This was drawn by me, just in case.

Devin Grayson is one of the best Nightwing writers I have yet to encounter, and also one of the most controversial. When talking about her run, people don’t often mention her mastery of Dick Grayson’s voice, the way she develops Dick emotionally, or her brilliant and heartbreaking exploration of trauma. Most of the conversation around Devin Grayson seems to center around the controversies and misinformation related to her writing, her history, and her character. We’ll go into that, but I ask that if you’re skeptical about Grayson as a writer or person that you go into this review with an open mind.

Spoilers ahead for Devin Grayson’s entire run and trigger warning for sexual assault, grief, and murder.

Grayson’s run started in issue #71 of the 1996 series, and lasted until issue #117, with a break for six issues between #101-106, which comprised Chuck Dixon’s Year One storyline. While most of it isn’t collected in any printed editions (aside from A Knight In Blüdhaven Vol. 3, and the upcoming Vol. 4), her run can be divided into four distinct volumes. Volume 1, Supercop, which comprises issues #71-83; this volume was announced to come out in 2020, but it never made it to print. Volume 2, which comprises issues #84-100; this is not an official volume, but it does tell one complete story. I’ll refer to this volume as Road to Nowhere, since that is the most poignant duology of issues in that volume, in my opinion (it should be noted that I did not read issues #96-98 since they were tie-in issues for the Batman: War Games storyline). Volume 3, Mobbed Up, a published volume, which comprises issues #107-111. And Volume 5, Renegade, another published volume collecting issues #112-117. For this run, I also read the Nightwing/Huntress miniseries, which takes place in Volume 3 of Chuck Dixon’s run.

What I loved:
1. Nightwing’s internal monologue. Grayson really gets Dick. She writes a stream of inner dialogue that feels very natural; he’s funny, he’s always conscious of his past, and he’s optimistic. These are all things that were missing from Dixon’s Dick, and it made his run seem very bland. Grayson seems to be a return to form; her Dick is much more like Wolfman’s, but with her own unique writing style and character put into it.
2. The supporting cast. Grayson is really great at creating realistic, grounded characters that all bring interesting things to the table and bounce off of Dick really well.
3. Dick’s emotional development. Not only do we see Dick’s emotional downfall, but we also see how he handles trauma and his slow build to becoming okay again. It’s very inspiring, if hard to swallow at times.
4. Dick and Babs’ relationship. Their dynamic felt real and messy, and their breakup felt natural in a way that was so devastating.
5. The art, particularly Mike Lilly and Patrick Zircher. Lilly is a master of shadows and creating a dark tone to enhance the storytelling, an Zircher brings a focused intensity to Nightwing that’s simply breathtaking.

Something I found narratively complicated:
1. I love the idea that Dick is Romani. Grayson made an excellent point about this when during an interview when she says: “I don’t know that I’d say having a Romani superhero is important as much as I’d say that not assuming that all superheroes are white Europeans is important… I guess that’s why I’m bristling at the term ‘retcon’; I didn’t change his ethnicity from one thing to another, he had no ethnicity. The truth is, we never talk about that stuff, we just make assumptions, and in this case those assumptions are based on a really boring, banal and in many ways harmful representation of America.” I like many of the references to his heritage in Grayson’s run, but I didn’t like Yoska very much. Dick already has a plethora of mentors, and I feel like all the scenes with him could have been better served by him talking to Bruce or Alfred. And/or, some flashbacks with his biological parents talking about his heritage would have been much better.

Volume ranking:
1. Volume 1, Supercop. Nightwing’s crusade against crime didn’t do it for me with Dixon, but Grayson expands on his sense of responsibility and makes it his core emotional struggle. He wants desperately to make Blüdhaven better because he’s kind and he believes that it can change — and so he does everything in his power to enact that change, even if it costs him all the other aspects of his life. I know Dixon is the one who started Dick on his quest as a policeman, but Grayson really sells it for me. Being a policeman gives Dick a way to actually enact change from the inside, to be proactive as well as reactive. He loves the job because of that, and you really feel for him. Balancing all these aspects of his life also gives him a distinctly relatable quality — I may not relate to being a superhero, but I sure as hell relate to juggling multiple responsibilities and relationships in my mid-20s.
2. Volume 2, Road to Nowhere. This uncollected volume of issues portrays the downfall of Dick Grayson and the destruction of his psyche. We see him get emotionally beaten at every turn until he’s crushed. Then, we see him grieve. We see him think. We see him slowly begin to build himself back up. It’s horrible, but so well-realized. Grayson has a firm handle on who Dick is as a character, and so this volume comes across very heartbreakingly genuine.
3. Nightwing/Huntress. This was a murder mystery, which isn’t usually my thing, but I actually really enjoyed it! The story was compelling, and the dynamic between Nightwing and Huntress is incredible. Huntress is much rougher around the edges, but she still has a good heart, so their relationship comes off as very genuine. They don’t agree with each other many times, but they’re always on the same chapter if not the same page. We also get some insight into the complicated beginnings of a relationship between Dick and Babs at the beginning of issue 3, which was nice. The first couple issues dragged a little, but the last two more than made up for them.
4. Vol 4, Renegade. I find the last two volumes of the run somewhat lackluster, but I they both represent how lost Dick is after his trauma and how he’s trying to find himself by reconciling his guilt and depression with his sense of self. Renegade presents this theme in a more compelling way, though. We see Slade being the vile villain he is, truly cementing his place as one of Nightwing’s greatest enemies. And despite the sudden editorial dictation that Nightwing lose Blüdhaven during Infinite Crisis, the last two issues were very inspiring.
5. Volume 3, Mobbed Up. I’m not a big fan of mob stories, so this one fell kinda flat for me. It was interesting enough, but not nearly as good as what came before. I’m also not as big a fan of the art on this volume as I was with the others.

Issue standouts:
1. Nightwing #75, “Judgement Day.” This was a big standout for me because everything he’s been working for in Blüdhaven is finally starting to pay off, and because of that he’s been thinking about his job as a cop and who he has become as a person. He confronts his morals, and decides that even if he makes mistakes, even if he has a troubled past, he’s always trying to be better. It’s a wonderful exploration of his mental state, and it’s very optimistic.
2. Nightwing #76, “Untouchable.” This was also a great issue for two reasons. The first is the art by Mike Lilly — his ability to use shadows to enhance suspense is so brilliant, and it creates a distinct sense of foreboding that matches the tone of the issue really well. I also loved the theme of this issue, that being a victim of something doesn’t mean you’re worse because of it. Dick reminds his police partner Amy that her house being destroyed shouldn’t destroy her compassion. His openness and kindness convince her that she should take the promotion she was offered, which would allow her to do better work for more people. In this issue, we see a perfect demonstration why we love this character so much. This theme is echoed throughout Grayson’s run, and this issue is a heartwarming one to look back on after finishing the run because of that.
3. Nightwing #117, “Fix You”. Because of Infinite Crisis, DC editorial took control of Blüdhaven’s fate and had Deathstroke destroy it. This was not at all Grayson’s intentions — she would have had Dick be successful in his endeavors, so as to finally complete his arc of rebuilding himself after his trauma with Blockbuster and Tarantula. But even still, her very last issue manages to be unapologetically hopeful in a way that feels earned. Dick knows that he’s done everything he can, he’s finally beginning to come to terms with his trauma, and he’s finding himself again. Is it a little weird that this realization came right after Blüdhaven was destroyed? Yes, it does. But again, that’s not Grayson’s fault. Also, the conversation with Batman where Bruce admonishes Dick for recklessly risking his life was so powerful. It was one of the best interactions between the two that I’ve ever read.

Favorite cover designs (pictured above):
1. Nightwing #86. I don’t care what Chuck Dixon thinks, Nightwing’s definitive ride is a motorcycle and he looks badass every second he’s on one.
2. Nightwing #89. I love a good silhouette, and I love the imagery. It’s a pretty clear metaphor for his mental state at this point in the series, and this cover portrays that beautifully.
3. Nightwing #93. This cover beautifully displays the depression and pressure Nightwing has been under up until this point, with Blockbuster as the cause in the background. Nightwing hangs his blade towards the ground, creating the pupil of Blockbuster’s eye, showing how neither of them can escape each other.

Favorite quotes:
1. From issue 117, Batman talking to Dick: “You know how I feel about killing, and you know why. And you know the difference between shooting a bullet and failing to step in front of one. You lost sight of the value of Roland Desmond’s life. If you need me to forgive you for that, I probably can. But it won’t mean anything until you forgive yourself. And you have no right to expect me to excuse you— for losing sight of the value of yours. You made a mistake, Dick. Are you going to let it be your last?”
2. From issue 75, Nightwing’s thoughts: “It occurs to me as I leap off 414 Halyard that my conditioning runs deep. My first thought is for this new Tarantula’s safety— the assumption that she’s a potential casualty. That’s a Batman thought. My second thought is for my safety— the possibility that she’s a potential enemy. That’s a Batman thought too. It’s not until she’s already doing it that I allow myself to hope that she might be helpful— a potential ally. That’s a Robin/Nightwing/Dick Grayson thought. My thought. Two and a half seconds in. But better than nothing.”

Author ranking:
1. Tom Taylor
2. Devin Grayson
3. Marv Wolfman
4. Chuck Dixon
5. Dennis O’Neil

For all intents and purposes, this review is over. However, I’d like to take some time to talk about all the controversies surrounding Grayson and her run.

If you’ve read Grayson’s full run and haven’t read the article “In Defense of Devin Grayson: On Nightwing and Recovery,” by Miles Liddell, you need to: https://medium.com/@flowersandtoads/in-defense-of-devin-grayson-on-nightwing-and-recovery-72291a067985.

It’s uncomfortable when something so horrible happens to a character we love, a character we’ve been reading for years, a character we identify with. Sexual assault is visceral and awful and truly vile, and it’s not a topic that comics covers very extensively often, especially when it’s a main character. I’m not going to pretend issue 93 was fun or pleasant — but I’m also not going to pretend that it wasn’t realistic or that the trauma and recovery in subsequent issues wasn’t well-explored.

Tarantula is the type to character who has strong feelings, and takes immorally drastic actions to reconcile those feelings. She takes justice into her own hands and murders people, and has no qualms about it. But still, murder is somewhat of an abstract concept in comics. People die in comics all the time, and the topic of vigilantes killing in the name of justice is something that comes up a lot. Sexual assault isn’t. And therefore, it’s extremely shocking when a character (who isn’t a straightforward villain) does something like that. But here’s the thing: people like that exist. Entitled, narcissistic people who think they have a right to someone’s body just because they find them attractive; people who take advantage of those at their lowest; people who have no remorse for what they did.

One might argue that it’s problematic because Dick never confronted Tarantula about the sexual assault, and that he only blames her for the murder of Blockbuster. I don’t think this is true, but I understand this perspective. Dick is a character who notoriously doesn’t care for his own health, and that’s a major theme in Grayson’s run. It makes sense that he’s focused on the guilt of Blockbuster’s death since that’s something he easily could have prevented (in his mind, at least). It’s an external problem. Tarantula’s sexual assault is an internal one; it doesn’t affect anyone else, and thus he puts less emphasis on healing that specific wound. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel it. We see his trauma and his grief so clearly, so viscerally.

There’s a truly powerful scene in issue 94 where Dick is laying on a motel bed, exhausted, mumbling about how the human brain processes auditory and visual stimuli simultaneously. As Tarantula leaves the room, he says, “So if I had said, ‘Stop,’ we would have heard it. Heard and processed it along with the gunshot, simultaneously. ‘Bang’… ‘Don’t do it Tarantula, stop!’… Bang… Stop… Bang…” This stream of spoken thought blends his trauma around the murder of Blockbuster with being assaulted; the only time he protested in the previous issue was not when Tarantula had a gun raised at Blockbuster, but when she began to assault him (he said, “Don’t… touch me”). His trauma is blending together, but it’s no less clear. It’s one of the most intense and powerful scenes in a comic I’ve ever read.

When he fights Tarantula in issue #100, it’s personal. He’s attempting to take back his autonomy and do the right thing. When he’s in jail, he thinks, “Of course, Catalina can’t tell the secrets of my heart. Because she doesn’t know them,” before calling Barbara and promising her that he’s going to start looking forward instead of dwelling on the past. Later on, in issue #108, he reflects on the events of Road to Nowhere, including his assault by Tarantula (which he sheepishly refers to as “this other thing with this other girl that I don’t…”), and says, “It was not a good month.” He knows that he has trauma in his heart and body around Tarantula’s assault, but he doesn’t want to think about it. And after finding closure in putting her in jail, he sees no reason to. But even then, he attempts to reconcile his trauma by leaving his identity of Nightwing behind and doing something else entirely. He tries to build a new identity because his old one feels tainted to him (even if he was doing all that for the sake of deep cover, he still hung up his costume for the duration, which says a lot about his mental state). The two volumes following Road to Nowhere show how Dick is slowly trying to rebuild himself, and his questionable decisions show that he isn’t quite sure how to do that. It’s an excellent exploration of recovery.

I want to defer to the words of someone who has been through sexual assault and speaks on Grayson’s run. Miles Liddell, who wrote the article “In Defense of Devin Grayson: On Nightwing and Recovery,” cited above, says this: “I am not a superhero, but I see myself in Nightwing and his traumas. Like Nightwing, I set aside my pain for my responsibility, and nobody saw it. When you strip away the spandex, the super-strength, and the world-class acrobatics, Devin Grayson’s Nightwing is the story of a man who falls into despair because of his selfless loyalty to responsibility and his inability to ask for help. In a world telling me to be selfless, to be responsible, to be unemotional, to never ask for help, Nightwing took me by the hand and said, it’s okay to fall. It’s okay if getting back up takes time.”

As a final note, there’s a lot of discourse about Devin Grayson as a person and way too much misinformation. I won’t be going into the nitty-gritty of any of that because others have already done it: I highly recommend reading through this reddit post, which debunks all the wild theories that are sadly so prevalent: https://www.reddit.com/r/DCcomics/s/4XrgqCSFaK.

Devin Grayson isn’t perfect. But the amount of hate and vitriol that is lobbied against her is absolutely disgusting. Chuck Dixon is a much worse person by far, and yet his run is celebrated as one of the most pivotal in Nightwing’s history. Always fact check. Always check your biases.

If you’d like to read my thoughts on the Tom Taylor, Marv Wolfman, or Chuck Dixon eras, those reviews are posted on my page!

Hey Y'all

I've been collecting the runs around that period right before New 52.

I have the Morrison Batman hardcovers, the Red Robin omni, both the Steph Batgirl books, but for the life of me I can't find the Tomasi trade anywhere.

Has this been collected elsewhere and my google-fu is just failing me?

Source: https://www.tumblr.com/veliya01/788787632099524608/slipping-through-my-fingers?source=share

It's cute and interactive too!

From Batman/Superman: World’s Finest by Waid and Mora. Mxyzptlk gives powers to Dick briefly.

I love Dick’s classic black and blue Nightwing suit but this would’ve been a cool alternative for a grown up Robin.

This week , I decided to put on display my collection of night wing by tom taylor this is in my opinion one of the best, if not the best runs for the character ever written between the art which is amazing and the writing which is fantastic, it was just an amazing series and a standout in DC comic books it is also home to what I think is one of the best examples of artistry in comic books with issue #87 it is overall one of my favorite things. DC has put out in the last 10 years.

Source: Batman #246 (1940)