You Don't Know Dick

"Dick. That's an interesting name.  My bottom hurts just thinking about it." - Madonna

Cover of Grayson #1

Okay, so other than his first name, that song lyric doesn't really have much application to the new GRAYSON series starring Dick Grayson (former Robin, former Teen Titan, former Nightwing, former Batman), but how often do I get the chance to use it?

When this new series/title was first announced, I was a bit disappointed that Nightwing was being cancelled, as Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing has always been one of my favorite characters.  I guess DC thought he needed some shaking up.  While I was unsure about this new direction, I was glad that Dick was at least getting another series (and that he wasn't actually killed in Forever Evil).  And I appreciate the fact that they kept the elements of the Nightwing logo in the new Grayson logo. 

I read the first issue of Grayson and was surprised that I actually enjoyed it.  The story was fast-paced, yet not too bogged down in action.  It was very Mission Impossible-esque, and the cover reminds one of James Bond.  I guess Grayson is supposed to be the next great spy along the lines of those two famous spies. 

Interior art by Mikel Janin.

Speaking of the cover, I question why DC didn't use an illustration drawn by the comic's regular artist, Mikel Janin, when -- to me -- his art and characters look so much better than Andrew Robinson's.  It's so great, though, that they went with a hot pink background to really make Dick's dark outfit stand out.  It's very eye-catching.  

There was also some character development and interaction in Grayson, including appearances by Stormwatch's Midnighter and Helena Bertinelli, in her first appearance in the New 52.  The new Helena is much more Italian/Mediterranean-looking, and I'm curious to see if she'll eventually assume the Huntress persona or leave that to Helena Wayne on Earth 2.  Regardless, I'd like to see more of these two as regular supporting characters for Dick to interact with on a personal level. 

Helena Bertinelli

So far, I'm sold on Grayson, and I can deal without a Nightwing in the DC Universe for the time being. 

Teen Titans - #AwYeah?

I just read Teen Titans #1 (2014).  What volume are we up to?  Who can keep track anymore?  Anyway, it's the second Teen Titans #1 comic already in the New 52 which began in 2011.  

First, the cover.  For a first issue, it's pretty average.  It doesn't say much.  It doesn't give me much insight into the interior, what the story's about, or make me think, "Oh, that looks great.  I wanna buy that."  

On the other hand, I really like Kenneth Rocafort's art and the vibrate colors that leap off the page.  I appreciate that DC tried to appeal to a younger crowd by incorporating social media into the cover, like Twitter ("Chirper" here with #hashtags and @mentions) and Facebook (with the facial tags in the image), but it still doesn't give me any insight into the comic's contents.    

It's also interesting to note that even though they're starting another Teen Titans series (after only a month hiatus), they chose not to create a new logo to distinguish the new series with a "new direction" with a new logo.  They didn't even bother to include "NEW" in the title like the New Suicide Squad series which underwent a similar cancellation/month hiatus/revamp to help boost sales, too.  I have to say that the New 52 logo is my least favorite (and the least creative) of all the TT logos from series' past, so I'm disappointed that they didn't even try something new and different.  My favorite logos, of course, being from the 1980 and 2003 series.  

In this latest first issue, the team, fortunately, is already established.  We don't have to go through another origin story.  I will say that I already like the characters in this new series much better than the previous attempt.  Are they the same characters?  Yes.  But apparently DC listened to its readers and decided to make the comic more "fun" than dark and dreary.  Cassie/Wonder Girl is much more pleasant and easier to deal with.  She's not the friendly Cassie of pre-Flashpoint, but she's better than the first New 52 grumpy version.  And so far, she hasn't said, "Don't call me Wonder Girl" (even though she IS Wonder Girl).  Let's keep it that way.  

Also, Gar is green.  Again.  Beast Boy started out in the New 52 as red.  Now, mysteriously, he's back to being his original green from Pre-Flashpoint, and so far, nobody's questioning it, and we're not given an explanation why.  Will this be addressed?  I'm not complaining, because I do like a green Gar better, so thanks also for that character change. 

That's SO NOT Raven.

Red Robin and Bunker are pretty much the same, so that leaves Raven.  Sigh...  Shrouded in darkness and mystery, she was one of my favorite characters before.  Now she's only shrouded in feathers.  Gone, too, are the squiggly lines around her word balloons that let us know that her voice was oddly inhuman.  I guess she doesn't sound that different from the rest of the teens now, so that's good if she wants to get a job as a phone sex operator.

The award for "Least Missed" in this new series goes to N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and Harvest, both of whom (thank Trigon) didn't make an appearance in the first issue. 
There is, however, a S.T.A.R. Labs, though, like in the 1980s series. 

The best thing about this new series is that the five teenage superheroes are all working together as a team.  Let's hope we can continue to see the team evolve with additional character development and interaction between our five heroes and any new ones that may be added in the future.