All good things must come to an end, but even in death, new life emerges.
Nightwing #30 is as much a beginning as it is an end to a much-loved New 52 series. Right from the cover, Nightwing’s mask floating in a pool of blood broken, battered, we get the feeling that this very much is the end (for now) of the hero. For those of you who have been following the events of Forever Evil you will no doubt know that Nightwing was not only unmasked to the world, but also killed off. While another dead Robin (child services in Gotham has some serious issues) is nothing new to avid readers, the death of the first, the original is, and was a poignant moment for all those that have ever read a Batman story.
The book opens in the unlikely setting of the Congo where we meet a Dr. Thompkins helping displaced refugees. It’s a few pages of mostly filler action that seemingly ties her into a larger, more complex story that will test the former Nightwing, as well as the entire bat family. Long time readers will know the name Thompkins well, as she was the doctor responsible for helping the young Bruce Wayne in his time of grief. It’s a nice call back to events from the early 90’s that many new readers may not be all that familiar with. How this plays into the New 52 being a reboot with heroes appearing in only the last few years is beyond me.
The crux of the book revolves around Dick Grayson’s return to the world of the living. I would have prefaced that with a spoiler tag, but as DC has been heavily pushing a new Dick Grayson solo series I didn’t feel the need. That’s also one of my big problems with the book; we know exactly (thanks to DC themselves) what happens next, taking away some of the emotional punch of seeing Dick up and about. We get a touching moment from Alfred trying to keep it together from the perceived loss of Dick, leading to the books revel.
The following twelve pages left me in strange position. We get to see Batman (sans body armor but with headpiece and pants) square off against a now very much alive Nightwing (dressed the same). I love the writing implemented throughout the entire encounter with Bruce channeling his own past demons and lingering pain from his own near death and crippling. His words are harsh, brutal and full of bitter emotions, pushing Dick to his limits, testing not only his body, but the fragility of his mind as well.
Bruce asks things of Dick, things that will not only hurt him and the ones he loves, but change the relationship between the two heroes, the two friends, forever. The writing is well done, if a little rushed and heavy handed in parts. It seems as if Dick gets little choice in what happens with his future, and feels more like this is his destiny (editorial destiny!).
As much as I liked the exchange, the art left me a little wanting. The two essentially destroy the batcave during their encounter, but it feels like we are watching a fight between supermen here, not of two emotionally scared human beings. Look, I love Batman as much as the next guy, but when he kicks a motorcycle in two with a single blow, my suspension of disbelief is shaken. Strangely enough, the art through has a very 90’s look to it with several Liefeld style moments. What I mean by this is that many panels become overly gritty and intense, almost becoming comical, and bodies contort in ways that lead a reader to believe that neither character has a spine. Not only that, but when any action takes place outside of the cave we get an almost completely different and more jovial art style which can be jarring.
Our story ends with Nightwing… er, Dick Grayson having an internal monologue over the course of him gallivanting across the globe playing James Bond. A Tokyo subway station, a zeppelin in Russia and on and on.
Nightwing #30 is a strange best indeed. If you have been reading the series or picked up Forever Evil and want to see what becomes of our hero, then you are going to want to pick it up. If however you just want to pick it up as a stand-alone, you are better off going with something else.
Strong writing with some strangely inconsistent artwork end up making for a pretty average book at best and not quite the satisfying end to a really strong series that fans were hoping for. I know DC is really pushing the Dick Grayson book, but would it have been so hard to close a series better and not make the book just another lead-in? The Nightwing series deserves a better end than this.
Oh, and DC, here is a little advice from yours truly, free of charge. Not every Batman family book has to be all about Batman.
Thanks to @HarlowC for a backstory correction in this article
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