SYNOPSIS & REVIEW: Nightwing #90
Hey fellow superheroes!
Like I said in my Robin & Batman synopsis and review, I am a Batman girl through and through, and even more than that, I'm a massive fan of all of his sidekicks. Jason Todd is my favorite, but we don't have nearly enough content from him. So who's a close second?
That would be the original Robin, Dick Grayson, who has taken on the mantle of Nightwing.
Tom Taylor is the most recent in a long string of Nightwing writers, and as much as I enjoy this run, it can be confusing at times. A lot of the recent storylines have come completely out of left field. Still, Nightwing was the first comic series I started reading on my own, so it holds a special spot in my heart and my bookshelf. And Bruno Redondo has quickly become one of my favorite comic book artists! The current storyline is interesting, if a little hard to follow, and I've been eagerly awaiting each new issue. This month, it was Nightwing #90.
With that, heroes, let's get into it. Spoilers abound.
Just want to read my thoughts? Scroll down to the Review header!
We open in Nightwing's territory of Bludhaven, on the top floor of Blockbuster's building. In case you missed it, Blockbuster basically owns the city and is working with newly elected mayor Melinda Zucco to take down the darling of Bludhaven, new billionaire Dick Grayson. After the death of his beloved butler Alfred Pennyworth, Dick has received a sizeable inheritance and has chosen to use it to better Bludhaven, placing a massive target on his back. At the same time, Nightwing is handling a new supervillain, Heartless, who is literally stealing the hearts of people across the city and now has his sights set on Nightwing. And in between all of this, he's just discovered his new half-sister is none other than Melinda Zucco! (It's very complicated, and I have some issues with it; we'll get into that later.)
Anyway, Blockbuster is in his office with the mayor, the police commissioner, and someone that many Nightwing fans will remember: KGBeast.
If you don't remember, KGBeast shot Nightwing in the head in Rebirth, causing Dick to lose all his memories and start a new life. I think many of us are still haunted by the shaved head of Ric Grayson. *shivers*
Blockbuster declares that in five minutes, Dick Grayson is going to die. He's hired an assassin who is planning to blow up the entire block!
Back at his apartment, Dick is asleep in bed with his beloved tripod puppy, Haley. (For the record, Dick is asleep on top of the covers here, which should be a crime in my opinion.). He tells us that he's had three attempts on his life just in the past two days. Yikes! When his phone dings, he jokes that he's had to silence the batfamily group chat due to Cassandra Cain's excessive emoji use.
This text, however, isn't from his siblings. It's from Melinda.
Building about to be hit.
Get out.
Dick Grayson wastes absolutely no time. He scoops Haley into his arms, and on his way out, he sets off the fire alarm to ensure the rest of the building gets out safely. On his way out, his neighbor Bridgette Clancy (who we've met before! Her kids puppysat for Dick while he was assisting Batman in Fear State/Nightwing #84. She used to be the super of the building.) tells him that their deaf neighbor sleeps without his hearing aids in and won't know what's happening. Dick tells us, the readers, that Dick Grayson can't go breaking down doors or jumping out of windows...
And we cut to a shot of Nightwing kicking in a door.
Maurice, Dick's deaf neighbor, is understandably confused and a little angry about being woken up. Oracle pipes up in Nightwing's ear, saying her systems have detected some missiles headed right for the Grayson residence. Nightwing scoops up a livid Maurice and leaps out the window as the building explodes into a hundred tiny pieces.
In Keystone City, we enter the home of Wally West AKA The Flash! Wally is asleep in bed with his wife when her phone goes off, alerting them to the explosion in Bludhaven. The moment she mentions Dick, Wally is gone, leaving only some lightning behind him.
Flash arrives in Bludhaven at the remains of his friend's apartment building. Nightwing is narrating, and he tells us that Wally is working as fast as he can. "He'll do whatever it takes to get to me," Nightwing says, "He heals fast, but he's probably broken his fingers several times." And that's paired with a lovely image of Flash's mangled fingers.
But then he spots him. Flash and Nightwing embrace, and it's actually an obscenely adorable moment.
Maurice is still lost and angry, but Flash manages to calm him down and get him to safety. Back with Nightwing, Flash mentions that the last person to see Dick Grayson saw him run into a building that has now exploded. He'll probably be reported missing...and maybe that isn't such a bad thing?
Nightwing agrees, saying he'll go back to Gotham, but both Flash and Oracle agree that's not a good plan either. Nightwing goes to argue but before he knows it, Flash has carried him back to Keystone City at the speed of light.
There's a very funny interaction between Nightwing and Flash's wife Linda. "Wally brought you here without warning you first?" Linda says. At Nightwing's affirmation, she then says, "He'll do that. It's a terrible habit."
Love. More of Linda please.
Wally and Linda convince Dick to at least stay one night on their couch. In a very sweet moment, Wally agrees to go back to Bludhaven and get Haley for Dick.
The next morning at the Bludhaven Police Department, Commissioner Maclean speaks with Dick's neighbor Bridgette, who tells him that Dick pulled the fire alarm before leaving. The commissioner escorts her out after the interview, telling her that Roland Desmond (AKA Blockbuster) has set up a hotel for displaced residents of Dick's apartment building. Bridgette remarks that she can take care of herself, but the commissioner fires back that it won't be a good idea to turn Blockbuster down, and advises her to take the hotel. As she leaves, Commissioner Maclean calls Blockbuster and informs him that someone in their meeting tipped off Dick Grayson.
Back in Keystone City, Dick wakes up to two kids and a puppy (Haley!) staring at him. It's Iris and Jai, Wally and Linda's kids, who have been eagerly waiting for him to wake up so they can watch TV. Dick accepts a bowl of cereal from Wally and the two go upstairs, where Wally has decided they need to get that target off Dick's back.
Dick notes that all of the previous attempts were only aimed at him, but whoever blew up his apartment building clearly has no regard for collateral damage. Dick mentions he should talk to his sister, to which Wally replies, "I feel like I've missed several key important details here."
Me too, dude, and I've read the past 20 issues.
In Gotham, Barbara Gordon is approached by a man in a ballcap and sunglasses with a gun, who tells her they have no interest in hurting her, "We only want your boyfriend." to which Babs replies, "Honestly, we haven't really put a label on our relationship yet."
Love her so much.
Babs gets on her Oracle earpiece and tells Dick that she's been stuck in a refrigerator van. She's already broken the locks, but she knows that escaping as her civilian identity will draw attention. Dick stops Wally from going to save her, saying he wants to see where this truck is headed.
The van pulls up to Blockbuster's men and KGBeast. Just as the doors open and he's about to monologue to Barbara Gordon, KGBeast is met by the sight of Nightwing and The Flash, ready to kick some ass.
When Flash sees KGBeast, the man who shot his best friend in the head, he drops what may be the hardest line in this issue, "Oh man," He says, "We have a long list of friends who wanted to get their hands on you...I am very glad I got to you first."
As Blockbuster's men begin shooting, Nightwing and Flash leap into action and the issue ends.
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