once and for all.
April 13, 2025
It's pretty decent for the Ric Grayson Nightwing arc... but without the use of formattable supervillains, it falls into more of a blah category.
Our plot begins with Ric & Bea taking a walk in winter to a local Blüdhaven homeless shelter where Bea volunteers. Ric is absolutely smitten with Bea and her dedication to helping improve the life circumstances of another through her hard and passionate work. Bea reveals that she grew up homeless, and now that she has the means to provide for herself, she chooses to give back, but the shelter is set to close down soon. Bea discussed how there will be a town council meeting soon, and she planned a Ric jumps at the opportunity to support her work/efforts to keep the shelter open.
In the next scene, we see Detective Svoboda & Collen attempt to question a weirdo art tutor whose college-aged student was the last scene with him before her disappearance. Their questions go unanswered, leading to Colleen's aggressive breakdown at the thought of the innocent young woman's potential death due to the law. Svoboda tries to convince her to shake it off. Collen won't consent, as she dawns her golden Nightwing costume and bursts into the perp's apartment with violent force. Hours later, the man turns himself in revealing the girl's location trapped under lock & keys. Svoboda & Collen find the woman alive, and all ends well.
In the next scene, we see Bea attend the Council meeting as a champion of the public as she tries to implore the Councilman and the board to change their minds about shutting down the shelter. Ric is in awe of her passion, and Councilman Pollard reveals that the shelter is to be demolished for a sports stadium parking lot, causing mass outrage. In the car after the meeting, we see Councilman Pollard discussing his plans for an interview with Vicky Vale on Gotham Mourning News when the car is attacked, and his secret service is instantly killed by a rain of Bullets. The grand reveal of the Joker's Daughter arrives and kidnaps the Councilman, bringing him to the sewers. In the sewers, she washes him in acid and straps him to a suicide dynamite vest before forcing him to memorize a story about him meeting her and how she changed his mind on the Blüdhaven parking lot/stadium direction before releasing him to the public in a rich restaurant.
Meanwhile, Ric goes to the cab station where he is prepped to clock in for work, but Burl reminds him that his car is out of commission due to it being greatly damaged in the Scarecrow debacle. Burl then informs Ric that he's lucky the BPD was able to locate and fix the car and that Detective Sapienza is inside and needs Ric to finish the paperwork. Inside, the two have a brief stare-down before Sapienza explains that he wants to enlist Ric into the services of the Nightwing to help when they call. Ric agrees to his own surprise, and then the two leave the station. When just a few minutes pass, Ric & Sapienza get word from Zak & Hutch that a suicide bomber is happening in the Oasis Club in Avalon Heights. The two try to infiltrate the restaurant but find the back doors shut and the front locked once Hutch, Zak, Sapienza & Ric enter. The building shakes with an artificial earthquake as bombs go off in the building. Zak tries to remove the suicide vest from Councilman Pollard while Hutch, Sapienza, & Ric take on the Joker's Daughter, who emerges through the floors. Ric tries to be sympathetic as she goes on about how her father, Joker, abandoned her, but it crashes down as she tries to detonate the bombs once more. Ric delivers a blow, Hutch frees the people by breaking a window, and it all ends when smoke is dispersed with the Joker's Daughter missing as she escapes through the sewers once more.
In the next scene, we see Barbara Gordon for a ride to the airport, to which Ric happily obliges. Ric asks if she is still set to change him, to which she responds that she's let go and is willing to let Ric make his own life apart from the Dick she once knew and that this phenomenon is all due to Bea.
We then pivot to our second arc, which begins with Hutch trying to train Ric in a studio but proceeds to get his butt kicked. The two take off after training with the plan to do so weekly. Hutch then pays a close friend revealed to be Captain William Stapleton, who is in a coma against the code of the hospital. Sapienza arrives to collect his friend Hutch, who feels an immense amount of guilt but wants to pay respect for what happened to his mentor 5 years ago. When the two leave, they run into Williams' daughter Melissa, who is pissed off at Hutch for what he did as a rookie in the academy that put her father's life at risk. Melissa has an angered outburst that she wishes for the entire department to burn.
Hours later, another major fire breaks out at one of the BPD precincts, and the Nightwings jump into action to help. The team, including Hutch & Ric, managed to free and save many lives but ended up encountering a fire monster. Sapienza jumps in to help, and the three manage to briefly subdue the monster before leaving the rest to the professional firefighters. Hutch & Sapienza decided to follow their lead, Melissa, who wished for the cops to burn by putting a tip out to Zak & Colleen while Ric leaves to meet up with Bea (thanks to a phone she bought him). In the alley, Bea finds Ric and confronts him on how it was reckless for him to take off and run to the fire to help. Ric explains that he has this deep need to help when called. Bea reminds him that he's not invincible, and Ric reassures her that he only wants to help. The two end the scene with a kiss.
Meanwhile, Detective Sapienza Nightwing breaks into Melissa's apartment to try and find answers/possible evidence while Zak & Colleen attempt to question Melissa in a parking lot. Sapienza finds no clues while Zak & Colleen are suddenly under fire by the fire monster, who warns Melissa to escape. The building bursts into flames, with Melissa running down the street, eventually running into Hutch & Sapienza. While Ric jumps to the rescue with a fire extinguisher to try and help Colleen & Zak. Ric saves Colleen by putting out the flames but loses his equipment, to which Colleen appears and uses it on the monster, buying time for Ric to help Zak. When Colleen runs out of foam, all looks hopeless until Zak uses a hot-wired car to crash into the fire hydrant, putting out the flames but flipping the car.
Hutch, Sapienza, & Melissa return to the scene where the fire monster reveals that he is Melissa's father and that he wants to protect her and loves his family. Melissa returns the sentiment towards her dad who he tells her to let him before extinguishing. Sapienza reveals that Williams' had a metahuman gene and that this, mixed with his hatred of the department, allowed him to become a fire monster (aka Burn-Back). The next day, Melissa says goodbye to her father.
Zak received medical help and the Nightwing all discussed what they thought about Ric. Some are skeptical, like Collen, while others, like Sapienza & Zak, are just glad to have him on the team.
We then pivot our attention back to Ric who finds Bea and sits down with her at the Bar telling her everything about his life and how he was Robin and that he wants to put all away for a chance at a normal life helping others because he can't remember the man he once was and doesn't want to wear that uniform. Bea is grateful and puts the pieces together that Ric was once Nightwing (basically revealing the entire Batfam). She is grateful that Ric trusts her with these vulnerable secrets, and the two become more or less an official couple. The next day, we see Ric & Bea wake up after a passionate night together and fall deeper in love with Ric embracing his scares and past life that lead him to Bea.
In the final scene, we see that a drone is tracking Ric, revealing him to be the Fallen Nightwing who managed to live from the near-fatal bullet to the brain. The drone returns to share the information and, with that, shows a distorted holographic of a man claiming Lex Luthor who wants to help William Cobb Talon reclaim his long lost Great Grandson into the Court of Owls now that he holds no Batfamily ties.
Overall, this was a decent arc, but there were moments when things seemed to drag on longer than they should have. Joker's Daughter was a decent angle, and BurnBack further developed Hutch's character/past for why he left the police academy, but both were more or less filler. The major reveal at the end with the Talons and Ric's trust in Bea is what ultimately makes the story. 5.6/10 🌟 since this was more or less a mediocre arc. I'm looking forward to the 3rd and final volume in the Ric Grayson solo era 😏👍💙.
Our plot begins with Ric & Bea taking a walk in winter to a local Blüdhaven homeless shelter where Bea volunteers. Ric is absolutely smitten with Bea and her dedication to helping improve the life circumstances of another through her hard and passionate work. Bea reveals that she grew up homeless, and now that she has the means to provide for herself, she chooses to give back, but the shelter is set to close down soon. Bea discussed how there will be a town council meeting soon, and she planned a Ric jumps at the opportunity to support her work/efforts to keep the shelter open.
In the next scene, we see Detective Svoboda & Collen attempt to question a weirdo art tutor whose college-aged student was the last scene with him before her disappearance. Their questions go unanswered, leading to Colleen's aggressive breakdown at the thought of the innocent young woman's potential death due to the law. Svoboda tries to convince her to shake it off. Collen won't consent, as she dawns her golden Nightwing costume and bursts into the perp's apartment with violent force. Hours later, the man turns himself in revealing the girl's location trapped under lock & keys. Svoboda & Collen find the woman alive, and all ends well.
In the next scene, we see Bea attend the Council meeting as a champion of the public as she tries to implore the Councilman and the board to change their minds about shutting down the shelter. Ric is in awe of her passion, and Councilman Pollard reveals that the shelter is to be demolished for a sports stadium parking lot, causing mass outrage. In the car after the meeting, we see Councilman Pollard discussing his plans for an interview with Vicky Vale on Gotham Mourning News when the car is attacked, and his secret service is instantly killed by a rain of Bullets. The grand reveal of the Joker's Daughter arrives and kidnaps the Councilman, bringing him to the sewers. In the sewers, she washes him in acid and straps him to a suicide dynamite vest before forcing him to memorize a story about him meeting her and how she changed his mind on the Blüdhaven parking lot/stadium direction before releasing him to the public in a rich restaurant.
Meanwhile, Ric goes to the cab station where he is prepped to clock in for work, but Burl reminds him that his car is out of commission due to it being greatly damaged in the Scarecrow debacle. Burl then informs Ric that he's lucky the BPD was able to locate and fix the car and that Detective Sapienza is inside and needs Ric to finish the paperwork. Inside, the two have a brief stare-down before Sapienza explains that he wants to enlist Ric into the services of the Nightwing to help when they call. Ric agrees to his own surprise, and then the two leave the station. When just a few minutes pass, Ric & Sapienza get word from Zak & Hutch that a suicide bomber is happening in the Oasis Club in Avalon Heights. The two try to infiltrate the restaurant but find the back doors shut and the front locked once Hutch, Zak, Sapienza & Ric enter. The building shakes with an artificial earthquake as bombs go off in the building. Zak tries to remove the suicide vest from Councilman Pollard while Hutch, Sapienza, & Ric take on the Joker's Daughter, who emerges through the floors. Ric tries to be sympathetic as she goes on about how her father, Joker, abandoned her, but it crashes down as she tries to detonate the bombs once more. Ric delivers a blow, Hutch frees the people by breaking a window, and it all ends when smoke is dispersed with the Joker's Daughter missing as she escapes through the sewers once more.
In the next scene, we see Barbara Gordon for a ride to the airport, to which Ric happily obliges. Ric asks if she is still set to change him, to which she responds that she's let go and is willing to let Ric make his own life apart from the Dick she once knew and that this phenomenon is all due to Bea.
We then pivot to our second arc, which begins with Hutch trying to train Ric in a studio but proceeds to get his butt kicked. The two take off after training with the plan to do so weekly. Hutch then pays a close friend revealed to be Captain William Stapleton, who is in a coma against the code of the hospital. Sapienza arrives to collect his friend Hutch, who feels an immense amount of guilt but wants to pay respect for what happened to his mentor 5 years ago. When the two leave, they run into Williams' daughter Melissa, who is pissed off at Hutch for what he did as a rookie in the academy that put her father's life at risk. Melissa has an angered outburst that she wishes for the entire department to burn.
Hours later, another major fire breaks out at one of the BPD precincts, and the Nightwings jump into action to help. The team, including Hutch & Ric, managed to free and save many lives but ended up encountering a fire monster. Sapienza jumps in to help, and the three manage to briefly subdue the monster before leaving the rest to the professional firefighters. Hutch & Sapienza decided to follow their lead, Melissa, who wished for the cops to burn by putting a tip out to Zak & Colleen while Ric leaves to meet up with Bea (thanks to a phone she bought him). In the alley, Bea finds Ric and confronts him on how it was reckless for him to take off and run to the fire to help. Ric explains that he has this deep need to help when called. Bea reminds him that he's not invincible, and Ric reassures her that he only wants to help. The two end the scene with a kiss.
Meanwhile, Detective Sapienza Nightwing breaks into Melissa's apartment to try and find answers/possible evidence while Zak & Colleen attempt to question Melissa in a parking lot. Sapienza finds no clues while Zak & Colleen are suddenly under fire by the fire monster, who warns Melissa to escape. The building bursts into flames, with Melissa running down the street, eventually running into Hutch & Sapienza. While Ric jumps to the rescue with a fire extinguisher to try and help Colleen & Zak. Ric saves Colleen by putting out the flames but loses his equipment, to which Colleen appears and uses it on the monster, buying time for Ric to help Zak. When Colleen runs out of foam, all looks hopeless until Zak uses a hot-wired car to crash into the fire hydrant, putting out the flames but flipping the car.
Hutch, Sapienza, & Melissa return to the scene where the fire monster reveals that he is Melissa's father and that he wants to protect her and loves his family. Melissa returns the sentiment towards her dad who he tells her to let him before extinguishing. Sapienza reveals that Williams' had a metahuman gene and that this, mixed with his hatred of the department, allowed him to become a fire monster (aka Burn-Back). The next day, Melissa says goodbye to her father.
Zak received medical help and the Nightwing all discussed what they thought about Ric. Some are skeptical, like Collen, while others, like Sapienza & Zak, are just glad to have him on the team.
We then pivot our attention back to Ric who finds Bea and sits down with her at the Bar telling her everything about his life and how he was Robin and that he wants to put all away for a chance at a normal life helping others because he can't remember the man he once was and doesn't want to wear that uniform. Bea is grateful and puts the pieces together that Ric was once Nightwing (basically revealing the entire Batfam). She is grateful that Ric trusts her with these vulnerable secrets, and the two become more or less an official couple. The next day, we see Ric & Bea wake up after a passionate night together and fall deeper in love with Ric embracing his scares and past life that lead him to Bea.
In the final scene, we see that a drone is tracking Ric, revealing him to be the Fallen Nightwing who managed to live from the near-fatal bullet to the brain. The drone returns to share the information and, with that, shows a distorted holographic of a man claiming Lex Luthor who wants to help William Cobb Talon reclaim his long lost Great Grandson into the Court of Owls now that he holds no Batfamily ties.
Overall, this was a decent arc, but there were moments when things seemed to drag on longer than they should have. Joker's Daughter was a decent angle, and BurnBack further developed Hutch's character/past for why he left the police academy, but both were more or less filler. The major reveal at the end with the Talons and Ric's trust in Bea is what ultimately makes the story. 5.6/10 🌟 since this was more or less a mediocre arc. I'm looking forward to the 3rd and final volume in the Ric Grayson solo era 😏👍💙.
July 23, 2020
Boy this might have been the worst book to come out of DC's Rebirth relaunch so far. That even includes those mostly awful New Age of Heroes line of books. It's just not even a Nightwing book. Spoilers for Batman #55 from here on, so be warned.
February 1, 2025
*1.5* “I’m told I was Robin. But I remember nothing… All that stuff— those Batman years… are meaningless to me. I can’t care about things I can’t remember. What I do care about is making sure the bad guys don’t make victims of the innocent.”
I don’t understand how he doesn’t understand that that’s exactly what Robin, Nightwing, “the Batman years” were about. It’s the exact same. He’s not a new person just because he thinks putting on a Nightwing suit to be a hero is dumb. “I want a normal life” he says as he falls back into exactly the same life he had before. What’s different is his attitude and his attitude isn’t doing it for me.
I think Bea is a better love interest than Shawn was. She’s obviously attracted to his innate drive to help people and his looks, but because there’s nothing else to know about him, I wonder if that’s really enough to sustain a relationship. It’s got potential but I doubt it’s going to get far before it’s over.
I don’t understand how he doesn’t understand that that’s exactly what Robin, Nightwing, “the Batman years” were about. It’s the exact same. He’s not a new person just because he thinks putting on a Nightwing suit to be a hero is dumb. “I want a normal life” he says as he falls back into exactly the same life he had before. What’s different is his attitude and his attitude isn’t doing it for me.
I think Bea is a better love interest than Shawn was. She’s obviously attracted to his innate drive to help people and his looks, but because there’s nothing else to know about him, I wonder if that’s really enough to sustain a relationship. It’s got potential but I doubt it’s going to get far before it’s over.
December 27, 2021
Nightwing as a title is still really all over the place. I know this is only the second volume with Ric (Dick) in it, and Lobdell is setting up who his character is, but IMO it really reads like he hasn't...Like DC couldn't figure out who Ric was supposed to be before they handed the title over and just continued on with the story. (He's a homeless cab driver!) And that sucks.
A reminder that we've been here before as readers. Bruce Wayne lost his Batman memory in New 52 (Batman, Volume 8: Superheavy), but at least then Scott Snyder wrote him a personality for a volume or two without Batman. Here, Dick (Ric) really reads personality-less. He's lost but stubbornly pushing forward into nothingness. Which is also why I'm really not invested in Ric's love story with Bea. Who is Ric and why is Bea falling for him? Really feel like their love/relationship is being fed to us and not built on the page. (I actually felt this way about every romance written for Dick in the Nightwing 2016 series...)
Anyway, I really like the fill-in Nightwings. I like that they're trying & I like the personalities. Ric names them: Nightwing Prime (Alphonse Sapienza), Nightwing Red (Malcom Hutch), Nightwing Gold (Colleen Edwards), and Nightwing Blue (Zak Edwards). If Dick Grayson isn't going to be Nightwing, it might as well be other good guys with a sense of responsibility towards Bludhaven.
Issues #57 & #58 are the re-introduction of the Joker's Daughter (I think she's a Lobdell creation). I liked the plot device of her wanting to kill all the Bludhaven socialites (bringing most of the Nightwings together with Ric in a big action scene trying to save everyone/defuse the situation/fight her), but the Joker's Daughter story was introduced and then done within two contained issues, reading way too short. I would have liked her plot thread to be a bit longer.
Ric is annoyingly part of the Nightwing ('Wing) crew without being a part of the Nightwing crew. He dresses all in black and puts on car grease(?!) as a mask. They call him Cabbie, because he's...a cabbie. Like I wrote above, really weak character building for Ric. :-/
Art by Travis Moore is so pretty. Ric may be the prettiest he's ever been.
Issue #59 sees a change in the Nightwing creative team. Scott Lobdell and Zack Kaplan handoff Ric to Dan Jurgens, who I don't know that well.
I actually liked the Burnback storyline (#59-#61) by Jurgens but disliked the art by Chris Mooneyham (issues #59 & 60), which is a little scratchy and a little 90's looking(?). And I liked Ronan Cliquet's art (issue #61 & 62) but found his costumes & masks to be better drawn than his bare faces.
Anyway, Ric trains with Hutch and continues to work with "Team Wing", but won't officially work as a hero/Nightwing, because, Ric.
Bea: "Ric?! Where are you going?"
(ugly) Ric: "To see if they need help."
Bea: "But...you aren't a firefighter! Why do you think it's your job to help everyone?"
Ric text boxes: My skills. If people are in trouble...it's always my job to help."
Which is just so annoying as a plot device! Either you want to be a hero/vigilante or you don't, Ric!
Also, I just thought this was weird. In a burning police station, Hutch calls it a "prisoner cage". Isn't it called a holding cell? ...
Anyway, Bea gifts Ric a cellphone (throwback to Nightwing, Vol. 7: The Bleeding Edge). He explains that it's nice to feel connected to someone he actually knows (new memories made) and not someone he forgot/can't remember. It still sounds like a kinda bullshitty plot device/bad character writing to me.
Also, he's fugly. :(
Issue #62 we see Ric patrolling & heroing. He reveals his past "secret identity" to Bea, which is a huge deal, but says he's done with Nightwing.
Ric: "I fear they're in over their heads, so I give them a hand. But my days as Nightwing are behind me. I'm done with it."
Hmm. :(
But Ric and the Wings are being spied on by , so I guess we're onto the next plot point for Ric!
3 stars for a volume with a better plot (compared at least to the last two) by Jurgens. Still bad Ric writing. :(
A reminder that we've been here before as readers. Bruce Wayne lost his Batman memory in New 52 (Batman, Volume 8: Superheavy), but at least then Scott Snyder wrote him a personality for a volume or two without Batman. Here, Dick (Ric) really reads personality-less. He's lost but stubbornly pushing forward into nothingness. Which is also why I'm really not invested in Ric's love story with Bea. Who is Ric and why is Bea falling for him? Really feel like their love/relationship is being fed to us and not built on the page. (I actually felt this way about every romance written for Dick in the Nightwing 2016 series...)
Anyway, I really like the fill-in Nightwings. I like that they're trying & I like the personalities. Ric names them: Nightwing Prime (Alphonse Sapienza), Nightwing Red (Malcom Hutch), Nightwing Gold (Colleen Edwards), and Nightwing Blue (Zak Edwards). If Dick Grayson isn't going to be Nightwing, it might as well be other good guys with a sense of responsibility towards Bludhaven.
Issues #57 & #58 are the re-introduction of the Joker's Daughter (I think she's a Lobdell creation). I liked the plot device of her wanting to kill all the Bludhaven socialites (bringing most of the Nightwings together with Ric in a big action scene trying to save everyone/defuse the situation/fight her), but the Joker's Daughter story was introduced and then done within two contained issues, reading way too short. I would have liked her plot thread to be a bit longer.
Ric is annoyingly part of the Nightwing ('Wing) crew without being a part of the Nightwing crew. He dresses all in black and puts on car grease(?!) as a mask. They call him Cabbie, because he's...a cabbie. Like I wrote above, really weak character building for Ric. :-/
Art by Travis Moore is so pretty. Ric may be the prettiest he's ever been.
Issue #59 sees a change in the Nightwing creative team. Scott Lobdell and Zack Kaplan handoff Ric to Dan Jurgens, who I don't know that well.
I actually liked the Burnback storyline (#59-#61) by Jurgens but disliked the art by Chris Mooneyham (issues #59 & 60), which is a little scratchy and a little 90's looking(?). And I liked Ronan Cliquet's art (issue #61 & 62) but found his costumes & masks to be better drawn than his bare faces.
Anyway, Ric trains with Hutch and continues to work with "Team Wing", but won't officially work as a hero/Nightwing, because, Ric.
Bea: "Ric?! Where are you going?"
(ugly) Ric: "To see if they need help."
Bea: "But...you aren't a firefighter! Why do you think it's your job to help everyone?"
Ric text boxes: My skills. If people are in trouble...it's always my job to help."
Which is just so annoying as a plot device! Either you want to be a hero/vigilante or you don't, Ric!
Also, I just thought this was weird. In a burning police station, Hutch calls it a "prisoner cage". Isn't it called a holding cell? ...
Anyway, Bea gifts Ric a cellphone (throwback to Nightwing, Vol. 7: The Bleeding Edge). He explains that it's nice to feel connected to someone he actually knows (new memories made) and not someone he forgot/can't remember. It still sounds like a kinda bullshitty plot device/bad character writing to me.
Also, he's fugly. :(
Issue #62 we see Ric patrolling & heroing. He reveals his past "secret identity" to Bea, which is a huge deal, but says he's done with Nightwing.
Ric: "I fear they're in over their heads, so I give them a hand. But my days as Nightwing are behind me. I'm done with it."
Hmm. :(
But Ric and the Wings are being spied on by , so I guess we're onto the next plot point for Ric!
3 stars for a volume with a better plot (compared at least to the last two) by Jurgens. Still bad Ric writing. :(
March 13, 2020
Nightwing: Burnback continues where the previous trade paperback left off collecting six issues (Nightwing #57–62) of the 2016 on-going series and collects three stories: "Heroes Without a Home", "Corrosion of the Corrupted", "City Ablaze", and "The Scout".
"Heroes Without a Home" and "Corrosion of the Corrupted" is two interconnected one-issue storyline (Nightwing #57–58) that has Ric Grayson being conscripted into the Nightwings after he helped out their leader Alphonse Sapienza with a mission as they take on Duela Dent as Joker's Daughter.
"City Ablaze" is three-issue storyline (Nightwing #59–61) that has the Nightwings taking on a pyrotechnic villain in Walter Stapleton as Burnback. It centers on the backstory of Malcolm Hutch as Nightwing Red as it reveals the reason why he didn't become a police officer, but a firefighter.
"The Scout" is a one-issue tie-in story for Year of the Villain event (Nightwing #62) that has William Cobb as Talon observing the Nightwings and his great grandson in particular Dick Grayson, so that he could take his amnesiac great-grandson Ric Grayson to be in the family business – to become a Talon for the Court of Owls.
Dan Jurgens (Nightwing #59–62), Scott Lobdell and Zack Kalpan (Nightwing #57–58) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written mediocrity well, it delves rather shallowly into the intentions of the Nightwings and how Ric Grayson was conscripted into the group. Still, I am not entirely thrilled with the storyline of the amnesiac Dick Grayson and hope for his swift return.
Travis Moore (Nightwing #57–58), Chris Mooneyham (Nightwing #59–60) and Ronan Cliquet (Nightwing #61–62) penciled the trade paperback. The penciling styles of each artist are radically different and didn't mesh well with each other. Moore has a beautiful penciling style making each character rather attractive, Mooneyham has a rough sketch-like style that stands out of the crowd, and finally Cliquet is a happy medium of the two making that characters look rather youthful. In the end, the artistic flow was rather jarring.
All in all, Nightwing: Burnback is a mediocre continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
"Heroes Without a Home" and "Corrosion of the Corrupted" is two interconnected one-issue storyline (Nightwing #57–58) that has Ric Grayson being conscripted into the Nightwings after he helped out their leader Alphonse Sapienza with a mission as they take on Duela Dent as Joker's Daughter.
"City Ablaze" is three-issue storyline (Nightwing #59–61) that has the Nightwings taking on a pyrotechnic villain in Walter Stapleton as Burnback. It centers on the backstory of Malcolm Hutch as Nightwing Red as it reveals the reason why he didn't become a police officer, but a firefighter.
"The Scout" is a one-issue tie-in story for Year of the Villain event (Nightwing #62) that has William Cobb as Talon observing the Nightwings and his great grandson in particular Dick Grayson, so that he could take his amnesiac great-grandson Ric Grayson to be in the family business – to become a Talon for the Court of Owls.
Dan Jurgens (Nightwing #59–62), Scott Lobdell and Zack Kalpan (Nightwing #57–58) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written mediocrity well, it delves rather shallowly into the intentions of the Nightwings and how Ric Grayson was conscripted into the group. Still, I am not entirely thrilled with the storyline of the amnesiac Dick Grayson and hope for his swift return.
Travis Moore (Nightwing #57–58), Chris Mooneyham (Nightwing #59–60) and Ronan Cliquet (Nightwing #61–62) penciled the trade paperback. The penciling styles of each artist are radically different and didn't mesh well with each other. Moore has a beautiful penciling style making each character rather attractive, Mooneyham has a rough sketch-like style that stands out of the crowd, and finally Cliquet is a happy medium of the two making that characters look rather youthful. In the end, the artistic flow was rather jarring.
All in all, Nightwing: Burnback is a mediocre continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
June 14, 2020
É muito curiosa essa fase em que o Asa Noturna está vivendo nos quadrinhos atualmente. Dick Grayson costumava ser Robin, o ajudante do Batman, mas lá pelas tantas resolveu se emancipar e crescer e trabalhar independente de seu mentor. Escolheu, então, a cidade vizinha a Gotham, Bludhaven, para fazer a sua patrulha contra os malfeitores da noite. Mas quando uma bala quase mata Dick Grayson, ele perde a memória e passa a trabalhar como o taxista Ric Grayson, sem perder de vista um instinto que o faz lutar pelo bem e pelos necessitados na calada da noite. O mais interessante é que se juntam a ele uma trupe de cinco policiais que também atendem pelo cognome de Asa Noturna e descobrir o passado e as motivações desses personagens é o que acaba movendo o leitor para mais uma fase do herói. Esse é o serviço que presta esse encadernado, que além dos roteiros do veteranos Scott Lobdell e Dan Jurgens, conta com a arte dos novatos e celebrados Travis Moore e Chris Mooneyham, um deles servindo realismo ao leitor e o outro acertando na cenas explosivas de ação. Ainda assim, a história é morna, parecendo que deixou de tocar em pontos que a deixariam mais interessante. Quem sabe nos próximos volumes?
July 29, 2023
Burnback? Really?
This collection has two shorter series - I'd completely forgotten about the Duela Dent aspect of the story, which is remarkable because the Joker's Daughter is a character I normally find intriguing. Here, she's just another Joker wannabe with a thing against the one percenters, and a story that doesn't do much. She literally disappears in the second issue and is never mentioned again.
That leaves room for a new villain, Burnback.... This story goes super weird, providing some back story for the new Nightwing team members and tying the new villain into it. But every facet of the character, from design, to motivation, is pretty much terrible. I get that they were trying to tackle a complicated issue, but they did so with no nuance, no depth, and going pretty close to being outright offensive.
Ric is still more annoying than appealing, and Bea's presence is pretty much the only saving grace in this collection. The new direction of this series has definitely been headed the wrong way.
This collection has two shorter series - I'd completely forgotten about the Duela Dent aspect of the story, which is remarkable because the Joker's Daughter is a character I normally find intriguing. Here, she's just another Joker wannabe with a thing against the one percenters, and a story that doesn't do much. She literally disappears in the second issue and is never mentioned again.
That leaves room for a new villain, Burnback.... This story goes super weird, providing some back story for the new Nightwing team members and tying the new villain into it. But every facet of the character, from design, to motivation, is pretty much terrible. I get that they were trying to tackle a complicated issue, but they did so with no nuance, no depth, and going pretty close to being outright offensive.
Ric is still more annoying than appealing, and Bea's presence is pretty much the only saving grace in this collection. The new direction of this series has definitely been headed the wrong way.
March 29, 2024
How is this whole "Ric Grayson" thing still a thing?
I get that Dan Jurgens is trying to do something interesting with this character after his almost death, but at this point, the change is getting a bit tiresome. This volume is yet another volume of "Ric" coming to terms with who he was as well as who he is. And the addition of the Nightwing team is... interesting, but doesnt ever really elevate past the premise. I mean how many times are they gonna say they are impressed by the new guys skills? Which are way beyond what any of them can do by the way. The second story is about a fire monster which.... it kind of reads like a 90's comic. More of a "one and done" type story, except it takes 3 issues to suss out the villain.
I think it might be time to take a break from Nightwing for me. Hopefully, the next volume finally moves beyond Ric Grayson and gives us some semblance of a good story.
I get that Dan Jurgens is trying to do something interesting with this character after his almost death, but at this point, the change is getting a bit tiresome. This volume is yet another volume of "Ric" coming to terms with who he was as well as who he is. And the addition of the Nightwing team is... interesting, but doesnt ever really elevate past the premise. I mean how many times are they gonna say they are impressed by the new guys skills? Which are way beyond what any of them can do by the way. The second story is about a fire monster which.... it kind of reads like a 90's comic. More of a "one and done" type story, except it takes 3 issues to suss out the villain.
I think it might be time to take a break from Nightwing for me. Hopefully, the next volume finally moves beyond Ric Grayson and gives us some semblance of a good story.
February 9, 2023
This whole volume stars b*tchwing and the filler characters. Granted, I didn't read it in serial form so the reminders weren't necessary to me, but the script is so dang repetitive without any actual development of any of them. I can't take the whining about how horrible his former family, people he doesn't know anymore, were for trying to help him recover and how he has to break from that life only to...run toward that exact same life...but, you know, with new people he doesn't know. Wha? Also, can we talk about how he's written as the boyfriend who sponges? I thought maybe that was a thing with Shawn/Defacer...but it looks like he's the same with Bea.
Ugh. I can't believe I'm reading Batman's rebirth run in order to cheer up.
Ugh. I can't believe I'm reading Batman's rebirth run in order to cheer up.
December 18, 2025
Why do people hate this Ric Grayson storyline so much? 😭😭 this was easily better and had more interesting character drama than all the previous nightwing rebirth volumes
The ending with Talon and Lex Luthor joining forces got me hyped as well!
I can’t understand why people would hate on this arc if you know that by the end of the day Dick is eventually going to become Nightwing and regain his memories.
This entire story reminds me a ton of Spiderman 2 when Peter goes through his emotional crisis that leads him to quit being spiderman for a while, which is a great plot vehicle to focus on deeper character exploration.
The ending with Talon and Lex Luthor joining forces got me hyped as well!
I can’t understand why people would hate on this arc if you know that by the end of the day Dick is eventually going to become Nightwing and regain his memories.
This entire story reminds me a ton of Spiderman 2 when Peter goes through his emotional crisis that leads him to quit being spiderman for a while, which is a great plot vehicle to focus on deeper character exploration.
February 26, 2020
These books with Dick Grayson being Ric Grayson are hard for me. The reason why Dick is my favorite character in all of comics is because of who he is. And this is essentially a different character, i understand that is the point but it is trying to get us to like a whole new set of characters and that is never easy especially when you are reading a book based on a certain character.
Ric is definately more like Dick in this book which is better but it is still very much lacking in what you want for this book. I am looking forward to getting back to the status quo on this book.
Ric is definately more like Dick in this book which is better but it is still very much lacking in what you want for this book. I am looking forward to getting back to the status quo on this book.
February 15, 2021
2’5⭐️
Sigo teniendo sentimientos muy encontrados, porque quiero mucho a Dick, pero a Ric...
Lo mejor el Annual (con la batfamilia y contando un poquito más como fue el despertar de Dick. Also, la terapia de choque mal, Bruce. Muy mal XD), en el que al menos se ve que la amnesia de Dick no es todo lo que parece y que hay fuerzas ocultas operando, y los dos primeros números, con el dibujo de Travis Moore (y con aparición de mi querida Babs). El resto...un poco meh, pero bueno, el Annual y el dibujo de Moore (aunque breve, solo en el Annual y en el #57 y #58) casi casi que lo compensa. Casi.
Sigo teniendo sentimientos muy encontrados, porque quiero mucho a Dick, pero a Ric...
Lo mejor el Annual (con la batfamilia y contando un poquito más como fue el despertar de Dick. Also, la terapia de choque mal, Bruce. Muy mal XD), en el que al menos se ve que la amnesia de Dick no es todo lo que parece y que hay fuerzas ocultas operando, y los dos primeros números, con el dibujo de Travis Moore (y con aparición de mi querida Babs). El resto...un poco meh, pero bueno, el Annual y el dibujo de Moore (aunque breve, solo en el Annual y en el #57 y #58) casi casi que lo compensa. Casi.
September 20, 2021
Was on board until they explained the bad guys origins... They resolved his issues in like two pages? Ok?? All of that for this conclusion????
Maybe less Nightwings and more Grayson in the next one, that'd be appreciated? They keep introducing characters we should care about, but they're so poorly presented that I couldn't care less. Plus they come for like 7-8 issues and then disappear forever. Defacer anyone? The group of reformed bad guys? Gone??? Now theses Nightwing?? Who's next, Bea? (Spoilers : probably)
Can we stop bringing in new people and getting rid of them please? Thanks
Maybe less Nightwings and more Grayson in the next one, that'd be appreciated? They keep introducing characters we should care about, but they're so poorly presented that I couldn't care less. Plus they come for like 7-8 issues and then disappear forever. Defacer anyone? The group of reformed bad guys? Gone??? Now theses Nightwing?? Who's next, Bea? (Spoilers : probably)
Can we stop bringing in new people and getting rid of them please? Thanks
September 21, 2025
It's boring. Ric could be normal after losing his memory, but no, he's playing superhero, but without the Nightwing's costume because he's not him (and of course, there are several other characters who dress as Nightwing because it's impossible to have new ideas for names and costumes). Still, he has his acrobatic skills, so his moves are very nice to look at. But seriously, having car grease as a mask? And he's taking it away with a rag? And has none in his eyes while flying and fighting fire? Well, this run is half boring, half stupid.
January 18, 2021
Hmmmm, yeah still not a fan of Ric Grayson. I'm still hoping that our old Nightwing will come back (at least in some way) and that Dick will remember his past and not be such a weirdo anymore... But I guess we don't always get what we want. Also what happened to Joker's daughter? She was introduced in one short story and then forgotten about again because instead a Fire-monster appeared and stole the show?
February 5, 2025
This looks like the last of the ‘new’ (rebooted/reimagined/restarted?!?) Nightwing comics.
I truly wish I could say that they knew what they were doing and getting some classic Nightwing stories to follow the glorious stories of the past… but I’m not seeing it so far.
It picks up where it left off though. And that’s good. I think I would shit if it was another ‘new beginning’.
He’s with the new girl and trying to suppress the Nightwing memories after he saved the cops that took his old uniform and started a pretend Nightwing superhero club.
The art is good, though seeing Dan Jurgens named I had hoped for his art. His work on the Blue Beetle series (2nd BB, Ted Kord) was an amazing reason I fell in love with that character - another ‘Batman’ type character that actually ENJOYED being a ‘Batman’ type character! (See the connection!?!).
“Hey, I’m a brooding rebel. I’m dark and mysterious. Just look at what’s happening here. Look at this brooding.” Cool. Someone gets who Dick is.
Cool scene between Svoboda and ‘the girl Nightwing’. She’s chaffing at the bit about having to follow the law when she knows darn well who the bad guy is and knows the law won’t help. But Svoboda’s not having it. Our job is to follow the law. That’s our job.
Gotta admit, this book is starting with a bang and sucking me in!
Okay, so it looks like they brought in (back?) Duela Dent - the Joker’s Daughter. I’ve never really understood her. I’ve got the old Silver Age Teen Titans Omnibi’ but I’ve not read them yet. And I actually remember her a little from the Jim Aparo days. Apparently she was a villain, then a hero, then a villain, but I can’t be sure.
Though it looks like they did to her what they did to the Joker which is cut off her face and then use the skin as a mask. Which makes her look like a Joker.
This was the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard for the Joker, much less the Joker’s Daughter.
All it does is make sure the Joker can never rent an apartment!
Barbara Gordon is back too, and can apparently get into a bar, so she’s back to being near the same age as Dick.
So I presume she’s no longer a senator. ;)
It’s kind of interesting, seeing the ‘Nightwings’ struggle with the difference between being a cop and being a superhero. I’m not really sure this is the comic that should explore it, but it’s an interesting idea and one that does kind of intersect with Nightwing on one level.
I kind of like using the ‘Joker’s Daughter’ as a villain I’m not sure it will ever make any sense, cause I’ve never even heard of anyone who would be a likely mother. Though I have known some crazy women…
“City Ablaze” is a fun enough story. One of the Nightwings training Dick. Dick holding back cause he’s not too fond of questions.
Written by Dan Jurgens which kills me cause I’d LOVE to see Dan Jurgens draw again because his Blue Beetle work cemented that as one of my favorite characters and him as one of my favorite artists.
No coincidence. Blue Beetle was a Batman-like character who really enjoyed the gig. Nightwing - a Batman-like character who really enjoys the gig!
Not that the artist (Chris Mooneyham) is bad - it’s good (and has touches of both Dan Jurgens and Gil Kane, no small skill by any means!) - I’d just love to see Dan Jurgens take on it.
Damn! I almost feel like I’m seeing someone ghosting John Romita Jr! The art is that good!
“The Scout” starts with Nightwing acting like Nightwing but not remembering anything about being Nightwing or Robin. Uh. Ok.
New artists. Okay, but nothing special (no offense, just my opinion).
And then he goes to confess everything to his new black girlfriend who he’s known for maybe a month or two.
Funny how he remembers all his moves from being Nightwing, but is still a dumbass.
Nightwing is certainly known for being majorly naive about women, but this seems especially stupid. And considering he’s being followed and filmed by a drone, who he apparently hasn’t remembered exist, seems especially dumb.
And honestly, if drones can follow you and record you that easily, it seems like superhero days are over. I mean, just like we accept that a pair of glasses hides Superman’s identity we have to think that anyone can figure out when a drone is following them!
And so the drone was apparently controlled by Lex Luthor and he’s trying to temp ‘Talon’ (who the f is he again?) that Lex has the goods to ‘make Richard Grayson, your great grandson, yours for the taking.’.
This is the last Nightwing book I’ve purchased and if this dumbshit direction is the way they want to bring the character, I really don’t think I’ll be buying any more.
Want to give Dick a black girlfriend? Okay fine.
But destroying all his past takes away the thing that Dick has that NO other hero has. Because Dick has relationships with EVERYONE in the DC universe.
How ‘he remembers nothing’ but still does everything ‘Nightwing’ would do make good stories I don’t get.
I guess I could see some good future stories where he meets with Starfire, Wally West, Garfield Logan, etc. Yeah, that could be interesting. But not really enough for it to be worth still spending money on.
I’ll give this 2 stars for some of the art and maybe even keep it to ‘close off’ my collection. But I can’t say I really care what happens to this version of Nightwing from now on….
I truly wish I could say that they knew what they were doing and getting some classic Nightwing stories to follow the glorious stories of the past… but I’m not seeing it so far.
It picks up where it left off though. And that’s good. I think I would shit if it was another ‘new beginning’.
He’s with the new girl and trying to suppress the Nightwing memories after he saved the cops that took his old uniform and started a pretend Nightwing superhero club.
The art is good, though seeing Dan Jurgens named I had hoped for his art. His work on the Blue Beetle series (2nd BB, Ted Kord) was an amazing reason I fell in love with that character - another ‘Batman’ type character that actually ENJOYED being a ‘Batman’ type character! (See the connection!?!).
“Hey, I’m a brooding rebel. I’m dark and mysterious. Just look at what’s happening here. Look at this brooding.” Cool. Someone gets who Dick is.
Cool scene between Svoboda and ‘the girl Nightwing’. She’s chaffing at the bit about having to follow the law when she knows darn well who the bad guy is and knows the law won’t help. But Svoboda’s not having it. Our job is to follow the law. That’s our job.
Gotta admit, this book is starting with a bang and sucking me in!
Okay, so it looks like they brought in (back?) Duela Dent - the Joker’s Daughter. I’ve never really understood her. I’ve got the old Silver Age Teen Titans Omnibi’ but I’ve not read them yet. And I actually remember her a little from the Jim Aparo days. Apparently she was a villain, then a hero, then a villain, but I can’t be sure.
Though it looks like they did to her what they did to the Joker which is cut off her face and then use the skin as a mask. Which makes her look like a Joker.
This was the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard for the Joker, much less the Joker’s Daughter.
All it does is make sure the Joker can never rent an apartment!
Barbara Gordon is back too, and can apparently get into a bar, so she’s back to being near the same age as Dick.
So I presume she’s no longer a senator. ;)
It’s kind of interesting, seeing the ‘Nightwings’ struggle with the difference between being a cop and being a superhero. I’m not really sure this is the comic that should explore it, but it’s an interesting idea and one that does kind of intersect with Nightwing on one level.
I kind of like using the ‘Joker’s Daughter’ as a villain I’m not sure it will ever make any sense, cause I’ve never even heard of anyone who would be a likely mother. Though I have known some crazy women…
“City Ablaze” is a fun enough story. One of the Nightwings training Dick. Dick holding back cause he’s not too fond of questions.
Written by Dan Jurgens which kills me cause I’d LOVE to see Dan Jurgens draw again because his Blue Beetle work cemented that as one of my favorite characters and him as one of my favorite artists.
No coincidence. Blue Beetle was a Batman-like character who really enjoyed the gig. Nightwing - a Batman-like character who really enjoys the gig!
Not that the artist (Chris Mooneyham) is bad - it’s good (and has touches of both Dan Jurgens and Gil Kane, no small skill by any means!) - I’d just love to see Dan Jurgens take on it.
Damn! I almost feel like I’m seeing someone ghosting John Romita Jr! The art is that good!
“The Scout” starts with Nightwing acting like Nightwing but not remembering anything about being Nightwing or Robin. Uh. Ok.
New artists. Okay, but nothing special (no offense, just my opinion).
And then he goes to confess everything to his new black girlfriend who he’s known for maybe a month or two.
Funny how he remembers all his moves from being Nightwing, but is still a dumbass.
Nightwing is certainly known for being majorly naive about women, but this seems especially stupid. And considering he’s being followed and filmed by a drone, who he apparently hasn’t remembered exist, seems especially dumb.
And honestly, if drones can follow you and record you that easily, it seems like superhero days are over. I mean, just like we accept that a pair of glasses hides Superman’s identity we have to think that anyone can figure out when a drone is following them!
And so the drone was apparently controlled by Lex Luthor and he’s trying to temp ‘Talon’ (who the f is he again?) that Lex has the goods to ‘make Richard Grayson, your great grandson, yours for the taking.’.
This is the last Nightwing book I’ve purchased and if this dumbshit direction is the way they want to bring the character, I really don’t think I’ll be buying any more.
Want to give Dick a black girlfriend? Okay fine.
But destroying all his past takes away the thing that Dick has that NO other hero has. Because Dick has relationships with EVERYONE in the DC universe.
How ‘he remembers nothing’ but still does everything ‘Nightwing’ would do make good stories I don’t get.
I guess I could see some good future stories where he meets with Starfire, Wally West, Garfield Logan, etc. Yeah, that could be interesting. But not really enough for it to be worth still spending money on.
I’ll give this 2 stars for some of the art and maybe even keep it to ‘close off’ my collection. But I can’t say I really care what happens to this version of Nightwing from now on….
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