Something is taking over Titans Tower! What exactly is it? Worse, Barbara Gordon a.k.a. Oracle is missing! Whatever has taken over Titans Tower has also taken Barbara. So naturally, Nightwing has gone into the belly of the beast to find her. But most suspicious of all is that the one and only Olivia Pearce has given Nightwing a new suit to go into the Tower without magic harming him. Yeah, something’s not adding up. So with all this chaos going on, how does this issue push the story “Tower of Terror” forward? Let’s break it down.
DC
It turns out Dan Watters has really done his research because there isn’t only one Nightwing in Titans Tower right now. In fact, there are three “wing-named” characters in this book. But I won’t get too deep into who they are because spoiling the surprise takes away from half of the fun here. But what is important is that Watters can deliver a story full of nods to Nightwing’s long history, an analysis of the political drive of Maggie Sawyer and Melinda Grayson, and a slow burn of buildup towards whatever Olivia Pearce is planning. This seems overbearing, but it truthfully isn’t. A lot of this builds up to the greater thread of what Olivia and The Great Zanni are planning to do to Nightwing, and the lengths they’re willing to go to. Watters can take this overarching threat and plant references to the history of Nightwing that longtime fans will be glad to see, while also not making them so niche that they go over a newer reader’s head. Additionally, the continuing utilization of making this series between Nightwing and whatever Maggie and Melinda are up to continues to add depth to the series and makes the story feel more intricate.
DC
This issue is one of the best that Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini have put out. While Soy has often delivered very intricate and detailed line work, this issue offers, in addition to more creative work from him when the story takes a more fantastical twist. This allows Soy to show his ability to step out of his comfort zone to deliver an issue full of artwork which readers are already familiar with, and how that will reflect the tone of the story, with something more dynamic that blends soft and thick lines with his typical jagged style. Here, Veronica Gandini seems to find a consistent groove.
Some previous issues have felt a bit flat insofar as coloring is concerned, while others had previously worked well to blend the darker tone of prior issues. Here, Gandini can deliver various hues, some lighter, some flat, and some vibrant. This variety works well to deliver a story that feels more fast-paced and intense than before. Some parts still fall a bit flat to me, and I feel like there could be a better use of shading and colors in certain parts to add more intricacy to the story. Altogether, though, the story is well illustrated and works with the multi-faceted tones that this issue contains.
Altogether, Nightwing #128 is a good issue and continues an interesting arc that explores both the history of Nightwing and expands the depth of those around him. Additionally, the issue is entertaining through its multiple art styles that add to the goofy magic that fifth-dimensional beings offer. As a result, this issue, while not a showstopper, is another important entry in the series to show how dedicated Nightwing’s foes are to causing trouble for him.
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