DC Comics reviews for 10/3/18

Nightwing #50

Typically when DC has a big Crisis event it’s the Justice League International members who take the brunt of the shocking moments — typically with some deaths or dismemberments.

The Titans have definitely taken some major losses with Heroes In Crisis and Nightwing #50 is further proof it’s a pretty terrible time to be a Titan.

There’s no real telling how much time has past since Batman #55, but Dick Grayson wouldn’t know. After being shot by KGBeast, he doesn’t have much memory of his life as Nightwing. Now Ric or Gray as he randomly introduces himself is dealing with blackouts and winding up in stranger’s homes.

And Nightwing? He wants nothing to do with his former identity or friends. And even less with being a hero.

It’s a bold change of pace for one of DC’s most optimistic and selfless heroes. Doomsday Clock forewarned of a darker DC and the deaths of several Titans and Nightwing’s identity crisis certainly play into that theme.

Outgoing writer Benjamin Percy leaves the book in an interesting place for his replacement. In between the modern day setting, Percy features an extended flashback of Nightwing as Robin teaming with Batman as they take down Scarecrow.

These sequences felt somewhat disjointed as Dick’s character has long been established, but will be more meaningful if incoming writer Scott Lobdell delves deeper into this Scarecrow thread.

Travis Moore handled the current day storyline art while Chris Mooneyham and Klaus Johnson did the flashback sequences. Moore’s artwork fit in nicely with this change in direction with clean line work and easy to follow layouts with expressive characters.

Mooneyham is more of a throwback 80s artist so the flashback sequences play to his strengths very well.

Nightwing #50 marks a drastic change in status quo. It’s a huge departure and this version of Dick Grayson might be very off putting to longtime fans. I’m willing to give DC and Lobdell a chance, but for the long term health of the title hopefully we’ll see glimpses of the old hero return very soon.

Rating: 8 out of 10