Batman (2016) #1-
"Batman legend Scott Snyder and iconic artist Nick Dragotta transform the Dark Knight's tale for the modern age! Without the mansion... without the money... without the butler... what's left is the Absolute Dark Knight!
" -Official solicit
STATS
Issues at Time of Writing: 11
Recommended?: Yes
My Average Rating: 4.3/5
My Overall Rating: 4
Beginner Friendly?: New Universe (most beginner friendly a DC comic could be)
Best Attribute: Action & fight scenes
This series is so cool. This is what I think of when I think intense edgy superhero action. The fight scenes are incredible and engaging and Absolute Batman is just... He's cool!!! This comic is so cool. Absolute Bruce is so charming and interesting. I think he takes a lot of the most delightful aspects of Battinson and combines them with this idea of who Bruce would be if he still had his mom to live for after his dad was killed, as well of of course, who Bruce is if he never had all of that money from the get-go. It's a very different Bruce! But it's also the same Bruce. He isn't different for the sake of being different, Snyder clearly thought through who the Bruce we see in the main comics would be with the changes he was making for the Absolute universe and he did a really good job showing that. This series also focuses a lot on the rogues so far and it's really cool to see this alternate version of them!!
COMICS 2 READ!
This page is dedicated to listing all of the new comic releases I'm reading/have read and if I recommend them or not. Comics are cool I swear please read them T_T Oh but this is all subjective so even if I'm like eh I don't like this, if it sounds like something you'd like please still check it out and form your own opinions!!
Nightwing (2016) #119-
Dan Watters's Nightwing
"Blüdhaven has erupted in violence as rival gangs vie to fill the power vacuum left by Nightwing's cleanup of corrupt officials. But is an outside force turning the gangs against each other, escalating the violence in Blüdhaven toward even more sinister ends? To find out, Nightwing must do the unthinkable — no matter the cost. Don't miss the start of this groundbreaking new arc that will redefine what it means to be a hero." -Official solicit
STATS
Issues at Time of Writing: 12
Recommended?: ???
My Average Rating: 4/5
My Overall Rating: 3.5
Beginner Friendly?: Yes
Best Attribute: Political conflict, mystery
I waffled back and forth so much on if I wanted to recommend this one that I just didn't give an answer... My answer is more nuanced than yes/no. I recommend the first arc of this series wholeheartedly, Nightwing: On With the Show which covers issues 119-124, as well as Nightwing 2025 Annual which is really good. Watters does a great job picking up the pieces of what Taylor threw together in his run and making something interesting out of them. Dick's writing here feels IC and the way he interacts with Bludhaven's gangs is a refreshing return to form for the character. I enjoyed Watters' look into the gang dynamics of Bludhaven and I hope to see more of them in the rest of his run. He also seems to be setting up a very interesting conflict between Dick and Melinda. This is a very solid arc that I enjoyed a great deal, I recommend it to Nightwing fans and non-fans alike. The 2025 Annual is very strong and I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed On With the Show, it continues from that story and sets up the villains for that arc and hopefully the next arc really well, I found it very compelling. The next arc Nightwing: By the Book (#125/126) is another interesting and well constructed story and mystery. I really enjoyed this arc. I recommend it with the caveat that it feels like it continues awkwardly from On With the Show. The transition feels poorly connected, which was kind of distracting for me, but the actual content of this arc was really enjoyable and fun and Watters' mystery writing is very well done. The most recent arc Nightwing: Other (#127-129) is a different case for me. I found that this arc feels out of place and almost like a distraction compared to the rest of the run. If you like multiverse stuff you might like this, but I found it to be a weak deviation from the interesting concepts Watters' had been laying down up to this point. It's not bad persay, I just frequently find myself questioning why? The tonal shift from the rest of the series is bizzare and I hope that the next arc will be a return to form for Watters' otherwise very strong and consistant run. Will update this section in a couple of months :]
