DC Comics reviews for week of 10/5/16 – Superman #8, Batman #8

Nightwing #6

Closing in on the conclusion of the Monster Men crossover, Nightwing #6 retained the momentum from Batman #8.

Writer Scott Orlando bucked the recent trend of starting a story strong only to have it fizzle out in the end. Instead, Orlando seems to be reenergized resulting in a much more engaging and entertaining second half.

Nightwing wasn’t in the best position at the start of the issue as he was transformed into one of Strange’s monsters. With Duke and Gotham Girl’s help, Batwoman was able to cure him.

My biggest gripe for the issue was the extended period of time Nightwing operated without a mask. Given all the grief and effort he went through to regain his secret identity, the last thing he should be doing is running around in full costume sans mask.

For a crossover about monsters, Roge Antonio’s art works well thanks to his knack for making the heroes sturdy and powerful in action. Antonio infuses his character with a ton of personality and doesn’t skimp on the monster details either.   

Warner Bros. Animation is always mining DC Comics for standalone animated movies. Initially, I wasn’t sold on this premise, but Orlando has made it work. Seeing Team Batman in action would definitely make for a fun movie.

If you’ve been invested in the arc so far, the payoff on the home stretch has been a lot of fun. This issue’s cliffhanger is a great teaser dating back to the classic Strange/Batman rivalry.

Rating: 8 out of 10