Review: Nightwing #116
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Bruno Redondo
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Dick Grayson is under armed guard in the hospital. While Heartless continues to smear Dick’s reputation, he escapes and turns to an old friend for help, a dead man.
Positives
The final page of Nightwing #116 is something no one probably thought they’d ever see, but it makes so much sense…it’s brilliant. It certainly shouldn’t be spoiled. And, like last issue’s finale, you don’t even see it coming. As great as the surprise ending is, it’s the end of a great issue that sees Tom Taylor pull elements from his entire run in to tighten Heartless’ grip around Nightwing’s neck.
The opening barrage of questions from the media to Maggie Sawyer references pieces of Taylor’s run all the way back to the early issues as the reporters question Dick’s motives for helping build the tent city haven for the homeless children, Melinda’s mayoral motivations as she’s recently changed her name publicly to Grayson and even her method of becoming mayor- all suggesting that Dick’s been up to no good for a while. Tom Taylor is indeed playing the long game and it’s certainly creating a tight spot for Nightwing. Being able to reference so many incidents in this run in this issue prove that Taylor has been planning this all along. Plus, the revelation of Bea Bennett as a ship’s captain pays off in the storyline as well. This may seem a bit contrived, but it demonstrates that Taylor wasn’t just treading water when he reintroduced Bea into Dick’s life.
Positives Cont’d
The flashback’s to Dick’s circus fall as a kid pays off as well when we learn that the acrobat that came in to sub for the Flying Grayson’s was indeed as some have guessed- Boston Brand, the Deadman. Turns out, Boston helped Dick back then to get over his fear of falling. Dick once again seeks out Boston in Nanda Parbat. Dick’s trek through the snow covered mountain in issue #114 certainly suggested Nanda Parbat. Batman has a long history with Deadman going back to Deadman’s initial run way back in Strange Adventures drawn chiefly by Neal Adams. It’s a very appropriate connection for this title.
Bruno Redondo…what can be said that hasn’t already been said. He’s simply amazing. Nightwing #116 is no exception. There’s so much individuality in the different reporters at the beginning of the issue and so much personality in his depiction of Barbara Gordon in this issue.
Negatives
There’ve been a lot Nightwing issues from this team that didn’t rate a negative, and this issue is one of them.
Verdict
Nightwing #116 is easily the best of the “Fallen Grayson” arc so far. Taylor’s script pulls in so many elements from the entire run that it makes the noose Heartless is tightening around Dick’s neck believable and extremely intense. How WILL he get out of it? There are some great character moments in cameo’s by the Bat-family and the Titans that remind the reader of how Dick is perceived by the superhero community. But, it all seems to pale in comparison to the surprise ending. The next issue will be something no one’s ever seen before. We are adding an extra 1/4 to the score (4.75)…extrapolated, this is a 9.5/10.
