Why i could not finish Tom Taylor’s nightwing series

I had high hopes when I started reading Tom Taylor’s latest full series. After all, there’s been so much hype around him for years. But the more I read, the more I found myself questioning why everyone keeps praising him. Sure, I’ve read some of his previous work, like the John series, but I wasn’t blown away. Still, I thought maybe I hadn’t read enough of his stuff to fully understand his appeal. So I gave it another shot, thinking, "Maybe I just need more exposure.".

From the get-go, this series felt like a chore. I tried, but it became painfully obvious that I couldn’t push through any longer. The writing didn’t just miss the mark—it was downright boring. There were so many things about this series that I couldn’t stand, and it wasn’t just the writing. The portrayal of Dick Grayson was disappointing at best. Taylor didn’t do him justice. And don’t get me started on Barbara Gordon. He made her seem like a character with no depth, with her only role being that of Dick’s girlfriend. I’m not a huge fan of Barbara and Dick as a couple, but I’ve always found their dynamic interesting—at least in other portrayals. In this series, though, I found myself wishing we could have seen more of Kory instead. Kory forever, please. 

But then again, DC and I don’t always see eye-to-eye on these things, especially when it comes to relationships and character arcs. So maybe that’s just me.

-The Writing and Humor

What really got to me, though, was the writing. It felt so juvenile, and not in a fun, quirky way. Tom Taylor's humor felt forced—like he was trying way too hard to seem "contemporary" and tap into the humor that’s popular with younger audiences. It was awkward. It was uncomfortable. And, frankly, it wasn’t funny. Every time Tim Drake said something like, “I need more coffee,” it made me cringe. His attempts at humor felt desperate, like he was trying to fit in with the younger crowd and failing miserably. It wasn’t just the lines themselves that bothered me—it was how they were written. Every moment felt like it was trying to break the fourth wall in a way that just didn’t feel natural. The whole thing came across like a fanfic written by a 13-year-old who’s only ever read *Bat-family Adventures*. 

And don’t even get me started on the references. T-shirts with panels or shoutouts to other comics and shows are one thing, but in this series, it felt like Taylor was just throwing them in for the sake of it. It broke the flow of the story, and honestly, it seemed like a cheap attempt at being clever. 

-The Art

The art didn’t help much, either. I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a fan of the modern style in comics, and this series didn’t change my mind. Now, I’m not saying the artwork wasn’t impressive—it just wasn’t my taste. It didn’t connect with me the way other artists’ work has in the past. Bruno, the artist, just didn’t succeed in making me care about the visuals. The art felt disconnected from the story, making the whole reading experience feel even more hollow.

What really disappointed me, though, was the treatment of some characters. Wally West (Kid Flash) made a brief appearance in a few issues, and that was probably the highlight of the entire series. It was nice to see him, and at least he wasn’t totally ruined like some of the other characters. But then there’s Roy Harper (Arsenal)—I barely saw him at all. And Kory? She had maybe two lines, and that was it. In other comics, Roy and Kory’s relationship is this complicated, almost romantic dynamic, but here? Nothing. No real conversations, no real interaction. Just… gone. I mean, in other issues, Roy almost kisses Kory, but suddenly, in this series? Nothing. Not even a hug. It was inconsistent and, honestly, kind of strange. This series didn’t capture the awkward, tense nature of their relationship the way I’ve seen it portrayed in other stories.  

Final Thoughts

Overall, I ended up enjoying John’s series more. Not because it was perfect, but because I’m just more invested in that family and their dynamics. There was more heart there. This series? I was just waiting for it to end. It didn’t have the depth I was hoping for, and the writing and characters felt all over the place.

I’m sure there are fans who enjoyed it, and that’s great for them. But for me, it just wasn’t it. Maybe next time, Tom Taylor.