Nightwing #79 Review

by Carlos R. on April 20, 2021

Nightwing #79 Cover Image
Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Bruno Redondo
Colors by: Adriano Lucas
Lettered by: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics

Welp. I guess I’m a Nightwing fan now.

I had way too much fun reading this issue; It’s cheerful and tragic and just about everything you could want from a great comic. We pick up from where last issue left off with Dick having inherited a fortune from Alfred and contemplating what the best use of his newly inherited resources will be.

I like Taylor’s methodical approach to this new chapter in Dick’s life. There’s a struggle for Nightwing to grasp the concept of his wealth, sometimes adding to the humor of the story as Dick forgets he’s wealthy, and of course he jumps in to do what he feels is best when the opportunity presents itself and goes above and beyond. Dick mentions believing Bruce could do more for Gotham as himself than as Batman which resonates much with today’s societal issues. Obviously, there’s still action in this book and the pacing doesn’t suffer from the still, conversational moments, but I like that punching the problem seems to be taking a back seat in this series. There are some wonderful moments when Dick’s made the butt of the joke by being bamboozled by kids or being made fun of in their Bat family group chat (which is beyond adorable and heartwarming). These lighter moments add a layer of depth to these characters and makes it all the more heartbreaking when we turn that corner into the sinister happenings in Blüdhaven.

This is one of those books that you are completely in your rights to judge by its cover, because good lord is it gorgeous. The pink glow is so eye-catching and once you see it, you’ll have no choice but to pick it up. AND THAT OPENING PAGE! My gosh it’s brilliant, I love the transitions throughout Dick’s life through his acrobatics. The use of light is gorgeous and all about the way the pink hues bounce off Dick’s costume. Redondo displays a lot of these characters personalities through their postures and movements, not to mention their expressions. Dick tends to slouch slightly when being made fun of or feeling unsure and you can see the shift in confidence when he stands up straight and has his arms out wide. The transition to more horrific scenes is subtle as the vibrant colors shift panel to panel to a deeper red before shifting back to blue.

I can’t recommend this series enough, there are a ton of books out this week that are beyond fantastic and you should definitely hop on the Nightwing train if you haven’t already!
 

Our Score:

9/10

A Look Inside