Nightwing, Vol. 3: Death Of The Family (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
Probably the best of the first three collections of the New 52 Nightwing stories. This one also includes Batman #17 and Young Romance 1, which is just a small throw-away and actually kind of takes you out of the story a bit. Having the Batman installment here is needed, as it's kind of a turning point for the whole Batman family. I can wait to get Volume 4, but I'm holding that off as I'll want to read Volume 5 right after, and that doesn't come out until the winter. Highly recommended. 3.5? There were a lot of ups and downs in this book for me. I liked the art at the beginning (it went down some later on when artists changed, multiple times, as always), and yes I recognize it was art I mentioned disliking last volume, I'm a fickle person, what can I say?The storytelling felt pretty weak at first. I was annoyed that the same Amusement Mile explanation was given in back to back issues and I wasn't feeling the circus stuff anyway since I knew it was all doomed.Batgirl was terrible and totally unlikeable in the three scenes where she was randomly stuffed in this book. Any friendship/love from the old DC seemed entirely missing from their interactions. Honestly, I vaguely felt like rooting for Joker to shoot her in the spine again, she was better as Oracle anyway. I almost wish the zero issue had started this volume so the Lady Shiva stuff would be more related, but I did read volume 2 recently enough that I remember she showed up there at least so it didn't seem totally out of no where. The Joker issues I didn't start out liking (poor Jimmy), but I'd changed my mind just in time for it to end too quickly. I didn't bother to read the Batman issue for a fourth time, but I like that artist's style better.I have NO idea what that Ursa interlude was about and why they couldn't stick it at the end. I guess it wouldn't be as dramatic as ending with Tony Zucco being alive, but it was such a style and story break. It didn't make any sense at all to put it there, we immediately went back to super immediate aftermath of the Joker story. That didn't really make sense either since we left the Batman issue with Alfred down for the count in bed and Dick patched up and making a run for it. Blah, continuity issues in a multiple book crossover. I appreciated the coloring style (colored lines) but I wanted the art tightened up/more attractive. I appreciate that there was some aftermath stuff for the Joker story and for Damian's death. I loved that Damian at least was paying attention (and being a total stalker, not creepy at all, Little D) to Dick's emotional state. It just made his death that much more bitter. Twist the knife a little more with the nice interactions and signs of growing humanity in the little assassin, writers. I wonder if I'd find his death more shocking if I was reading these things month to month rather than being spoiled ahead of time and then reading volumes.PS How are all these other reviewers getting free comic books? I want free graphic novels, too...
What do You think about Nightwing, Vol. 3: Death Of The Family (2013)?
The more I read of this arc, the less I like it.
—john
The Joker's insanity truly knows no bounds.
—Malieka
