Grayson #1

GRAYSON #1 (Sep 14)

"Grayson"

Writer: TIM SEELEY

Plot: TIM SEELEY, TOM KING

Art: MIKEL JANIN

Colors: JEROMY COX

Letters: CARLOS M. MANGUAL

Cover: ANDREW ROBINSON

Well, this is fun.

I've never been what you'd call a Dick Grayson fan. For reasons that escaped me, the generations that followed me were big Grayson buffs, but to me once he stopped being Robin, and later stopped being the Titans leader, he ceased to have any conceptual reason to exist. He was just another costumed athlete in a comics line full of them -- and in a city lousy with them. I didn't dislike him; I just wasn't interested in the character once he was untethered from the far more interesting (to me) Batman and Titans worlds.

But with the events of "Forever Evil," the status quo for Dick Grayson has forever changed (or at least as long as "forever" is in comics). His secret identity is no longer secret, so what now?

Grayson #1 gives us the answer -- or, at least, a lot of hints at the answer. We open with Dick (and it is clearly he) on some sort of secret mission in Europe. He's wearing a hideous blonde wig and communicating with someone as he effortlessly vaults onto a moving train.

I won't go into the mission, as it's a lot of fun and I don't want to spoil anything. I will tease that it involves Dick acting like an "ugly American," a gorgeous Russian babe and Midnighter.

Meanwhile, we learn who Dick is working for: a group named Spyral. We learn who his partner is, an attractive (of course) African-American named Helena Bertinelli. We learn that Dick is also in communication with someone outside of Spyral, a Mr. Malone.

For long-time fans, this is a basket of Easter eggs. Spyral was introduced in Batman Incorporated as an espionage organization with a hidden agenda, one that was at odds with both the League Assassins and superheroes. (Is it still? We don't know.) Helena Bertinelli, of course, was the name of The Huntress in the Old 52, and has appeared in The New 52 as a name appropriated by the Earth 2 Huntress. (Is this the same Helena? Does she know someone stole her ID? Is it really her name? We don't know.) Finally, the name Dick is communicating with is a familiar one to Batman fans. (But is it the same character? We don't know!)

But even if you're not a long-time reader -- or these Easter eggs turn into red herrings -- there's a lot to like here. There are a lot of moving parts, identities are uncertain and loyalties are suspect. It's like a John Le Carre novel, or Mission: Impossible movie.

And it is fun. Dick Grayson fans probably don't need a reason to pick this book up, but if they do, I bet they won't be disappointed. And for the non-Grayson fans, we get a long-running character with a reason to stand apart from his past -- and with an exciting present.

And did I mention the last-page reveal? Well, there is one. And it's fun.

Richard Willis said:

When I was reading Nightwing, it made a lot of sense for Dick to become a police officer. Of course it conflicted with his continuing to be Nightwing and (equally of course) it had to be a corrupt police force.

Dave Elyea said:

I thought Dick's career as a police officer was a bad fit, if only because of the difficulty in sneaking off to become Nightwing while he's supposed to be on duty. Plus, there was the whole business of them never making it clear just how famous Dick Grayson was as the adopted son/youthful ward of a famous billionaire--in some stories, no one has a clue who he is, and in others, he's practically a People Magazine cover boy. Surely the scion of such a rich & powerful family signing up with such a disreputable police force would have raised more eyebrows than it did.

I think the notion of Dick Grayson becoming a police officer does or doesn't work to the extent that Dick Grayson is or isn't a famous celebrity. If he's like Prince Harry or Tom Cruise's kids, where the paparazzi follow his every move and pay thousands of dollars to anybody who has a cellphone camera who comes within breathing distance of him, it doesn't work. But if he's the son of rich parents who kept their children out of the spotlight -- quick, name Bill Gates' kids! -- it works.

That's a separate issue than Dick Grayson sneaking off to be a superhero when he's on The Job ... but then, that's an issue for any superhero who doesn't work for himself and set his own hours, or isn't independently wealthy. Since Dick Grayson is independently wealthy -- I think, unless Bruce Wayne joined Warren Buffett's pledge not to leave money to his kids -- working any kind of 9-to-5 makes little sense if you have a second job as a costumed crime-fighter.

Replies

Richard Willis July 11, 2014 at 1:41pm

Are we saying that the world (not just Spyral) knows that Dick is/was Nightwing? As I think you observed, how does this not "out" Bruce as Batman?

When I was reading Nightwing, it made a lot of sense for Dick to become a police officer. Of course it conflicted with his continuing to be Nightwing and (equally of course) it had to be a corrupt police force.
Captain Comics July 11, 2014 at 2:03pm

DIck's unmasking was broadcast worldwide. I don't understand how this doesn't unmask Batman as well, but that's how DC is playing it. The world also believes Dick is dead, I think, killed by Luthor. I'm less sure of that part.
Dave Elyea July 11, 2014 at 3:06pm

I thought Dick's career as a police officer was a bad fit, if only because of the difficulty in sneaking off to become Nightwing while he's supposed to be on duty. Plus, there was the whole business of them never making it clear just how famous Dick Grayson was as the adopted son/youthful ward of a famous billionaire--in some stories, no one has a clue who he is, and in others, he's practically a People Magazine cover boy. Surely the scion of such a rich & powerful family signing up with such a disreputable police force would have raised more eyebrows than it did.

But then I always thought that the ideal "grown up" career for Dick was as a mystery novelist--it gives him an excuse to interview cops & poke around crime scenes, but also the freedom to come & go as he needs to, with no immediate superior to check in with. Plus, during the early Nightwing years when he & Bruce weren't speaking to each other, just about the only things we ever saw in his apartment were a typewriter & a leather jacket, so I just hoped it was the typewriter he was using to pay the rent...

Richard Willis said:

Are we saying that the world (not just Spyral) knows that Dick is/was Nightwing? As I think you observed, how does this not "out" Bruce as Batman?

When I was reading Nightwing, it made a lot of sense for Dick to become a police officer. Of course it conflicted with his continuing to be Nightwing and (equally of course) it had to be a corrupt police force.
ClarkKent_DC July 11, 2014 at 5:17pm

Captain Comics said:

DIck's unmasking was broadcast worldwide. I don't understand how this doesn't unmask Batman as well, but that's how DC is playing it. The world also believes Dick is dead, I think, killed by Luthor. I'm less sure of that part.

I haven't seen it and I'm not going to ask -- I don't want to take the headache medicine just before the weekend -- but I'm not so sure unmasking Nightwing unmasks Batman, unless it's also publicly known that Nightwing used to be Robin.

Now, if you tell me it IS publicly known Nightwing used to be Robin, then I don't know what to think.
ClarkKent_DC July 11, 2014 at 5:30pm

Richard Willis said:

When I was reading Nightwing, it made a lot of sense for Dick to become a police officer. Of course it conflicted with his continuing to be Nightwing and (equally of course) it had to be a corrupt police force.

Dave Elyea said:

I thought Dick's career as a police officer was a bad fit, if only because of the difficulty in sneaking off to become Nightwing while he's supposed to be on duty. Plus, there was the whole business of them never making it clear just how famous Dick Grayson was as the adopted son/youthful ward of a famous billionaire--in some stories, no one has a clue who he is, and in others, he's practically a People Magazine cover boy. Surely the scion of such a rich & powerful family signing up with such a disreputable police force would have raised more eyebrows than it did.

I think the notion of Dick Grayson becoming a police officer does or doesn't work to the extent that Dick Grayson is or isn't a famous celebrity. If he's like Prince Harry or Tom Cruise's kids, where the paparazzi follow his every move and pay thousands of dollars to anybody who has a cellphone camera who comes within breathing distance of him, it doesn't work. But if he's the son of rich parents who kept their children out of the spotlight -- quick, name Bill Gates' kids! -- it works.

That's a separate issue than Dick Grayson sneaking off to be a superhero when he's on The Job ... but then, that's an issue for any superhero who doesn't work for himself and set his own hours, or isn't independently wealthy. Since Dick Grayson is independently wealthy -- I think, unless Bruce Wayne joined Warren Buffett's pledge not to leave money to his kids -- working any kind of 9-to-5 makes little sense if you have a second job as a costumed crime-fighter.
Richard Willis July 11, 2014 at 8:34pm

Dave Elyea said:

I thought Dick's career as a police officer was a bad fit, if only because of the difficulty in sneaking off to become Nightwing while he's supposed to be on duty.

I agree that Dick's police job, like Peter Parker's teaching job*, directly conflicted with being an action hero.

In both cases they were dream jobs for the characters but it would have to be "either/or." They couldn't have their dream jobs and their action hero jobs at the same time.

* Peter would miss work and show up covered in bruises. Not a good way to keep a teaching job.
Captain Comics July 11, 2014 at 10:50pm

Grayson is not only independently wealthy from being Bruce Wayne's adopted son, but he also inherited the Haly Circus.

This reply was deleted.