Yesterday I was completely exausted. I've been helping The poor people over at Spirit Halloween set up their stores and after several days of little sleep, hard work and leaving work to go to work... well I came home and passed out at 7pm. I woke up around midnight from a fantastic dream though - a well written Nightwing story! (yes, I am a geek) Anyway my dream has given me some awesome ideas for improving Nightwing.
First of all Nightwing has to leave NYC behind. He definately doesn't belong there. As for a city for him to get established in, why not Baltimore? I know, I know, according to many people no one cares about Baltimore. I however, think Baltimore could be a great superhero backdrop city. Think about it. Baltimore has a high crime rate... higher than NYC's actually. So it could use a hero. It has cameras on the streets (in some places) - I bet someone could integrate that into an intersting plot. The inner harbor provides a good night life backdrop. Fell's Pointe could be used in all sorts of stories in itself! Also, in my dream, Nightwing was in Baltimore, and it worked =P
As for a plot start - does anyone else remember the undercover stuff Dick used to pull off back in the day? (and no, I'm not referring to Devin's gansta plot) He even infiltrated Brother Blood's place during the Judas Contract - sure he was caught and brainwashed, but still. Anyway, I think this story should start of with Dick coming to Baltimore to investigate the disappearence of a friend (a cop friend - either from his days on the force or otherwise). This friend had gone undercover to investigate a string of kidnappings and murders that seemed to be connected in the area. After a month he disappeared without a trace leaving his young son behind without any parents. So Dick feels like he has to find out what happened to this guy. That's how I'd begin the story. He'd make an ally right off the bat (maybe a unknown low key superhero who's been investigating the mystery by his/herself) and the main bad guy wouldn't be revealed into at least 1/2 way into the story.
As a side note... Dick belongs with Babs - there will be no interference in this area. Dick needs a kick in the pants and a spinal transfusion to make him into the hero he once was - these will be provided. Dick needs a job, a real one. He either needs to open up a private investigation firm as a front for his moonlighting or he needs to be attending classes at UMBC or JHU as a retuning student to get a teaching degree. He'd be a great teacher at a college level and it'd allow him to have a more flexible schedule without having a job as a male model (rolls eyes). So him establishing himself in a new city should feel more permanant.
So yeah, go go dream time!
I wish I was in charge of writing Nightwing, but damn am I glad that Marv Wolfman will be doing a short run :)
As a side note, I have somehow been suckered into running a Spirit Halloween store for 2-3 weeks to give the DSM some time to find a store manager. This means I am exausted. If I don't find an assistant manager by the end of this week I will have to work open to close every frelling day because the guy who's been helping me out goes back to Orlando on Sunday ><>
