Tom Taylor and Stephen Byrne have delivered an engaging story thus far in “The Crew of the Crossed”, an arc that has been filled with action, drama, suspense, and fear. In the final chapter of this saga, there are a lot of questions remaining to hopefully find answers to. Is Bea okay? Why is Nightwing so scared? And, the lingering question for months: what’s in Nightwing’s box?! While some of these questions are answered, Tom Taylor and Sam Basri (who seems to be the next artist for the series) have a brief short story connecting to Titans: Beast World. Altogether, Nightwing #109 brings about a very satisfying conclusion to Nightwing’s pirate journey and also has a great backup story.
This issue picks up right where the previous one left off. Bea has fallen from a great height at the hands of her “brother” who’s desperate to dethrone her as Quartermaster. Meanwhile, Dick Grayson is once again frozen in fear. It’s unclear what is going on with Dick since this has never been a trait of his. However, it’s clear this is going to be brought up in stories to come (with Batman set to help him in the upcoming Nightwing #111). However, that isn’t the focus here; Bea’s life and her future is. Taylor does a great job in this issue balancing the focus of Nightwing and Bea. Considering this is (for now) the last we’ll likely see of her, Taylor does a great job closing this chapter on the character. Throughout this arc, Bea Bennett has had something not many supporting cast characters get closure. Tom Taylor has taken a character from the not-so-distant past and ensured that she be remembered not just as an important part of Nightwing’s history, but in the history of Blüdhaven.
Stephen Byrne ends his time on Nightwing with this issue. This isn’t a very action-heavy issue, so a lot of the focus is on emotion. Byrne’s strengths shine here, with the issue taking a cartoonish appearance at times. Throughout this, however, the issue remains serious and emotional through and through. Adriano Lucas does a spectacular job bringing the story to life, with soft but sparkling colors. Overall, the art in this story helps make the story more engaging.
The backup issue is a prelude to the upcoming Beast World tie-in by Tom Taylor and Sam Basri for Nightwing #110. Without delving too far into the story’s premise, Taylor hasn’t written a story quite like this recently, but it’s very engaging. Basri’s art is spectacular, as it’s very sharp and detailed, which helps convey the mysterious and intense nature of the story. Lucas carries the coloring duties in this as well, and unlike the main story, this is a very dark and gloomy story. Overall, the Beast World prologue tie-in is enthralling.
Nightwing #109 brings a satisfying conclusion to “The Crew of the Crossed” while also leaving the door open for an upcoming foe of Nightwing’s. It may not be who anyone expects, but there will certainly be a reckoning for them when Dick finds them. Additionally, the prologue for Nightwing #110 is a captivating mystery with a shocking twist. Needless to say, this is another engaging issue of the series.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.