Nightwing has long been one of DC's most popular heroes. Dick Grayson has been a work in progress for decades, first debuting as Robin in 1940. In recent years, he had a precipitous fall, becoming Ric Grayson after being shot in the head. Fans left his book in droves until it was announced that Dick Grayson was coming back. Superstar creators writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo, joined by fill-in artists Rick Leonardi, Neil Edwards, and Robbi Rodriguez, turned Nightwing into one of the best superhero books on the shelves.
Taylor and company have brought a style to the book that is very interesting, and there are so many things to love about it right now.
10 Nightwing Got A Dog
Everybody loves dogs, and Tom Taylor knows that. That's why in the first issue of he and Redondo's run, they give Nightwing a blue-nosed pitbull puppy. At first, fans called the dog Bitewing but DC had a bit of a contest on what the dog's name would be. It was a running gag throughout the first few issues of the run that the dog didn't have a name until it was revealed to be Haley.
It's honestly a bit of a trick to put a cute puppy in a comic, especially one as well-drawn as Haley is, but it's such a nice little touch in a mainstream superhero comic. Fan love Haley, and maybe one day she'll get a costume of her own.
9 Its Fear State Crossover Issues Are Some Of The Best Crossover Comic Of 2021
Fear State crossed through all of the Batman-related DC books, and it could have been a disaster for Nightwing. Crossovers have been known to take a book's momentum and stop it dead, but Taylor, joined by artist Robbi Rodriguez, found a way to make the whole thing work, showcasing Dick and Barbara Gordon going to Gotham to help out.
One of its triumphs is fans didn't really need to be reading any of the other Fear State books for it to work. It was very Batgirl-centric, as Babs, Stephanie Brown, and Cassandra Cain played a massive role in the three issues. All in all, they were easily the best crossover comics of the year.
8 It Eschews Nightwing's Villains To Set Up Its Own Status Quo
While his villains aren't as well known as Batman's, Nightwing does have his own coterie of villains. Bludhaven stories usually revolve around Blockbuster in some way, and while he's been mentioned, instead of jumping right into villain-oriented stories, Taylor has taken it slowly. While a new killer is running around named Heartless, the focus of the series has mostly been elsewhere.
That doesn't mean there isn't any conflict; the book still has its share of action. It's just that Taylor and company have taken their time setting up the stakes of their story without falling back on cliche superhero comic aesthetics.
7 It Pretty Much Ignores All Of The Ric Grayson Stuff
It's impossible to fully emphasize how much fans hated the Ric Grayson years on Nightwing. Dick Grayson is one of DC's most well-developed characters, having grown and changed for years. Fans have loved watching his journey over the years, and for him to be sidelined so an unlikable version of the character could take over infuriated long-time readers.
Taylor has chosen to completely sidestep all of that. At this point, it's best not to remind readers of the story at all and instead build up the new status quo to let it speak for itself.
6 It Introduced A New Person Into Nightwing's Life
Secret family members aren't exactly a new thing in comics, but Taylor found a way to make the whole thing work in Nightwing and feel relatively fresh. The comic introduced Melinda Zucco — who Nightwing thought was the daughter of the man who killed his parents — as Bludhaven's new ostensibly mobbed-up mayor, but then threw readers a curveball.
Melinda revealed herself to be Dick's half-sister and a mole among the crime bosses who thought she worked for them. It's a nice little twist that could be played with even more in the future. Melinda could be on the level, or she could be out for herself, but this is a great plot development either way.
5 Nightwing Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is
One of the biggest developments in the Batman titles in recent years was the death of Alfred, an event that sent shockwaves through the Bat-Family. Dick was Ric for most of that time, so he didn't get to deal with it until recently, and when he did, he discovered something amazing. Alfred had left Dick billions of dollars, the results of Wayne Enterprises stock left to him by Thomas and Martha.
Instead of going in the Batman direction and using it to fund his war on Bludhaven's crime, Dick decides to use the money to help the poor, eliminating the root causes of crime. It's a bold choice, and it proves that Nightwing is one of the best street-level heroes ever; he understands that you can't defeat crime by beating it into submission.
4 Nightwing #87 Is One Of The Coolest Gimmick Comics In Years
The comic art form is always evolving, and it often uses a lot of the same visual language as film. Taylor and Redondo decided to do what is basically a one-take issue with Nightwing #87 and created something amazing. Each double-page spread does away with the panel grid and presents all of the action in the setting as if it's happening in real-time.
It was a bold choice but worked much better than can be easily described. Each spread is a work of art, and the action scenes take advantage of Nightwing's fluid, acrobatic fighting style. It's a comic that needs to be read to be believed.
3 It Has The Best Barbara Gordon In Years
Barbara Gordon has long been one of the Bat-Family's most beloved members, and Nightwing really zeroes in on why. Since her return as Batgirl, fans have missed her Oracle days, and Taylor has found a way to incorporate both, as Gordon now has to take it easy with the crimefighting. While she still suits up, she acts as Dick's backup like during the Oracle days more often than not.
On top of that, the relationship between the two characters is exactly what any fan of the couple would want. It's a relationship of equals, two people who depend on one another but don't need each other. It's such a wonderful development that makes the book that much better.
2 It Highlights Just How Great Dick Grayson Really Is
For many DC fans, Nightwing is the best hero in the DC Universe. He has relationships with just about everyone and is one of the few sidekicks to completely move away from his mentor to become his own person. He's a charming character, one who readers can't help but like. He's exciting to read about, his high-flying fighting style lending itself well to action scenes.
Taylor and Redondo put all of that display. This is classic Nightwing, and that's what makes it work so well. It serves to remind readers who Nightwing is and bring him into the 2020s in an intelligent fashion.
1 The Creative Team Is Amazing
Taylor and Redondo previously worked together on Suicide Squad and proved to be an amazing team. They're taking it to the next level with Nightwing. Issue #87 is the most obvious example, but their entire run has basically been a writer/artist team showing off just how well they can work together. Redondo is giving readers some of the best visuals of any book out there, and Taylor is wonderful with the characters and plots.
The fill-in artists, Leonardi, Edwards, and Rodriguez, are all top-notch as well. This is such an amazing comic, one that impresses with every issue that hits the shelves, and the creative team is in rare form.