Nightwing #98: Sleight of Continuity

Legacy is a vital part of the DC Universe but is one that the company struggles with executing across its titles. Between reboots that occur more and more frequently, a disdain for aging lead pillars like Batman and Superman, and a desire to capture new readers, there was a time when legacies and sidekicks were marginalized in an attempt to make the universe new and edgy. Like any publishing initiative for the big two, the pendulum swung in the other direction, and legacy and history were reestablished to the line with messy, complicated results. Those complications have only grown in recent years, and the easiest way to describe DC continuity is that everything happened with some asterisks.   

Nightwing #98 – written by Tom Taylor, with art by Daniele Di Nicuolo, colors by Adriano Lucas, and letters by Wes Abbott – wastes no time in subverting the last issue’s cliffhanger. The Ric Grayson (an unfortunate bit of recent continuity for the character) appearing in the forest is Nite-Mite, a 5th-dimensional imp who claims to be Nightwing’s biggest fan. Nite-Mite, unlike other 5th dimensional beings, is less interested in causing chaos for Nightwing, and provides a warning and assistance to the hero, revealing that Blockbuster had a daughter that’s being targeted due to the villain’s death. 

Neron, a possible devil figure in the DC Universe, once made a deal with Blockbuster for increased intelligence, and in return offered the soul of his firstborn. Nite-Mite also offers a few boons to Nightwing as he transports them to Blüdhaven, including powered-up escrima sticks to battle demons and a powerup for Haley, turning her into Bite-Wing. The dog gets a matching Nightwing costume, and a rudimentary ability to speak. This gives the hero an advantage in his fight and can rescue the girl before giving her to Raven to help hide her from the Neron. 

The script is light and breezy in terms of pacing, never stopping to pull the thread of logic, which is a smart decision when dealing with extra-dimensional beings like Nite-mite. Taylor combines that moving pace with fun deep cuts to continuity, playing on the events of Underworld Unleashed to create a catalyst for the issue. It’s an excellent pull that pays homage to the history of DC while packaging it into something new and effective.

It’s a micro-example of what Taylor does best with his work, and reinforces the theme of legacy and legacy characters in the run. From a legacy hero rescuing a newly established legacy character (Blockbuster’s daughter), and then leaving them in the hands of a 2nd generation legacy (Raven), Taylor creates a link of legacy in a condensed 22 pages. It speaks to the ethos of the DC Universe and proves to be an excellent theme going forward into a new era, as described by the company’s editorial for post-Dark Crisis. 

Di Nicuolo’s pencils are a perfect match for the tone and pacing of the issue, utilizing a kinetic, exaggerated style that provides elasticity to the action and reality-bending powers of Nite-Mite. The style isn’t a radical shift from Bruno Redondo’s typical linework, and when paired with Lucas’s colors, unifies into a cohesive aesthetic that speaks to the story. Taylor’s script and Nite-Mite’s intervention allow Di Nicuolo to draw the absurd, including an impromptu wedding for Dick and Barbara. It’s an excellent use of a double-page splash, with superhero-themed wedding attire and all. It’s just one example of the over-the-top, cartoony style that plays well with the imps, as Nite-Mite pops and glides across the page as though slightly out of sync with reality. 

Those changes are apparent in both the action and quieter moments, as Nite-Mite moves fluidity through appearances and aesthetics thanks to his reality-altering power. One moment he resembles classic Nightwing, mullet/ponytail and all, and in the next is the chibi and back to something else. The exaggerated linework that goes into Nite-Mite design also works great for the demons in service of Neron. 

The demons are towering figures but like Neuron himself, skew away from a Christian interpretation of hell and its inhabitants. They resemble ogres or trolls and do their best serving as a visual foil for Nightwing, and the coloring in the action sequences plays it up. The clash of their red visages clashes with the blue of Nightwing’s design and the powered escrima sticks. That creates a clear distinction of characters on the page and the kinetic lines give a clear, concise line of action that feels in tone with the rest of the issue. 

Lucas’s coloring is an unsung hero of this run and does wonders to both enhance the visual styles of the various artists that have illustrated the title, along with making the varying styles feel cohesive. The action soars in this issue, and Lucas elevates the sequence from the more grounded action of a Redondo issue thanks to the surging energy of Nightwing’s magically imbued weapons. It gives a bigger scope to the fight and details the magical influence of the plot, while still making sure the sequence is rooted in the Nightwing sensibilities. That coloring reflects the flexible nature of the Nightwing character, who can be a superhero, street-level vigilante, superspy, and even magic-adjacent character all at once.