Nightwing #90 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Geraldo Borges, Artist; Adriano Lucas, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: One of the most amazing things about Tom Taylor’s work is how he can make books with the highest stakes out there—and then have them feel so light and fun. Ever since Dick Grayson declared his intention to use Alfred’s billions to reform Bludhaven, Blockbuster has put a bounty on his head. The last few attempts have failed—so Roland Desmond has called in an unseen heavy hitter, one who is perfectly fine with killing an entire apartment building full of innocents to get one man who wouldn’t back down. The first segment of the issue is a wild action segment as Dick desperately tries to get everyone out in time, even having to break to an apartment as Nightwing to rescue a man who sleeps without his hearing aid. This leads to some hilarious misunderstandings—and a very close call, as Wally West gets the call just in time to speed over to Bludhaven and try to save his best friend’s life.
With Blockbuster upping the ante from murder to mass murder, it’s decided that it’s best for Dick to get out of town until the heat dies down—which means crashing with Wally’s family. After the intensity of the first half, it’s a surprise how light and breezy the second is. I mostly put that down to just how lived-in the friendship between Wally and Dick is. These are guys who have known each other for half their lives, and Taylor knows exactly how to write that. Iris and Jai seem a little more immature than they are in the main book, but it works in small doses. Things pick up again when Barbara is targeted by kidnappers working for Blockbuster—complete with an amusing quote from her about how she’s being used. While she’s never really a damsel in distress here, this plot point leads to a shocking reveal, the arrival of a major villain, and a great last-page twist. Much like his Superman book, this is just such a fun title that I look forward to every month.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
