NML Crossing, Episode 086 - Nightwing #35 (1999)

NML Crossing, Episode Eighty-Six

Nightwing #35 (September, 1999)
“Escape to Blackgate, Part 1: The Belly of the Beast”
Writer - Chuck Dixon
Pencils - Scott McDaniel
Inks - Karl Story
Colors - Roberta Tewes & Jamison
Letters - John Costanza
Edits - Illidge, Vincenzo
Cover Price: $1.99

After an overlong and over-melancholy intro, we finally get into Nightwing's attempt to reclaim Blackgate Penitentiary for the Bat-Family! What could possibly go wrong... except just about everything?

The Bada-Bin!

NML Crossing on Youtube

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NML Crossing, Episode 012 - Nightwing #20 (1998)

NML Crossing, Episode Twelve

Nightwing (vol.2) #20 (May, 1998)
“Cataclysm, Part Eleven: The Day after Judgment”
Writer - Chuck Dixon
Pencils - Scott McDaniel
Inks - Karl Story
Colors - Roberta Tewes & Jamison
Letters - John Costanza
Edits - Vincenzo & Peterson
Cover Price: $1.95

It's a chapter of reunions, and great leaps in Cataclysmic progression!

Nightwing heads back to the Batcave, Robin returns to the Drake House, Alfred and Harold bust loose, and the Quakemaster's dire threat is delivered!

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NML Crossing, Episode 003 - Nightwing #19 (1998)

NML Crossing, Episode Three

Nightwing (vol.2) #19 (April, 1998)
“Cataclysm, Part Two: Shudder”
Writer - Chuck Dixon
Pencils - Scott McDaniel
Inks - Karl Story
Colors - Rebecca Tewes & (Allen) Jamison
Letters - John Costanza
Edits - Darren Vincenzo & Scott Peterson
Cover Price: $1.95

In today's installment, Nightwing returns to Gotham and we get some great insight as to how the Cataclysmic Quake has affected the regular citizens of Gotham!

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Nightwing #89 (2004)

Nightwing #89 (March, 2004)
"Avalanche"
Script - Devin Grayson
Penciller - Patrick Zircher
Inker - Andy Owens
Colorist - Gregory Wright
Letterer - Clem Robins
Editor - Michael Wright
Cover Price: $2.25

What if I were to tell you that we're about to discuss a comic that shows what happens when an oversized criminal kingpin discovers a costumed hero's secret identity... and uses that information to systematically take apart that hero's life?

You might say something like, "Hey Chris, I didn't know you covered Marvel books here!" or, "When did Daredevil join the DC Universe?"

Wellllllll.....

--

We open with Dick Grayson waking up at his ex-girlfriend Barbara Gordon's apartment... since they're no longer an item, and because his staying there might get kinda weird... she gives him the ol' heave-ho.  Dick hops on his motorbike, and heads back to Bludhaven.  Along the way, he recounts recent events... he's lost his girlfriend, his day-job on the Bludhaven Police Force... and Haley's Circus has been burned down.

We shift scenes to the big-bad... Blockbuster, Roland Desmond.  He's chatting up a couple of members of his gang, Giz and (don't call her Catwoman) the Mouse.  Worth noting, because why not... Giz has his trusty pet squirrel (named Goober) sitting on his shoulder.  Anyhoo, Rolly offers to double their pay if they make an upcoming... er, we'll just call it a demolition project... "memorable".

Dick returns to his Bludhaven apartment building, and runs into a fella named Yoska.  At this point, Dick was discovering his Romany roots... something that really seemed to irk many of the readers of the day, though I can't say for certain why this was such a big deal for them.  Granted, I never took the time to research either.  Anyhoo, Yoska refers to Dick as "Ryeka" and offers him an adorned bottle of wine perfect for "popping the question".  Dick mutters something about his current relationship status before graciously accepting the gift.

Dick then suits up, and heads out on a rare daytime patrol... he gets out just in time to see... his entire building exploded!

The building is literally gone in an instant... leaving nothing but a smoldering mess.  Nightwing rushes back to sift through the wreckage for survivors... and unfortunately comes up empty.

Nightwing discovers Yoska's body... and finds the beads that once adorned that celebratory bottle of wine, then... walking through the smoke... Tarantula?

At this point in time, Nightwing was acting as something of a mentor for this new female Tarantula.   She's been depicted as... let's say, unhinged (though, it's about to get worse), so Dick assumes that she's responsible for the blast.  He lunges at her... and she pleads her innocence.  She was only in the area because she knows that the original Tarantula (John Law) lived in the building, and she was trying to save him.  She also reveals that the baddie behind this tragedy is... Roland Desmond.

Then... Aaron Helzinger, perhaps better known as Amygdala bursts from the wreckage.  Ya see, Aaron's been released from Arkham, and has proven to be something of an ally and a pal (a pally?) to Nightwing.  He was also a tenant of the building, and right now, isn't quite in his right (gentle) mind.

The Bludhaven P.D. train their guns on Aaron... and Nightwing throws himself in front of the poor rampaging goof.  Captain Amy Rohrbach, Dick's former boss instinctively refers to Nightwing as "Dick"... and gives him a few moments to get control of the situation, which he does... by being brutally honest with Amygdala.

Rohrbach calls Nightwing over to see if he has any info... and he gives her the straight dope on Blockbuster.

Dick's taking this all as badly as you might imagine... and blames himself for the loss of life.  It's not yet clear whether or not he knows this destruction actually is a result of his living here... but, Dick's a smart cookie (and he's being written by that other D. Grayson)... so, I gotta imagine he knows what's up.  On his way out, he is approached by a very overzealous Maxine Michaels, who'd love an exclusive interview.  Dick punches her... cameraman...'s camera.

We wrap up with Blockbuster watching the news of his Bludhaven Bombing... and greeting the next member of his gang who is to continue running Dick Grayson through the wringer... Shrike!

--

So yeah... this is pretty much Daredevil: Born Again... again.

I must not have read "Born Again" before reading this the first time around, because I swear... I never noticed the similarities.  Then again, I've never claimed to be quickest on the draw when it comes to reading comprehension.

That said, it's not a bad story... but, then again, "Born Again" has gone on to become one of my all-time favorites, so I might be biased.  This story works really well... in a vacuum.

What I mean by that, is... I feel like we're supposed to forget that Nightwing might be the most well connected member of heroing community.  I mean, his "father" is Batman.  He's friends with Superman.  He's been a member of the Titans, Outsiders, and the Justice League of America.  What I'm trying to say is, dude's got this meta-powered army at his disposal... and he's going to spend the next several issues sweating Blockbuster?

I know a little while after this story hits we get Identity Crisis, that has a major focus on "mind-wiping"... so, maybe that's off the table (editorially) here... but, I mean... in the DC Universe, that's gotta be a go-to option in situations like this, right?  Hell, right around this time Batman told his entire "family" that he set up dummy identities for all of them, just in case word got out.  I dunno... maybe I'm thinking too hard... or, maybe this is a case of trying to force a square peg into a round hole story-wise.

Of course this all kinda culminates in that issue (which we've already discussed here)... so, I guess (if we throw this into that vacuum) taking Dick Grayson apart piece by piece kinda "sets up" that event from that issue.  It doesn't really excuse it... but, I suppose I can't argue that it puts Dick in a particularly vulnerable and "broken" place.

The apartment explosion here... kinda left me cold.  I feel like this was part of the plan for awhile, and so we were being introduced to more and more colorful tenants... forcing relationships between them and Dick.  They just felt like cannon fodder... which I guess, at the end of the day... they were.  Somehow, Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli were able to evoke so much more emotion when they blew up Matt Murdock's building... and (best I can recall) we didn't even know his neighbors.

Overall... I can't argue that this is an important issue... nor can I argue that this was a beautifully drawn issue!  It might be worth a look, I suppose it's a "Your Mileage May Vary" sorta deal.

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887

Nightwing #93 (2004)

Nightwing #93 (July, 2004)
"Slow Burn"
Writer - Devin Grayson
Penciller - Patrick Zircher
Inker - Andy Owens
Colorist - Gregory Wright
Letterer - Clem Robins
Editor - Michael Wright
Cover Price: $2.25

Yeah... today we're talking that issue of Nightwing.

A few weeks back Reggie and I recorded the 69th episode of The Cosmic Treadmill, where we... with a wink and a nudge, covered The Pro. from Image Comics.




During that discussion, we began to expand into times where superhero comics got a bit naw-tay... which, for better or worse... brought the events of this issue to mind.  I was going to cover it to coincide with that episode dropping... buuuut, we were in the middle of our (second annual!) Twelve Days of Christmas on Infinite Earths spectacular!

Outside of looking over the... scene in question (for the episode)... I haven't revisited the issue since it first came out.  As I said on the air, it was around this time that kinda took the bloom off of writer, Devin Grayson's rose... and I'm quite interested to see how this one has aged.

Up until this point, all signs seemed to indicate that she would've risen into the upper-echelon of comics writers.  Maybe not a household name... but up there!  I'm postulating here, but I feel like this issue might've had something to do with why that wasn't to be.

And so, let's revisit this somewhat infamous issue... together, and see how it looks over a dozen years later.

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We open atop a Bludhaven building where Captain Rohrbach and her husband have erected a Bat-Signal to get Nightwing's attention... and whattayaknow, it worked!  Our man arrives, but warns them to ixnay the potlightsay, because the 'haven is a different ball'a wax than Gotham.  It's here that we're brought up to speed... Rohrbach knows that Nightwing and Dick Grayson are one in the same, and summarily kicked him off the force because of it... but that's not the worst of it... a reporter named Maxine Michaels also knows... oh yeah, and so does Blockbuster!

Nightwing is somewhat touched that Rohrbach went to the lengths of building a Bat-Signal just to warn him... and goes to leave.  She stops him, offering him his badge and pistol... telling him that if he's on the force, she can protect him.  Of course, that's kinda like admitting to the entire world that Nightwing is Dick Grayson... ward to Bruce Wayne, who, oh by the way, is Batman.  He declines the offer... and heads off.  Rohrbach's husband whatshisface comments that it looks as though our hero has been put through the wringer... you just wait, pal.

We follow Nightwing to the Haven Hotel (which looks more like a Motel)... and meets up with Ms. Michaels.  He implores her to keep his secret private... but she ain't feeling it (but would like to be "feeling" him).  Turns out she's a pretty decent reporter... she learned that Dick Grayson was shot in the shoulder, then noticed that Nightwing was favoring the very same shoulder... from there, she just connected the dots.  Man, if only there was a Batman in a rainbow costume to distract her!  Anyhoo, she's still planning to run the story... but it's a moot point, as while she and Dick are talking... she gets shot in the head.

The culprit?  Why it's Blockbuster, of course.  I remember very little from this era... but I believe Blockbuster was some sort of Kingpin-esque figure these days... industrialist, politician... something like that.  Anyhoo, he bursts through the window to confront Nightwing.

It's a contentious, and uncomfortable chat... Blockbuster makes it crystal clear that he "knows".  He taunts Nightwing with how the secret isn't really "the weapon", alluding to all the damage he can now do to Dick Grayson's loved ones and associates.  Despite being pounded into the ground, Nightwing won't stop taking it to Desmond... and the altruism does not go unnoticed.

They fight down a hallway and into a stairwell/fire escape.  Well, it's really not much of a fight... it's more like ol' Mr. Desmond is a cat playing with a three-legged mouse.  Finally Nightwing gets in a flurry of offense... which only tickles Blockbuster more.  With every punch he names people he can... or has hurt in order to get to him.

Then... Tarantula shows up, and she's packin' heat.  

She tells Dick to back off so she can take Desmond down... but he refuses.  Blockbuster cockily laughs, realizing that Nightwing actually values his (Desmond's) life more than his own.  To which, he laughs... and tells Dick that it's never going to stop.  He will hurt everyone Dick knows and loves... it will never stop.  And so, Dick relaxes his grip and... walks away.

Tarantula pulls the trigger... killing Blockbuster... and Nightwing allowed it to go down.

Dick crawls up to the roof... and collapses.  He apologizes to Bruce for what he just allowed to happen... just as Tarantula enters the scene.

Annnnnd, then the scene this book is known for begins.  Tarantula heads over to Dick... and it looks like she's there to comfort him.  He apologizes for failing her (he'd sort of taken her under his wing)... to which she holds a finger to his mouth to shush him.  Suddenly, Dick goes numb... she flips him over... and despite his struggling and contesting... they have sex.

As Tarantula... thrusts... she assures Dick that all of their problems are behind them.  All he can think of is how his problems are "never gonna stop".

--

So...what do we all think?

Well, before we go "there"... let's talk about everything leading up to it.  I gotta admit, I was prepared to come into this with pitchforks and torches... I assumed that I was going to hate this from soup to nuts.  Devin Grayson's Dick... Grayson was always a bit "iffy" to me (more on that in a bit), but I will concede that the first three-quarters of this issue were some damn fine superhero storytelling!  Like, really good!  Perhaps taking a bit from Daredevil: Born Again, but still... really good.

This comes from a time before everything was written "for the trade", and as such we get a good page or two of catch-up exposition... and thank goodness for that!  This really helped to bring me up to speed... without feeling like a complete info-dump.  As I said last paragraph... just some damn fine superhero work.  Great pacing.

It's clear from Dick's behavior... and Patrick Zircher's amazing artwork that he's had quite a time of late.  He's beaten, battered... frazzled, and at his wit's end.  And this brings us to the "core" of his character, something I feel like Ms. Grayson really gets.  Dick Grayson is an altruistic character... to the point where it's basically a burden.

It's plainly clear that he's not fighting for himself... he's fighting for other people.  He's fighting to keep Batman's secret... he's fighting to keep his friends and family safe, he's fighting for Bludhaven, he's fighting for Tarantula... he's fighting for frickin' Haley's Circus.  He's just piled on so much responsibility... that it stands to reason that he'll eventually crack.  And, he does!

It's a very passive "crack" though.  He doesn't kill Blockbuster himself... but also, doesn't step in to stop Tarantula from getting the job done.

Before moving further... let's quickly discuss the impact of Blockbuster's death.  We started this issue with the knowledge that three people know Dick's secret... Captain Rohrbach (who can be trusted), Maxine Michaels, and Roland Desmond.  Now, Nightwing isn't the type of book we'd expect "mindwipes" in, so our only way out of this dilemma is the, ya know, nuclear option.  Sure enough, 22-pages later, both Michaels and Desmond are dead.

I'm not usually keen on killing off long-standing villains to suit a story, but... when you're written into a corner (like we are here), I think it's more important to "stick the landing" than do some wacky cop-out.  So, I guess kudos for that?

Alrighty... so, to be clear... I personally thought the first three-quarters of this issue was really good.  My only real complaint is having Maxine Michaels sorta throw herself at Dick.  Felt like I was reading Mother Panic for a minute, where everyone just instantly wants to be with the lead.  Otherwise though, I dug it.

Now... for the ending.

What we have here is pretty clearly a rape scene.  Dick is poisoned and paralyzed... and despite his telling her "Don't... touch me", she does anyway.  Now... before continuing, I want to make it clear that I haven't been personally affected by rape.  As far as I know, the people I know and care about have not been either... so, I'm sorta coming at this from a position of... ignorance (maybe?).  I sincerely hope nothing I'm about to say will be taken as offensive... and humbly apologize if I do somehow offend.

Does this scene belong in a Nightwing comic book?  Well... if I were writing Nightwing, this scene would never have happened.  That said, I don't know that I have too much of a problem with it existing... simply because it shows that sometimes bad things happen to good people.  That's sorta what Nightwing's been all about during this arc.  He's a guy doing his best to keep everyone safe... to the point where he's allowing himself to be hurt.

In reading this all these years later... I dunno if it's just a sign of what comics have become in the interim, but... it feels far more tame than I remember.  Again, I'm not saying this is a "tame" act... or not a big deal, because it is (picture me nervously twiddling my thumbs and second-guessing discussing this book at all at this point)... but, for a fictional story... which will have ramifications... it's, well... a thing that happened.

Do I want this scene here?  Of course not.  Would I prefer it not exist?  Yepper.  Am I asking myself easy questions to assuage my discomfort in discussing this event?  You betcha!

Now, in and of itself, this scene is unfortunate... but that's not really the story of this issue.  The real controversy started afterwards.  Once the internet started internetting, Devin Grayson backpedaled on the scene... claiming that it wasn't a rape scene... but instead, a scene which depicted "non-consensual" sex.  We can get out the forensic comb and look over that sentence for days... but, I think we'll still come to the same findings.  Poor form on Ms. Grayson's part... I think if you're going to write this scene... you kinda have to own it.  We may not like or agree with it... but, if you stick the landing... at least we can respect you for that.

In the weeks after this book hit the stands, it seemed like more and more Devin focused stuff hit the 'net.  Old fan-fictions where the object of the main character's desire was an unnamed (but blatantly) Nightwing.  The fact that she changed her last name to Grayson.  A romantic link in the comics industry.  It just felt like a pile-on... and, I recall feeling really bad to see it unfold.  I'm not one to judge anybody for anything, long as you ain't hurtin' nobody.  Way I look at it, we only get one "go round", and we may as well try and be happy.

As I said in the preamble, I had Ms. Grayson pegged for great things in the comics field. I figured she'd be a cornerstone in the industry for years to come... and it's kinduva a shame that she's not writing a Rebirth book right now.  If we look at this issue alone... there's some solid stuff here.  Of course, there's also the ending.  Feels like, and this is me talking out my backside, she couldn't get out of her own way.  I mean no disrespect in saying that... just as an outsider looking in, without much in the way of context... it's what comes to mind.

Overall... should you read this issue?  Well, I can't rightly say.  That really depends on you.  This is available digitally.

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710

Nightwing #64 (2002)

Nightwing #64 (February, 2002)
"On a Christmas Evening"
Writer - Chuck "Kringle" Dixon
Penciller - Trevor "Claus" McCarthy
Inker - Rob "The Red Nosed" Leigh
Colorist - Gregory "Silent Night" Wright
Separator - (Digital) "Holly Jolly" Chameleon
Letterer - Chris "O Little Town of" Eliopoulos
Editor - Michael "Bah Humbug" Wright
Cover Price: $2.25

We're heading into the home stretch... welcome to the eleventh day of Christmas on Infinite Earths!  Let's hit Bludhaven and see how they do Christmas!

By the by, Happy Festivus!

--

It's a night during the holiday season which may or may not be Christmas Eve... and Nightwing is hot on the trail of a really lame scammer dressed like Santa Claus, collecting donations for "orphans".  It doesn't take much for Nightwing to snag him... he takes the crim's "take" and tells him he will be donating it to the poor box at St. Sebastian's.  He then boots him out of town, and wishes him a Merry Christmas.

We move ahead to Dick Grayson arriving to work at the Bludhaven Police Department.  Upon arrival, he is handed a stack of letters... he notes that they are not addressed to him, but to Santa Claus.  The BPD has their own version of Superman's Metropolis Mailbag, I guess... they try and answer some requests... but from all appearances, it's more like they read the letters and cry because they can't help everyone.

Dick starts reading through his stack, thinking it might be fun to go shopping for toys for a disadvantaged child... the letter he chooses to read, however, does not ask for anything material... this little girl only wants Santa to find a job for her father so he doesn't have to do bad things anymore.

Dick's partner, Amy lets him know that it's time to go... and they hit their patrol... all the while, Dick is unable to shake what he'd just read.  The letter was signed by a Sharra... and there was no return address... his only lead is a postmark from Bowerhaven, which is a pretty rotten part of Bludhaven.

And so after his shift ends, he dons his blue'nblacks and heads to Bowerhaven... a neighborhood where the kids are on the streets all day and all night.  He happens upon one such bunch playing street hockey.  They're all kind of jerks... but do tell him that they've never heard of a Sharra in the neighborhood.

Dick heads home and decides to call... Tim Drake for assistance.  At this time, he and Barbara were kind of on the outs.  This is coming hot off the ending of Joker's Last Laugh, which concluded with Nightwing actually killing the Joker!  He was only dead a few panels, because Batman did some Bat-CPR to keep his worst villain... and killer of thousands alive.  This is stuff that Dick is still trying to work through.

We shift scenes to a young girl carrying a doll.  She overhears her father getting a "job" from one of the local "no goods".  They ask him to drop some "rock" in the Zee Moores, which is another really bad part of town.  They tell him they'll give him $5,000 for the drop... which tells ya, there be a whooole lotta "rock" in his duffel bag.  The little girl is none too pleased that her daddy's going to "go to work" tonight.

We rejoin Dick while he is on patrol.  While Amy reads some goofball the riot act, he takes a call from Tim.  Between the two they deduce that maybe "Sharra" is a fake name... or the name of an imaginary friend... cuz, ya know... Santa would know her real name, right?  After the call, Dick and Amy head off to a toy store, because Amy's daughter Emma really wants the new... Sharra Starlight doll for Christmas... hmmm...

Back in Bowerhaven, the young girl has taken it upon herself to dump the entire contents of daddy's duffel bag down the turlet... uh oh...

At the toy store, Dick notices the price on the Sharra Starlight doll... definitely not something that a Bowerhaven resident would buy for their kid.  He makes an offhand comment about how much less the doll might cost should someone be able to procure one "hot".

And so, Nightwing hunts down a black-market Sharra Starlight salesman in Bowerhaven.  He asks who might have bought it... and thankfully the goon is able to remember... because, ya know... ya don't sell a whole lotta white dolls in this area.  That's a really good business model, right?

Back at the apartment, the folks of the flushed rock are looking to take their pound of flesh.  Luckily, Nightwing is already there... and ready to crack skulls... and so, he does.

After kayoing the crumb-bums, Nightwing talks to the young girl and tells her that Santa got her/Sharra's letter.  He tells the father to check in with the Spillane Avenue Agency the following morning.

And so, we wrap up with the father... Dave Toussant earning the position of Superintendent of the building Dick Grayson lives in.  All's right with the world... ya know, until the bad guys get out of jail and come a'calling, right?  Aw, screw it... it's Christmas... they all lived happily ever after.

--

It's been a lonnnnng time since I read an issue from this run of Nightwing.  Forgot just how much world-building Chuck Dixon did.  The entire cast... and city feel so fleshed out.  Not the kind of attention to detail we're accustomed to these days.  Plenty of Dick Grayson-out-of-costume, to boot.  This was a great series while Dixon was on it.  Once he left things went downhill pretty quick, including Dick getting raped... and Bludhaven being destroyed.  Boy, ya'd think DC had it out for our man Chuck, eh?  That's a subject... we'll not discuss here.

Anyhoo... this was a fine issue that was kind of ruined for me due to the art.  The letters page features a missive in which a reader complains about McCarthy's art as well.  The editor describes it as "cartoony"... but, I think that's being a bit too kind.  This looks like something you might find in OEL manga, or in fan-art... there's little consistency in faces, it's overly angular, and there's just something "off" about the eyes.  Just look at Dick's partner, Amy Rohrbach... she shifts from semi-attractive potential love-interest to haggardly, pointy-faced, terrifying and just unpleasant... several times over here.  I'll definitely say that McCarthy has improved a hundred-fold since this era.

The story was a fine little Christmas aside... seems the bat-books were given the month off between massive crossovers, might as well fit in a Christmas special if ya can.  At this point we were just coming off Joker's Last Laugh and were just about to enter Bruce Wayne: Murderer?.  The story itself, while perhaps a bit convenient, was fairly engaging.  Though the ending is left a bit open.  Not sure drug dealers are going to let this poor sap just live and work... they're eventually going to want to make their money back, no?  Unless Dick killed them all... but we know that's not the case.

Overall... this was nothing I feel you need to break your back trying to track down or anything... but if you're a Nightwing fan, and want to learn a bit about Bludhaven... since the Rebirth-ed series appears to be heading back there (or already has... I'm a bit behind), this isn't a bad issue to grab.

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Letters Page:

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Perhaps not the worst $50 I've ever spent... but it's up there...

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On the eleventh day of Christmas on Infinite Earths, I gave to you... Nightwing #64, JLA #60, Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1, Adventures of Superman #487, Superman (vol.2) #64, Impulse #45, Green Lantern (vol.3) #59!  Green Lantern (vol.3) #36, Superman (vol.2) #76, JSA #55, and a Batman and the Outsiders #19 Review...