A Big Top Of The Mind — Reviewing ‘Nightwing’ #133

Darkness and Blüdhaven are old and deeply intimate friends. Gotham’s darker-yet-lighter twin is how many would describe it. Something rotten at the core always pulls at anything good that might happen to enter its borders.

Something old and just as dark has come for the city and it’s up to its hero to meet that perilous thing where it’s from in Nightwing #133. The next dark chapter in the Cirque du Sin saga comes from Dan Watters, V Ken Marion, Veronica Gandini, and Wes Abbott.

While this issue had all the trappings of a middle piece of a story arc, the way it worked those tropes stayed true to the series strengths. Those within Nightwing’s orbit — some very close to him — do their best to reassure the beleaguered vigilante of his mission, his purpose, and the ability those in their sphere have to bounce back.

I loved the bits with Maggie Sawyer, Lin Grayson, and Barbara Gordon as Dick Grayson sat watch over the ailing Nightwing Prime.  It gives these characters the spotlight too and speaks to their strengths and their abilities as well as their importance to Grayson. Just like the use of Martian Manhunter; it was really solid here as he’s perfectly suited for things of this nature. It’s always good to be reminded of Grayson’s connections and space within the overall DC Universe.

I’ll admit, opening of this issue was a bit jarring. Fill-in artists are nothing new, and are part of how things work now because of the demands regular comic book production have on so many artists. Nonetheless, Marion’s artwork, compared to what we’ve had in the book so far, is just so different.

From my view, it’s not the most fitting for this very eerie, horror-focused story that we’ve been getting. It’s not bad, that’s not what I’m saying at all. There’s some good space work and the rougher textures are a good fit for the overall tonal aesthetic. The smoother and poppier bits of it, though, feel just a little off for the more somber mood that this issue is built upon.

With the artwork, Gandini’s colors are a bit more vibrant this time around. Still really rich in darker and heavier colors, and beats as well. It gives the work a weight that adds onto the already hefty beat it was producing. Overall, it really still flows quite well and fits the overall story direction even with the small amount of bigger flash utilized this time around.

Part of the character’s effort in bringing the light to Nightwing is in their tone and emotional power. Abbott, as usual, really nails that with the lettering. Infusing every bit of it with the correct unique energy and focus necessary.

Nightwing #133 is now available from DC Comics.