New Comics, Nightwing

New comics!

Hawkeye: Freefall 5

When Marvel started publishing comics again after the COVID-induced pause, they ironically announced that Freefall 5 and 6 would only be released digitally.  Given the quality of issues 1-4, I’m so happy that they changed their minds (again) - Even the completionist in me would rather have an incomplete run in paper than be forced to buy digital-only.  

This is still awesome.

Seven Secrets 1

Even with the comic shops back open after the COVID closures, I’m not willing to risk my health to browse off the shelves anymore.  Which means that I’m far less likely to find comics and impulse buy on a weekly basis.  (Sadness.)  

It looks like my “give a random title a shot” comics are really going to be creator driven moving forward, like Seven Secrets.  Given his track record, Tom Taylor-written comics qualify.  So far, my faith in him is justified.  This is a solid first issue, with a very Saga “I’m going to tell you the story of my parents” narration device.  Will try more.

(Speaking of Taylor, I need to give his Suicide Squad a shot at some point.  Maybe in trade.)

Wonder Woman 760

Beautiful work by Mikel Janin, as expected.  The story is pretty bleh, though.  The real test comes next week, when Janin already needs a fill-in artist.  Will Mariko Tamaki come through with writing that demands following?

Fire Power 2

A long fight scene.  Fun enough, since Chris Samnee knows what he’s doing.  But not much to write about.

Nightwing Annual 1

Here we go, Nightwing!  Starting off with a Devin Grayson-penned story where Dick marries a woman in order to investigate a string of possible black widow murders.  Perfectly serviceable.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Nightwing 1-18, 21-40, 1000000

Green Arrow 134-135

Detective Comics 723

Robin 55

Batman Annual 23

Aside from the crossover titles, this is completely Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel.  This is the perfect title for the pair - Dixon is in his element with another Bat-title, and McDaniel shines with the kinetic action that Nightwing demands.  Sadly, Roberta Tewes’ colors are often not up to the task.  She properly emphasizes the foreground action, but at the complete expense of the background elements.  

Why is everything in the background yellow???

McDaniel is great at these action montages.  And he's moved on from the style of his Daredevil days, which you can still see in the earlier issues.

Love how he draws Superman and those bullet impacts.

McDaniel comes right up on the edge of laziness with these similar covers, but I like the cohesion and the layouts - Each one could be a statue design.

Of note is the Brotherhood of the Fist crossover, bringing together some of the best martial artists in the DCU and cementing Connor Hawke as the second-best fighter next to Shiva.

I like how Connor evaluates Batman.

Clancy, Dick’s building supervisor, is totally Cho Chang!

Cho Chang!  Although she's Scottish, not Irish...

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice.  Pretty good for the Fist crossover.  Fine for the Batman Annual and issue 40.

Nightwing 41-45

Greg Land takes over as the penciller, with plenty of fill in help from the capable Patrick Zircher.  The story doesn’t miss a beat, and Dixon still hasn’t lost any steam (Although, Nite-Wing is totally not worth 40+ issues of build up.  He’s a one-note character with an arc that was ultimately concluded with no fanfare.  Same thing is happening w/ Dudley Soames.)

Land didn't waste much time getting to the pinups.

So you're telling me Nite-Wing, who's always been colored this way...

...is supposed to be a redhead?  Editor, writer, or artist fail?

No one in their right mind would read paper in the rain...

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice