Let’s See Who You Really Are — Reviewing ‘Nightwing’ #126

How far is far enough when trying to provide an overall feeling of safety within the populace and the enforcers? This is a question that must be wrestled with in Blüdhaven, as Commissioner Maggie Sawyer comes face to face with the city’s sins.

Dan Watters, Francesco Francavilla, and Wes Abbott bring the two-part cop-centric story arc to a close with Nightwing #126.

Corrupt cops and the supernatural. On the surface they would seem to be very different types of stories. Yet, within the confines of the Batman related world they’re not far apart at all.

**SPOILERS FOLLOW**

As discovered in this issue, Captain Hallow and the ghostly lore surrounding them is bogus. There is no vengeful first cop ghost doling out justice from beyond the grave. Instead, it’s just the Blüdhaven special, corrupt former cops using Batman and Nightwing foe’s technology to kill other cops. Specifically, it’s former partners and those they feel are behind their being ousted from the force.

All thanks to the work Nightwing and Commissioner Maggie Sawyer, separately, pulled off in the previous run.

Bringing Francavilla into the title for this two-parter was perfect. There are few who can create a really spooky, moody, and atmospheric art style that works for both angles of the story. In the first part the horror of it all was really played up with the rougher textures and palette choices. Here, though, things are less on the horror side as the reality of what the former cops have done and continue to do.

Deep, dense, detailed panels are the usual when Francavilla is on board. He builds up the suspense through every chosen panel placement and detail level. Characters’ emotions clear upon their faces, their bodies, their movements, and in the page energy. Whimsical, yet dark and hard are great ways to describe this artwork.

I still love the really lush and vibrant color choices. Maggie’s new girlfriend Katie has striking pink hair and it pops even more because of the dark hard orange backdrop color. Same with various other pages where the shifting oranges, blues, and other background colors really compliment and contrast with the foreground elements perfectly.

There is something great about a creator picking up pieces left by their predecessors.

As we’re seeing in this title, Watters is so good at incorporating what has already happened, be it story beats or costume designs or other elements, while still doing their own thing.

The inciting incident leading to this two-part story comes from the previous arc. Yet, it’s distinctly something that Watters would write as it fits his typical story sensibilities. References to Maggie’s past, in Gotham, and other little sprinkled elements just liven the world up and allow us to remember these characters have rich varied histories and are not just off the assembly line fresh with each new run.

Telling stories about the cops is tough, because of the stark reality so many face.

Watters threads the needle well here. By showing a cop like Maggie who is trying her best but has to come to grips with how messed up the system is, and how the things that those like her call protection are scarier and often deadlier to others.

There are less sharp pointed moments in this one than the last, but the overall message keeps true.

So much of the voice of this issue comes from the steady hand of Abbott, who was here in the aforementioned previous run. We’ve come to a space where the voices of Nightwing, Oracle, and others are second nature to him at this point. Sure, the source of the words those voices are speaking has changed but the characters remain true.

Simple modifications here or there allow the words to hit correctly, resonating in our minds as the shifting bubbles, fonts, and colors bring various emotions and tones to the forefront.

Nightwing #126 is now available from DC Comics.