Making the Cut - Nightwing - About a Year's Worth

I started reading Nightwing during Infinite Crisis and with One Year Later one of my favorite writers took over the book. A lot of people screamed bloody murder about everything Bruce Jones did on the book but I have to call "Bullshit" on that. First off, Jones did the best he could with the crap that was handed to him. Frankly I hate Nightwing in New York and think that it's a horrible mistake for DC to put real cities in there world of made up cities. Everyone already considered Metropolis to be New York so it's a waste to actually have a New York. The problem with Jones' run, was that he was just following suit with the book... nothing new to the character. He just made him "Bruce Wayne Lite" and called it good. When I see this I call foul on the Editors because regardless of what anyone thinks they are responsible for all character decisions and for what happens on the book. My point in case is that Marv Wolfman is now on the book and if he re-read the book Nightwing still isn't that different even though a man responsible for crafting the character is writing it, someone who knows the history of the character compared to someone who knew nothing.

The art for this book is horrible and since it's just a niche book appeasing the league of Nightwing fans out there, the art will never really improve. If by chance they do land some up and coming superstar artist they will be yanked from the book after they finish whatever storyline they're on and but on another title. I guess I need to read Infinite Crisis again because I don't remember Dick almost dying, and frankly since he didn't I don't really care and Wolfman needs to stop bringing it up in every issue. I don't know why DC would even toy with the idea of killing Nightwing, yeah it would have been ballsy but DC doesn't have the balls to do it. Also what would that really have done for the story of IC? Nothing, at least Conner's death had some substance to it. Overall this book is very safe, meaning it doesn't take any chances and just maintains the status quo. Most of each issue is spent showing how much Nightwing isn't like Batman, and frankly I don't care. If anything this should be a chance to get Batman right even if you have to use another character to do it.

The Villains are horribly inconsistent as well. During the Bride and Groom storyline, the Groom became more and more out of character after the first two issue that his character was established and the Bride did the same thing. They almost switched characters completely then in the last pages switched back. Also Nightwing teaming up with the villains to bring them down was the most forced storyline ever. Nightwing crashes a villains bar to see who knows about Bride and Groom, even though there unknown villains and he knows this and he's been keeping tabs on the place since he got to town but hasn't busted in yet. Also the amount of property damage he does is just bullshit and makes Nightwing look like an asshole. So obviously the Villain don't know anything about the Unknown villains and Nightwing books it leaving a petite threat towards the washed up villains. And wouldn't you know it, Bride and Groom find the place... sigh, by tracking Nightwing's aura which seems convenient since they never said Groom could do that, but since they didn't say he couldn't I guess it's okay.

Probably the best issue I read of this was the annual written and drawn by two people that have nothing to do with the ongoing series at all. It had heart, it understood the characters (even if Barbara felt a little out of character at times) and really it just nailed it. I wanted to read more of that Nightwing rather than the year's worth of Marv's run. Since I'm cutting back on comics I have to tell you Nightwing didn't make the Cut!