A Court Of Public Opinions — Reviewing ‘Nightwing’ #141

Every time they don their costumes, heroes have to make hard choices that affect the lives of others beyond themselves. There are moments when those choices lead them to fall upon the proverbial sword in the name of what is “right.”

For some time now, Dick Grayson has been struggling with this sort of choice following a car crash that killed nine people. A new wrinkle appears as Nightwing #141 tests the resolve of a hero and puts even more pressure upon his buckling shoulders. This stunning arc from Dan Watters, Denys Cowan, Norm Rapmund, Francesco Segala, and Web Abbott reaches a momentary closure.

Before this story began, I’m not certain if I had actually read any work that featured the work of Cowan. I know, that is probably blasphemous to some, what with him being such a veteran artist. When it comes to a lot of the past, my reading is not prolific. Marvel from 2003 through today is something I’ve read tons of. With DC, it’s been smattering of things over the decades — now being the most regular DC work that I’ve ever read.

This is a very long way to say that I’ve loved every bit of artwork in this part of the run and very much want to double-back on Cowan’s other work. It’s so perfectly raw and sharp for a story with such a street-level and tough feeling. Emotions are high and painted on every face as the weight of the decision makes itself abundantly clear upon Nightwing’s face.

That hefty weight is present on the page through these pencils and enhanced with Rapmund’s just-as-sharp inks. It allows the audience to really sit with it all and exist in this harsh borderline-splash of reality. Awash with colors from Segala that are kept on a more neutral state of affairs, nothing is too overly vibrant or too fully dark — just a balanced amount. They also have a rougher quality to them to match the rest of the art beat-for-beat.

Watters has done such wonders with this character since taking over the series two years ago, giving us a deep look at the character and the overall heart that they bring to everything. In the first story arc, we saw things tested and now we feel that even more. These are examinations of Dick Grayson’s soul and heart that are leaving him drowning in doubt, pain, guilt, panic, and so much more. Never has the character felt so isolated, which is a brilliant tactic to take with someone so intrinsically linked to most of the DC Universe.

Mayor Bisogni feels like one of the most brutal villains we’ve seen Nightwing take on. Unlike Blockbuster, or Heartless, or even the Cirque du Sin, there is nothing super-powered or fantastical about Bisogni. He’s just a corrupt man who has taken power and is twisting Bludhaven to fit his vision. He is playing a chess game that puts him ahead of Nightwing in many ways. Bisogni doesn’t see himself as evil or a villain, just a man holding onto power and using any tools that supposedly “protect” his city.

These moments are heard loud and clear as Abbott continues his epic journey as the voice of Nightwing and his world. One of the threads that keeps this series connected from the previous run is Abbott’s lettering. So clear and bold, able to convey what the script calls for with grace when needed and hammer precision at other times. He’s spent years honing in on the heart of Grayson and it shows at all times — both visually and tonally, making sure we feel every bit of emotion, volume, and tone in our bones and in our minds.

Nightwing #141 is now available from DC Comics.