Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Javier Fernandez & Chris Sotomayor
Publisher: DC Comics
When I reviewed the Rebirth issue of Nightwing, I hedged my bets a bit and bumped the score up, thinking that Tim Seeley would deliver when it came to the main series. He seemed to have a handle on the character, so I really wasn’t worried. And anyways, I told myself, the #1’s are ALWAYS better than the Rebirth one shots (unless you’re Wonder Woman).
As it turns out, I was wrong.
Nightwing #1 isn’t a bad comic. I feel like I should get that out of the way first. Yes, it has a lot of issues, some of which I think are personal things, others, legitimate flaws. But at the end of the day, it’s not bad. It’s certainly not great, but it’s very middle of the road. There was only one scene where it felt like a chore to read, and there were actually some really good elements to this issue.
For one, I really like that Batman, Damian, and Babs are all around in this issue. I’ll get to Babs in the next paragraph, but seeing Dick, Damian, and Bruce in the cave together makes for a truly great scene. Seeley writes the trio really well, and the dialogue is exceptional. I also really appreciate the direction Seeley’s taking Dick and Bruce’s relationship. For a long time, we’ve seen Dick’s struggle to get away from an overbearing mentor, despite the two having a solid relationship. So it’s nice to see a bit of difference there, especially because it feels natural. And you know, Damian’s always fun to have around.
As for Babs, well… yes, I’m entirely behind Dick and Babs being a thing. It’s meant to be. It’s inevitable. It’s a relationship I desperately want to be explored, because the two fit so well together. And, you know, Dick isn’t 20+ years older than her. (Yes, that was a relatively low blow at The Killing Joke). But here’s the thing: I really don’t like the Burnside take on the character. I’ve written about it before, but she really comes off as being super incompetent and clueless. And in this issue, it’s even more pronounced than normal. I don’t like that coming from her, at all.
That aside, the real issue with this book is how overwritten it is. Every page is riddled with paragraph after paragraph of needless exposition and monologue, and Dick’s character gets lost in it. There are shades of the Dick Grayson I know and love here, but they’re not as pronounced as they should be. They also get in the way of the art, which, while unspectacular, does the job decently enough in this issue.
You know what? “Serviceable but unspectacular” describes this issue perfectly. There are some good moments, but overall it’s not all that great. If you want Nightwing, you’re going to get it here, sort of. If you’re willing to deal with the book’s issues, you’ll probably have a good time. If excessive exposition and a lame villain isn’t your speed, well… then this isn’t for you, I guess. Look, even the way I’m writing this review reflects how unenthusiastic I am about the whole affair.
