Nightwing was the poster boy for the movement to end superpowers, leading an attack that killed the majority of the powered individuals on the planet. All of that changes when he discovers his son is a metahuman. Now he has to escape from the company he helped to build, but first, he needs help to rescue his son.
Written by: Kyle Higgens
Art: Trevor McCarthy
Cover: Trevor McCarthy
Colors: Dean White
Publisher: DC comics
What you need to know:
Nightwing New Order takes place in an alternate future where metahumans have been abolished and are forced to take a suppression drug if the drug doesn’t work they’re put in cryostasis until a resolution to their powers can be found. This movement was founded by Dick Grayson, Nightwing, Dick recently discovered his son Jake is a metahuman and has been hiding his powers.
Jake has been taken by the New Order, who kill Alfred in the struggle, Dick escapes and runs to another former hero for help, Tim Drake. After a stop in the Batcave for a suit and some gear, Nightwing hits the road looking for Jake, on the road he is intercepted by John Stewart, working for the New Order. Nightwing fights John but starts to lose, he is rescued at the last second by Wally West, former Kid Flash.
What you’re about to find out:
The issue opens with Kate Kane (formerly batwoman) speaking to Jake in his cell, despite being on opposing sides she seems to understand he’s a child and is trying to be reassuring, telling him they’re just trying to help. Jake expresses doubt at her sincerity and seems ill at ease.
Cut to Dick in a hospital bed, surrounded by the former Teen Titans, who seem on edge and paranoid. These aren’t the happy optimistic teammates we’ve seen in the past, also present is Lois Lane, a blue lantern! These are the last metahumans not under government control, they’re being hunted.
Tensions are high for the former enemies, Dick cracks a joke about the Titan resistance catching the leader of the new order, the Titans insist they didn’t want to capture him, but to help him. Some more reluctantly than others, Wally seems especially upset, he was Dick’s best friend.
Starfire tells them this isn’t about them and asks them to consider Dick and her son. Cyborg says they have an inside source who says Dick was headed into a trap, but Jake is safe for now, and not in stasis yet.
After a brief scene with their source, we learn that the Titans are operating out of Lockhaven, a prison on Nightwing’s home turf. “The last place he’d expect,” Cyborg says the source says that not only are the suppression drugs not working on Jake, his ability actively counteracts them, as such Jake is very dangerous to the new order, and potential salvation for the metahumans living in fear.
Wally finally has enough and starts to yell at Dick, suddenly Dick in engulfed in blue light and sees an image if his wife and son running towards him, Lois’ blue ring is trying to calm the situation. Dick has an emotional scene with Kory, saying Jake and he misses her, and they wish she would come home.
The Resistance goes to the New Order stronghold Jake is at, Wally uses superspeed to find him and they reach the outside of his cell. Dick starts trying to get through the door while Wally says he might be able to get through. Starfire tells everyone to move and blasts the giant door off its hinges.
After a brief reunion the group begins to move toward the exit, suddenly Flash is struck in the back with a half dozen blue darts, go figure, can’t have cryostasis without MISTER FREEZE!
What just happened?
Plot: Far this story has been very interesting to me, I’m a sucker for alternate future stories, and this one is no different. I have really been enjoying the changes that have occurred in the years between this story and current dc continuity. I will say this seems like the weakest point in the series so far, but mostly because the first 3 issues were so good, with only 2 issues to go I hope this isn’t indicative of the second half of the mini.
Art: The art is a bit subpar, I think its mostly the effort done to make the characters look older and more world-weary, which mostly succeeds in jarring the reader out of the story by making Wally West look like a shriveled old man. Honorable mention to beast boys design, apparently he was trapped mid-transformation and is a hybrid now and looks great!
Rating: 6.5/10
Although I’m enjoying the series this issue didn’t seem up to par story or artwise, hoping it picks up again.