Nightwing #78: “I Just Want to Help”

Dammit, Tom Taylor… stop making me cry. It’s starting to feel like you’re doing this to me on purpose.

The gang is back together, reuniting Taylor, Redondo, Lucas and Abbott and turning them loose on a character that was in desperate need of a refresh in Dick Grayson, the newly returned Nightwing. In a shockingly intuitive move given the last few years, the team seems intent to return Dick to his roots by diving deep into what it is that makes this former ward of Batman tick. From the circus background to his early and rocky adjustment to life in the manor, this book is all about what makes Dick who he is and why, for many fans, he’ll always be their favorite Robin.

As can be expected, particularly from Taylor’s previous writing gigs, this series is not coy about engagement with current social issues, particularly when it comes to government corruption and the seeming disconnect between wealth and morality. And as usual, these topics are approached with the grace and aplomb that have made Taylor a true superstar in the comics industry. But he does not act alone, of course, and the once more pairing with Lucas and Redondo continues to impress. Rich details in both the backgrounds and figure work bring each dynamic page to life. Movement, so important to the storytelling necessary for our former circus acrobat, seems effortless and flawless as Nightwing glides through his city. And speaking of his city, the pair also do an excellent job (where others in the past have failed) in making Bludhaven feel like a distinct city in its own right, rather than a Gotham clone. The drastically different skyline and the toned down neons help to make Bludhaven a character in its own right. Not to be outdone, Wes Abbott rejoins Taylor to put the finishing touches on the book, with many fonts and perfect placement throughout, culminating in a double page letter-reading sequence that break many a heart.

Readers rejoice: the new era of Nightwing looks to be as bright as Bludhaven is brutal.