When DC decided to restore Dick Grayson to the Nightwing mantle after his surprisingly long stint as The Dark Knight, I was afraid that his relaunched comic series would feel like a stale, “been there, done that” kind of experience. However, the creative team of writer Kyle Higgins and artist Eddy Barrows has brought Grayson back to his roots in such a profound way that it couldn’t have been accomplished if he were still acting as Batman.
In this third chapter of the new volume of NIGHTWING, we learn that Mr. Haley (of Haely’s Circus) has passed away as a result of the attack on him by the assassin Seiko -- a fierce killer who knows Dick’s true identity and knows secrets that Grayson himself doesn’t. After Haley’s funeral, we learn about Zane -- a former member of the circus who may have connections to Saiko.
So, Nightwing travels to Chicago to track down Zane. What should have been a simple confrontation turns into a huge problem after Grayson discovers that his former friend has the ability to transmit hallucinatory radio signals. During this “Scarecrow moment,” Nightwing is confronted by his parents, Saiko, and other circus members, trying to break him down. Fortunately, Dick is able to reverse the radio signals and defeat Zane.
I just can’t get over how great the characterization of Dick Grayson is in this series. At one point in this issue, a character states…
“You look forward instead of back, Dick. It’s who you are.”
Isn’t that just a killer line? It says so much about who Dick Grayson is and why he’s different than Bruce Wayne. And while the writing here is stellar, Eddy Barrows’ artwork is really bringing this story to life. He’s doing some great covers, and his interiors continue to have this great “old school” feel that works perfectly with this story in particular. And when we see John and Mary Grayson during the hallucination sequence, they’re wearing very “Nightwing-esque” circus outfits. Little touches like that are greatly appreciated by this particular comic book reviewer.
If there’s one complaint I have about this series right now, is that there’s actually very little mention or integration of the rest of the “Batman family” in this series. While I really enjoy the singular focus on Nightwing’s journey, wouldn’t it have made sense for someone like Bruce (or Alfred, even) to show up during Dick’s hallucinations?
Even with that minor nitpick, the best thing about this title is that it’s first and foremost about Dick Grayson. Very little past continuity or other DCU baggage is getting in the way of Kyle Higgins’ incredible character piece. This book continues to be at the top of my Bat-pull list and I can’t wait for the next issue!
SYNOPSIS: The Big Top comes to the Windy City! After the massive events of issue 2, the circus heads to Chicago – and Dick Grayson is along for the ride! But as Nightwing puts pressure on ex-Haley connections in search for answers about his past, one lead may be far too explosive to handle! Be here as Nightwing takes his quest for the truth to the Second City!
