Nightwing #105: Anyone Can Wear the Mask

Nightwing #105 – written by Tom Taylor with art by Bruno Redondo, colors by Adriano Lucas, and letters from Wes Abbott – goes experimental once again, channeling the same energy of issue #87 to break from the typical comic format. In issue #87, it was telling a story in a single panel, the comic equivalent of an action movie’s continuous one-shot. With #105, the creative team chooses to tell the story from Nightwing’s first-person perspective. Outside of glimpses of the former sidekick in reflections in windows and mirrors, the hero’s face and expressions are missing thanks to the perspective.

The story is simple, moving away from the Titans and Faustian bargain-centric plot of the last arc to tell a story about hunting down minor villains. One of the twins that make up Double Dare has stolen a train and is transporting a virus, but in good mystery structure, reverses once Nightwing and Batgirl arrive. In reality, the virus is a living sample that can be used to synthesize a vaccine, and the other Double Dare twin is being held hostage by the pharmaceutical company responsible. 

It’s revealed that Lyle Shelton, the alter ego of the series’ arch-enemy Heartless, is the head of this company and behind the kidnapping. As of this issue, Nightwing is still unaware that Shelton and Heartless are the same person, and Grayson only knows the CEO as a former bully from his Robin days. Shelton reputes every accusation thrown by Nightwing and makes clear he’s playing the markets like a game, not technically doing anything illegal with charging for the vaccines. The issue ends with some resolution to the plot but leaves a restless sense that starts to bring the next story into focus. 

The choice to pair a simple story with the experimental shift in perspective is a smart one, as it gives the form room to play without overloading the audience. Taylor’s plot is a straightforward vigilante mystery adventure that moves from A to B to C and features a limited cast. Recentering on Nightwing, both by returning to an adventure featuring him and Barbara and by literally slotting into his perspective, helps to return the series to a solo title. After the sprawling story of the last arc that featured the Titans, Nightwing’s supporting cast, and the collections of villains led by Neron, it’s refreshing to experience a book that returns to basics. The first-person perspective is the perfect recalibration for the title and creates an interesting dissonance once Shelton comes into place. 

The only time that the first-person experience is challenged is when Shelton is revealed. Readers know that the CEO is also Heartless thanks to the 2022 annual, but Nightwing is oblivious to the fact. The hero knows something is broken and cruel in the man due to their shared history, but Shelton has not moved into supervillain territory. This little detail, which an editor notes reminds the reader, creates a gap in the experience of the format. It doesn’t ruin the experimental format or the flow of the issue, but it does show the strain of trying to present a limited perspective in a larger work that offers an omniscient perspective at other times. 

Redondo’s art is a perfect fit for this play in form, utilizing the strong, simple linework to make the shift in perspective stand out. From the first page, which starts with Grayson greeting the day, there’s never a doubt the audience is looking through Nightwing’s eyes. The three-panel page orients the reader immediately, and slots itself into the feeling of the run, wasting no time to be a bit playful in tone and style. The focus on Barbara’s face first, and then Bitewing’s morning kisses feels in line with Redondo’s style, which is expressive and detail-forward. From there, the second page has Nightwing in front of a mirror and Redondo uses these moments to highlight Dick’s expressions. 

Redondo keeps his linework and action a bit more detailed than in previous issues but still manages to include the instructional beats in the first action sequence. Here, it’s when Batgirl throws handcuffs at one of the Double Dare twins. Redondo uses an arc and arrow that feels in line with a mechanical diagram to show how the item moves across the space of the panel. It’s an excellent moment that is a micro-expression of Redondo’s ability to showcase clear, concise action.

A similar technique is used later on when Nightwing and one of the twins ride a motorcycle through the city. The left side of the panels is Nightwing’s face in the side mirror, while the right side features a map in Nightwing’s HUD. It’s a simple grid map with a red dot. It could be a boring inclusion or not shown at all as Batgirl provides directions. But the synthesis of the dialogue with the graphic representation is the power of this series and exemplifies Redondo’s ability to showcase simple action. 

Lucas’s colors are once again a strong selling point of the issue and help to set Nightwing apart from the other Bat-titles. Lucas plays with a wider range of soft, bright hues that feels closer in line with a Superman series, rather than a Batman-adjacent series. The consistent colors ensure that the perspective shift is the focus of the issue, and makes the attempt at showing a day in the life of Nightwing a success. If anything, a new dimension is added to the palette as it’s experienced from the first person, giving an emotional attachment that comes from experiencing them firsthand.