Nightwing #78
- WRITER
- Tom Taylor
- Artist
- Bruno Redondo
- Letterer
- Wes Abbott
- Cover Artist
- Bruno Redondo, Skan
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Price
- 3.99
- Release Date
- 2021-03-16
- Colorist
- Adriano Lucas
Dick Grayson has had a rough go of it for quite some time now. He has had two near-death experiences, lost a lot of people he cared for, most all of his memories and became a different person entirely. However, all of that is over though with this brand new start for Dick Grayson and Nightwing for the Infinite Frontier era.
Nightwing #78 brings the former sidekick back to the forefront of the DC universe with the superstar team of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, who are coming from their hit Suicide Squad run last year. This issue brings Dick back to his high flying vibrant self that everyone knows and loves. The days of Ric are long behind him as he settles into his renewed life. It also serves as a great jumping-on point for new readers looking to follow Nightwing's adventures as Bludhaven's hero.
After the explosive events of "Joker War," Dick Grayson has regained his memories along with his superhero title of Nightwing. Dick has returned to Bludhaven to continue being the hero the city deserves. Our first glimpse at the renewed heroes' acts of justice is saving a three-legged dog from some criminals. While Bludhaven may not have the gimmicky villains of Gotham, the city still has plenty of trouble to go around. Dick gets a visit from his on-and-off flame Barbara Gordon who is there to fulfill one of Alfred Pennyworth's most surprising last wishes, which couldn't be done while Dick wasn't feeling like himself.
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Dick Grayson has often been referred to as the heart of the DC Universe and there is no one better suited to write him like that than Tom Taylor. The amount of charisma Taylor brings to Nightwing in every interaction in this debut issue is immeasurable. For the first time in a long time, Dick Grayson feels like the character he was always meant to be with Taylor at the helm. The jokes that Nightwing makes while saving the puppy may of fell flat if written by someone else, but Taylor demonstrates his grasp on the character's easy-going nature with humor. Dick's words are not only self-referential at points but are also pointed to try to get criminals to see the fault in their ways. On the flip side, the interactions between Dick Grayson and long-time partner Barbara Gordon feel like a general conversation between two people who know each other inside and out. Even after his emotional run on Suicide Squad, Taylor still brings his emotional right hook to this first issue in a scene that has left many fans reaching for a tissue.
Bruno Redondo's artwork is high-flying from the start of this issue till the very last panel. Something that is integral to the character of Nightwing is movement, which still reflects his acrobatic roots as he soars between buildings with a gymnast's grace. Redondo's artistic control of movement is seen spectacularly in the issue in the fight scene. Nightwing's movements are shown off in a fluid and impactful way as he leaps off towards and then off an enemy. It's a brilliant use of the page's real estate to show many moves in one go. It is artistic choices like this that demonstrate why Redondo is one of the best artists working in the industry.
Adriano Lucas's coloring on the issue is equally stellar. The color palette of this issue is vibrant and truly demonstrate's the vast differences between the gloomy nature of Gotham and Bludhaven. The color choice of a deep pink during the Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson scene is emotive to the point that, even without background knowledge of them, one could pick up on the former romance between them. Wes Abbot as a letterer is at the top of his game with this issue. When Barbara sees the puppy for the first time, her speech becomes a heart which is a brilliant choice by Abbot. The design of Nightwing's dialogue boxes is a spectacular use of his color scheme and logo with never feeling overbearing on the text itself.