Nightwing #135 – Dan Watters, Writer; Dexter Soy, Artist; Veronica Gandini, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: This is the story that Dan Watters has been building to for his entire run so far. Olivia Pearce is no more, revealed as the twisted undead henchman of the deadliest enemy Nightwing has ever had – the Zanni, a twisted specter of the circus aiming to bring terror to Bludhaven. With Nightwing Prime in a coma and a large number of Bludhaven children kidnapped into the circus, Nightwing has entered a disturbing world of dreams to play against his arch-enemy. Last issue saw a game of bowling that turned Bludhaven into a wasteland in the process, and now Nightwing has decided it’s time to change the battlefield. He’s dealt a blow to the Zanni and is trying to escape with the kids, seeking out the one exit in this psychic battlefield. Getting the children to trust him is one thing – getting out without the Zanni noticing is another, and a possibly impossible task.
This arc has been great for jump scares, with the Zanni being one of the visually creepiest characters in the DCU right now. But Bryce, whose storyarc has been one of the most emotional parts of this series over the last year, manages to make his debut back on the battlefield at exactly the right time. Nightwing-Prime has been a character who never quite felt like he fit in this series, being a fifth-dimensional-powered kid sidekick to Nightwing – but at the same time, this demonic otherworldly villain is a pretty big change for the title as well. This issue feels like it’s all about tying things up and putting other things back in the bottle, but there are some really nice lower-key moments as well – particularly a scene with one of the kids Nightwing saves at the end of the issue. And it looks like our next big villain is just about ready to make his debut on the scene as well with the next arc.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
