DC, remember when you could publish comics that were both emotional and fun? When you could make your characters undergo significant character development without physically or mentally torturing them? Those were good days. Good days that readers can relive in Nightwing: Year One! This graphic novel tells the story of when Dick Grayson gets fired from the Robin identity, and starts his own career as Nightwing. It's both a bittersweet and exciting read, and it never forgets that even when things are complicated and difficult, Dick is a light-hearted, compassionate person. A definite recommend for Bat-family fans, and one that will not leave you thinking you accidentally picked up a volume of torture porn.

3.5 stars

Yeah, so Dennis O'Neil is not the writer for me. Also, Greg Land's Dick Grayson was way over the top. It seems he used Fabio as a model, took Jim Lee's eye for detail, and slapped Rob Liefeld's proportioning on top of it all. However, Chuck Dixon's storyline was a lot more interesting. It had a cohesiveness that O'Neil's lacked, a bit more sensibility. The art was still...well. It was the 90's, wasn't it. I think that says it all.