Nightwing is about to fall. Hard. As Tom Taylor’s three-year journey with the character prepares to wrap up, he ends this saga with the original artist for the series, Bruno Redondo. Since their very first issue together in Nightwing, everything the duo has built has led to this. Heartless has laid the groundwork and has prepared to show everyone just how much of a mastermind he is. As the final arc, “Fallen Grayson”, kicks off, readers should prepare for what seems to be an emotional rollercoaster one last time.
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The issue opens where everything began, with the Flying Graysons. Before their death, Dick Grayson was a happy son to two loving parents who put on a show that wowed the crowd time after time. But before he was the acrobat on the trapeze, and the rooftops, Dick Grayson was John and Mary Grayson’s biggest fan. There was nothing he wanted more than to live up to the warm and astounding aura they exhibited. Through these opening sequences, Taylor shows how Dick Grayson fell far before he could ever leap into the hearts of many. And after being on the top of the world, and receiving a medal of honor, it seems this fall is going to be harder and more tragic than any before.
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After quite a long time away from penciling an entire Nightwing issue, Bruno Redondo continues his brilliant work without missing a beat. Without ignoring the elephant in the room, Dick Grayson looks extraordinary with a beard. It just works perfectly, to convey both the severity of the situation and the duration of time which has passed between where Dick is now and where the story brings us up to speed. Additionally, Adriano Lucas does a spectacular job bringing both a vibrant warmth and chilling coolness to Redondo’s colors that pair perfectly together.
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What about Heartless? Are these stakes high enough? In some aspects, Heartless feels like a very typical antagonist: he’s determined, cunning, and brutal. It’s shown throughout the issue how intense his hatred for Dick Grayson is, and it’s this that sets him apart. In many ways, his brutality feels almost predictable, since it’s clear he’s truly a man without a heart and intends to live up to his name. However, his connection to Dick while growing up; seeing his parents fall, knowing him from school, and having this fascination with making Dick suffer in a way like never before is something that gives the motives of Heartless more intensity while the story continues. After lurking in the shadows for so long, it’s clear that Tom Taylor is ready for Heartless to take the stage for his final act of mayhem.
So, is Nightwing #114 a good issue to begin the “Fallen Grayson” arc? Absolutely. There’s enough mystery balanced with confusion and terror to create a very engaging story that should captivate many. As things begin to come crashing down for Dick Grayson, not Nightwing, it’s clear this story will leave a deeper wound than what Dick has experienced in a long time. The only part of the issue that feels a bit misplaced is the backup story acts as a preview for Titans #11, which is set to release concurrently with this story and so far has no connection whatsoever to Heartless or the arc being unraveled. Altogether, Nightwing #114 is very captivating and brilliantly depicted by a masterclass of artistic talent.
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