Nightwing #1

Worst cover of all time.

What exactly is the concept of this cover? Nightwing is falling from the roof of a building where he'd been spastically playing the drums? And the best way to break his fall is to squat like a frog and land on his crotch? And why all the bats? And Nightwing's name on top of the Bat Symbol? Is that so everyone will buy this title?

With a character like Nightwing, I'm mostly curious what his history is in the new 52. I know he was a former Robin again. But was he ever a Teen Titan? He made a comment in Batgirl about his thing for redheads which leads me to believe he has had a relationship with Starfire in the New 52. Unless he was just making a comment about having had a crush on Batwoman as well. Which hasn't been confirmed as part of the New 52 anyway.

Nightwing #1 begins with narrating how he'd been masquerading as Batman for a year while Batman was away. So is this New 52 a fucking reboot or isn't it? Batman was dead in the New 52 as well? Yet the Justice League began only five years ago and none of the Super Heroes really knew each other except maybe Flash and Green Lantern. Then four years later, Batman died and Nightwing took over for him? I'm beginning to believe that this new 52 is only understandable if you've been reading DC for the last 25 years anyway! Just like every time DC changes things up.

The circus where Nightwing's parents were killed has come to Gotham and it has Nightwing unnerved. It takes eight pages of retelling Nightwing's story to get to this. In the old DCU, Nightwing had a lot of character baggage. Looks like he's brought it all with him into the new DCU.

Next, some maniac in shades steps off a bus into Gotham and kills two thugs trying to steal his shades. Maybe someone who has been reading DC comics for the last few years can guess who he is but my only guess is Corey Hart.

Dick manages to head back to the circus. He seems pretty close to a trapeze artist named Raya with red hair. So maybe he hasn't had a relationship with Starfire in the new 52. But he probably has. I think I'll just believe everything is exactly the same as I remember it until something happens to show that it's different. Just seems easier. I'm not sure DC has any idea what they're doing.

And then Nightwing is attacked by a Wolverine Wanna-be.

I suppose this is the guy with the shades. I still don't recognize him.

Dick Grayson doesn't recognize the guy either, so that's good. I guess he's just another new villain in a long list of new villains developed for the first excting action-packed storylines of just about every new title. I think Justice League is the only comic without a new villain starting it off since they chose to use the biggest villain, Darkseid.

And then the new guy kicks Nightwing's ass and gets DC into legal trouble.

But his claws are different! He's more like, "Rock and roll!", instead of snikkety-snik!