Nightwing #126: A Hallowed Core

Nightwing #126 is largely an improvement over last month’s issue—the first half of this two-parter that, despite a punchy start, left a lot to be desired. That issue introduced some intriguing threads: Maggie Sawyer’s character got a few much-needed wrinkles, and Captain Hallow came thundering in with a solid design. But as a whole, it felt muddled by ‘lore’. This issue, by contrast, gives those ideas room to breathe. It doesn’t necessarily elevate the two-parter into a cohesive story, but it does land better on its own feet. Where the previous chapter got tangled in its own density, this one benefits from a cleaner plot and a more deliberate focus on character.

Captain Hallow, for instance, emerges here as more than just an ominous idea used to keep Blüdhaven’s cops in check. We see them for what they are: a tight-knit crew of corrupt officers desperate to maintain their grip on a broken system. It’s a sharp commentary on the gang-like culture that can fester in police departments, and it deepens Maggie’s already complicated inner conflict—the kind of tension that comes from wanting to do good while wearing a badge that often demands compromise.

Maggie gets more attention this time around, and thankfully, she’s afforded a bit more complexity than last issue’s awkward ghost-story framing allowed. We spend more time with her in quieter, more vulnerable moments, where loved ones pull at the moral fabric she’s trying so hard to keep intact. It’s in those scenes that the book finds its heart, even if the delivery is still a little rough around the edges. The concepts are all solid—better rooted, more resonant—but you can’t help but wish some of this groundwork had been laid more evenly across both issues.

Francavilla’s art also steps up here. While it still has that slightly rushed feeling—something that’s become a bit of a hallmark of this arc—the visual storytelling feels more considered. The color palette sharpens, leaning into moody contrasts that support the issue’s quieter tone. And with Nightwing largely sidelined, Francavilla gets the space to draw out atmosphere and weight in the character beats.