Review: Nightwing #86
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Robbi Rodriguez
Colors:Â Â Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
Nightwing #86 – Nightwing and Babs have fought through the fear-stricken Gotham streets, but now their fight takes them to the skies above Gotham, with the Batgirls and Tim Drake (Robin) in tow!
Now aboard the Magistrate’s Skybase-01, they have made it their mission to bring the airborne leviathan down, prevent Seer’s disinformation from being broadcast, and save the innocents aboard.
But in this paranoia-stricken city, not everyone is who they seem…
Positives
Tom Taylor’s work on Nightwing arguably puts him in the conversation of author of the year in comics. He has provided Dick Grayson the outlet that we needed for him considering the roof he was raised under. This story continues to get richer and richer with running gags (Finally…..) and his interactions with all of his “Bat Peers”.
Taylor does provide a story where Dick treats everyone as his peer and he is not a mentor by any means, but an altruistic hero.
Taylor’s scripts and Bruno Redondo’s pens complimented each other so well. They were the dynamic duo that got this comic on pace. However, in Issue #84 ,#85 and #86 , I feel like I have been angled into the Murphyverse of Sean Murphy who contributed White Knight to the world of The Bat!
Robbi Rodriguez is an awesome artist, but this formula is not working for me as a reader who wanted a lighter forum for Grayson. The sharp angles, the triangular faces and the omission of any hint of Haley aka Bitewing is bringing me down a bit!
We do see that this could have been a darker issue given how the Batgirls were in danger. Let’s hope that We get Bruno back as the comic worked with him drawing Taylor’s scripts. Again, no slack to Robbi Rodriguez, but ketchup and ice cream are both great things. They just don’t mix well together!
Taylor has taken us on an optimistic ride and I cannot get enough of Bitewing, however, this issue is more Babs than anyone. I love that Tom Taylor has thrust both of them together…been rooting for this since the 1966 Batman series. Let’s hope after this crisis, a real relationship happens!
Negatives Â
Again – I hate to even split hairs as the script is strong and all the main ingredients are there in this comic. However, it is like when you try a new recipe that a friend has given you. You had the meal with them…it was awesome. However, when you cook it, it doesn’t taste the same.
Same ingredients…different taste. Art matters.
Again, Robbi Rodriguez is an awesome artist. But there was something about the combo of Taylor and Bruno that gave this book an extra kick!
Verdict
I think DC should consider bringing Bruno back into the fold for the run of this comic. I know artists should not pigeonhole themselves, but Bruno simply “got” Nightwing and what was needed. Great script, and solid art in this one. However, if I had my “druthers”, I need to see more Haley/Bitewing with Bruno at the helm.
