Futures End: Grayson

Since my LCS ticked me off with their overpriced 3D variants last year I'm getting my September comics online. This was a iffy choice for me since the concept of Grayson is one I have trouble getting into. Still I wanted to read up on another bat kid and the TT and Batgirl books didn't interest me. Anyway, let's see how life as a spy works out for Mr. Grayson five years in the future.

SPOILERS AHEAD


First page has Dick dangling from a noose.

The story is told backwards skipping further and further into the past as it goes. Helena curses him for being stupid as the crowd calls Dick a traitor which means she'll have to kill him. Before that he snaps a Russian guy while their receiving medals in front of everyone. Earlier on we learn the Russian guy is the KGBeast. Helena and Dick are in a relationship trying to figure out what to do now that the war is over with. Dick wants to stop KGBeast now that he's killing thousands. She tells him to just get the medal.

Even earlier Dick carries a hurt child singing in the midst of the devastation around them. Helena informs him that KGBeast claims the people he slaughtered were terrorists working for the Parademons. Dick and Helena took out the demons which gave the Beast a chance to take out the people. The Beast wants to thank them for their help. Prior to that they come to the scene to discover there weren't any Parademons where KGBeast attacked and Dick comforts the child. Earlier on they fight the Parademons and Helena ask Dick how he did a trick which he admits was done with special acid he has under their bed. She's disappointed and they attack together.

We see the Russian government thanking them for helping fight the Earth 2 menace. Dick wants to meet the Beast but is informed that the guy rarely makes personal appearances. He brings up the rumors of people being killed by KGBeast and asks if he will give up power once the war is over. They aren't just a fling as Dick admits he loves Helena (even having rooftop sex) and he says she just wants to learn his rope trick. Helena even kills a man to protect him. Earlier their dangling over a shark when Dick laughs about Cluemasters' code. Before that Helena yells at Dick that he has to drop everything when she says "the roof" making his reaction to the later/earlier roof top sex even funnier. Helena is furious that Dick doesn't kill telling him that it's their responsibility to stop a murderer from taking more lives, keeping them alive only ensures more people will die.

Dick gets a tattoo so the enemies will kill him rather than keep him captured. Dick laughs saying Helena reminds him of someone he loved. Which he says is funny if you think about it. Earlier on he gets a rope bridge to snap while a vehicle is in the middle. He promises to tell her how he did it if she's around when he's near death. Back when he was Nightwing he ran with Batgirl who tells him there will never be anything between them. As Robin he figures out Cluemasters' code is first letter of every sentence he says. Before that Batman explains why the Robin costume is brighter than his since it's a training tool. Batman hands Dick a jar of acid telling him it's the same kind Zucco used which is all the proof they need. Bruce explains why he doesn't kill. Zucco talks how his acid works before the Grayson's are killed.

Overall: A well crafted story that explains a great deal. The ideas of the rope, the roof, Cluemasters' code, the reasons Helena kills but Bruce doesn't (which are pretty similar), even the song all tie together. Use the code with what we learn about the rope and you'll know Dicks' true fate. The only part I didn't like was the scene with Barbara. It's rare that I can find an appearance of new 52 Barbara Gordon and not get annoyed and this has her telling Dick she's a better detective than him. Umm where have we ever seen that in this verse? But the reason she thinks they'd be doomed as a couple is because she thinks he wants Batman. Seriously. Someone just like him which is what his relationship with Helena is supposed to be. While most of the story flows better this is the most clumsy page with Dick nonsensically talking about needing a rope to tie it in with the rope concept. It doesn't work especially since they both are talking about different things and Dick should know he could jump a distance better. I get what the message was in that scene but it could have been written better.

This was pretty great for the most part but I'm still not onboard for Dick being a spy. It doesn't feel right to me. Still this was well written and everything fit together. Very well crafted story told in a unique way.

Questions Raised?: Didn't Dicks' origins in the new 52 say he's the one that came up with his Robin suit not Batman?