Tag Barbara Gordon

A Nightwing #97 Micro-Review – The Return of [Redacted]

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TITLE: Nightwing #97
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Bruno Redondo, Geraldo Borges, Caio Filipe (Co-Inker), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer)

RELEASED: October 18, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The ending of this issue really surprised me. We see the return of a character from an era on this Nightwing title that I didn’t think we were going to touch on again. At least not so soon. I kind of thought we were all just going to pretend like it never happened.

On another note entirely, this issue sees Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon have intimate relations while a mobster sits in the next room. Kinda hot, though I doubt Batman would approve.

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A Nightwing #96 Micro-Review – The Anti-Batman

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Nightwing 96, cover, 2022, Bruno RedondoTITLE: Nightwing #96
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Bruno Redondo, Caio Filipe (Inker), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer)

RELEASED: September 20, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue really encapsulates what I’ll call the “Anti-Batman” spirit Taylor, Redondo, and the gang have created with their run on Nightwing. Meaning Dick lives his live with hope, draws people together instead of shutting them out, etc. There’s even a line in this issue about Dick having to “fight a lot of Bruce’s more toxic programming.”

That quote comes from a pretty great scene between Dick and Barbara. This Taylor/Redondo run has done more for them as a couple than any other story in more than a decade.

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A Nightwing #93 Micro-Review – Corrupt Cops and a Stupid Villain

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Nightwing 93, Pride variant cover, Nick RoblesTITLE: Nightwing #93
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Bruno Redondo, Wade Von Grawbadger (Inker), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer). Variant cover by Nick Robles.

RELEASED: June 21, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This is something of a feel-good issue. Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon take on corrupt Bludhaven cops. One of those parties gets their comeuppance. I’ll let you guess which one.

Heartless, a new villain for Nightwing that was introduced at the beginning of the Taylor/Redondo run, makes a really stupid mistake in this issue: He underestimates Blockbuster. Like, it’s so stupid that it’s almost out of character. Though I can’t officially say that, as we don’t know who’s under that mask yet…

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A Nightwing #88 Micro-Review – Subtly Provocative

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Nightwing 88, 2022, variant cover, Jamal CampbellTITLE: Nightwing #88
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Andworld Design (Letterer). Variant cover by Jamal Campbell.

RELEASED: January 18, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Both my wife and my local comic shop guy did a double take when they saw this cover. This isn’t an overtly sexy image. But it’s subtly provocative. It’s certainly eye catching, which I suppose is the point.

We get the Flash, Starfire, and the rest of the Titans in this issue, and Superman is advertised for next issue. So we’re heavy on guest stars for a couple months. But for Nightwing I don’t mind that as much, as he’s got such an open heart, and has so many connections across the DC Universe.

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A Batgirls #2 Micro-Review – Good Chemistry

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Batgirls 2, cover, 2022, Jorge CoronaTITLE: Batgirls #2
AUTHORS: Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad
ARTISTS: Jorge Corona, Sarah Stern (Colorist), Becca Carey (Letterer)

RELEASED: January 11, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Like issue #1, Batgirls #2 is able to scrape by on the chemistry between its three main characters. There’s definitely life to this book. But it’s lacking in the villain department. It feels like we’re looking at leftovers from the “Fear State” storyline.

Good chemistry can get you far. But at the same time, only so far…

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A Batgirls #1 Micro-Review – Outside of Comfort Zones

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Batgirls 1, cover, 2021, Jorge CoronaTITLE: Batgirls #1
AUTHORS: Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad
ARTISTS: Jorge Corona, Sarah Stern (Colorist), Becca Carey (Letterer)

RELEASED: December 14, 2021

This kind of art on a Batgirl book is a little bit of an acquired taste for me. But I’m thinking all it’ll take is another issue or two for me to get used to it.

There’s a lot to like about Batgirls #1. The chemistry between Barbara Gordon, Cassandra Cain, and Stephanie Brown is fun to read. I also like that, because of the nature of their villain, they have to go low tech. It pushes Babs out of her comfort zone, as does mentoring two young live-in heroes.

Bottom line? Given time, Batgirls could be really good.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Nightwing #85 Micro-Review – Putting the Family in Batman Family

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Nightwing 85, cover, 2021, Jamal CampbellTITLE: Nightwing #85
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Robbi Rodriguez, Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer). Variant cover by Jamal Campbell.
RELEASED: October 19, 2021

This feels like more of a Batgirl/Barbara Gordon issue than a Nightwing issue. It’s told from her point of view, and is all about the Seer, a villain who’s forcefully commandeering her Oracle identity. Her prominence in this issue isn’t a bad thing. It’s just a thing.

As a longtime fan, it’s really gratifying to see how much stock Taylor is putting into Dick’s relationship with not only Barbara, but Tim Drake, Batman, and the various others. He makes the Batman family feel like an actual family.

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A Batman #115 Micro-Review – Batgirls Begin

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Batman 115, variant cover, Arist Deyen, Jorge MolinaBy Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

TITLE: Batman #115
AUTHORS: James Tynion IV, Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad
ARTISTS: Bengal, Jorge Jimenez, Jorge Corona, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Sarah Stern, Clayton Cowles (Letterer), Becca Carey (Letterer)
RELEASED: October 19, 2021

The meat of this story is still good. The stuff with Batman, Simon Saint, the Scarecrow, etc. But this stuff with Poison Ivy, Miracle Molly, and what not? Gettin’ a little long in the tooth for me. Still, at least these last couple issues have been light on Harley Quinn…

Another upside? The back-up feature has shifted to a prelude for the upcoming Batgirls series with Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Brown, and Cassandra Cain. It’s got an interesting pseudo Birds of Prey vibe.

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A Batman ’89 #3 Micro-Review – What Might Have Been

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Batman 89 3, cover, 2021, Joe QuinonesTITLE: Batman ’89 #3
AUTHORS: Sam Hamm
ARTISTS: Joe Quinones, Leonardo Ito (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: October 12, 2021

This issue starts out with a cool “What if?” scenario that looks at Harvey Dent not becoming Two-Face. We don’t necessarily see that kind of thing often. So that’s cool.

It still baffles me that they changed the Catwoman costume. I just don’t get it. I mean…why?

Apparently the Batman ’89 universe’s Robin isn’t Dick Grayson or Tim Drake, but a mechanic named Drake Winston. But he’s actually pretty likable. He’s got a good look, too. So no complaints here.

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A Nightwing #84 Micro-Review – DC’s Ted Lasso

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Nightwing 84, 2021, cover, Bruno RedondoTITLE: Nightwing #84
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Robbi Rodriguez, Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer). Cover by Bruno Redondo.
RELEASED: September 21, 2021

The feeling of positivity that Tom Taylor is injecting into Nightwing feels very uncharacteristic of a Bat-book. It’s almost the Ted Lasso of DC Comics.

Barbara Gordon debuts a slightly modified Batgirl costume in this issue. I’m not sure if it’s the way Robbi Rodriguez (who otherwise performs beautifully) is drawing it, but it looks a little…baggy? That can’t be intentional.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.