Review: Nightwing 21

Nightwing 21
Kyle Higgins, Brett Booth

Spoiler alert! You have been warned!

Writer Kyle Higgins continues to show that he’s got what it takes to write the big guns of the Batman family. Along with the likes of Scott Snyder and Peter J. Tomasi, writers of Batman and Batman and Robin respectively, Higgins has proven time and time again that he not only understands what makes Gotham City tick, but by changing the location of Dick’s story to Chicago he shows that he truly understands what it really means to write Nightwing. He’s a former Boy Wonder, yes, but he’s the one and only person to escape unscathed from beneath the shadow of the Batman. And he’s got something else that has always been missing from the other Bat family books: humor. Take this great writer and pair him with relative series newcomer, artist Brett Booth, and you’ve got a recipe for awesome. This is one Bat title that I would gladly pay for two issues a month.

The issue starts off with a brief flashback, showing someone killing off one of Chicago’s “capes” in the opening pages. We then flash to present, where Nightwing immediately escapes from the trap set for him by the Prankster in the closing pages of last issue’s cliffhanger ending. Then we get the obligatory cops show up so the hero and the villain have to team up (and you’re lying to yourself if you don’t still love this every single time it happens in a comic book). Then we get some great dialogue, proving that the Bat books truly are dominating in terms of writing in not only the New 52 and the whole DC line, but actually in the industry as a whole. The scripts are realistic, relevant, and actually succeed in not only moving the plot forward (which is Storytelling 101, a course a lot of the industry… cough… Marvel writers… cough… obviously failed) but also causes an occasional chuckle from its readers. The ending treats us with a little bit of everything. We get some intrigue as the Prankster escapes. Some more mystery as the Tony Zucco plot thickens. And, of course, some action as Dick betrays the Prankster.

So there you have it. Another well job well done by the writer and artist team of Higgins and Booth. This series has always been a favorite of mine, but that is partially because Dick is such a great character. I was skeptical way back when writer Devin Grayson replaced Chuck Dixon and then again when Peter J. Tomasi took over the story of the original Robin all grown up, but nothing had me as hesitant as relative newcomer Kyle Higgins taking over the backbone of the DC Universe. And let me say, it’s a treat every single issue to be proven wrong. Congrats on another great issue, guys!

My Rating: 5/5