I had picked up some Frankenstein later in it’s run, so I’ve read the first couple of issues yesterday. First, Frank is a great character and I’d like to see him better integrated into the DCU. He would be a perfect character for JLD or if they ever relaunch is spy centric series like Checkmate.
Issue two with the transformation of the Dr. into Lagoon Woman (sorry, during this with actually opening the book) is kinda of a horrifying story. Nice thing about this series is it will go from humorous to very dark quickly.
This is a great look for Father Time, it just takes an ordinary character but put into the body of a little girl just makes it funnier, but she/he can still be super serious.
Are we still on Frankenstein? I started reading Grayson.
Father Time as a little girl makes me laugh everytime even when she/he is being very serious. I like the juxtaposition of this “old man” in a child’s body a lot. And Frank is a great character that I would love to see more of. Him and his ex-wife are great actually.
I’m just kinda wherever I am. I e read deep into Silencer and some Frankenstein I’ve read Grayson and Checkmate in the past so not hitting them this time though both are good books
Ok. Sounds good. I guess I’ll keep going with Grayson so I’m ready. I’m suprised I haven’t read it yet. After not having access to the community due to the glitch I was so confused on where we were. Lol!!
Yeah, it really sucked. Apparently it’s a issue right now though. DC told me it could go out again while they try to fix the bigger issue. It’s been effecting quite a few people.
GRAYSON QUESTIONS:
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What was your favorite thing about these issues? Was there a particular panel that struck you?
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This book really seemed to delve into Dick Grayson’s character, his history and also felt like it was trying to bring back some of the aspects of his character that were perhaps thrown by the wayside over the years. Would you agree with this assessment or do you feel differently?
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How do you feel about Dick as a spy? Was this a good move for him? Would you have wanted to see more?
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What did you think of Dick’s interactions in the issues we read here?
So, Grayson. DC for 20 years it seems have gone out of their way to sideline or substantially change Nightwing, which is weird considering he appears to be a successful, steady selling character. Most of this has not been well received. But, I tell ya I really like Grayson as a book. It puts Dick in a situation removed largely from the world of Bats where all of his skills (detective, fighter, acrobat, charmer) are put to use. I enjoyed how this book seemed to grow into it’s own mini-universe with the occasional pop in from the broader DC. It also made good use of the Midnighter, a great character just one that I don’t think belongs in the main DCU (Midnighter and the Authority should be their own thing). Here, Midnighter’s pushing every boundary worked well against Dick who actually has a moral code. This is another book, I wish could have gone on longer.
Nightwing does sell but I suppose with a character as long-lived as Dick they feel the need to shake up the status quo a bit once in awhile. Sometimes it works, like when he was allowed to grow up and started becoming his own hero and sometimes it doesn’t, like the recent fiasco that will not be named. I simply think they are trying to find that ‘lightning in a bottle’ moment for him again so that’s why all the ‘changes’. I’m sure there’s another one of those in there somewhere for him.
It also put him in a sort of fish out of the water situation as well. Actual spy work was not something he’d done before this although Dick most certainly has the skill set for it and he adapted quickly, which is something the character is known for doing.
I really loved how this book was its own thing.
I think Midnighter was a great foil for Dick here and I just plain loved their interactions. I also liked Tiger here.
I do wish this book had lasted longer before they put Dick back in the fingerstripes again. Might have avoided a lot of …erm … messy things.
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What did you think of Honor Guest as a character? What about her supporting cast? Whose your favorite character here?
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Honor just wants to live an “normal life” with her family to bad her old life is catching up with her. What do you think of the opponents she faces in these issues?
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She has an unusual set of powers there. What did you think of them? Are they effective in her line of work?
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In issue #4 we get the story on how Honor got out of Leviathan. Do you think Talia manipulated Honor into starting the war within that organization? Why
Only two issues of the series left, back in a few days
Tangent Alert
People new to DC or comics in general ask for reading recommendations and the first instinct is to point them to the same lists of important and hopefully good comics over the ages. Batman Year 1 (which is as far as I can tell is the story of a middle-aged overweight cop cheating on his wife) appears on every list. And, it’s not that those recommendations are wrong (except maybe previously mentioned story in which Batman is secondary character to Jim Gordon), but they shouldn’t be the end of the story as it were. We should also be recommending books like Silencer. Eighteen issues relatively self-contained with no DC knowledge required and a darn fine read. Someone loves action movies with a Sci-Fi touch, tell them to read Silencer. They love James Bond, try Grayson.
Stand Down from Tangent Alert
So Silencer, read the entire 18 issue run and this is a fantastic book. The story is tightly contained except for the annual and the very end, the rest of the DC hardly exists except as the basis for a theme park. Honor Guest rocks both as the wife/mom concerned about her family, and the highly trained assassin concerned about her family. The personal ties between her and Talia really add to the story all the way through, initially as a positive tie between the two and then as enemies. There’s just enough of Blake and Ben, and Aftermath and the rest of the supporting cast to fill out Honor’s world and make us care about her. Anyone looking for a nice action story should read this book.
But, about the future of Silencer. She’s cool. Look could use a little more to it just for visual appeal, but where would you even take her now. Her entire motivation and what drove the book was her need to protect her family. Gonna go down that road again? Don’t think so. Would like to so more of her, but not as just a generic hired gun. Someone needs a good take to keep Honor in the field.
Sorry for the delay. I had surgery a few days ago and the prep and everything put me behind. I love Dick Grayson as a character. I always enjoy whatever I read of him, but I will say I missed him as Nightwing. I enjoy his more relaxed style while doing a serious business, and I felt like some of that got lost in the Grayson spy storyline.
No worries. I hope you are doing well @AlexCarr.
See I feel.the opposite way about it. I think there are times that his relaxed attitude and his sense of freedom and joy gets lost in Nightwing stories particularly in recent times. I felt the Grayson stories really tapped into that aspect of the character in a way none of the previous Nightwing stories in the N52 did. Just my thoughts on that though.
I’m a fan of Nightwing but I’m the sort that wants to see the character continue to grow and change with stories that are interesting and innovative. Something that pushes the boundaries of the character rather than something that keeps him in the same place. It’s not something I’ve seen a lot of in recent times, which is sad given the character’s age and importance.
I’m getting there thank you! I’ve been put on bed rest a little longer, but I’m hoping to be up and going soon.
I think that’s totally fair. It’s actually been a bit since I read Nightwing, so I can’t comment on the recent issues. I did pick it back up though for the relaunch next month! I’ve missed reading Nightwing. I agree his character has so much to offer us and I don’t think we get to see it all that much!
Take your time healing and don’t do to much to soon. I made that mistake when I had surgery years ago and it set me back weeks.
Maybe someday a writer will come along that can give Nightwing another push that advances the character like Teen Titans did back in the day.
Thank you so much! I am taking my time. I’m on bed rest 3 more days, and then I can return to working from home for a few weeks. Thankfully my work is being really understanding and helpful!
That would be great! His character deserves so much! Hopefully one day we will get it. He’s not an easy character to write though. When I was in college I decided to try writing a movie script for a story about him. I ended up scraping it and doing a screen play of King Arthur from Guinevere’s perspective instead. Lol! I didn’t feel like I was writing his character right, and didn’t want to tarnish his character. But someone will get it right!