Nightwing #99: Daddy Issues, Redux

Nightwing #99 – written by Tom Taylor with art by Bruno Redondo and Geraldo Borges, inks by Caio Filipe, colors from Adriano Lucas, and letters by Wes Abbott – bring conclusions to current plotlines as it looks ahead to issue #100, and the Dawn of the DCU, which Nightwing is set to be a major part of. This issue deals with the vacuum of power left by Blockbuster’s death. Tony Zucco returns to Blüdhaven, wanting to claim the criminal throne thanks to his “daughter” Melinda’s status as mayor. This spirals into the revelation that the city has its secret history and organization, called The Hold, which is a criminal bank built during the whaling days of old. 

Nightwing manages to stop Zucco and earns favor with The Hold’s Quartermaster as thanks. The man reveals that Dick has a safe with the Hold, and hints at a future plot point for the series. Afterward, Melinda reveals she’s not a Zucco, and that she’s taken her mother’s surname and the Grayson name. The issue also ends with a look at the various remaining villains from the run, including the KGBeast, Heartless, and Zucco, setting up the next stretch of the run. The pivot is a sharp contrast to the Nite-Mite antics of previous issues, but still works in the overall tone of the series.  

Taylor’s script is a well-executed machine, weaving the various plotlines from the earliest issues of the run into a dense but breezy story of Nightwing’s dedication to cleaning up Blüdhaven. What makes this issue stand out is the use of narrative devices that start to give a character and history to Blüdhaven, which is newer in terms of publishing than Gotham, but in-universe is of a similar age. The incorporation of The Hold and its roots in the city is an interesting premise that satisfies both the superheroic and history buffs, scratching a similar itch to the Scott Synder era of Batman. 

The scripting for the issue also makes clear that Taylor can balance the long game for this run with the issue-by-issue storytelling, pulling early reveals like Melinda’s identity as Dick’s half-sister and making them relevant in the background of the run while dealing with Blockbuster and Maroni. Taylor takes a similar approach to the Dick and Barbara relationship, putting it aside after a spotlight in the last few issues. This sense of a modular structure without focusing on rigid arcs or trade stories gives this book the feeling of an older title, which is a refreshing change of pace from many of the other books on shelves. 

It’s not just Taylor’s scripting that achieves this cohesion across its larger run, but the coloring and lettering from Lucas and Abbott respectively. The duo has been a consistent part of the run and works to establish a unified look for the book as artist Bruno Redondo moves on and off certain issues. Lucas’s coloring in particular gives this book a unique look, utilizing pastels and brighter colors to contrast the inherent darks and blacks that come with a Batman adjacent series. These colors play well with Redondo and Borges’s linework, giving the issue a smooth but engaging scheme. That sense of coloring gives the book its effortless charm, something that aligns perfectly with a character like Dick Grayson, and makes this book feel like one of the more unique-looking titles on shelves. 

The issue’s art is in a similar position as the writing and coloring, working to bridge the gap between urban vigilantes and high-flying heroes. Redondo’s art is lighter, with less emphasis on harsh lines while reveling in a simplicity that makes the action and emotion sing. On the other hand, Borges’s art is a bit harsher, with darker shadows and thicker linework that feel in place for the style. It gives a bit more of a noir approach to the book, and one style could be overwhelming in terms of tone, but together strike a perfect bit of alchemy, both being enhanced by Filipe’s inks. The inking plays to both styles’ conventions and strengthens, enhancing the beautiful simplicity of Rendondo’s and the heavier grit found in Borges’s.