Nightwing: Get Grayson

It's been three weeks since reading Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's first arc of Nightwing, Leaping into the Light. Since then it's been a two week wait for my LCS to get my order in and an additional week to catch up on my pull list.

Finally, however, I have reached the opportunity to read the second volume in this so far fantastic run of Nightwing: Get Grayson.

So Dick Grayson has moves forward with his plans to save Bludhaven. However, this has not gone down well with everyone and the original Boy Wonder finds himself with a price on his head for his benevolence. Fortunately, Nightwing isn't so hunted as Dick's alter ego (along with all his superpowered friends) set about putting a stop to any assassin who wants to take up the Bounty.

I continue to love this run as Tom Taylor continues to present a truly epic take of Nightwing. In fact, probably going so far as to say it's planting the seeds for Taylor's Titans run, this arc goes about showing Dick Grayson as the true linchpin of the superhero community.

I find this rendition of Nightwing a phenomenal character to follow as Taylor portrays him as a worthy successor to Batman; a character containing all of his strengths but very few of his weaknesses. This is best shown by much of the guest cast, particularly the Flash, who all display such a love and loyalty to Nightwing that it makes the eventual announcement of Taylor's Titans a natural extension to this story.

That said, it does falter in a couple of places, notably the near exclusion of the mystery villain from the story. This feels a little unsettling, as if the character is no longer important, although he does have a brief appearance which certainly cements his ongoing danger.

Meanwhile, the Superman arc, while a nice crossover, certainly feels like a pit stop which is unnecessary in the overall plot. That said, it's such a minor detour that it doesn't really affect my enjoyment.

Of course, the true MVP of this series continues to be Bruno Redondo's artwork. I've said before how I heard of the praise on the work Redondo contributes here, but seeing his work first hand makes that praise seem understated in comparison.

Again, with the mix of David Aja's Hawkeye-like set pieces and the Terry Dodson-esque close ups, Redondo's art style is a breathtaking masterpiece from cover (which is also fantastic) to cover.

Get Grayson doesn't quite hold up to Leaping into the Light in my eyes, but the difference between them is so minimal that even VAR would have trouble seeing that difference.

Nightwing has, in the space of a few weeks, become my favourite new series and the only downside is finding the money to go and Immediately buy volume three.

Fantastic Four #16

Continuing to catch up, post illness, today's read was Fantastic Four #16 as Ryan North offered up another single issue story focusing on the newly returned youngest members of the First Family.

Having permanently relocated to the Grimm farm in Arizona, the temporally displaced quartet of Franklin, Valeria, Nikki and Jo-Venn dace a new challenge in the vein of a new school. However, the school is nothing compared to the homework as the foursome attempt some mad science in an attempt at extra credit, leading to some mad capped shenanigans.

I really enjoyed this issue, with North producing a fun one-and-done issue that brings a nice bit of levity to a run that was starting to feel a little overly series. The idea of building the story around the children of imaginauts trying to impress their science class felt novel but what I enjoyed most was the nice dynamic amongst the kids.

The Grimm kids feel really well built from their introduction in the Slott run. I love how all four get on what astounds me the most are the Richards kids. Having been reading a long time, it's both disconcerting and a joy to see Val being so nice and less precocious. Meanwhile, as Val is very much her father's daughter, Franklin seems have become more his mother's son as he's shown to be so capable compared to prior appearances.

New artist Francesco Mortarino comes aboard with a while new style which I thought would be an adjustment given my love of Ivan Fiorelli's work up until now. However, Mortarino has brought a vibrant, youthful energy with pencils combined with Brian Reber's colours that it really works for the story that is being told.

After the first 15 issues being about 'retrieving the Baxter Building', this issue feels like a great pallette cleanser to set up what will probably be a similar length second act.

That said, if rather it's the beginning of many short stories then I'm equally on board with this.

Sensational She-Hulk #4

I was starting to catch up a little bit recently and then i got sick and I have fallen behind again.

Oh well, lets try again.

Last week I picked up and read Sensational She-Hulk #4. This most recent issue from Rainbow Rowell saw Jen dealing with the fallout from her recent Hulk battle. As media vilifies her and the public cower in fear of her, there's only one thing that help: a night out with Hellcat and Captain Marvel.

I thought this was another good issue which built nicely on the foundation that issue three laid in the sense of giving Jen's life new direction. I do find it weird that, after 15 issues of Rowell rebuilding Jen's life to something moderately happy, she would be so quick to devastate it once again. However, Rowell has shown that she can depict the Jade Giantess quite impressively and here, while she's down, there's little evidence to say she's out.

Ig Guara is new to the art duties on this book, but his/her style, while very different to Iban Coello's, feels very fitting for the emotional place the story currently finds itself. Guara's style has me thinking of Joe Madureira's work, although maybe something grittier instead. Kenneth Rocafort's work is more than likely a closer comparison (I'm thinking of his work on Action Comics just before the New 52), with the look being less dreamlike than Coello's, thus giving the vibe that She-Hulk has fallen and come back to Earth with a bump.

Sensational She-Hulk #4 feels, much like its predecessors, seemingly directionless at present. However, for me, this can't take away the earnest sweetness that the book seems to exude. The series continues to be an enjoyable read and would have no problem if She-Hulk maintained this trajectory for a good while to come.

(Although I truly look forward to its awesomeness once the greater narrative is revealed.)