Nightwing #139 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 139, August 2026

Arguably coming across more like a televised crime drama than a comic book thanks to the soap opera police procedural tone of its narrative, Issue One Hundred And Thirty Nine of “Nightwing” surely held the attention of much of its audience. In fact considering just how closely the titular character is shown working alongside Blüdhaven’s autopsy specialist it’s easy to forget that a Judge has actually supplied the authorities with an arrest warrant for the masked vigilante, ; “I used to work as a pathologist in Gotham. Assisted Batman a few times back in the day. How far have you gotten?”

In addition, Dick Grayson’s investigation into one final unnamed corpse definitely leads the original Boy Wonder down a route few bibliophiles will have seen coming. True, the Catholic priest Bruce Wayne’s heir meets during a stormy night does appear to be particularly insightful – quickly deducing that the millionaire is really the Teen Titan whilst taking his confession. But the notion that the white-haired 'Man of God' is responsible for the cold-blooded murder of Nightwing’s final ‘sodden corpse’ definitely comes straight out of the blue, as does the costumed crimefighter's desperate plea for “an excuse to let you go free.”

Finally, this twenty-two-page periodical’s aforementioned opening in which the city’s “new prosecutor” boldy announces that she believes Grayson’s alter-ego to be a liar and a killer makes for a compulsive read, with the lady's fury at the hero daring to be “seen fraternizing with Superman” genuinely being palpable. Furthermore, it seems very clear that Miss Eastbourne’s contempt for the original Robin is already blinding her to just how thoughtful the man actually is – something which is shown when she brazenly declares he probably doesn’t even know the victims’ names who died in the recent pile-up on the super-highway, and Nightwing unthinkingly lists them off in his mind.

Lastly, Denys Cowan’s gritty-looking pencils really seem to suit this style of storytelling, with all the various sub-plots being pulled together by Francesco Segala’s sombre choice of colours. Of particular note is the sheer arrogance shown upon Miss Eastbourne’s face when she contemptuously makes her statement to the media which should make most onlookers instantly despise her, and definitely look forward to the solicitor’s fall from grace in an upcoming edition.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #139 by Jorge Fornes

Nightwing #138 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 138, July 2026

Initially seeming to pit Dick Grayson’s alter-ego against “something bestial lurking in the forests just outside of Blüdhaven”, Dan Watters’ narrative for Issue One Hundred And Thirty Eight of “Nightwing” appears to be about to dip its toes into one of the intriguing mysteries currently haunting the city’s new super-highway. Indeed, the notion of farmer Jones fending off some deadly bipedal fiend with his shotgun and disconcertingly still coming off second-best suggests that the English writer is rather enthrallingly planning to take his audience on a trip down memory lane for the former whaling town which will raise another unpleasant supernatural link between its violent past and concrete structure obsessed present.

Unfortunately though, a quick blood test at ‘the scene of the last crime’ soon has this fascinating notion shelved for a much more straightforward storyline featuring a crash-landed alien from the Vega system, and resultantly so much of this script’s mystery arguably evaporates almost instantaneously. Now admittedly, the presence of an extra-terrestrial known to have subjugated and experimented upon Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran does lead to a surprise cameo by Starfire herself. But the powerful Teen Titans’ presence also means that the lone Psion invader is quickly dispatched.

Perhaps therefore a much more interesting sub-plot is the notion of Nightwing being sued for Manslaughter by “the families of eight of the deceased” from the recent pile-up upon Blüdhaven’s new super-highway. This private investigation and vilification by Miss Eastbourne appears to be packed full of just the sort of legal casework which could see the titular character lose his vigilante status, and even worse make him a target of the city’s law enforcement department which he has spent so long building up a working relationship with; “If you’re here to intimidate me out of taking this case against you. You’re very much barking up the wrong tree.”

This book’s disappointing departure from the place’s paranormal history also debatably appears to detrimentally affect the layouts of Denys Cowan too, with so much of the twenty-two page periodical becoming a somewhat sedentary, dialogue-drive yarn. To begin with the American artist’s pencilling appears to work so well with farmer Jones’ aforementioned clash with a hungry Psion. Yet as soon as the much more wordy side of the storytelling starts, the poor illustrator is repeatedly tasked with just depicting Nightwing and Starfire in profile making conversation.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #138 by Jorge Fornes

Nightwing #137 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 137, June 2026

Whilst many a bibliophile will doubtless agree it’s always enjoyable to see the original Caped Crusaders working together, those who read Issue One Hundred And Thirty Seven of “Nightwing” will also surely believe that Batman’s presence throughout this comic is also the only good thing about it. Sure, the notion of two snipers besieging Bludhaven Bridge from opposite ends definitely sounds like a solid basis for a modern-day, no-nonsense storyline. But the implausible purpose behind one of the shooters’ actions, and supposed unwillingness to actually kill anyone makes the entire situation rather lack-lustre and unconvincing.; “Even the woman she shot was probably a lucky hit.”

To begin with, this book’s audience are meant to believe that when Ioana gunned down a “public defender” with a single bullet to the head just as she was leaving a taxi, the markswoman was actually purposedly missing her fiancée who was busy working on the flyover’s infrastructure. Such a notion just smacks of Dan Watters being desperate to pen a reason for Commissioner Sawyer to call in her city’s masked vigilante for aid, and then later explain just how Dick Grayson’s alter-ego is only nicked in the face when he subsequently makes himself a plain target by standing still on the viaduct.

Furthermore, it’s not arguably all that clear why the Romanian woman ever agreed to her brother’s plan in the beginning, if she wasn’t going to go through with it and murder the man she loved. The English writer appears determined to mask this misguided motivation with a ghost tale about the pair’s great grand-father being buried alive in the bridge’s foundation as a sacrifice to its stability. However, none of this reasoning is ever properly explored or even shown to be true and debatably makes any spectral machinations behind the gunplay disappointingly meaningless – even if Nightwing does anxiously attempt to convince Batman that without the cold-blooded killings a fatal hairline fissure in the structure would never have been discovered.

Slightly more credible than this periodical’s plot are Denys Cowan’s pencils, which at least help imbue a somewhat statically-based script with a bit of vigour here and there. The comic’s opening view of Bludhaven Bridge being scanned by both Nightwing and Batman is particularly well drawn. Though it does raise the question as to why the Police need to call in the likes of the Dynamic Duo for something that they’re clearly trained to deal with on their own..?

Writer: Dan Watters, Pencils: Denys Cowan, Inks: Norm Rapmund and Colors: Francesco Segala

Nightwing #136 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 136, May 2026

Described by its Burbank-based publisher as “one of the hottest books in the DC Universe”, Dan Watters’ script for Issue One Hundred And Thirty Six of “Nightwing” probably kept the majority of its audience entertained thanks to its intriguing mix of supernatural noir and modern-day motorway mayhem rather than anything its titular character accomplishes. In fact, considering that so much of this twenty-two page periodical is based upon the premise of its lead protagonist simply driving along Blüdhaven’s new super-highway and talking to his mysterious passenger, it’s arguably impressive that the comic is as good as it is.

For one thing, Dick Grayson’s alter-ego doesn’t actually do anything in this book apart from attempt to rationalise (and debatably patronise) the erratic behaviour of the Woman in White he picked up from the centre of the road. This attitude towards his distinctly witchlike companion may well irk some readers, but it rather surprisingly puts them in a better position to understand the lady’s plight than the supposed ‘hero of the hour’ – especially once the publication begins depicting her backstory via flashbacks, which clearly shows her death occurring during a much earlier time, maybe even in the dark, puritan days of the country's colonisation by Europe.

This additional knowledge will doubtless have the odd bibliophile shouting at Nightwing to stop underestimating his eerie passenger right up until the moment the Teen Titan is called upon to help evacuate several injured motorists. Admittedly, some onlookers may well argue that the original Boy Wonder wasn’t responsible for the mass pile-up which occurs following him planning to drive his bloody companion to a hospital. But if the super-hero hadn’t badly miscalculated the paranormal powers clearly at work, he might not have deviated from the route to the “crossroads” which the woman was clearly determined for him to take.

Disappointingly, the layouts of “legendary artist Denys Cowan” don’t debatably do the story justice either, despite the American illustrator apparently doing his best to make a tale set inside the front of a car as dynamic as possible. What does impress though is the subsequent mass crash which sees various vehicles slam into one another from all sorts of horrible angles. Indeed, one can genuinely hear the screech of tyres, the crunch of metal and the smashing of so many glass windscreens from his well-pencilled panels covering this horrendous event.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #136 by Jorge Fornes

Nightwing #135 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 135, April 2026

To be fair, Issue One Hundred And Thirty-Five of “Nightwing” does debatably bring Dan Watters’ “Cirque Du Sin” multi-part storyline to a pretty satisfactory conclusion. Indeed, with the exception of Blüdhaven City’s mayor now being the villainous Bernard Bisogni, and large chunks of the metropolis being in ruins due to “the biggest quake to hit the East Coast since the Cataclysm”, Dick Grayson’s life as a costumed crime-fighter is pretty much back to where it was before he re-encountered the Zanni.

Admittedly, having Barabara Gordon simply state that Spheric Solutions and Olivia Pearce are “gone” isn’t the most convincing explanation as to how a multi-billion dollar advanced weapons company and its headless, zombie owner have disappeared. But at least it helps provide the Justice League, the Flyboiz and the Teddy Gang with an opportunity to work together so as to assist “people in the wake” of the conurbation’s massive misfortune; “My friends prove once more that they have my Town’s back when I need them.”

Furthermore, poor Nightwing-Prime’s sacrifice to stay locked within the Fifth Dimension so he can eternally battle the Zanni seems to be a fairly well thought out solution to bring Grayson’s worries about having to mentor a Superman-like protégé to a rather quick end. Poor Bryce Moran’s presence on Earth was always going to cause a multitude of problems for anyone penning adventures set within the former Whaling Town, as anything other than a Kryptonite-laced disaster could easily be fixed by the meta-human swooping down to save everyone – including Dick. Now though, the youngster can safely develop his special abilities in isolation, whilst simultaneously keeping his fellow children’s dreams free of the sinister clown’s influence.

Lastly, regular artist Dexter Soy returns to provide plenty of tension with his pencils as Nightwing attempts to valiantly escape the Fifth Dimension with all of Blüdhaven’s stolen youngsters via a terrifyingly tall ladder. This ultimate confrontation between the two supposedly long-time adversaries is laced with drama and danger. It’s just a pity that so much of this atmosphere is then debatably lost once Bryce flies in and blasts the disconcerting, spider-like Zanni away from the original Boy Wonder just as things are looking bleak for Grayson.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #135 by Dexter Soy

Nightwing #134 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 134, March 2026

There’s arguably a lot to enjoy with Dan Watters’ storyline for Issue One Hundred And Thirty-Four of “Nightwing”. The comic has the titular character thinking somewhat out of the box in order to defeat his arrogant adversary, there’s a peculiar high-stakes game to be “played for the souls of Bludhaven’s children” which would make both the Joker and Riddler proud, and the book also contains the surprising team-up of the Martian Manhunter and Bat-Girl. But sadly, the notion that the Zanni is disconcertingly able to destroy large parts of Dick Grayson’s metropolis by simply throwing a ball at some tin cans debatably proves a little too super-powered to fit in with the rest of the narrative.

Indeed, if the Fifth Dimensional imp really has such a destructive ability and can level vast swathes of the New Jersey city with a single action, many a bibliophile will surely be asking themselves why he went to such bizarre lengths as to covertly infiltrate the place via Olivia Pearce’s sinister Spheric Solutions in the first place, when he could surely have just smashed a few blocks of real estate into rubble and then informed the original Boy Wonder that he wanted him for his Cirque du Sin’s Ringmaster once the acrobat-turned-crimefighter showed up.?

Furthermore, the Zanni only appears to be defeated by Grayson towards the end of this book because he’s partially disintegrated by Nite-Mite’s gloopy soup first. This solution seems reasonably clever to begin with. However, it will debatably soon dawn upon the audience that it was the “godlike force” who brought “Nightwing's self-declared biggest fan" into the fray in the first place - and seemingly for no obvious reason other than to subsequently provide Batman's former sidekick with the means with which to defeat him.!?!

Fortunately, what does keep the eye riveted are V Ken Marion’s layouts, which genuinely add an aura of tension to the tent scene involving the Zanni and Nightwing throwing balls at a mock replica of Bludhaven. In addition, the aforementioned fully costumed appearance of J'onn J'onzz and Barbara Gordon amidst all the damage and destruction is extremely impactive, and probably caused more than a few of this ongoing series’ readers to suddenly wish for a mini-series featuring the two protagonists; “I think some help has just arrived.”

Writer: Dan Watters, Artist: V Ken Marion, and Colors: Veronica Gandini

Nightwing #133 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 133, February 2026

If Dan Watters’ motivation behind penning the narrative for Issue One Hundred and Thirty Three of “Nightwing” was to give the more brassic bibliophiles buying his book a bit of a financial break for a month by not needing purchase this particular publication, then the English writer’s plan certainly seems to work. True, any fans of the ongoing series will miss a rather unexpected cameo by the Martian Manhunter. But other than the Justice Leaguer helping Dick Grayson’s alter-ego step foot into the Fifth Dimension, arguably nothing else happens of any interest within this entire twenty-two page periodical.

Instead, readers are simply asked to witness a variety of this title’s supporting cast sat around poor Bryce Moran’s rehabilitation bed repeatedly telling the original Boy Wonder that the media’s belief he beheaded Olivia Pearce on local television wasn’t really his fault, and that his reputation would eventually recover. Indeed, perhaps the only one of these sedentary scenes which contains any real plot progression is the apparent imminent departure of Bludhaven’s former mayor who plans to leave the city in order to get “a fresh start.”

By far this comic’s most soporific moment however, debatably comes with the sudden appearance of J'onn J'onzz, who takes a whopping twenty-seven panels to provide Grayson with a gateway leading to the mysterious Cirque du Sin. The pair obviously discuss other matters during this scene, such as what the Zanni did to Nightwing-Prime. Yet so much of their dialogue may still strike this book’s audience as simply 'treading water' so that the lead protagonist can encounter a ghoulish incarnation of Pearce in Nite-Mite’s inter-dimensional reality at this instalment’s end; “And here he is. The Ringmaster. At long last.”

Significantly more scintillating than the script for “A Thing That Should Not Be” has to be V Ken Marion’s layouts, with the concept artist desperately attempting to imbue as much of the magazine as he can with some semblance of life. This approach appears to mainly stem from the illustrator pencilling all the talk around Bryce’s body from as many different angles as possible. Albeit every now and then the man manages to take any onlookers onto the very streets of Bludhaven where Spheric Solutions’ technologically advanced law enforcement officers are dynamically battling the conurbation’s criminal gangs, or its young children are being abducted by the Zanni’s circus.

Writer: Dan Watters, Artist: V Ken Marion, and Colors: Veronica Gandini

Nightwing #132 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 132, January 2026

If there’s one distinct difference between Dick Grayson’s attitude towards fighting crime as opposed to Bruce Wayne’s, it’s that the Dark Knight’s ‘heir apparent’ appears far more emotional when it comes to tackling his opponents, and Nightwing’s behaviour in “Slap Stick” appears to prove this point rather nicely. In fact, Olivia Pearce’s diabolical plan appears to solely rely upon that very fact as a clearly enraged guardian of Blüdhaven allows his temper to get the better of him and unwisely races into a deadly confrontation with Spheric Solutions’ boss in full view of the city’s media; “Cut it! Cut it! We apologise for these violent images -- We didn’t expect on a live feed --”

Sadly however, the grisly conclusion to this sinister spectacle appears a little rushed, and may well leave a few readers wondering whether Dan Watters’ willingness to cut short a couple of this comic’s sub-plots was a little impatient of him – such as the rather intriguing notion of the woman wearing a suit whose smart fibres had read Grayson’s “every motion” whilst he battled Nite-Mite’s bemusing takeover of Titans Tower. Considering that Pearce herself was a former Circus performer, this notion alone could easily have populated an entire twenty-two-page publication, as the two went toe-to-toe across the roof-tops of the former whaling town.

In addition the rather ghoulish revelation that Olivia is actually a headless zombie also appears to have been swiftly brushed under the carpet, to allow Nightwing to angrily face the Zanni at the book’s conclusion. So terrifying an eye-opener doesn’t disappointingly lead to Dick realising he’s possibly unable to defeat someone who is Undead, or lead to the original Boy Wonder facing down a gaggle of walking, flesh-eating cadavers. But instead is simply used by the British author to fool the press into thinking that Nightwing has somehow killed his foe before the metropolis’ television cameras.

Perhaps far more palatable than the penmanship is therefore Dexter Soy’s pencilling, which does a first-rate job of depicting the pulse-pounding fury flowing through the titular character's veins from start to finish. This is clearly a Teen Titan focused upon simply tracing down the Zanni, and resultantly a protagonist who is extremely vulnerable to being manipulated into certain situations. Furthermore, the sheer weight of the super-hero’s frustration when he does finally find his real opponent is superbly sketched, especially once Grayson realises it has come at the cost of a person’s life.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #132 by Dexter Soy

Nightwing #131 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 131, December 2025

Despite Nightwing teaming up with an eleven-year-old who appears to have all the powers of Superman, Dan Watters’ script for this particular twenty-two-page periodical may well surprise its readers by not just relying upon Bryce Moran rescuing Dick Grayson’s acrobatic alter-ego whenever the masked vigilante finds himself in trouble. Indeed, for much of the titular character’s battle against Killer Moth, the ‘Kryptonian’ largely stays in the shadows, simply watching how his mentor reacts to Drury Walker's somewhat over-the-top antics until the unexpected arrival of the Clean-Cut Crew; “He’s still coming to grips with his powers. But all things considered he’s doing a great job.”

Furthermore, the English author rather quickly evens up the power gap between Bludhaven’s latest metahuman and the sinister Spheric Solutions, by depicting its owner Olivia Pearce quickly taking advantage of the fact that “Kryptonite isn’t as rare a resource as it used to be”, and arming one of her Wanderer Robots with a ray-gun specifically powered by the deadly radioactive mineral. Such a plot device genuinely adds some vulnerability to an otherwise invincible protagonist, and allows the writer to subsequently tap into the kid's very evident flaw that he simply doesn’t know how to protect himself.

Lastly, Issue One Hundred And Thirty One of “Nightwing” also contains a nice little ‘personality piece’ between the vigilante and his metropolis’ increasingly amiable Police Commissioner. This relationship is still a far cry from that experienced between Jim Gordon and Batman in the dark days of Gotham City, but it shows a definite drop in hostilities. In fact, Maggie Sawyer actually calls on Grayson’s help to investigate a sudden flurry of missing children, and even acknowledges that Dick was correct in suspecting “the CEO of Spheric Solutions” formerly worked for the super criminal gang Cirque Du Sin.

Similarly as successful is Dexter Soy’s artwork, which does a very nice job of switching from this comic’s sedentary, dialogue driven scenes with those packed full of pulse-pounding pace. In addition, the illustrator somehow manages to capture poor Bryce being trapped inside a heavily-muscled man’s body by imbuing him with the subtle movements any onlooker would expect from a bored youngster who has been told to read “Forensic Pathology And Toxicology – An Introduction” rather than fly around in outer space.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #131 by Dexter Soy

Nightwing #130 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 130, November 2025

Seeing as the first part of Dan Watters’ storyline for Issue One Hundred And Thirty of “Nightwing” deals with the titular character fighting a seemingly never ending battle against the corruption of wannabe Mayor Bernard Bisogni, whilst its later pages explore a potential Superman-level threat to Bludhaven, many a bibliophile may well view this comic as containing two rather contrasting halves. And resultantly, may then feel that the book’s initial ‘deep dive’ into the shady politician’s dealings with the Blockbuster Gang fits in far better with Dick Grayson’s street-level alter-ego, than a being whose very presence alone warrants the dramatic arrival of the Justice League; “You don’t need any help tracking down your faux Kryptonian?”

Unfortunately however, it is this second plot-thread which the English writer seemingly chooses to put the more effort into by having the original Boy Wonder rather unconvincingly decide that young Bryce Moran should remain as “an aspiring hero with incredible power” - albeit with the Teen Titan as his mentor. This decision debatably comes completely out of the blue, and seems to go against everything Grayson was planning to do – even to the point of bringing Night-Hare with him to show the fake Van-Zee that in his present super-powered state he might hurt the little critter by accident.

In addition, the London-born author also tries to ‘push’ the responsibility of the ill-advised choice onto the youngster’s shoulders, by penning Dick feeling that the former juvenile criminal has somehow made a “good point” and that the city’s guardian had somehow been talked into letting the boy remaining as he is. Neither of which the lad actually does. Indeed, the 'youngster in a man’s body' appears to agree with Nightwing’s belief that he should revert back to his true self, and is a millisecond away from drinking a drop of Bat-Mite Soup when he’s stopped from doing so.

Somewhat surprisingly though, regular artist Dextor Soy’s contribution to this publication also seems to be equally ‘hit or miss’, with the Filipino doing a first-rate job on the vast majority of this comic’s pencilling, until he strangely begins giving the likes of Wonder Woman, Superman and Bryce some disconcertingly doe-shaped, almost romantic-looking eyes. Whether this technique is used to perhaps show innocence or goodness on behalf of these individuals is difficult to say. But the style does debatably jar with that used to draw the aforementioned Bisogni much earlier in the book.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #130 by Dexter Soy

Nightwing #129 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 129, October 2025

Whilst Barbara Gordon is entirely right that “things work differently in the Fifth Dimension -- in ways unimaginable and indescribable to our Fourth-Dimensional minds”, it doesn’t mean that having Dan Watters pen Nite-Mite’s corruption of Titans Tower being resolved by Alfred Pennyworth’s recipe for chicken soup will sit particularly well with many within this comic’s audience. Indeed, the entire analogy of Dick Grayson supposedly being the chicken and Nightwing’s heavily mutated pet dog Hayley being the vegetables probably struck many a bibliophile as being something of an incomprehensible, utterly bemusing mess.

Similarly as disconcerting though has to be the distinct lack of information as to what happened to Dyxl in the first place. It’s clear from Oracle’s narration that the fifth dimensional imp is in pain and “in a panic, he built Titanis” using “whatever material was at hand”. However, just what caused the injury in the first place is never explored leaving the reader to ponder whether the titular character’s “self-declared biggest fan” was attacked by the malevolent Zanni or perhaps innocently lured across to our universe by Olivia Pearce and her sinister Spheric Solutions.?

Lastly, when Nite-Mite does finally calm down enough to fully restore the likes of Hayley and Titans Tower back to their former glory, why does Bryce Moran remain in the form of Van-Zee, and fly off to stand vigil over Blüdhaven from orbit..? Obviously the eleven-year-old boy is desperately keen to keep hold of the abilities of Superman’s cousin and help save the world. But how he’s able to retain the Kryptonian’s powers after everything else inside the T-shaped facility is restored is not clarified – unless perhaps Dyxl inconveniently fell asleep before having a chance to transform him back to a child again.  

One person who does appear to be thoroughly enjoying Watters’ narrative for this twenty-six-page periodical is Dexter Soy, who is clearly having fun pencilling a giant rabid dog-monster, a huge multi-tentacled blob, a decidedly dodgy-looking Night-Hare and an imposing Van-Zee. In fact, some fans may well argue that this comic is worth its cover price alone simply for the humorous interior illustrations, even if the customer isn’t particularly won over by the book’s actual 'Wizard Of Oz' storyline.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #129 by Dexter Soy with Adriano Lucas

Nightwing #128 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 128, September 2025

It’s probably fair to say that in penning a tale set within a fifth dimensional event, Dan Watters arguably felt that he could include practically anything inside his storyline for Issue One Hundred And Twenty Eight of “Nightwing”. However, whilst the surprise inclusion of Van-Zee – the Nightwing-Prime of Kandor may well have delighted some within this comic’s audience, the twenty-two-page periodical’s overarching plot must surely have left the vast majority of its readers both baffled and bewildered; “They’re normally docile hunter-gatherers. What’s gotten into them?”

Indeed, so much of Dick Grayson’s utterly bizarre adventures within this book must simply be accepted by its customers as simply being part of Nite-Mite’s madness without the publication’s English writer even trying to provide them with any sort of explanation. This lack of context may well work for the first few times, such as when the titular character suddenly encounters a hallway filled full of Deathwing replicas. But the notion that Batman’s original Robin has then somehow been reduced in size to that of one of the Kryptonians “that was shrunk down and collected by Brainiac” and is subsequently forced to flee deadly drawings of himself that he scribbled down as a child is debatably much too much.

Likewise the London-born author would also have his followers believe that having rescued Nightwing from the aforementioned horde of duplicate dollotrons, Van-Zee would inexplicably betray Grayson to a multi-limbed abomination of the masked vigilante's pet dog as he is apparently threatening everything. This despicable behaviour appears to make no sense whatsoever, and genuinely begs the question as to why the “cousin of Superman” wouldn’t have just left Dick to fight his own battles, or even pushed him out of his miniscule spacecraft when the ship was first attacked by the aforementioned sketches of the Boy Wonder.?

Perhaps just as unhelpful as this comic’s script are Dexter Soy’s layouts, which disappointingly provide few visual clues as to what’s happening either. For example, one moment it appears that the miniature Kryptonian dwells within the crooks and crevices of Titans Tower, maintaining law and order by racing through the smallest of the building's channels and funnels. And then suddenly the so-called “hero” is shown flying over some sort of massive, forested landscape which somehow sits between the state-of-the-art facility’s front entranceway and its holding cells.?

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #128 by Dexter Soy with Adriano Lucas

Nightwing #127 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 127, August 2025

Whilst Dan Watters’ narrative for Issue One Hundred And Twenty Seven of “Nightwing” certainly seems to bounce along at a brisk pace with its zesty mix of personal issues, headlong rushes to hospital and “something monstrous” taking over the former Titans Tower, this twenty-two-page periodical’s plot probably didn’t win over all that many of the ongoing title’s regular readers. In fact, considering that Dick Grayson’s costumed alter-ego doesn’t actually fight anything within the confines of this comic, a fair few of the mask-wearing vigilante’s long-standing followers were most likely a little bemused by the book’s lack of flamboyant fisticuffs. 

Of course, that isn’t to say that “Other” doesn’t contain plenty of sense-shattering moments to keep its audience fully immersed, such as Spheric Solutions' plan to use their latest technology to help rid Blüdhaven of its sudden, highly convenient Fifth Dimensional menace. But this book debatably just continues to build up to a confrontation between the titular character and his metropolis’ towering, multi-eyed menace without ever actually depicting the original Boy Wonder throwing one of his “sticks” in anger; “We’ve developed Kappa-irradiated equipment, in case of an incursion from just such a theoretical realm.”

Similarly as unpersuasive is debatably the English author’s claim that Nightwing hasn’t bothered speaking to his sister in some time, despite the Mayor giving “free rein” to a posse of “evil police robots” which are currently roaming the former whaling town’s streets. Such a disconcerting omission on Grayson’s part is simply written off as being on the young man’s long list of ‘things to do’. However, it’s clear that for the purpose of this storyline the two siblings must be kept apart because otherwise Dick is bound to help break down the woman’s hypnotised state after she previously saw Olivia Pearce’s true face.

This somewhat frustrating atmosphere of the publication being a bit of a ‘filler’ can also be seen in some of Dexter Soy’s panels, where the undoubted prodigious penciller repeatedly provides the yarn with splash pages to show off the formidable height of the aforementioned numerously tentacled purple horror attacking Titans Tower. In addition, it takes the illustrator a whopping five pages to depict the main protagonist both getting ready and then actually entering his old headquarters’ ground floor.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #127 by Dexter Soy with Adriano Lucas

Nightwing #126 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 126, July 2025

Despite not containing some super-powered arch-villain desperate to conquer the planet or even a citywide threat to Blüdhaven’s well-being, Dan Watters’ narrative for Issue One Hundred And Twenty Six of “Nightwing” should still have kept its fans thoroughly entertained. Indeed, this ‘deep dive’ into Commissioner Margaret Sawyer’s private life and strained relationship with Dick Grayson’s alter-ego, is packed with plenty of drama, action and somewhat surprising sentimentality too; “Maybe if you worked with him you wouldn’t need robots.”

Furthermore, the English writer provides this twenty-two-page periodical with an intriguing investigation into the long-dead Captain Hollow’s recent resurrection, and just how his legend has been outrageously abused by four corrupt ex-cops looking to have their revenge upon any officer they feel has slighted them in the present day. Such an enthralling central plot genuinely should hold the attention of even the most cursory onlooker flipping through this comic at their local store, and certainly helps imbue the book’s more sedentary sequences with some much-needed underlying urgency once it becomes clear that Maggie is next on the merciless murderers’ kill list.

Likewise, the London-born author also manages to use this storyline to show just how scared the young children of Blüdhaven actually are of all the Commissioner’s latest state-of-the-art technology, rather than feeling reassured by Spheric Solutions’ towering two-legged robots. This viewpoint clearly alarms Sawyer and is contrary to the reason why she was so grateful to Olivia Pearce’s company for the extra firepower in the first place – a change of stance which the secondary character takes with her throughout the publication and clearly begins to cause her some serious doubts and apprehension by the story’s end.

Perhaps this comic’s greatest asset though lies with the pencilling and colours of Francesco Francavilla, who provides the script with some hauntingly dark moments whenever the ‘ghost’ of Captain Hollow makes a ghoulish appearance. In addition, his use of a series of smaller panels towards the conclusion of this book definitely provides it with some extra pace, and makes little Claire’s last minute rescue by Nightwing all the more impactive as the original Robin just manages to swing the tiny girl to safety at the very last second.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #126 by Dexter Soy with Adriano Lucas

Nightwing #125 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 125, June 2025

It is probably a safe bet that quite a few readers did a double take when they first opened up Issue One Hundred And Twenty Five of “Nightwing”, fearing that they had somehow missed a previous instalment or two. For whilst Dan Watter’s script for “Good Cop/Bad Cop” does actually continue the titular character’s fight against the sinister Spheric Solutions’ increasing grip upon Blüdhaven’s Police Department, the entire feel of this particular twenty-two-page periodical is arguably very different from what has taken place before.

For starter’s the comic exclusively focuses upon the murder of Frank Dietrich just after the cop has finished drinking inside Hogan’s Alley bar. This cold-blooded killing undeniably provides the English writer with an opportunity to explore the growing tension between the titular character and Commissioner Maggie Sawyer. But rather intriguingly also allows him to side-line Dick Grayson in order to tell much of the story from the perspective of Superman's former primary police contact instead – something which rather cleverly allows the narrative to emit a palpable sense of distrust amongst the officers in her district.

In addition, on the face of it this book contains a good old-fashioned ghost story, which rests upon the basic premise of a long dead police office returning from beyond the grave to “strike down those who betray Blüdhaven’s law.” Such a plot genuinely smacks of the boogey-man, and whilst many within the publication’s audience will already be anticipating that the gunman will eventually be revealed as someone entirely mortal, the suggestion of long-dead Captain Hallow being a spectral assassin makes for some enthralling entertainment.

Lastly, it is impossible not to mention the prodigiously pencilled layouts of Francesco Francavilla, whose instantly recognisable art style undeniably adds an extra layer of the macabre to all of this comic’s events. Of particular note has to be the design of the mask-wearing murderer who envelopes his victims in a swirling smog, before shooting them at point-blank range with a revolver. However, the Italian illustrator is also extremely good at imbuing so many of this story’s characters with the odd side look and uncertain glance which should make any bibliophiles doubt the sincerity of their words and actions; "Heading out, Commish..?"

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #125 by Dexter Soy with Adriano Lucas

Nightwing #124 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 124, May 2025

Whilst “DC Comics” solicitation synopsis for Issue One Hundred and Twenty Four of “Nightwing” might bare little resemblance to the comic’s actual contents, Dan Watters’ narrative for the book probably still managed to successfully maintain the interest of its readers. In fact, “Ringmaster” contains a rather clever plot device to ensure that the titular character’s usual aura of invincibility is well and truly shattered by the time Dick Grayson makes an unwise stand against Spheric Solutions latest fully-automated police robot; “Hey, Big Boy. I know your CPU is a test animal, so I’d rather go easy on you…”

Furthermore, the English writer quite cleverly brings the Zanni and his nefarious sounding Cirque du Sin to the fore by penning that the Fifth Dimensional Imp can now be clearly seen by the original Robin due to the super-hero’s severe blood loss. Such a move really helps to raise the already high stakes for the ongoing tale’s overall storyline, as well as making it crystal clear that Batman’s former Boy Wonder is no longer facing just a mortal adversary who wants to take over Blüdhaven. But rather a far more omnipotent “ancient conceptual being born from humanity’s earliest attempts at performance.”

In addition, despite there being no sign of the “heist” upon Olivia Pearce’s sinister Corporation as promised by its Burbank-based publisher, this twenty-two-page periodical still manages to include a little bit of adrenaline-fuelled action towards its end during Nightwing’s aforementioned fight against a Wanderer-01s Robot. Admittedly some critics of this particular publication might suggest the short-lived battle is rather ‘too little, too late.’ However, due to Grayson’s weakened condition, the confrontation’s build-up is arguably just as exciting as the fracas which follows Dick’s impetuous motorbike ride, and also provides Watters with the opportunity to give his audience a bit of a shock ending – courtesy of little Bryce.

Of course so much of the anticipation behind these final panels would be far less if it wasn’t for Dexter Soy’s attention-grabbing pencilling. The artist proves particularly prodigious at providing any onlooker with a tantalising insight into the shadowy world of the Zanni, most notably when Blüdhaven’s protector is either racing to save the Teddy Gang from a well-orchestrated massacre, or later when he sees a circus elephant charging straight at him rather than Spheric Solutions’ killer automaton.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #124 by Dexter Soy with Veronica Gandini

Nightwing #123 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 123, April 2025

Despite Issue One Hundred and Twenty Three of “Nightwing” not containing many of the fanciful, acrobatic assaults fans of Dick Grayson’s alter-ego are most likely used to, Dan Watters’ script for “Dropping Like Flies” should still have kept the majority of its readers absolutely hooked upon the titular character’s “plan to save Blüdhaven’s streets from a bloody war.” Indeed, the Teen Titan’s claustrophobic encroachment of the Flyboiz new underground lair provides plenty of pulse-pounding moments, even when the former Boy Wonder is simply rifling through some long-forgotten, heavily eradiated caskets; “I think the city secretly put them here. Under ten feet of concrete so they wouldn’t soak into the earth.”

Naturally, this sequence does ultimately lead to the original Robin facing off against a heavily mutated monster which is both physically unimpressed by the super-hero’s feisty kick to its neck area, as well as subsequently joined by a disconcerting horde of equally formidable-looking creatures. But the actual build-up to this terrifying confrontation is incredibly well-penned by the English author, and would arguably be no less enthralling if the central protagonist didn’t encounter anything more deadly than the surprisingly cute Bugdog – “One of Dr. Probozzcizz’z early experimentzz.”

Similarly as scintillating as these subterranean spectacles though is the palpable energy generated by Spheric Solutions overt squeezing of Mayor Grayson-Lin in view of the politician’s decreasing popularity with her municipal’s voters. Obviously the company’s insanely advanced technology appears to be the simple answer to the mayor's problems. However, considering that Dick’s sister somewhat suspects that Olivia Pearce is as untrustworthy as they come, it’s still entirely plausible that Melinda will take some disagreeable steps in order to “protect those in my care”; especially with an election just around the corner.

Lastly, artist Dexter Soy’s contribution to this twenty-two page periodical’s success cannot be overstated either. Along with Colorist Veronica Gandini, the illustrator provides a suitably dank and dire bunker for Nightwing to explore. In addition, the almost comatose, vegetating Flyboiz which litter the hideout are very well envisaged, and add a great deal to the almost profound stench of death which haunts all of the unholy facility’s nightmarish scenes.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #123 by Dexter Soy with Veronica Gandini

Nightwing #122 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 122, March 2025

There’s certainly a lot to enjoy when it comes to Dan Watters’ writing on Issue One Hundred And Twenty Two of “Nightwing”, including his well-penned flashback to a time when the titular character was just a youngster and learning the ropes alongside the World’s Greatest Detective. However, perhaps the biggest ‘hook’ to “Little Circus Boy” doesn’t lie with its nostalgic trip back into the past with the original Caped Crusaders, but in the present as Dick Grayson’s Bludhaven collapses about his ears into a full-on crime war despite the young man’s desperate protestations that Spheric Solutions are actually the ones behind all the bombs and damage.

Indeed, the surprise on the Teen Titan’s face when he discovers that a direct attack upon the Melville Police Precinct was unexpectedly perpetrated by a green-skinned flyboi, and not some nefarious agent of Olivia Pearce’s company is perfectly palpable. This shock is genuinely upsetting for both super-hero and reader alike, and makes the subsequent weight shown sitting upon the former acrobat’s shoulders as he gloomily surveys his conurbation from the abandoned Titan Tower all the more impactive and foreboding; “I thought I could do things different, Babs. The violence stalled for a bit. But… The bloodshed continues. Maybe everything’s just going to keep getting worse.”

Of course, the highlight of this twenty-two-page comic is its aforementioned return to the days when Grayson was the Boy Wonder, and together with Batman he tackled Colombina and the Cirque Du Sin. This skirmish is perhaps understandably brief and inconclusive, yet still manages to take the audience back to an arguably simpler (and perhaps better) time when the Dark Knight did far more punching than thinking, and Robin was perhaps something of an adolescent liability.

Also at the very top of his game is Dexter Soy, who along with colorist Veronica Gandini absolutely nails the grimy, old school feel of Dick’s world working alongside the Gotham City's protector. Possibly therefore this book’s sole disappointment comes in just how physically alike Commissioner Sawyer and Pearce appear, as for a long while it may seem to some bibliophiles that Nightwing is accusing Olivia straight to her face atop a high-rise building, as opposed to him merely discussing his theories with the head of Bludhaven’s police force.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #122 by Dexter Soy with Veronica Gandini

Nightwing #121 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 121, February 2025

On the face of it Dan Watters’ storyline for Issue One Hundred And Twenty One of “Nightwing” might well be viewed as a fairly run of the mill affair, where the gifted acrobat manages to easily outfight both the remnants of the Teddy Gang and some “powered-up Spheric police officers”. Indeed, the more critical of this comic’s followers could argue that the titular character could easily be swapped out for any number of “DC Comics” street-level metahumans and the adventure wouldn't suffer an iota as a result; “Would you hate me if I said I was a little surprised you took me up on my offer of a private tour?”

However, that would be doing “Beast Wagon” a massive injustice as the English author pours a tremendous amount of emotional energy into Dick Grayson, and resultantly should have caused many a reader to have been hanging on to very back of Batman’s first Robin as he desperately attempts to keep Mama Bear’s adolescent survivors safe whilst motorcycling away from the murderous clutches of Bludhaven Police Department’s jet-pack wearing goon squad. Such intensity really is extraordinarily well-penned and almost demands that any onlooker becomes immediately invested in the main lead’s stance to do the right thing for the citizens, whether criminals or not, under his protection.

Similarly as enthralling, though obviously far less adrenalin-fuelled, is this book’s sub-plot depicting an ‘undercover’ Grayson successfully wooing Olivia Pearce to the point where he can clone her personal hard drive. Things certainly look like they’re all going in the right direction as Oracle attempts to penetrate its “Pentagon encryption”. But the sinister shadow of the Zanni is still made ever present and intimidating, thanks largely to artist Dexter Soy cleverly concealing the Fifth Dimensional Imp's ever-watching face into the odd panel.

In fact, the Filipino illustrator is at the top of their game for this twenty-two page periodical, prodigiously pencilling both its fast-paced punch-ups and road chases, as well as its more sedentary scenes such as Dick’s aforementioned flirting with Pearce. All of these sequences cleverly help deliver the emotional turmoil the super-hero is going through, and helps emphasise his earnest desire to ensure another kid isn’t unnecessarily killed on his turf.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #121 by Dexter Soy with Veronica Gandini

Nightwing #120 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 120, January 2025

Keeping Dick Grayson’s alter-ego largely in this comic’s spotlight, Dan Watters’ script for Issue One Hundred And Twenty of “Nightwing” certainly should have entertained its readers with a good mixture of adrenalin-fuelled action and emotional insight into the costumed crimefighter’s psyche. Sure, the English writer’s premise of a villainous company executive placing “deadly experimental weapons in the hands of the city’s oh-so-corrupt police force” isn’t perhaps the most original of ideas. However, also placing the nefarious Spheric Solutions behind Bludhaven’s current all-out gang war is arguably a stroke of genius, and one that makes the notion of jet-pack wearing police officers mercilessly gunning down fourteen year old kids with technology-advanced ray-guns traumatically terrifying.

Furthermore, the idea of Batman’s first protégé risking all for a white, whiskered rabbit will doubtless make many a bibliophile smile despite the increasing seriousness of the storyline. Desperate to allay the cute, yet clearly badly traumatised animal, the titular character instinctively brings the fluffy victim of Olivia Pearce's cybernetic experimentations back home with him – rather forgetting that he already has a beloved pet dog waiting for his return; “Haley! Down! He. Is not. Breakfast!”

Finally, the London-born author also makes it abundantly clear that Nightwing is not dealing with a stereotypical big businesswoman who simply believes her enormous fortune can buy her anything she wants. But rather someone who can easily manipulate the media for her own ends, and use them to stir up the turf battle Grayson is so determined to thwart. Indeed, the fact that Dick knows Pearce’s corporation is setting up the Teddies to die along with the rest of the municipality's surviving gangsters, yet can do little about it, shows just how influential and deadly Spheric Solutions has already become.

Dexter Soy also needs a congratulatory slap on the back for prodigiously pencilling all this drama with great gusto and flare. Whether it be the former Robin bravely battling a giant robot, running for cover with a rabbit tucked under his arm, or realising that Bludhaven Police Department have mercilessly killed a teenager wearing a monkey mask, the Filipino illustrator does a fantastic job of imbuing all of his figures with dynamic life and, where needed, convincing emotion.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #120 by Dexter Soy