Last month’s issue of
NIGHTWING focused more on Dick Grayson’s relationship with Barbara Gordon than the overall story arc, so I was extremely anxious for issue #5 to pick things back up. And of course, writer Kyle Higgins didn’t disappoint. Not only does the story pick up, it reveals some things that I can’t wait to see dealt with as this arc comes to a close in a few months.
The story begins with Haly’s Circus on its way to New Orleans, and it looks like yet another connection to the traveling show’s past is going to cause trouble for Nightwing. What I’m really enjoying about having Grayson follow the circus around is that he’s got to come up with new ways to maintain his secret identity. Ensuring that his “storage car” is on the caboose of the train, so he’ll be able to slip in and out as Nightwing? Great stuff.
Anyway, as the circus prepares for their performance, we learn that Jimmy -- the “clown” of the show -- is having some issues. These “problems” come to a head during that night’s performance when a giant, rhyming demon kidnaps him and takes off. Now, this demon isn’t Etrigan but I can’t help but wonder if there’s a connection. Regardless, Nightwing tracks them down and we find out the reason behind the abduction. It turns out that Jimmy had an obsessed girlfriend in New Orleans with connections to these sorts of dark creatures.
Although I’m sure that description sounds a bit out there, it looks a lot better on the printed page. It works with the kind of story Higgins has been telling so far, and Eddy Barrows’ artwork pushes the dark atmosphere and really sells Nightwing’s confrontation with this demon. As expected, our hero is able to outwit the beast, send him back to whatever netherworld he came from, and get rid of Jimmy’s crazy girlfriend.
The revelations at the end of the issue were shockers, to say the least. After learning the identity of Saiko and that Raya is involved raises a whole heap of questions that I can’t wait to get some answers to. And let’s not forget -- the purpose of the mysterious “Book of Names” has yet to be revealed. This run on NIGHTWING has still got me hooked, and I’m pleased to be so. Here’s to next month!
SYNOPSIS: With winter closing in, Haly's Circus hits New Orleans! But as Dick Grayson gets closer in his search for answers about the mystery of the circus, it's not just the temperature that heats up. And just how does a voodoo ritual gone bad factor in? Find out as Nightwing takes the Big Easy!
