Nightwing is under siege! After breaking into a warehouse filled with weapons, it turns out, said warehouse has pretty good security. Not only that, but could Nightwing’s life be any more chaotic right now? Between a gang war, Spheric Solutions coming to “help” save the city, and constantly having people try to blow him up, Dick Grayson cannot catch a break to save his life. Not to mention a mysterious new villain who seems to know everything about Nightwing.
As Dan Watters and Dexter Soy continue their first arc on Nightwing, a few things become clear about where the series may be heading. With that said, does issue #120 continue the exciting energy explored in issue #119? Short answer? Absolutely.
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“Grimdark” doesn’t begin to describe the tone Watters brings to the series, and it’s absolutely incredible. The story brings a new kind of conflict than before with the introduction of Spheric Solutions. While previously, threats have appeared more outrightly, like Blockbuster or Heartless, Spheric is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. As things unravel throughout the issue, it becomes clear that Nightwing will have to handle them much more delicately than other villains. Surely, for someone a bit obsessive, that won’t be a problem, right? Also, the introduction to this mysterious puppeteer makes the intensity much more thrilling as we see how intricately he’s pulling the strings. Through these combined threats, the story becomes far more intense, intriguing, and enjoyable as Nightwing gets pushed further toward his limits.
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Despite the book’s darker tone, there’s also some witty charm to the book that balances things quite masterfully. The banter between Dick and Barbara feels very reminiscent of how their relationship was before the New 52. The pair have had a long history together, and their relationship has often been a bit divisive. Here, it’s much more endearing and balanced than it has been in a while. While Barbara and Dick clearly adore each other, the two have known each other far longer than they’ve dated. Seeing their banter while Nightwing is escaping a high-speed chase brings some fun humor to the series.
However, their relationship isn’t the focus of the story, which helps make these moments more enjoyable instead of over-saturating the story. These brief moments work well to show how to incorporate a relationship into comics without overdoing it. Altogether, the lighthearted exchanges in the story provide brief endearing moments that give more personality to the characters.
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In addition to being a masterfully written story, the issue is similarly illustrated brilliantly. Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini help shape the book’s tone through sharp line work that provides intricacy, deep shading that adds depth, and sharp colors that elevate the story’s emotional weight. A great example of this is early on in the story, where Nightwing is testing out his new escrima sticks’ new tools on one of Spherics’ technology. On this page, we see how sharp Gandini’s colors are, and thanks to these colors, the moment stands out more than it would have otherwise. Additionally, Soy also uses this moment to illustrate how skillful Nightwing is at things like dodging lasers and making a top-notch landing.
It’s also important to note that the shading here adds to the moment by making the shadowing against Nightwing seem more lifelike. All of this is delivered in a very linear way, and the paneling here helps provide the moment with direction. Moreover, Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini deliver another great issue that showcases both artists’ talents quite well.
“On With the Show” is everything I’ve wanted in a Nightwing story so far. Seeing Nightwing pushed into a corner is always fun, particularly when it’s one that he’s unfamiliar with. Gone are the days when villains were obviously trying to take over the city. This offers a new kind of challenge for Nightwing that takes the series into a different but captivating direction. Additionally, the issue also has its fair share of lighthearted moments to balance its intensity. Through all of this, Nightwing #120 is Watters, Soy, and Gandini at their very best.
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