Corruption in Blüdhaven seems to be building up more and more. Thank goodness Nightwing isn’t the only Nightwing in town. After Nite-Mite granted Bryce Kryptonian powers and turned into a fusion version of himself and the Kryptonian Nightwing of legends, it seems he’s decided to make his own mark on Blüdhaven. Naturally, that’ll cause some problems down the line I’m sure, but not yet.
In the meantime, Nightwing has to prevent the Blüdhaven Gangs and Police Force from escalating their conflict into an all-out war. While Spheric Solutions has been funding the BPD with state of the art technology to fight crime, Blüdhaven has always been corrupt, and as a result, the prevention of crime has turned into a militarized war against everyone and anyone who seems to be stepping out of line, no matter if they have a blue bird shaped logo on their chest or not. Having an upcoming mayoral candidate in Melinda, Dick’s sister, who’s just as corrupt as Blockbuster used to be, makes things seem like they are sliding back towards Blüdhaven being less of a haven and more of a place with streets full of blood. So, how exactly does this issue address these problems? And where are we headed with this new arc?
DC
The issue does a wonderful job balancing the building tension with Blüdhaven with the internal conflict Dick is facing with the new challenges that Bryce’s new powers are posing for him. Dan Watters did mention that he intends to lean into Dick’s self-destructive memories while pushing him further and further. I think this issue manages to do this by overwhelming Nightwing more and more with varying conflicts he’s faced with. Throughout the story, we see the multiple types of responsibilities and duties weighing on Dick. Not only does he have a duty to Blüdhaven, but also to the greater world of superheroes in the DC Universe. Every decision Dick makes will have massive ripple effects for how the public and his peers view him and his trustworthiness. Given how tense things are shaping up to be, I think the story excels at illustrating how this burden is starting to wear on Nightwing.
DC
Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini bring their A game here. Given how grounded and intense this issue was, their style works perfectly to deliver an intriguing and well-illustrated story. For example, Soy’s sharp line work helps to elevate any action scene by adding a nice layer of intensity. A great panel that depicts this was when Nightwing has a classic superhero moment and crashes through a glass roof to break up a fight between the Blüdhaven Police and one of the gangs. It’s quick sequences like this that show how Nightwing’s mood is shifting as his patience is starting to run thin.
Gandini’s colors also work wonders in this issue by delivering great moments with colors that have a sharp contrast. Altogether, I found this issue’s artwork brought the story to life through its sharp animation, vivid colors, and raw emotion conveyed by characters during some of their more vulnerable moments.
Nightwing #130 is a very strong issue that kickstarts the next arc. This story’s tension is well paced and works to differentiate this run from previous interpretations of how Nightwing manages pressure by giving him a more pessimistic outlook. It rings true to the character’s roots, as he has a tendency to hold himself to impossibly high standards. While readers aren’t typically responsible for saving cities from peril, the story winds up being very relatable as it’s a common struggle to turn away help when offered, despite its immediate benefits. As a result, the issue feels incredibly captivating. This is surely the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Nightwing’s life that readers won’t want to miss!
You must be logged in to post a comment.