Nightwing Rebirth #1 Comic Book Review/Recap

Nightwing Rebirth #1 – Who are you, Dick Grayson?

 

Nightwing Rebirth #1 Review/Recap

Do you know where the name Nightwing comes from?  Most people think it has something to do with Batman.  Bats have wings.  They go out at night.  It makes sense.  The name actually comes from Superman.  Once, the hero told a young Dick Grayson about these legendary heroes from his home on Krypton – Nightwing and Flamebird.  Nightwing was the re-builder.  A catalyst of change.  Eternally reborn to start anew.

Dick Grayson took the name… then he lost it.  He went undercover for a spy organization named Spyral.  He gave up Nightwing, but soon, he’ll have it back.  He just has to do one thing, first.  And no, it’s not fight these guys.  Grayson is on his way to meet someone.  Somebody important.  Because while he lost the name Nightwing, he never lost Dick Grayson.  Today he’s taking Damien Wayne out to the arcade.  They enjoy some games together, while Grayson affirms that he’s leaving Spyral for good.

Three days ago, Grayson was preparing his exit at the agency’s secret base, located within a school for girls.  The headmaster, Helena Bertinelli, says she is busy, and isn’t in any mood to have an awkward goodbye with the man.  He obliges, thinking on the woman.  When he joined Spyral, he thought she was cold, cruel, and distant.  He thought she was an enemy.  But things change.  People grow on you.  And sometimes, those you can’t stand, well, they become your closest friends.

[Related: Click Here To Find Nightwing Comic Books Online]

Once, Damien was Grayson’s Robin.  He was difficult on his best days, but now, Dick loves him like a brother.  Damian says he is worried that Spyral might still be hiding the secret identities of the world’s superheroes, but Grayson reassures him he made sure every single one of those files are long gone.  Spyral is on the side of the angels now, weird, manipulative, mind-deluding warts and all.  His old partner, Agent One, also known as the Tiger King of Kandahar, will steer the agency in the right direction.

Not two days ago did Grayson even help them out on a mission against HIVE.  Dick happily did so, but asked if they could bring him a device.  They could not, though Grayson is grateful they tried, just the same, and takes off.  Dick and Damien then go home to Wayne Manor, where Grayson remarks just how great it always is to see his old home.  This is where he found out who he truly was.  It will always hold a special place in his heart.  Damien asks if any of his new friends from his spy days will come over.  He specifically brings up Dick’s antagonistic pseudo-ally Midnighter.

Grayson actually saw him yesterday.  They were taking down a renegade genetic experiment in the Swiss Alps.  Thanks to Dick, Midnighter and his people have been able to rescue a whole bunch of these rogue experiments.  In gratitude, they were able to find the device Grayson was looking for.  Midnighter wishes Dick well, and suggests it’s time he go back to being a superhero.  Grayson is just too nice for spy work.  Grayson thinks on these words, and thinks his friend has a point.

The next day, deep in the Batcave, Grayson sits Damian down and has a talk.  He tells the young man everything about the Robin War.  How a bomb was planted in his face.  How Grayson was forced to join the Court of the Owls.  Damian is understandably upset, but Grayson didn’t want him picking away at the bomb or doing something reckless.  It’s okay though.  With the new device, Grayson is able to remove the bomb.  Damian demands ice cream and action figures as payment for this affront, but that will have to wait.

Bruce wants to talk.  Grayson tells Wayne the device worked, and Damian annoyingly realizes that his father knew about this, too.  Grayson also confirms that the device will trick the Court of the Owls into thinking the bomb is still planted.  He’s sorry it had to come to this – that Damian’s life was put on the line for so long, but there was really no other way.  Bruce says he’s not angry.  Dick has been gone for too long if he really thinks that.  The blame begins at the Court of the Owls, and ends at the feet of one man… Lincoln March.

Somewhere, deep within the island of Crete, lay a Labyrinth.  The Court of the Owls are hiding in Gotham, but here, they will lead a new homeland.  An elite capitol away from the reach of the desperate and pathetic.  Their enemies will find themselves the target of a new army led by the Gray Son of Gotham.  They will cast aside the old masks of their predecessors and wear new ones to signify a new court.  An invisible court, hidden in the shadows.  But Lincoln March <THUNK> will not be a part of this new world.  He has too much baggage.  His judgment is clouded.  And right now, the court needs a nice, clean path… to Nightwing.

Bruce and Dick take a moment to talk alone.  Batman asks if his first sidekick is ready to travel out into the world so soon.  He only just got his secret identity as Dick Grayson back.  He’s barely had a chance to enjoy it.  Dick has been a lot of things over the years – Batman, Robin, the Flying Grayon, Nightwing, Agent 37 – they all have one thing in common – they were all him.  They were all the person Bruce made him into.  Damian is finally safe, but the parliament is still out there.  He needs to infiltrate them and take them apart from the inside.

The key thing about Grayson is, to him, home is where the heart is.  He’s been traveling all his life.  That’s who he is, no matter what the name.  But here’s the problem.  The owls didn’t try to take the name of Robin, or Batman.  They didn’t try to make Agent 37 into something they own.  They tried to take a different name.  One that it’s time Grayson took back.  He’s going to beat them, and he’s going to do it as a great re-builder.  A catalyst of change.  Eternally reborn to start anew.  His name is Nightwing.

Nightwing Rebirth #1 Review

Hello and welcome to Comic Island!  My name is Arden, and this is my recap, and review of Nightwing Rebirth #1!

Wow… this comic is something special alright.  This is going to be a hard review mostly because I can’t just say it’s great over and over again.  I like everything about this comic, from the way it’s story is well structured and paced to how it blends the old, wrapping up stories like the Robin war and the Grayson run of the past couple of years while also moving things firmly towards the new, charting a new course and direction for the character.

[Related: Click Here To Find Nightwing Comic Books Online]

Batman also has a great appearance here, giving serious father figure vibes and having a handful of touching moments and dialogue with Grayson.  I like how he appears, and it seems like he’s all angry, when really he’s just being like, “What are you two doing?,” you know, the way a father would to his sons.

But the small tour we take of the various people in Dick’s life is great in general.  It was cool to see Midnighter and some of the characters from the Grayson comics, and Damian had a couple of fun little parts, too.

The art, it’s design, and detail are also outstanding, and on the whole the creative team did some really fine work here.  This is a well recommended comic you should totally check out for yourself.