Nightwing #2

Series: Nightwing
Words:  Kyle Higgins
Images: Eddy Barrows, J.P. Mayer, Paulo Siqueira
Issue Number: 2
Release Date: It reads December 2011 but we got it in October
Format: Single Issue comic

Nightwing is one of the comics we are pulling that I want to like. I am trying so very hard to like. It is a character I never had a ton invested in (outside of his time with Barbara Gordon). But he is a character that the mister includes on his top five.

I left the first issue feeling impressed that it was more character driven then action. After reading issue two? Well I would like to eat my hat. After such a strong start in issue two Nightwing promptly takes a tale spin downwards.

I will probably keep reading it because the mister will keep pulling it. I would probably be tempted to give up on it after this. Not fair since I am giving other runs a longer trial. But well I am emotionally invested in those characters or the potential they can bring to the D.C. universe.

So where in my opinion did it go wrong? This issue was pretty almost totally action based and to be honest I found the action dull. Dick / Nightwing reads like a bit of a Mary Sue at this point. His interactions with the other characters come across as very plastic and superficial. They failed to build on the strengths of issue one which was attention to detail and character development. Nightwing’s muscles did not really need to have muscles on them. He went from being attractive to … scary looking. And that is coming from a woman who lives with a guy who works out twice a day for an hour each time and lifts weights. One of the things I liked about the first issue is while Nightwing was the attention to detail in terms of exercise equipment in the loft.

At this point I would not suggest anyone invest too heavily in the D.C.'s relaunch of Nightwing. I will let you know if it improves. For those of you who left comments saying that you hope that the relaunch would mean less of the Play Boy Nightwing... well please just ignore this entire run. By the end of the second issue he's sleeping with a childhood friend from the circus on a plane in between action scenes. Yes that is right. Nightwing reads like the Transformers movies.

Blue Beetle 1 & 2

Series: Blue Beetle
Words: Tony Bedard
Images: G Guara, Ruv Jose, JP Mayer
Issue Number: 2
Release Date: It reads December 2011 but we got it in October
Format: Single Issue comic
I meant to read Blue Beetle right away. I was the person who threw it on our pull list for the DC New 52. The mister has taken to watching a lot of Batman Brave and the Bold and well the newest Blue Beetle sort of grew on me.

A little surprising because all the reasons why I hate Peter Parker (Spiderman) for some reason in the Blue Beetle are kind of endearing. He certainly fills an important niche in the universe. D.C. potentially can make him relatable to the highschool youth who is sort of excluded, not exactly popular and who wants to be a super hero.

I am glad that I waited until we had two issues to sit down and actually read Blue Beetle. Especially since very little is actually resolved by the end of the first story issue. Hell it spends most of the time giving the back story of the scarab that gives Blue Beetle his powers. My personal preference would have been to not have the back story behind the Scarab and the Reach just yet. I would have liked to get to know Jamie more. I want to care more about his life. In terms of pacing for the story I would have rather learned about the Reach and about the Scarab’s roots as Jamie himself learns of them. Preferably after I already care about both.

For those of you with tweens or teens you are trying to suck into comics so far Blue Beetle may be a great gateway comic for them.

As far as our pulls go? I am  not sure how long we will continue with it. Two issues in there has not been enough story for me to actually get into it. I will continue to give it a chance. It may slowly warm up into something great. I certainly will have my fingers crossed for that.

I like the use of Spanish mixed with English. As someone who does not speak or read Spanish it is a bit tricky to get used to but once I did I appreciated it. I have heard from a few others as far in as I am that they found it difficult to read partially because of that. I think it is more effective when the story is read in larger chunks.
I am pleased to see another hero of colour. Especially one that is so easily accessible to a wide range of youth. One of things that will keep me buying this comic is my desire to see a broader range of stories coming out of super hero comics. Don’t get me wrong I love me some Batman etc. and I think those stories are great and have a place too.

Essentially this comic has potential but I have not seen it live up to that potential yet so we will have to wait and see.