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Nightwing (1996) (Original Trades) #9
Nightwing: Mobbed Up
Written by Devin Grayson Art by Phil Hester, Cliff Chiang and Ande Parks Cover by Hester & Parks Dick Grayson is a made man in this trade paperback collecting NIGHTWING #107-111! Ex-cop Grayson feels his life spiral out of control after being adopted into one of New York City's crime families. Can he escape this new odyssey into the depths of the criminal underworld?
128 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2006
151 people want to read
About the author
Devin Grayson
508 books116 followersDevin Grayson is an avid gamer, former acting student, and enthusiastic reader fortunate enough to have turned a lifelong obsession with fictional characters into a dynamic writing career. She has a B.A. from Bard College, where she studied creative writing with novelist Mona Simpson. Best known for her work on the Batman titles for DC Comics, Devin has been a regular writer on Catwoman, Nightwing, and The Titans, and contributed to the award-winning No Man’s Land story arc. With the publication of Batman: Gotham Knights in March of 2000, she became the first (and, sadly, only as of 2020) female to create, launch and write an ongoing Batman title.
Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.
Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.
Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.
Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.
Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.
Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 16, 2024
(B) 74% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Built on clichés and self-loathing, it has the twists and turns of a side-scrolling beat-'em-up, but without the direction.
Notes: Built on clichés and self-loathing, it has the twists and turns of a side-scrolling beat-'em-up, but without the direction.
April 11, 2018
Reading comic volumes out of continuity can leave a reader disoriented – like waking up from an afternoon nap and wondering where the hell you are – what time it is – what day it is.
Case in point: this volume of Nightwing.
It seems that Dick Grayson/Nightwing, had to endure the War Games crossover event, has been outed as a superhero by someone and lost his job at the Bludhaven Police Department; gotten shot; had his apartment complex blown up and given up being Nightwing. So instead of curling up in a fetal ball and sleeping on Oracle’s couch, he…joins up with the Mob.
His fellow goombahs call him "Crutches" because mobster goons are really, really clever at this whole naming your fellow Mafioso thing.
The crutches thing doesn’t stop Nightwing from working as a mob enforcer and beating the crap out of thugs.
He’s taken in by a “kindly” mob family and, as per the Comic Book Handbook - Rule #765.34 – Section D, the fifteen year old daughter now has the hots for him.
Jeff, narrowly avoids taking the low road with a tasteless play on words. Your welcome, Mom.
More comic book complications:
1) He still digs wearing the Nightwing costume so he goes out at night and beats the tar out of bad guys. It’s a fetish of sorts.
2) Tim Drake/Robin lectures him on the whole Bat Family ethos and such. Dick tells him to go suck Penguin’s nut sack.
3) His mob cronies want to join up with the Black Mask (Red Skull’s idiot cousin). The Black Mask knows that Grayson is Bruce Wayne’s heir and even though dozens of people know that he’s Nightwing, Mr. Black Mask, who is allegedly some sort of criminal mastermind, can’t seem to logically go from point A to point B.
4) Enter Deathstroke, in a cliffhanger the reader could see coming 11 pages back. Aren’t these two pals or something?
Play nice, fellas!
Bottom line: I’m sure Nightwing has a long-term plan here, but I don’t care. For Bat-Family fans only, who enjoy their funny books riddled with plot holes and devoid of sense and logic! The pages-long catch-up info-dump at the beginning of this volume even seemed to make things worse.
Case in point: this volume of Nightwing.
It seems that Dick Grayson/Nightwing, had to endure the War Games crossover event, has been outed as a superhero by someone and lost his job at the Bludhaven Police Department; gotten shot; had his apartment complex blown up and given up being Nightwing. So instead of curling up in a fetal ball and sleeping on Oracle’s couch, he…joins up with the Mob.
His fellow goombahs call him "Crutches" because mobster goons are really, really clever at this whole naming your fellow Mafioso thing.
The crutches thing doesn’t stop Nightwing from working as a mob enforcer and beating the crap out of thugs.
He’s taken in by a “kindly” mob family and, as per the Comic Book Handbook - Rule #765.34 – Section D, the fifteen year old daughter now has the hots for him.
Jeff, narrowly avoids taking the low road with a tasteless play on words. Your welcome, Mom.
More comic book complications:
1) He still digs wearing the Nightwing costume so he goes out at night and beats the tar out of bad guys. It’s a fetish of sorts.
2) Tim Drake/Robin lectures him on the whole Bat Family ethos and such. Dick tells him to go suck Penguin’s nut sack.
3) His mob cronies want to join up with the Black Mask (Red Skull’s idiot cousin). The Black Mask knows that Grayson is Bruce Wayne’s heir and even though dozens of people know that he’s Nightwing, Mr. Black Mask, who is allegedly some sort of criminal mastermind, can’t seem to logically go from point A to point B.
4) Enter Deathstroke, in a cliffhanger the reader could see coming 11 pages back. Aren’t these two pals or something?
Play nice, fellas!
Bottom line: I’m sure Nightwing has a long-term plan here, but I don’t care. For Bat-Family fans only, who enjoy their funny books riddled with plot holes and devoid of sense and logic! The pages-long catch-up info-dump at the beginning of this volume even seemed to make things worse.
March 11, 2023
Holy moly batman, this pile of garbage was assssssssssssssss.
I don't know what the hell happened. Before issue 100 Devin had a decent hold on Nightwing. Flawed run aside, it was a interesting take to have Nightwing on a downward spiral trying to handle the pressure of what happened to him.
But joining the mob? Being called Crutches? Now I know how Ric got the inspiration to have such a shitty run, it followed this.
Anyway Dick joins the mob and helps them. The end. Garbage, makes no sense, boring as can be, and a dumb fucking name. Crutches? Get out of my face with this shit.
I don't know what the hell happened. Before issue 100 Devin had a decent hold on Nightwing. Flawed run aside, it was a interesting take to have Nightwing on a downward spiral trying to handle the pressure of what happened to him.
But joining the mob? Being called Crutches? Now I know how Ric got the inspiration to have such a shitty run, it followed this.
Anyway Dick joins the mob and helps them. The end. Garbage, makes no sense, boring as can be, and a dumb fucking name. Crutches? Get out of my face with this shit.
March 5, 2012
The Nightwing book series takes a turn for the worse with this addition.
February 21, 2025
it’s ok but it’s so obvious devin grayson wrote this..
the 15 yr old being in love with him being dragged out, the weird racism saying it was inevitable he ended up working for the mob bc he’s romani??
the 15 yr old being in love with him being dragged out, the weird racism saying it was inevitable he ended up working for the mob bc he’s romani??
Read
September 29, 2015I don't know what to make of this. The boy child handed it to me on the plane because my Kindle died. I mean, the story held my interest, but it wasn't something I would normally pick up for myself. I like my superheroes super, not helping out the mob.
February 10, 2011
Dick goes under cover in the mob, quite a short story but ties in with Villains United. It shows that Dick has got feelings that he can't not get involved even when he shouldn't.
February 22, 2020
Nightwing: Mobbed Up continues where the previous trade paperback left off collecting the next five issues (Nightwing #107–111) of the 1996 on-going series and contains five interconnected one-issue storylines.
Nightwing: Mobbed Up that tells a story about Dick Grayson going undercover not as Nightwing, but as an enforcer named Crutches for the Tevis mob family. Crutches is called anytime someone needs roughed up and he gets the job done. Dick Grayson ends up pulling a few jobs for Black Mask, and while enforcing for the mob also tries to protect the families of the ones he's hurting. He definitely plays both sides of the law.
Devin Grayson penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well, although it may not be entirely her fault. As I read the series from the trade paperbacks, the skipping over of forty or so issues is devastating. Firstly, Dick Grayson is injured, an ex-cop, his relationship with Barbara Gordon is over, and he is involved in Blockbuster’s murder – it’s all too much to skim over. However, Grayson did a passable job of having Dick Grayson infiltrating a mob family undercover the end it from within.
With the exception of one issue (Nightwing #111), which was penciled by Cliff Chiang, Phil Hester penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, his penciling style is much to be desired as his images a tad to blocky for my liking. Chiang's penciling style is much desired, but contrast too much with Hester's style.
All in all, Nightwing: Mobbed Up is a good, albeit disjointed continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
Nightwing: Mobbed Up that tells a story about Dick Grayson going undercover not as Nightwing, but as an enforcer named Crutches for the Tevis mob family. Crutches is called anytime someone needs roughed up and he gets the job done. Dick Grayson ends up pulling a few jobs for Black Mask, and while enforcing for the mob also tries to protect the families of the ones he's hurting. He definitely plays both sides of the law.
Devin Grayson penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well, although it may not be entirely her fault. As I read the series from the trade paperbacks, the skipping over of forty or so issues is devastating. Firstly, Dick Grayson is injured, an ex-cop, his relationship with Barbara Gordon is over, and he is involved in Blockbuster’s murder – it’s all too much to skim over. However, Grayson did a passable job of having Dick Grayson infiltrating a mob family undercover the end it from within.
With the exception of one issue (Nightwing #111), which was penciled by Cliff Chiang, Phil Hester penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, his penciling style is much to be desired as his images a tad to blocky for my liking. Chiang's penciling style is much desired, but contrast too much with Hester's style.
All in all, Nightwing: Mobbed Up is a good, albeit disjointed continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
July 4, 2023
Not exactly what I would call a good representation of Nightwing by any stretch of the imagination.
From what I've gathered, 'Mobbed Up' takes place somewhere between Identity Crisis and the Blockbuster incident in Bludhaven. Dick is no longer talking to Bruce and has somehow single-handedly made his life more complicated by finding a job with the mob as an 'enforcer' for Tom Tevis & 'Uncle' Ray. I don't understand why Dick decided to throw his career or rep away after an incident that was clearly not his fault. Tim makes a nice guess appearance, and it seems Bruce wants to adopt him, but his uncle has decided to step in to provide support bearing what happened to his dad in ID Crisis. Barbara is reference, but their relationship is complicated, so they're broken up. It is a complete mess, and now Dick is trying to prove himself to the mob and Black Mask. Then we throw Death Stoke in at the end; oh boy 🙄. What an absolute mess.
Not a good story for Dick, Jason, maybe, but Dick is too pure to get wrapped up in all this mess. I know Red Hood made a re-appearance later in 2005, so Black Mask will play a role later on, but now it just feels completely disjointed.
I guess I was expecting undercover Dick Grayson like the Post New 52 Grayson series as a double agent rather than so 2nd rated mob boss' pretend son 🙄. Would not recommend and the storytelling is atrocious for Dick's character.
From what I've gathered, 'Mobbed Up' takes place somewhere between Identity Crisis and the Blockbuster incident in Bludhaven. Dick is no longer talking to Bruce and has somehow single-handedly made his life more complicated by finding a job with the mob as an 'enforcer' for Tom Tevis & 'Uncle' Ray. I don't understand why Dick decided to throw his career or rep away after an incident that was clearly not his fault. Tim makes a nice guess appearance, and it seems Bruce wants to adopt him, but his uncle has decided to step in to provide support bearing what happened to his dad in ID Crisis. Barbara is reference, but their relationship is complicated, so they're broken up. It is a complete mess, and now Dick is trying to prove himself to the mob and Black Mask. Then we throw Death Stoke in at the end; oh boy 🙄. What an absolute mess.
Not a good story for Dick, Jason, maybe, but Dick is too pure to get wrapped up in all this mess. I know Red Hood made a re-appearance later in 2005, so Black Mask will play a role later on, but now it just feels completely disjointed.
I guess I was expecting undercover Dick Grayson like the Post New 52 Grayson series as a double agent rather than so 2nd rated mob boss' pretend son 🙄. Would not recommend and the storytelling is atrocious for Dick's character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
Great stuff by a great writer and artist team on a great character. If you pick this edition, just know the story continues to next volume rather than resolving here. Great art by Hester and Parks, with a wonderful fill-in of art by Cliff Chiang.
Grayson identifies so well with Grayson aka Nightwing, that here, Nightwing is more ethically challenged.
Thanks to Fulton County Public Library for the loan.
Grayson identifies so well with Grayson aka Nightwing, that here, Nightwing is more ethically challenged.
Thanks to Fulton County Public Library for the loan.
August 10, 2024
This was so generic and didn't dive into why Dick was a "bad guy". The mafia part is cliched and embarrassing. This was designed to show all that Dick has gone through and now he's in a different place but it missed that mark. The art was fine but unspectacular. Overall, a disappointment.
August 16, 2018
Nightwing joins the mob to take it down.
September 7, 2019
I don't know what Dick could possibly be thinking here but it was entertaining.
April 28, 2022
Being a fan of Batman, this book was just right. It had good pictures and a good story. Although it was confusing at times, the majority of it was easy to follow. I enjoyed my time reading it.
May 6, 2024
Gotta be real... ik this is literally cannon but it feels out of character
June 29, 2023
Left me with a lot of questions about how much Nightwing's plan actually makes sense.
C-
C-
September 8, 2012
It's intriguing to see Dick in a dark view. He feels abandoned and hopeless, and let's the darkness swallow him, but his heart knows that he longs to be Nightwing and that it should be so. Since you do see him struggle with both identities. It's also interesting to see how the crime world runs, since readers always see it from the vigilante's perspective.
August 3, 2018
Very engaging. I haven't read that much on Dick Grayson's life in Bludhaven, but I have to admit he's pretty awesome as an undercover cop.
Lots of nice intrigue and very "Sopranos" style environment. No need for super-villains just straight up mafiosi and you get a pretty cool story.
B+
Lots of nice intrigue and very "Sopranos" style environment. No need for super-villains just straight up mafiosi and you get a pretty cool story.
B+
September 28, 2011
It's a decent story, but I suspect this one holds up better in line with other pieces of a bigger story.
August 9, 2012
I think it works better with more issues than just the ones in the trade. I did love the art though
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews