Customer Reviews

DC Universe: Inheritance

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If the answer to that question is 'yes', then this book is for you. Though from the front cover art and back cover 'blurb', this looks like more of a a "Batman" book, it comes off as more of a "Green Arrow/Arsenal(Speedy)" story. The action does take place on in Batman's town(Gotham of course!) and his presence is felt through out the story. But Green Arrow is the one who brings everyone together, much to Batman's chagrin.
The basic plot:
While Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Batman are working together on a current case with their former sidekicks,(Arsenal:Speedy, Aqualad:Tempest, and Nightwing:Robin)we learn the back story of each sidekick. It seemed that Arsenal has the most ink, (which was a good thing for me, having never read the classic comics from the 70's written by Deeny O'Neal and drawn by Neal Adams)But Nightwing and Tempest are not short changed in any way.
Even if you do know the back stories, this book should be a fun read!

This is a very good book for comic books fans with extensive or not-so-extensive background knowledge. There are lots of details about character histories, especially the three sidekicks, Nightwing, Arsenal, and Tempest. The story seems to take place in current, or at least recent, comic book continuity, including such details as Aquaman's mystical hand and Arsenal's recent gunshot wounds, but being familiar with this comic book continuity isn't really necessary in order to enjoy the story.

It's a good book about the characters as people, first of all, and an enjoyable action story second. I highly recommend it.

More of a Roy Harper novel then anything else; Grayson dwells on the backstories of the former Speedy, Robin, and Aqualad with uneven results. The emphasis is on Harper, now Arsenal, for most of the novel with an interesting POV to the events of Green Arrows early days and his going off with GL in the classic O'Neil/Adams run. The present day story involves Harper's relationship with Cherise, thus making him the lynch pin for the whole story. The novel eventually shifts gears to GA and Nightwing, although their present-day investigation is less interesting and feels less important then Batman and Arsenal's global adventuring. Grayson keeps this part of the story light with a portrayal of Green Arrow that is more carefree (and frankly not as smart) then in most comics. Oddly, but to much comedic effect, allot of homoerotic quips are shot of by Ollie. By the time Aquaman and Tempest make their token appearance in the novel, Grayson has little time but to recap the former Aqualad's tempestuous history grant Aquaman little more then a scuffle with Deathstroke at novel's end. The inclusion of the underwater heroes seems tacked on just to pad out the novel and really should have been either left out, or the novel made longer to give equal time. Overall the novel is worth a read for the hardcore Green Arrow fans, but those wanting Batman or Aquaman adventures should look elsewhere

I got this book because I enjoy reading books about Batman. I enjoyed how descriptive this book was and going into some background about characters I had little or no knowledge of prior to reading it. There wasn't enough Batman in it, and I was slightly annoyed to have to wait to the last third of the book before I got the background stuff on Nightwing. All in all, it was very good with good descriptions of the characters and their backgrounds.

I greatly enjoyed this book, it filled in sections of the heroes past I hadn't read about and gave some fun interactions between them in present time.

My single complaint? The author starts with a chapter about people you don't know or care about, what happened to them, who they are related to, etc...is this essential to the main story? Yes. Should a chapter with someone more widely known been used to get you into the book before forcing you to wade through what is chapter 1? Most definitely.

Slow starting, but once it picks up, very enjoyable.

Devin Grayson has a wonderful sense of deep characterization that allows her to rationalize the twisted histories and multitudes of representations these characters have undergone over the years into coherent human beings. She also has a sense of physicality, an awareness of bodies and the geographies of spaces superior to many writers. People move through rooms in her work, deal with the presence of other people, of objects and weather, in ways that many times are not even considered before the writing begins, if then.

She also writes the best Ollie Queen, whose lackadaisical unawareness, forgetfulness, and pervy inclinations are gifts, rather than hindrances to his survival.

A quick read, Inheritance offers no redundancy in characterizations, everyone with dialogue sounds different, makes different observations, has different perceptual nuances, than any other character in the novel. No small feat and elegantly, understatedly handled, in many cases. Some of her best work and a reason I hope we see much more from Grayson in the years to come.

I don't know how this book fits in with the current DC Universe continuity-don't buy comics anymore, haven't seen enough at stores to be totally current, but I found this adventure to be interesting. I read an interesting take on the comradely between the first and second generation heroes. A take on how each does his "work" And, last but not least, an explanation on how the former Aqualad (Garth,) became Tempest, and, the King of his own Atlantian Kingdom-an equal to Aquaman (Orin)?
Grayson writes this book so that we can see what pictures would be drawn by an artist to accompany this script in a "Graphic Novel."
Simply put, I enjoyed it.

As with "Last Sons" this DC Universe novel also focuses on secondary characters rather than the major players. Reading the first chapter is a bit tedious about people we have no connection to but once the Dark Knight's alter ego makes his appearance on his 'cast aluminum doormat' with Alfred the story picks up.

Ollie Queen (Green Arrow) is quickly brought into the fray in perfect character as is Arthur (Aquaman) These three original heroes have inherited prestige, power and position from their parents which has played a major role on their ability to fight crime.

Batman seemingly disappears in the shadows of his own city investigating the assasination attempt on the fictional Quraci ruling family. Robin/Nightwing, Speedy/Arsenal and Aqualad/Tempest all former Sidekicks, come to Gotham to assist in the search for the 'failed' assassin (who, as Batman points out, has done exactly as ordered). From there, the story mainly focuses on Speedy/Arsenal and his troubled backstory; his continuing troubles with heroine and sex addiction; an affair with a woman who later becomes mother to his daughter and an international terrorist known as Cheshire. It was interesting to revisit Speedy's Origin in Arizona (not far from where I live) and the brief overview of the origin of Nightwing and Tempest and their angst against their father figure whom they all feel have wronged them in their own way.

It would have been a tighter story to bypass much of the comic's backstory and continue on with the investigation but this information becomes important later and without knowing the comic story a novice reader would become lost. Former sidekicks and heroes make ammends or (as close as possible) and fight back to back with their mentors in the finale and to uncover a startling yet very predictable end. While no new information about any DC character is revealed it is a great read that works on so many levels.

It is definitely a good book. They should let Ms Grayson do some more hero novels, no doubt about it. I even laughed out loud at some bits. She went over some backstory I didn't know about, which was interesting Batman is on the cover, and appears, but it is not a Batman story, so to speak, basically more like this :-

Nightwing-Arsenal-Green Arrow-Aqualand

with appearances by Batman and Aquaman that are more cameos, or referenced, rarely from a protagonist point of view.

Humor, action, psychology, the occasional fan reference like a Suicide Squad line.

She clearly has a Nightwing thing, unsurprisingly, using Green Arrow as a sly hot boy joke reference, at times, which is quite amusing.

For those looking for background stories on superheroes this has some great info. Most depth was put into Arsenal (Speedy), and of the flashbacks his was the most complete. The story revolves around an investigation in Gotham with the odd grouping of Aquaman, Batman, and Green Arrow along with their once-sidekicks. The 'meat' of the history (as well as the text) involves the flashbacks to how the sidekicks came to be sidekicks, as well as the conflict that has left them all a little jaded.

The disappointing aspect was that Nightwing's flashback to his days as Robin is not completed, or wrapped-up well. His point of conflict peaks with Batman, and then the flashback ends, never to be revisited. The flashback for Tempest's time as Aqualad seems even more half done; almost like the author realized he was about to fill is quota on how many pages the book could be, so jammed the story in.

Another aspect that could leave a bad taste in some reader's mouths is the political and religious information. With the prejudice and conflict surrounding the middle east and the Islam religion it seems like some of the "fictional facts" may not have been represented well, or been in the best taste.

Great for character history information, not that great of a book overall.