Can we get Fabian to Nightwing?

[tjarvis]

No offense to Peter Tomasi, but #138 might be the first Nightwing comic I have truly enjoyed in a long time. Here is the Nightwing that I have wanted to read. Confident, skilled, witty, but still fallible and human.

The first line of the issue says it all. "This guy is good, but I'm better."

[Murrocko]

Details/Spoilers, please.

[tjarvis]

Nightwing starts off fighting a trained assassin who is hunting down criminals, a generic anti-hero. He gets a call from Bruce pointing out that Tim needs help. Dick makes short work of his foe and then uses the JLA teleporter to get to Wayne manor. This shocks Bruce who didn't know that Dick actually had the codes.

While at the mansion, Dick is sees a crapload of ninjas and a trio of femme fatals from the League of Assassins who were all sent after Damien. To save Tim, Dick fights his way past the ninjas with the help of Alfred. In the batcave, Dick sees Tim and Damien being swarmed by ninjas. After some internal monologue about how much he dislikes Damien, Nightwing tries to lead the two young men out of danger. The trio of women confront them on the way out, and Dick is forced to use a poisenous gas to rend them unconscious. He then makes a choice to save their lives, which leaves Tim and Damien isolated. The younger duo are overwhelmed by the ninjas and abducted. Dick swears that he's going to be coming for Tim.

[blckng]

Nightwing starts off fighting a trained assassin who is hunting down criminals, a generic anti-hero. He gets a call from Bruce pointing out that Tim needs help. Dick makes short work of his foe and then uses the JLA teleporter to get to Wayne manor. This shocks Bruce who didn't know that Dick actually had the codes.

While at the mansion, Dick is sees a crapload of ninjas and a trio of femme fatals from the League of Assassins who were all sent after Damien. To save Tim, Dick fights his way past the ninjas with the help of Alfred. In the batcave, Dick sees Tim and Damien being swarmed by ninjas. After some internal monologue about how much he dislikes Damien, Nightwing tries to lead the two young men out of danger. The trio of women confront them on the way out, and Dick is forced to use a poisenous gas to rend them unconscious. He then makes a choice to save their lives, which leaves Tim and Damien isolated. The younger duo are overwhelmed by the ninjas and abducted. Dick swears that he's going to be coming for Tim.
Not quite. The women are poisoned by the ninjas. Dick has to choose between saving them and saving Tim and Damian.

But no write-up really captures just how funny the book is, and how competent and confident Dick is, especially in comparison with any other Nightwing issue published in the last 6 years. I'd be happy if Nicieza were given the book as an ongoing. I'd be very happy.

[Mia]

I haven't picked this up yet but I am not suprised. Fabian is one of the best writers in the industry who can actually tell an interesting coherant story. No stunts, no shock tactics no going for the 'lowest common denominator', no character assasinations. Just good old fashioned story telling.


I've advocated him taking over NW ever since I read the too short lived 'Hawkeye'.

He knows how to write male characters with....guts ;) . Something which Nightwing has not had since Chuck Dixon left the book.

Will chime in once I've read the issue.

[Paul Dee]

One bit that confused me in the Nightwing issue - when Dick makes Bruce aware he knows the code and then says "I wish I didn't have to reveal that particular card". Well, he didn't have to did he? Or was he referring to something else?

[lucifernomi]

One bit that confused me in the Nightwing issue - when Dick makes Bruce aware he knows the code and then says "I wish I didn't have to reveal that particular card". Well, he didn't have to did he? Or was he referring to something else?

Well if he hadn't Bruce was about to tell him the codes anyway, so there was no advantage in keeping it a secret.

My only confusion with the issue is why Dick doesn't carry gas bombs that knock psychos out for longer than 10 minutes?

Great issue though.

[Jedeye Sniv]

Great issue, I was really impressed for once. Good, old fashioned super-heroing, reminded me of the 90's Bat-crossovers, in a good way. It was a little bit of filler biding time until Dini and Morrison's chapters, which will likely be the 'meat' of the story especially given that they're the Batman focused issues. But any issue that gets to use the giant penny as an offensive weapon is okay by me, and it makes it interesting with these z-list villains knowing who Batman is. How will they get around that? Dick shoulda let them foam.

[DonC]

I'm going to wait until Mean Pete writes an issue or two before demanding he be replaced.

That said, if Tomasi is, in fact, no good, I wouldn't mind Fabe replacing him at all.

[Mia]

While I liked the portrayal of Dick (I knew it was going to be good) and it was nice to see him potrayed as being mature and capable. I found it hard to be objective about this story, since it's part of a larger cross over story tie in, and that Dick is essentially just a player of a wider story arc. It's not his story. I'd give it a B+.

[shaxper]

I thoroughly agree that this is the Nightwing I've been waiting to see -- mature, competent, self-assured, and possessing a clear and irreplaceable role in the Bat-Family as eldest son. "I look forward to seeing the pride beneath your disapproving scowl." Finally, someone gets Dick's relationship with Bruce. This is the first time I've really enjoyed a Dick Grayson story since The Judas Contract. A writer has finally figured out that he can be different than Batman as opposed to just being less than Batman.

[Murrocko]

I hope Fab gets the title after Tomasi's done. I'm not reading the Black Adam mini, but I hear good things and from interviews I've read it seems like he might know what he's talking about, but how many times has that happened to us already *stares at Wolfman* :(

[Mia]

I'm reading Black Adam, and I can tell you that Tomasi is doing a great, great job. If he does with Nightwing what he's done with Black Adam. Then I assure you that he'll more than make up for the lack luster rubbish we've been forced to endure for the past 4-5 years. Tomasi actually knows how to portray an intelligent adult male. And he’s a good story teller.

[Kerny]

This latest issue of Nightwing was awesome. That said, can't wait for Tomasi either. It's a win-win people

[skylight]

I must admit that I only read the X-titles in Marvel, but I was intrigued by this Batman crossover and decided to pick up the latest issue of Nightwing and I actually liked it! I'm going to start reading Nightwing from now on and I'll try to read the whole crossover as well.

[SpaceBooger]

Well written issue back on par with Dixon's original run.

[Taskmaster]

Fabe ruled on Nightwing, best book since Dixon left, i'm LOVING IT! Please come back!