SPOILERS: he doesn't. The "Nightwing Must Die!" arc wraps up this week, and I must say, it's super-duper weird. Remember in the previous issue how things got increasingly creepier the further Dick and Shawn went along?  The deeper they went into the desert tomb, the crazier the imagery and more unsettling the atmosphere?  Yeah, that's…

Does Dick Grayson work best when he's in the desert?  What could possibly prompt such a bizarre question? Stay with me here: in the past few years, two of the best issues of Dick Grayson's series have taken place in the desert.  First there was Grayson #5, that masterpiece of a single issue that found…

After a few read-throughs I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one.  It's just so... weird. Of course, it does feature Professor Pyg as the primary antagonist, and that guy is nuts.  From a narrative standpoint, though, this issue feels more like a collection of scenes and ideas than an actual narrative.  Again,…

It's Nightwing and Robin's European Vacation as Dick and Damian make their way to France in search of Shawn. If you haven't been feeling this title recently, or have even moved away from it altogether, then fear not: the narrative is turning around and coming together. At least, it starts to after a while.  The…

Must he?  I mean, we all like Nightwing, right?  Does he really have to die? Alright, enough with the dad jokes.  Point blank, this issue has me torn.  There's quite a bit about it that I liked, and quite a bit that I didn't.  What I liked about it were relationships and aspects that have…

There need to be more comics like this, in intent if not content: self-contained, standalone issues.  One-and-dones.  Arcs are fine every now and then, but it's great to be able to read a smaller story every now and then.  I love being able to pick up an issue that pushes the narrative along without having…

It's the details that make this book work so well. Sure, there are masked heroes, a steadily growing supporting cast, an involving mystery, and a gorilla.  All staples of the genre, and all working together to make Nightwing well worth checking out. But it's the details, the smaller moments going on in between all of…

This book has been so good.  Ever since Rebirth launched, Nightwing has been one of the most consistently excellent titles in DC's roster.  There have been good issues; there have been great issues; what there has not been is a bad issue.  Sure, the Monster Men installments were weak, but even those were probably the…

I'm a firm believer that every character has a good story to tell.  At least, most characters have at least one good story in them.  There may be some fringe characters who couldn't possibly ever work, but by and large even the goofiest of ideas can have some value.  Love him or hate him, that's…

Let me tell you about the new best villain ever, the Pigeon. The Pigeon and her sidekick Defacer were once apprehended by Batman and Robin.  Their crime?  The self-described "art terrorists" would steal famous statues and landmarks and deface them with graffiti. Yes, the Pigeon ruins statues. Just... let it sink in. It's a silly,…

You don't need a ton of action or a breakneck pace to have an engaging comic.  With great teamwork between the writer and artistic team, even a story without an awful lot going on can be thoroughly engrossing. Such is the case with Nightwing #10, a pretty solid little story made even better by the…

Optimism is a virtue.  It's a trait that can be cast in an unfavorable light, coming off as hokey or unrealistic, but it's still a virtue.  The idea that you can look at something or someone and believe the best about a situation is, to an increasingly cynical world, silly and naive, making optimism seem…

*Warning: Spoilers Ahead* We've witnessed the introduction of Raptor. We've endured the rise of Raptor. Now, we see the fall of Raptor. One of Tim Seeley's stated goals for Nightwing has been to give Dick a memorable rogues gallery.  Given how great of a character he is and how long he's endured in the comics…

The long night of the monster men is over, and Nightwing is back in fine form. I won't trash that event, even though I felt it lacking on almost all levels, and I am glad that Tim Seeley doesn't outright brush it aside as if it never happened.  The references to it, though small and…

NOTE: As before, go ahead and read Batman #8 before proceeding.  The events of that issue lead directly into this one. The long night of the monster men approaches the dawn in Nightwing #6, the penultimate chapter in the Batfamily crossover. Up to this point, the story has left me cold.  There's great talent involved,…

NOTE: If you haven't read Batman #7 yet, go ahead and do so before you read further.  You won't be totally lost, and this issue of Nightwing stands on its own just fine, but it's best to get the full story. The Monster Men are here in the first big crossover since DC Rebirthed over…