It's time to try out another DC jumping-on point in my ongoing foray into their universe (sorry Marvel, I love you, but I love good comics more), and this is a pretty damn good book for that. I have always thought that the various Robins bring some of the best story arcs to the DC universe. The decision to allow Robin to actually grow up and move on rather than just keep the original in perpetuity was a masterstroke in allowing a constant, but not overdone, stream of new characters into the heart of the DC universe to disrupt familiar patterns. The first to go, of course, was Dick Grayson, who became Nightwing, the titular hero of this series.
 |
| Most people in your situation gasp for water, but whatever, I'm here to help |
This is a 6 issue series set in the near future, where superhuman powers have been outlawed and Nightwing was the architect of that. He's now older, a bit more world-weary, and he has become a father. Most of your favourite DC heroes are absent, at least from this first issue, with strong hints that most of them are either dead or in prison. Dick is now the Commander of the Crusaders, an elite task force that tracks and arrests 'unregulated' superhumans who stop taking a suppressive drug, which feels like a nod to Equilibrium, one of my favourite movies.
This was a great book for someone like me who is a relatively light reader of DC. It's set in the future so doesn't rely on knowledge of the larger DC universe, and at 6 issues it's a low-commitment read. This first book established very well what I suspect will be the overall themes for the series: making sacrifices for the greater good, living with the consequences of difficult decisions, and state control vs individual freedom. To set the scene for all this in just one issue is a great achievement from writer Kyle Higgins. I liked the movie-like layout of the story, which unfolds page by page, letting you find out more gradually and answers your questions almost as soon as they come to mind. There are still mysteries left to your imagination though, which are more than enough to get me interested in issue 2.
 |
| Yeah, I'd probably remind everyone of that all the time too. |
Trevor McCarthy and Dean White's art is wonderful, giving us that classic Gotham feel right off the bat (no pun intended) and they have aged Dick Grayson perfectly. You immediately know it's him, but older, without having that pointed out to you, and for someone who hasn't read much Nightwing to be able to say that is testament to how good a job they have done. The action scenes come across as dynamic and fast-paced, while the character-led scenes are well-composed and compliment the writing brilliantly.
If you're looking to get into more DC and are looking for somewhere to start, this would definitely be on the list. While it's not set in the present-day universe, if you have any brief knowledge of DC heroes you'll be able to pick up what's happening and be entertained by it. And if you like alternative future or 'what-if' stories, I would say it's a must-read. There are more than a few of those around, but this is looking to already be one of the classic stories of that type.
4 / 5
Comments
Post a Comment