A QUICK CHAT WITH NIGHTWING'S PHIL HESTER

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

The solicitation text for April’s Nightwing #107 says it all:

NIGHTWING #107
Written by Devin Grayson, art and cover by Phil Hester and Ande Parks.

Featuring the new Nightwing creative team of writer Devin Grayson and artists Phil Hester and Ande Parks. Dick has left Blüdhaven, and the only people he can trust are those who'd kill him if they knew his secrets. He's in over his head, alone, and it¹s only going to get more dangerous.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on April 13.

We caught up with Hester for a quick chat.

Newsarama: First off, how did you land the Nightwing gig?

Phil Hester: Ande and I knew our time on Green Arrow was coming to an end. We'd been on it for four years and needed a change of pace. We let DC, and specifically the Bat office, know we would love to stay in the DCU and Nachie Castro offered Nightwing as one of his first acts as editor of the book. Nachie was one of our former editors on Green Arrow so it was an easy decision to work with him again.

NRAMA: So DC handed the gig to the both of you on a silver platter?

PH: Dan DiDio told us he wanted Nightwing to get a bit of a push this year and he felt having a stable art team on the book was a step in that direction. It all went down between San Diego and Chicago last summer. We still had a few issues of GA to go when we knew we had Nightwing as our next gig.

NRAMA: Have you drawn Nightwing and/or Batman/Bat-related characters before?

PH: Just Batman in a couple of issues of Detective and in guest appearances in GA. [As for] Nightwing, never. I spent some time before penciling working out our "look" for Dick Grayson & co. Ande is cuckoo for Batman, so this book, with its frequent Bat-sightings, is a lot of fun for him.

NRAMA: In your view, how does Dick/Nightwing fit into the larger Bat-universe, character-wise?

PH: Well, you can't understand Batman until you understand Robin. I know when I was a kid, I was dead set against Robin. I thought he was silly. I never wanted to be Robin, I wanted to be Batman. But as a grown-up, and now a comic book creator, I see the balance Dick Grayson's character brought to an otherwise overly grim Batman. Frank Miller's said it many time, but I'll try and paraphrase here: Bruce Wayne is crime fighter because he's motivated by his parents' murders, but he's Batman because it's fun. No one identifies with Batman because we think it would be cool to be obsessed with vengeance; we want to be Batman because it would be awesome. To me, Robin, and to an extent, Dick, is the personification of that joyful aspect of being Batman.

NRAMA: After all these years, do you think Dick's destined for superstardom?

PH: Dick Grayson is one of DC's oldest characters. He's been around for everything. Bottom line, he's a cool character and deserves a little more exposure. DC seems to know when they need to dust off a character and return him or her to prominence rather than simply junk them.

That long life may also be the reason he's on the back burner for a lot of fans. They think they already know all there is to know about him, so why bother? When a character has a ton of history you can easily spend all your time sort of servicing his continuity, just maintaining his status quo. I think DC recognizes that he's a character with a ton of potential outside of all those back story entanglements. I hope we're presenting him in a way that makes him interesting to readers who couldn't give a hang about his past while still being faithful to the established character.



NRAMA: For you, personally, who is Nightwing, and how does that affect your aproach?

PH: I'm trying to balance the intensity of Batman with the joyfulness of Robin. He's powerful and dark, like Batman, at the same time, lithe and playful like Robin. In some ways he's a better hero than Batman. I think he has a better perspective on fighting evil in general, whereas Batman seems so focused on Gotham City and his rogues gallery.

NRAMA: Art-wise, how are you approaching the character and his surroundings? How is drawing Nightwing different from Green Arrow?

PH: Nightwing is a Bat-book, and I hope my naturally dark, angular tendencies will play well in the back alleys of Bludhaven and Gotham City. Nightwing has a little more frenetic, bouncy energy than Green Arrow, so I'm trying to capture that gestural energy when drawing him. It's the change I was looking for when I left GA.

We also get to handle covers on the book and that's been a welcome challenge. As an artist, it really helps crystallize what's happening in the book to have to focus on one image from the story that engages the reader in an unexpected way.

NRAMA: You’re also, obviously, changing writers while changing titles. So far, what’s working with Devin Grayson been like?

PH: Devin is totally invested in the character and has a definite long term arc in mind for him. She really lives in his world. Her scripts are full of so much information that the reader will never see that build a back story and foundation for every character in the book. She's also an open, friendly collaborator.

I don't want to give anything away, but I think a lot of her mission is giving Nightwing an identity outside of Batman's long shadow. She's setting out to prove he's more than "Robin grown-up" or "Batman-lite" and I'm confident she's going to make it. This first arc is all about Dick regaining his identity as a crime fighter and how far he'll go for to do it.

[Jack Burton]

I love Nightwing and I'm really happy to see him get an established steady art team. Phil and Ande kicked butt on Green Arrow here's hoping for more of the same.

[El Argentino]

Great choice for the book!

[tomwe]

i followed the book relegiously during the dixon/mcdaniel run but left when the art teams went haywire.

reading the current year 1 arc is a joy and by the looks of things i'll be staying around! i love this art team!

[Alfonso]

Interesting. I'd like to check out the book now, but I've heard really bad things about the writing of Grayson. Still, I'll keep an ear open to see how it comes.

[SoleBro5]

Like a lot of you, I got off the Nightwing train when DC kept switching artists/writer teams. However, with the original artist (I can never remember his freakin' name) doing the pencils for issues #100-106 and Hester coming on board for the remainder, I'm definitely getting back in.

Now if DC could only get someone to work on the Batman titles. Egad, they suck.

[matthewstarnes]

It will be great to have a talented writer/artist team on Nightwing. I hope they have a nice long run.

[GOSD]

However, with the original artist (I can never remember his freakin' name)

That would be the great Scott McDaniel.

I'm not a big fan of Devin's but I'm willing to stick it out AS LONG AS SHE STAYS TRUE TO HIS CHARACTER.

NO MORE OF THIS PUSSIFIED NIGHTWING!!!!

[bob_at_york]

I am back on this book too. I like Hester's style and I love the character!

[GeorgeG]

She really lives in his world

I find that to be a problem at times when it comes to the Nightwing title. The title leans towards more of being a fan fic than a DCU title.

It took me some time to adjust to the Hester/Park team over at Green Arrow. And I'm glad I did. They became the definitive art team for me on GA. I really enjoy their work and that's a major reason I'm going to give the Nightwing title a chance.

I wasn't particularly gung-ho for the title, especially with it becoming more of a Tarantula title than a Nightwing title. Thankfully that's over with. I figured #100 was going to be it for me (not interested in Year One). But this title sounds like it's heading in a new direction--which is a breath of fresh air for this fan.

So, welcome aboard Phil & Ande. I look forward to your run on the title.

And for anybody new, these guys are pretty active on the DCMBs. They answer your questions and concerns. They're a class act.

[Prodigy]

This first arc is all about Dick regaining his identity as a crime fighter and how far he'll go for to do it.

This sounds really interesting. I am definitely sticking around now with the art team, and hopefully won't be turned off by Devin's writing as I like what I'm hearing about her direction for Nightwing.

[jedifish]

The art looks really nice. I guess I'll hang around for a couple more issues. I'm personally burnt out on Devin's run on Nightwing, and was hoping for a new writer. The last arc was just terrible and ran way to long, which could be partially attributable to Lilly's art.

[Goat warrior]

Glad to see them on the book, I was back for # 101 - 106, but now I think I will stay after 107.

But I'm sad to see them leaving Green Arrow, especially when I see the new art team, the art in Green Arrow is ugly now, if DC doesn't change the artist quickly I fear I will leave the book.

[RCatapano]

You need the right artist for the right project ... and Hester doesn't belong on Nightwing.

Some artists have a style that lends itself more to one type of story than to another. I never cared for his work on Green Arrow and I'm sure I'll like it even less on Nightwing.

His style of art works better on storries that have more interaction and less action, like Gotham Central.

To go from a fluid art style like McDaniel to a static style like Hester is going to be rough.

[SpyGuy]

Bringing Phil Hester to NIGHTWING was a big step, but only solves half of the problem with this once-great series. The whole "tearing-down" storyline has only served to turn a respected character into something of a incompetent joke and to create a "Mary Sue" character with Tarantula. As GeorgeG pointed out, NIGHTWING has become fan fiction...and bad fan fiction at that.

If Gail Simone or Geoff Johns took over this title, I would feel much better about the book's direction. As it happens, I'm dropping the title once Chuck Dixon's "Year One" is over.

[Samy Merchi]

While I adore Hester's art, Grayson's writing is going to keep me away. I gritted teeth and tried to stick with it for what, 25 issues? But I saw the writing on the wall from the beginning of her tenure, and knew I'd be dropping the book with #100. I'm not enamored of the tone that the NIGHTWING book in general has; it's focusing too much on the Bat-ghetto. Half of Dick's character is that he has his other foot in the Titans, and is a much more colorful character than most of the broody, dark-wearing Bat-vigilantes. Yet, he's spending year after year in Bludhaven fighting some colorless crime bosses, spending half-year arcs on hunting for some kooky broad in Europe and whatnot. Dixon's Year One arc is more what I'm looking for; an exploration of how he fits into the DCU at large, his ties to Superman and many other people outside the Bat-verse.

It's just...not a superhero book. It's a crime noir book, and that's not a genre I enjoy.

More power to those who do enjoy it, but it's not my cup of tea. I'm not gonna pay for that.

[Greg T]

Yup. This one's a keeper. Hester and Parks will make this book sing, and, hopefully, Grayson will start receiving some long overdue praise.

[RDuarte]

Phil Hester shouldn't be wasting his time drawing Nightwing! He should be sharpening his pencils for Daredevil! Phil, it's not too late. Daredevil NEEDS you!

[Kolimar]

Scott will be a tough act to follow. Good luck, guys.

[MurrayC]

Originally posted by Ghost of ScooterDoom

I'm not a big fan of Devin's but I'm willing to stick it out AS LONG AS SHE STAYS TRUE TO HIS CHARACTER.

NO MORE OF THIS PUSSIFIED NIGHTWING!!!!

AMEN BROTHER!

I am so SICK of the woe-is-me Nightwing.

I've said this before... I find it hard to believe that after watching your parents die, being trained/raised by Batman, going up against nut-jobs like Joker and Deathstroke, and battling demons like Trigon, that you FINALLY get a case of the willies after watching Blockbuster get shot in the head.

If it were Dixon writing Nightwing, he would have had Nightwing disarm Tarantula with a batarang before she even got her gun out of the holster to shoot Blockbuster.

Oh... and when is that feaking leg of his going to heal?

[djm72]

I wish they were announcing a new writer. Nightwing is my favorite character, but Devin Grayson's run has been a train wreck. She needs to go.

[AndrewP]

I've enjoyed Devin Grayson's work on the title, and can't wait for #107. I'm pleased with the choice of the new art team...I think they'll completment the book well.

[Hokeyboy]

Devin Grayson is terrible! She single-handedly destroyed Nightwing and the previous Titans title. Her writing style is weak, touchy-feely, bland and uninteresting. I love Phil Hester as an artist but sweet Christ get someone else to write Nightwing. He's one of my favorite comic characters ever, but Grayson's run has turned one of DC's most beloved icons into a dimestore joke.

I do like that new Battlestar Galactica series, though.

[Bakema NL]

I picked up Green arrow some 6 issues ago and I must say I liked it for the story, but didn't particularly liked the artwork. Seeing some of these pages of Nightwing I must say it seems Hester is better suited on this one. Nightwing is a title I buy so I'll come across the finished coloured art, it looks like it will be nice.

Oh, by the way............what new Battlestar Galactica series? You mean the tv-series or is there a comic out I don't know of?

[theflash]

All though i'm quite close to buying this book just for the artist, you're hatred of the writer has put me off.
Is it worth picking up, as I only pick up about eight regular books and a few random intresting looking books.