Nightwing #88 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Bruno Redondo, Artist; Adriano Lucas, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Most strong writers can tell a good story with superheroes, but few are able to tell a great story with the character’s secret identity front and center. Tom Taylor pulls off that hat trick with this issue, coming off last issue’s stunning visual triumph with Bruno Redondo’s one-panel splash over twenty pages. This issue is calmer—sort of, as there’s still a price on Dick Grayson’s head. That’s not stopping him as he plans his first major feat with the Alfred Pennyworth foundation, transforming part of Bludhaven into public space. Blockbuster has hired some notorious assassins, Gunhawk and Gunbunny, to claim the bounty, and Dick is wandering into a potential firing squad. I really like the interaction between him and Barbara here, as their banter is the kind of characterization that makes some of comics’ greatest couples. This is the first time in a while that I’ve really been invested in their relationship.
Once Dick gives his speech, of course, the guns come out. Not only are snipers targeting him from abroad, but a bunch of Wild Dog-themed renegades take hostages. Fortunately, Dick has backup—the entire Titans crew shows up to foil the attack and intimidate Blockbuster. This is probably the best use of this team in a long time, and it’s great to see them reunited and acting like friends and family. Dick also gets a surprising costume update, which doesn’t change his classic look much but is much more fitting for his new role as the big money guy of the Bat-family. While the stakes are high, this is a really funny issue with a lot of great character beats—which makes it all the more disturbing when Heartless shows up again at the end of the issue, claiming another heart and making clear that Blockbuster is not the scariest thing in Bludhaven. Easily one of the books I look forward to the most each month from DC.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
