Nightwing #141 Review

NIGHTWING #141
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Rags Morales

It's been a long time coming, but this is truely a return to form for Nightwing. I'm not ready to call this a book everyone has to read, but it did enough on this slow week to take away my Comic Book of the Week award, which is saying a lot for a book that just a few short months ago was about as low as it could get after a couple years of being dragged through the gutter.

Let's get this straight. The current storyline about the graverobbers? Not so great. It's not over and this issue has the KG Beast being dug up at the end, but I'm willing to see things through. Tomasi's other 'reviving the dead'-like story over in Black Adam was amazing and if this one ends up half as good, I'll be happy.

So, if the villain plot is only so-so, there's got to be something amazing to pick up the slack, right? Damn right, there is. This book shows exactly why Dick isn't Batman-lite. He's not Bruce Wayne, he's not Batman and he's never been or will be like him. He has friends, relationships and can interact with pretty much anyone Batman can, except instead of pissed off man in the shadows, he can do what he did in this issue - ask for help, sit down and have beers with an old friend, go on a date and so on.

Speaking of which, the Flash's main title makes me wonder why they bothered bringing back Wally. This issue answered that question as he and Dick sit down for a couple of pages and shoot the shit over life, being back from the dead, wife / girlfriends, and everything in between.

This issue was packed with small moments like that. Nightwing and Superman have a chat that ends with Dick taking a picture of a security guard and Superman. Tell me you could see Batman doing that? Another great one was with the JSA being called in to help build Dick's new base of operations. Wildcat and Hawkman's background conversation was pure gold and Starman is just as hilarious here as he is over in JSA.

Finally, being the biggest playa in the DCU, Nightwing took a whole two issues to hook up with his new love interest. Damn, that boy is good.

Verdict - Must Read. Really loved the character interactions in this issue. I can't believe how many heroes he meets up with here and manages to have time to have meaningful conversations with. I forgot to mention it, but he was even having some chats with Batman and Alfred throughout the issue.

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