Nightwing: The Hunt for Oracle

Rating:
Summary: Friendship And Love In The Bat-Family!
Review: "The Hunt For Oracle" is volume five in the Nightwing Series that collects the original monthly comics (it's volume six if you count "Ties That Bind" but that one collects the miniseries). This volume continues from the previous one, "A Darker Shade of Justice" and it collects issues 41-45 of the monthly Nightwing and the two issues of Birds of Prey that it crosses-over with.

Chuck Dixon continues his excellent storytelling and characterization-work here. Nightwing (Dick Grayson) returns to Bludhaven after the events of "No Man's Land" in Gotham City. He takes his finals and graduates as a police officer. Meanwhile, the subplots from the previous volumes involving Tad (Nite-Wing) builds to a new level of intensity and violence in this volume as Nightwing attempts to take him under his tutelage. Also, new developments in the relationship of Dick and Clancy. Finally, there is the introduction of a new element into the Bludhaven police force (MacArnot) who may be a sleazier cop than even the legendary Dudley Soames was. For those who have been diligently following Chuck Dixon's developing plot-lines, the rewards of this volume are numerous. If like me, you like the soap-opera aspects of a monthly superhero comic where the characters grow, you'll love what Dixon is doing here.

Then we move on to the main plot. Blockbuster, the "kingpin" of Bludhaven wants to hunt down Oracle (Barbara Gordon, the former Batgirl and Dick's girlfriend). And he does that by torturing Nightwing for information and by hiring a whole group of thugs/assassins. Oracle's partner, Black Canary, races against time around the globe to save her. This story also provides the biggest pay-out in the relationship of the "Birds of Prey" (Oracle and Canary) since the series began.

My only complain here is that the book seems to end on a cliffhanger (that I believe doesn't continue in the "Nightwing" books but are carried over into the "Birds of Prey" book instead). But then, such are the stuff that crossovers are made of. All in all, the story has so much to offer already that you'll overlook that.

Lastly, this volume also sees the debut of Greg Land as the new penciller for "Nightwing"; taking over from Scott McDaniel, who moved on to draw "Batman". While I absolutely love the dynamism and crazy action of McDaniel's art after the last four books, I have to admit that Greg Land is no slouch either. While he lacks the kinetic energy of McDaniel, Land more than makes up for that in his beautiful, clean line-work and absolutely gorgeous figure-drawing. For those of us who've followed Greg Land's art since the original "Nighwing" miniseries, you'll be pleased to see how much the man has evolved and improved here (and also in the CrossGen book, "Sojourn"). On a personal note, I prefer Drew Geraci inking over Land's pencils than Jose Marzan Jr. (who is far better when he's inking over Stuart Immonen). Both inkers strut their stuff in this volume so you can make your own comparisons. Patrick Zircher helps Land out as co-penciller and Butch Guice draws the "Birds of Prey" issues. The art in this book is pure eye-candy and this book is worth the price of admission on that alone.

Rating:
Summary: Not your average damsel in distress
Review: (This TPB contains BoP issues #20-21 and Nightwing #41-46.)

Just to make it clear, I started out as a Black Canary fan, then as a BoP fan, and have only recently become a Nightwing fan. I wouldn't recommend this to newcomers of either title, but it's a fun read for anyone who knows the characters and settings well enough to hang on during the ride. As a BoP fan, I really enjoyed seeing how Oracle handles herself outside the clock tower against someone more challenging than a would-be mugger or a condescending shop clerk.

Good choice of art team--while I'm not utterly opposed to any of the other artists who've worked on either series, Land, Guice, and Zirchner's realistic styles are ideally suited for this gritty story.