Nightwing #111 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 111, April 2024

Portraying Dick Grayson as a much more emotionally intelligent, thoughtful crime-fighter than his Gotham City-based mentor, Issue One Hundred and Eleven of “Nightwing” is arguably a much slower, more sedentary affair than the former Robin’s usual fast-paced, acrobatic adventures. Indeed, apart from a brief glimpse of Batman battling some goons on the Docks, Tom Taylor relies solely upon conversations and dialogue to push his twenty-two page plot along to a rather startingly cliff-hanger; “The last thing I need is a damn superhero looking too closely!”

However, this slow(ish) speed seemingly suits the nature of the titular character’s investigation into Heartless’ apparent departure from Bludhaven and subsequent incursion into the Dark Knight’s metropolis, as it allows the storytelling to take on an almost police procedural quality. This ‘by the book’ atmosphere genuinely helps sell the trauma experienced by poor little Iko Wahid, whose father has been savagely slain by Shelton Lyle’s deadly alter-ego, and also allows the audience to observe some significant similarities between the Teen Titan’s upbringing under the wing of Bruce Wayne and the orphan’s future in the company of his Uncle Loc.

Furthermore, this comic contains a solid scene between the Caped Crusader and his protégé concerning the former Circus performer’s inexplicable sudden fear of heights. Proficiently pencilled by artist Sami Basri, this discussion atop a high-rise building shows just how vulnerable Grayson has shockingly become without being able to “jump” from any great height, and provides Batman with an opportunity to show his heartfelt concern that he one-time prodigious highflyer is now reduced to simply ‘taking the stairs’ in order to reach the Coroner’s Office.

Quite possibly this book’s biggest draw though may well be Michael W. Conrad’s short story “The Son of Gray”, which comes completely out of the blue to transport this publication’s devotees to Fourteenth Century Normandy during the Bubonic Plague. Reading like an “Elseworlds” tale and featuring both the art and colours of legendary illustrator Francesco Francavilla, this enthralling two-parter sees a revenge-filled “Grayson” facing off against an utterly insane Joker – who sees himself as some sort of pious bishop who has carte blanche to brutally slay everyone in the name of God.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #111 by Bruno Redondo