DC Comics reviews 12/21/21- Nightwing #87, Catwoman Lonely City #2

Nightwing #87

Writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo already know they’re putting the best comic book out in the shelves so this month they decided to challenge themselves even further with a continuous issue.

Think the classic Family Circle comic strips with the characters constantly in motion and you’ve got an idea what’s in store here. It’s the kind of gimmick not a lot of creative teams could pull off let alone do it at this level.

Taylor uses this issue to show the ongoing issue Dick Grayson will face with his new agenda to clean up Bludhaven. It didn’t need to be anything more complex than a simple rescue mission.

Taylor cedes much of the spotlight this issue to his artist collaborator and Redondo makes great use of it. For a seamless issue, Rendondo’s challenge was to keep Nightwing moving through Bludhaven while the inhabitants frequently are unaware of what’s playing out around them. This gives Redondo the opportunity to showcase the lifeblood of the city and its residents on a normal day.

There’s lots of fun elements from graffiti, posters and basic interaction that makes the residents just as vital to this story as Nightwing. And when it’s time for the action, Redondo provides some incredibly rewarding visual cues for attentive readers.

Redondo’s efforts wouldn’t be as tremendous without the subtle work of colorist Adriano Lucas in fading the “after-images” of Nightwing in motion. Letterer Wes Abbott was also vital in keeping the dialogue clear and easy to follow with the story in motion.

Nightwing has been a great read all year and this might be the signature issue this creative team will be known for over the years to come. Tremendously entertaining as always, this was a great way to wrap 2021 for Nightwing.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Grab Nightwing: Leaping into the Light Vol. 1 now on Amazon.

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