As revealed earlier this month, the current Nightwing run will soon begin its last arc in just a few months as Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo depart the series for other work. It’s a move that’s already been set into motion, with Nightwing #111 serving as the official beginning of the end. Though it’s technically not part of the “Fallen Grayson” arc that begins with Nightwing #114, Taylor’s script here begins moving the final pieces into place for a substantial finale.
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The thing is, Taylor uses Batman to help tell Nightwing’s story. Though it isn’t necessarily a full origin, we see Dick’s roots for the umpteenth time. That angle is far from necessary, yet it works. Not only that, it works exceptionally well as the story tugs at your heartstrings. Perhaps it’s use of simultaneous timelines, mirroring Dick’s upbringing and that of Iko Wahid. It’s one gut punch after the next, and leaves you feeling for the young protagonist.
Then there’s the work of the art team. Though they’ve each spent some time on Nightwing, the art of the issue really stands out. Between Batman and the setting shifting to Gotham, there’s something about the grime and grit of Basri’s lineart to pushes the story to an entirely different level. Hundreds of artists have drawn the Caped Crusader for DC Comics and frankly, this team should be among the best of the best to do it.
Most importantly, Nightwing #111 taps into exactly what made Taylor and Redondo’s work on the series so great from the start. It’s a hyperexamination of what it means to be a superhero, allowing readers to follow along as Dick Grayson’s internal struggles are often bigger threats than the physical fights Nightwing finds himself in from issue to issue. Although Batman might not necessarily be the best one to offer therapeutic advice, there’s something charming in Dick turning to his mentor to help the hero over a massive roadblock in his crime-fighting life. If this is the type of stories Taylor tells between now and the end of his story, Nightwing is going down as one of the best superhero stories ever told.
Published by DC Comics
On February 20, 2024
Written by Tom Taylor
Art by Sami Basri
Inks by Vicent Cifuentes
Colors by Adriano Lucas
Letters by Wes Abbott
Cover by Bruno Redondo
