Nightwing #113 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 113, June 2024

As landmark three hundredth issues go, Tom Taylor’s script for this particular twenty-two page comic probably struck many of its readers as being a bit too dialogue driven for such an impressive milestone. True, the book does start off with the exhilarating spectacle of the three Robins teaming up together so as to thwart an illegal armaments delivery at Gotham City docks. But the trio of Batman’s proteges understandably soon make short work of their opponents, and what then follows is an awful lot of talking; “Can you wrap up with the Police here? Oracle has been up all night directing some of the Titans in Bialya.”

Indeed, considering that “DC Comics” proudly proclaimed how the titular character had worked “alongside the universe’s most powerful heroes, against existence’s most sinister villains” in its solicitation synopsis, the Australian author’s decision to pen a simple story about Dick Grayson being publicly honoured for his good Samaritan work at a charity event instead of battling one of the foremost members of his Rogue’s Gallery, such as Blockbuster or Tarantula, is debatably a bit head-scratching.

Similarly as disappointing though has to be the decision to have Daniele Di Nicuolo pencil this publication’s layouts. The co-creator of Jeff the Land Shark’s somewhat cartoony art style works incredibly well for this comic’s aforementioned action-packed opening, with the heroes’ deadly, night-time arrests coming across as rapier-fast as a bibliophile would expect from such highly-skilled acrobatic crime-fighters. However, when it comes to Taylor’s much slower, word-heavy sequences, the Italian illustrator debatably seems to struggle to maintain any sense of pace with the scenes.

Impressively however, the same cannot be said for the speed at which “00:01” carries its audience along as this comic’s secondary tale. Penned by Michael W. Conrad and superbly sketched by Howard Porter, this tale of Nightwing desperately attempting to penetrate a gang of clown-faced goons intent on blowing up a tube train rolls along at a genuine breath-taking speed. In fact, some may well wish that this thrill-a-panel joyride had been expanded upon so as to become this book’s main yarn, whilst Grayson’s nostalgic trip to Marv and George’s Pizza place after his award ceremony was significantly truncated.

Writers: Tom Taylor & Marv Wolfman, and Artists: Daniele Di Nicuolo & Bruno Redondo