Nightwing #65: All in the Family

Dan Jurgens is like an answered prayer on this book. I’ve raved about that every issue since he’s taken over and he just keeps on improving everything about this Ric Grayson debacle. The inescapable truth of what Talon brings and his intentions for Ric Grayson shine some heavy light on the reality that you don’t get to just walk away from your past because “don’t remember so it doesn’t count!”. For the first time since his amnesia we’re finally getting an interesting exploration of the nature of self. Grayson tries to defy his past but cannot shake his true nature as a hero and furthermore is literally slapped in the face with the past he thought he could just shrug off.

The best part about this is when you consider that Nightwing has always balanced the line between cavalier and uber-responsible so to try to return to that balancing act with only “half” of himself shows just why not only does Bludhaven and the Bat-family need him, but he needs himself. It’s a strangely comforting thing to contemplate whether intentional or not, by making Ric Grayson something actually interesting to read Jurgens just adds yet another reason why Nightwing as he should be is essential and beloved by fans.