Nightwing #10

How much blood can Nightwing lose month after month?

Last issue, Dick Grayson learned that he belongs to Gotham City more than Batman does. I don't think he's had time to process that lesson because I haven't seen him lord it over Bats yet, but I hope he does! "Dude! I was fucking created to protect this city! You were just a rich spoiled brat!" And then Batman would say, "Nuh-uh! Alfred! Make him stop teasing me!" And Nightwing would be all, "Chya! I thought so!"

And then they'd suck each other off because that was obviously the beginning of some good old fashioned slash fiction sexual tension, amirite? Oh! And then Alfred could scream, "Lemon party!" as he runs into the Batcave naked with his other old butler buddies!

Using "an" with "historic" is just annoying. Sophisticate this, mother fucker.

Nightwing is finally investigating the crime that someone tried to frame him for: the brothers Strayhorn beaten and killed with one of Nightwing's Quarter Quarterstaves (One-sixteenthstaves?) left at the scene. Nightwing calls his weapon an escrima stick. Now that's a term I'm not familiar with. Oh, shut up, nerd. I heard your snort all the way out here in Portland. I understand you know everything there is to know about everything but I've gotten too old to live in the same pretend know-it-all world as you! Maybe I simply suffered from too many Game Masters who were stuck in the fighting styles of medieval Europe. If only my manic Elf Outlaw Chief had decided to master some obscure hand to hand weaponry instead of packing a loaded blunderbuss everywhere he went, I could have learned about Eskrima! Why are you embarrassing me with my lack of knowledge, Nightwing, by using such a stupid weapon?! I guess because it's a really good non-lethal form of fighting. Um, carry on!

Nightwing finds a clue in the brothers' apartment: a symbol representing an Alpha and an Omega.

I'm surprised Nightwing doesn't get annoyed at his know-it-all glasses! "Pshaw! Of course I knew that, you stupid glasses! You think Nightwing wouldn't know that? Easy peasy, buddy! Gah! You think I'm stupid, don't you? Fucking glasses. I'm taking the lens out of these fuckers as soon as I get home."

If glasses like these existed, you'd see everybody at the next Magic the Gathering Tournament wearing them. And they'd still probably argue over every topic of conversation! Those glasses should begin every sentence with "Actually...."

So yeah, that SWAT team breaks in for some reason. Maybe they've been staking the place out and waiting for Nightwing to investigate the scene to prove he didn't commit the murder. But since law enforcement is so single-minded and stubborn, they still want to arrest him for the murder even though they know he'll be back to investigate because he didn't commit the crime. But they apparently throw Flash Grenades like I do in Call of Duty. They probably blinded themselves and are now running in circles shooting the walls and screaming, "Goddamnit, I hate flash grenades!" And then one of their teammates throws a fucking Smoke Grenade! Eww, I hate when that happens! Now nobody can see except Nightwing with his know-it-all glasses that you just know have infrared capabilities! Stupid newbie SWAT jerk! He's probably SWATGUY(1). Fucking guests.

Except the smoke grenade was actually Nightwing's. That makes more sense! But that's just the kind of rant I'd go into on Call of Duty when a smoke grenade lands anyway only to realize it was the enemies smoke grenade! Have I mentioned what a know-it-all Magic playing gaming nerd I am? Oh, you thought I was just bitching about other people? Please! I should be most offended by the shit I say. Except I have a sense of humour, so I don't take it to heart and send threatening emails to myself. I also sometimes stick the British "u" in words like a snobby dickweed.

You know what I should do? I should get back to making fun of Nightwing and leave myself alone. All this blatant, in-public self-hatred is just too much! Especially on a place like Tumblr where everyone is cool with their own self-image and don't have any beefs with anybody ever.

See! That's me firing into the smoke! Except I usually use the PP90M1 (or, to the people who hate the gun, "the baby girl water pistol") with extended mags. No wonder my accuracy is shit!

While Dick fights cops, he's also talking on the phone with Lucius Fox about some expensive proposal to help save Gotham. It's all left very mysterious and the bottom line is Dick will need more money. He'd rather not approach Bruce so his only other option is Tony Zucco's daughter. I don't know who that is but if I did, I'd probably have the same shocked expression as Dick Grayson. Maybe.

So, pretty much what I said. This guy is obviously lying about "a witness" and definitely had the place staked out.

This Detective Nie apparently had his dirty fingers in a previous case where he tried to frame The Batman in a murder but no conclusive proof could be found, so he remained on the force. Now it looks like he may have done the same thing to Nightwing which is why he'd rather have his SWAT force kill Nightwing on scene than have them bring him in for a trial. Commissioner Gordon isn't happy about it and he actually has someone in City Hall willing to help him: Deputy Mayor Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh wants to help Nightwing since Nightwing saved his life during the Night of the Owls. But Mayor Hady hates the Bat-family and is actively trying to bring them down using any means necessary, if Detective Comics is canon (which it might not be since it's written so horribly by Tony Daniel!).

Back to Dick Grayson and his plans, it seems Tony Zucco was the man who murdered his parents. Wow, that's something I should try to commit to memory! It's kind of important! And as for Dick Grayson's big idea to make Gotham a better place, well, I have to admit it made me smile. And the goosebumps might have been from the huge breeze that blew through just as I saw the following panel, but I don't think so.

How many issues before The Penguin is running Nightwing's Amusement Park?

What a great idea! An amusement park in Gotham City! Dick thinks it'll be a happy place where people can go that fights against the dark, depressing image of Gotham City. And, well, that's cool thought and I love the idea of this fun place in the city. Families going on vacation to Gotham Fun Park instead of fleeing the gangster-infested slums. But even better, it'll be a great place for Batman to fight kooky villains! And the centerpiece for the new Amusement Park will be Haly's Circus, if Grayson can get them to quit the road to continually perform in Gotham alone.

Later, Nightwing goes to investigate the tattoo shop where he believes the Strayhorn brothers received their tattoos. He discovers that Detective Nie has already been there just before the place is riddled with bullets by the Alpha-Omeganauts! Nightwing easily captures these amateurs and interrogates them.

Don't be the puss who freaks out and runs around the room screaming, "No no no no no!" when a vigilante puts the beat down on your crew. Because you'll be nicknamed "Trembles" and seen as the easy link in the interrogation.

Nightwing investigates The Clock Tower and is momentarily bested by this jerk.

The comic was really good until this final page.

Great! I like Nightwing investigating things in Gotham and trying to improve the city and fighting against the corruption in the police department. That was all terrific and well done. And then he has to find out that the Children of Tomorrow are all about killing Nightwing so they can take over. Do they want to take over the vigilante business or become a gang of master criminals? I don't know. But I bet if their goal is making Gotham a better place, Nightwing can get them to work with him. Perhaps they'll become his new army of Nightwing Robins! Or maybe he'll just have them work at the Amusement Park in these outfits. That's what I'm hoping for.

Nightwing #10 Rating: +1 Ranking. Except for the comic book cliche ending where the threat isn't a threat against the populace but a threat against the super hero, the writing was well done and what I've come to expect from this series. I'm not sure why Kyle Higgins' Deathstroke wasn't this well crafted. Oh well. Here's to hoping Nightwing just found the staff for his Amusement Park! The Amusement Park of Tomorrow!

Also, Nightwing never ends up in a pool of his own blood. Is this a Spoiler for next issue or just one of those randomly dumb covers?