The following contains spoilers for recent issues of Nightwing, on sale now from DC Comics.

Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, has stepped fully out of Batman's shadow in his most recent run. The Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo helmed series has placed the original Boy Wonder firmly on his own in the DC Universe, forming important alliances with Jon Kent's Superman and the other Robins. His leadership and advice are valued, and his ability to strategize has demonstrated that he is capable of taking over his adoptive father's role.

Nightwing's self-titled comic has been very well-received within the medium, with it's unique art and narration earning it a whopping seven Eisner nominations, which represents the pinnacle of comic book achievement. However, in spite of its plethora of awards, the writer of the series, Tom Taylor, was not nominated and the rationale behind this phenomenal creator not at least being recognized is deserving of further exploration.

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The nominations for Nightwing are varied, but they seem to have the consistent theme of being art-focused categories. The issue of the series nominated for Best Single Issue/One-Shot was #87, a single panel that extends across the entire story. Although Taylor's direction was prominent in the careful story turns that allowed the issue to shine, the story itself was a relatively straightforward kidnapping. Likewise, the nods for lettering are a marriage of art to text rather than story direction. The issue with this logic, however, resides in Nightwing's Ongoing Series nomination. How is the comic one of the best ongoing series without a strong overall story?

The answer may reside in an exploration of the creators who actually received the Best Writer nod. A few of the authors had strong series spanning multiple publishers and genres. Others are responsible for stories that looked to revolutionize the genre. The argument here would be that Taylor's work on Nightwing simply wasn't up to the standard of those who were recognized. James Tynion IV contributed to massive titles as well as small publishers. Filipe Melo's Ballad for Sophie explored a thrilling blend of visual art and music based upon a brilliant story. Although Taylor's work on Nightwing has been highly praised among fans, the Eisner committee may have felt that it wasn't varied or innovative enough for award consideration.

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Robin leaping on a foe in DC Comics.

Regardless, there is much evidence of the comic matching up with stories that are within the purview of the committee's selection. The story in Nightwing #92 is subtle and brilliantly blends the inexperienced righteous fury of a young Robin with the bold, athletic brilliance of his older counterpart. Throughout the run, the vigilante has used the death of one of his father figures to make change beyond what he can accomplish as a superhero. He has even subtly demonstrated how much he learned from his mentor. Beyond his lighthearted approach to crimefighting, Nightwing shows the ways that a hero can evolve beyond being a simple sidekick to become something much more.

Even though it's not difficult to see why the other writers got the nod, Taylor's snub feels difficult to justify. It appears as though the writer's work was revolutionary and important for comic books as a whole considering how it changed the way that superheroes move forward through a narrative, and his direction has served to introduce many gorgeous, highly unique issues. There is no particular Eisner nominee who he should necessarily have replaced, but it still feels wrong that the writer was essentially snubbed.