Nightwing #94

Overall- The last issue of this comic book will go down as one of the more infamous moments in DC history. I made my feelings pretty clear on the whole situation here, http://xmanscomicblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-feelings-on-infamous-rape-of.html, so now this comic should deal with the fallout from last issue...

Apparently Dick has gone somewhat crazy due to the murder of Blockbuster, and his subsequent rape, pardon me, I mean "nonconsensual sex" at the hands of Tarantula. Dick is now traveling with Tarantula, but is obviously not in his right mind, as proven by him repeatedly spacing out. Dick almost gets himself killed while battling some common hoodlums with Tarantula, but is saved by her. After returning to their hotel room, Dick collapses into the bed babbling nonsensically, while Tarantula leaves him to go shopping. On the way back, Tarantula roughs up some thugs and finds out some villain named Copperhead is planning to kill a drug dealer later on during the night.

Returning to the hotel, Tarantula finds Dick gone, and is attacked by Copperhead, who seems to have followed her home. Copperhead manages to poison Tarantula, but is chased away by Dick, who was returning to the room. Dick gives Tarantula the antidote to Copperhead's venom, but refuses to help Tarantula hunt down Copperhead. Tarantula goes after Copperhead alone, while Dick sits alone in the hotel room, ending this issue.

Before going any further, I can't help but rant about the term, "nonconsensual sex". By definition, "nonconsensual" means :not involving consent :not consented to. The definition of "rape" is :any act of sexual intercourse that is forced on a person. Now to me, the two terms are the EXACT SAME THING! Why am I harping on this? Because of the fact that DC and Nightwing writer at the time, Devin Grayson refuse to call what happened to Dick by what it was, and that is a rape. If you want some proof of this, read Devin's interview, found here, http://www.comicboards.com/devin.php. I mean, come on! No matter how much make-up you put on a pig, it's still a pig! I guess DC wanted to pretty up what happened to Dick, but if you want to write a story about a rape, then CALL it what it really is, a rape! Nonconsensual sex... Please.

Anyway, with that finally out of my system, I can write about this issue. This comic was OK, but it kind of pisses me off that Dick is now travelling with Tarantula, considering the events of the prior issue. I guess Devin is trying to show that Dick is at least partially insane with guilt over what happened, and doesn't really have any idea as to what is going on around him. For a score, I'll give this issue a 5 1/2 out of 10. The story itself was good, but the treatment of Nightwing himself is pretty lousy right now...