Review: Nightwing Annual #3
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Inaki Miranda
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: Andworld Designs
Reviewer: Tony Farina
Summary
Dick Grayson has been many things in his life-Robin, agent of Spyral, even Batman…but will he have a choice when the Condors try to recruit him for their cause? And will they take no for an answer? A thrilling, high-octane adventure awaits over the skies of Gotham City!
Positives
Nightwing Annual #3 features Dick Freaking Grayson.  Oh thank goodness. Did you miss him? Did you listen to the DCN podcast and reminisce about the old days? I did.  This book came at just the perfect time.  Snarky, funny, all around awesome Dick Freaking Grayson is alive and well 18 months ago.  We know it doesn’t really have a ton of stakes in the month to month story, but it is so welcome.  Plus we learn how to say Bludhaven correctly.
Inaki Miranda brings the heat as Dick flips and flies and has his personal space violated.  It is a lot of fun  I love the flying bird armor.  I love the POV of one of the baddies pointing guns right at us.  The stakes are low here, so Miranda just lets it all hang out. We don’t have to worry that there will be serious damage, so why not blow some stuff up?
Negatives
There is a lot to love, but as I said, the stakes are low.  Prequels, by their nature, are low stakes and that often hurts the product. I missed seeing Dick as Dick, not Ric, but ultimately, this didn’t really matter much. Again, they could do whatever they wanted. It was fun in the moment, but it didn’t have any bite. I flew through this one because, ultimately, it didn’t have any weight. Maybe something that happened here will come up during Joker War, but until that happens, this is just OK.
Verdict
Annuals are just a fun way to tell a one off or fill in the blanks. Â Nightwing Annual #3 does both. The action is fast and furious. Â Dick is still Dick. Â I suspect this is a reminder not all of us who he was and what is coming next. If you want to feel like you are traveling through time, and you miss Nightwing, check this one out.
