Nightwing #117 is written by Tom Taylor and published by DC. Artwork is by Bruno Redondo with inks on p.9, 12-14 and 16-22 by Caio Filipe, colours are by Adriano Lucas and letters by Wes Abbott. Main cover art (left) is by Redondo.
Nightwing #117 is available from today, in print and on digital where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
While Dick connects with the ghost of his past, “Nightwing” takes to the streets to defend his honor. But how can he be in two places at once? And what shocking revelation does Dick learn when confronted with the truth behind his parents’ deaths The “Heartless” saga continues in the penultimate chapter of this celebrated run!
Review
Today, the penultimate issue of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s run on Nightwing hits comic book stores. With Dick Grayson’s ability to jump still off course and Heartless on the loose in Blüdhaven the series has a lot of ground to cover before September’s final issue and the handover to the new creative team.
In Tom Taylor we trust as the writer refuses to flatten the accelerator to the floor purely for the sake of an impending finale. Issue #117 picks up with Dick in Nanda Parbat with Deadman. As the pair continue to work on Dick’s acrobatic abilities Taylor and Redondo continue to pull in moments from his past which allude to a coming revelation. Something Taylor has done throughout this run which continues here is connecting Dick’s future to his past. We’ve seen the character consistently learning and growing as a person. Certainly nobody can criticise Nightwing for being static.
The crux of issue #117 deals with two of the biggest questions in Dick’s life: who is Heartless? And just what has been stopping him from falling? Both of those questions find satisfying and suitable responses in this issue without running the story out of mileage. Quite the opposite in fact. Taylor neatly has Dick overcoming his psychological issues, returning him to Barbara and ready to take on Heartless. The investigation in to the poison which has been contributing to his instability leads Dick to a revelation the audience has been clued in to for some time. Shelton Lyle is Heartless.
Taylor’s balance of comedy and drama shines through strongly in the script again this month. Didn’t have seeing Dick in a petal bath surrounded by candles on my 2024 bingo card. But leading in to scene of him dashing through Nanda Parbat in a towel being chased by Bitewing before seeing Bruce in action in the Nightwing suit is quintessential Taylor. This series is tonally exactly in the middle of my superhero sweet spot. Honestly, it’s incredible.
Bruno Redondo continues to do amazing things with this book. From the heights of a Nanda Parbat cliffside right down to the minute details in character’s expressions. There are few other books from the big two publishers which are as engaging or as beautiful as this. Caio Filipe and Adrian Lucas also deserve their share of the credit. Nightwing remains a dynamic and versatile series thanks to this brilliant art team.
Verdict
Nightwing #117 neatly brings the series up to its final confrontation. Taylor uses this penultimate issue to resolve plot threads which clear the field for a showdown between Nightwing and Heartless. Whilst I’m not ready for Taylor and Redondo to leave this book, boy are they going out on top.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
