Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle #2 (2015) Review

Home Sweet Home

Written by: Gail Simone
Art by: Jan Duursema, Dan Parsons and Wes Dzioba
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 6, 2015

The second round of Convergence tie-ins is upon us and I've been looking forward to this one since...well, last month.  While the whole Convergence battle royal has it's appeal, I'm more interested in seeing if Dick and Barbara finally tie the knot.  To do that, however, they may have to get through Hawkman and Hawkwoman, but for once, I'm hoping true love conquers everything...even two pissed off Thanagarians with an evil agenda.  I'm sure your all wondering the same thing, so on with the review.



I'll tell you right off the bat, if you are a Nightwing and/or Oracle fan (though, if you love one, you have to love the other...them's the rules), you need to read this issue.  Gail Simone does such a great job using the limited space to wrap up her story, but also somehow makes it easy for anyone who didn't read the first issue to jump in as well.  That is quite a feat and I can only hope every other tie-in follows suit.

The issue picks up right from last month's #1 as Hawkman and Hawkwoman prepare to fight Nightwing and Oracle for Gotham supremacy.  We start with an Oracle bit to get us up to speed, but the main attraction immediately is Nightwing.  That's fine with me as he is my favorite DC character and Gail Simone gives every fan the Nightwing they love and sorely miss.  Seriously, It's been too long since the blue and black-clad Dick Grayson flew through the air with the greatest of ease and kicked this much ass!  He is brash, acrobatic and plain awesome.

Meanwhile, Barbara is no slouch either.  Though I question her decision to head to the skies, she shows that she will always be the smartest gal in the room...or sentient alien planet.  She has a backup plan that fans of the Birds of Prey will love.  Black Canary is in the house and she and Barbara have set up a little pitch-perfect attack mode.  While Dick was holding his own, this attack really puts Team Nightwing/Oracle back on top.

However, if Hawkman and Hawkwoman are anything, it's stubborn.  They jump back in the fight and that's when Gail Simone shows everyone that Oracle is one of the strongest, most badass superheroes around.  She kicks the living crap out of Hawkwoman and it is my favorite scene in this entire Convergence Event so far.  With the recent debate on whether Barbara should be shown as a victim or not, Gail Simone throws it all out the window and shows how Barbara has risen above her past to become an even better hero.  She goes even further by treating her defeated foes with respect and dignity...and a stern warning.

I've already spoiled enough, but I will not ruin the ending.  While it didn't answer all the questions I had about the Convergence Event, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.  If you were drawn towards this book to see a happy ending for Dick and Barbara...well, you got it.

Like I said above, Gail Simone uses the limited space of this issue to give such a great story for every Nightwing and Oracle fan.  I am a big fan of Grayson and the new Batgirl is growing on me, but these are the characters that so many people love and Gail Simone gives them a chance to shine one last time.  Thank you, Gail.

Jan Duursema's art was so good.  The action scenes were tight and had a great flow to them.  Of course, I love any book with Nightwing in it and Jan really nailed him.  However, I think that the standout art went to Black Canary.  Her character design was so good and I wish there was some way I could get DC to let Jan do the new Canary book in June.

Bits and Pieces:

I'll admit that I thought this issue would just be a drag-out fight for Convergence victory, but it was a bit more...and less.  While we didn't get quite the satisfactory Convergence ending I thought we'd get, we got an awesome Nightwing/Oracle one.  As a fan of those characters, I'll take it.

9.0/10