Review: Nightwing #117
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Bruno Redondo with Caio Filipe
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Wes Abbott
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
With the help of Deadman, Dick finally figures out what’s made him afraid to jump. Plus, back in Bludhaven, Batman filling in as Nightwing has a lead on Shelton (Heartless) Lyle.
Positives
The strongest part of Nightwing #117 is Dick’s interaction with Boston (Deadman) Brand as he tries to get help with his inability to jump. Boston tries a number of techniques before Dick has a breakthrough. It’s nice to see this take a little bit of time. Bruno Redondo sells Dick’s troubled mind and Boston’s genuine care and concern for Dick.
Taylor allows the story to touch on the importance of Dick’s relationship with Barbara Gordon and Bruce Wayne and lead the reader to understand that this run has really been about relationships. It’s subtle in this issue, though back in Nightwing #100 it was anything but.
Negatives
Nightwing #117 feels truncated. The set up for Bruce filling in as Nightwing at the end of last issue felt like it would’ve been good for most of an issue. We only get a little bit of him in this issue, and there’s certainly more mileage in it than the little bit we get. It’s not because I want to see Bruce instead of Dick, but rather if there were more of it, the filling in would have a little more substance within the story. It’s fine to have Dick in Nanda Parbat finding his way, but to see what Bruce is working on instead of just being told would make for a better and more impactful story. It feels like there should be another issue in this arc. Five issue arcs aren’t unheard of, but with this issue it definitely feels like the pacing has sped up. It makes this issue feel like it’s got more “telling” than story.
There could also be an argument made for running this for 12 issues and really giving Dick a longer challenge of overcoming Heartless setting him up as the bad guy. That aspect seems like it will be wasted due to wrapping up things next issue. The set up was so good that it’s a shame it won’t last for very long as a serious obstacle for Nightwing.
The surprise ending, I suppose, is surprising. We don’t always need to have origins rehashed or re-contextualized. I suppose what’s suggested here doesn’t change anything except the motivation of Tony Zucco. Will it mean anything else? Will it somehow tie into Dick’s sister, Melinda? It leads into the finale of this arc and the Taylor/ Redondo run with trepidation and anxiety rather than full throttle excitement. Dick has already been portrayed as “the target” back in the New 52 with the Parliament/ Court of Owls as the targeters. It sort of feels like we’ve been here already.
Verdict
Nightwing #117 is a bit of a step back in terms of this arc. After the surprise ending of #115, and the excitement of the prospect of Bruce filling in as Nightwing at the end of last issue, it feels like this penultimate chapter treads water just to get to the final page “surprise.” There are some strong moments between Boston and Dick, but the second half of the issue moves too quickly for it to stay with you. Overall, it’s certainly not a bad issue, just one in which the opportunities stay with you longer than the successes.
