Annual Fix

Nightwing is one of my guilty pleasures. (I have said before that I cannot explain why – except that I think he’s the Robbie Williams of DC – may pagka-gago. Its embarrassing to admit but well … basta!) But unfortunately Nightwing by Marv Wolfman is fast becoming uninteresting and I may have to let go of Dick soon. The story arches are becoming a “monster of the week” and “girl of the week” event. Bleh. But I was looking forward to the Annual written by Marc Andreyko (Manhunter!) that was going to tell why Dick and Barbara’s engagement did not push through and OYL – they weren’t even a couple anymore (since Dick was being a DICK in New York City – grrr…). I know that you guys would not have bought and read the annual – or the series – but indulge me …

The Annual starts with the proposal taken exactly from BoP / Nightwing before the Crisis and how Nightwing was hit by a blast from Alexander Luthor and then how Barbara nursed him back to health. The way Andreyko wrote the flashbacks – Barbara and Dick recalling their first date and their adventures as Batgirl and Robin – was sweet and funny. Seeing Dick – then a big strapping teen-ager - in green “panties” and pixie shoes was silly! The laugh-out-loud moment was when Batgirl and Robin were trapped in a safe (hehe!) and because of the tight space, Robin got “excited.” He had to come out crouching, covering himself with his cape. (Now we know anotheruse for the yellow cape.)

Andreyko also answered a question that was bothering me before – what happened between Babs and Dick before Dick and Starfire became a couple. In Teen Titans – it was as if Babs didn’t exist. (I told you before I was stalking Nightwing!) Well, the scene where Babs finally decided to tell Dick that the feeling was mutual was – was like the scene in Bridget Jones 2 (the movie of course) where Rene almost gave in to having sex with Hugh Grant but then a beautiful Asian woman knocked on the door! It was a “Argh! MEN!!!” moment. Babs knocked on Dick dorm room and then Kory opened the door (scantily clad, tall, green eyes, long hair). Andreyko didn’t make Kory a gorgeous-evil-stealing-slut - in four small panels he showed how Kory was insecure and how much she wanted Dick that she lied about who knocked on the door (pizza guy with the wrong address). So not evil – just gorgeous-stealing-slut.

Babs finally did have sex with Dick – he was gone for six months and he came back from Tamaran to find out that Babs was shot by the Joker and was paralyzed from the waist down. After the sex, he gave her the engagement announcement – Kory and him were going to get married! (“Argh! MEN!!!”)

OK, back to the present (or one year ago), in the end Babs decided to give the engagement ring back – when Batman asked Dick and Tim to accompany him in his soul searching she knew that Dick was conflicted – it wasn’t a easy decision for him to choose between Batman and the woman he loved. Well, I guess she had enough – it must be all or nothing. Babs was a strong woman – but her biggest “flaw” was Dick, she knew that Dick was still unsure of what he wanted in life. Still she let go but not completely … the last panel showed her holding Dick to his promise that he will come back. (BUT HE WAS SLEEPING AROUND IN NEW YORK ONE YEAR LATER!! IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL SOUL SEARCHING?!!!!)

Thank you Marc Andreyko, Joe Bennet, and Jack Jadson for the chick-flick - it was well told and well drawn – I wish you guys were writing the series….