Nightwing #22 – Review

By: Kyle Higgins (Writer), Will Conrad (Artist), Andrew Dalhouse (Colorist)

The Story: Nightwing and the Prankster up the ante in their respective vendettas. Featuring none of the plots from the cover.

The Review: Nightwing has really been improving as of late, but it’s only this month that it feels like the former Robin is working a Batman-level case. Kyle Higgins is really firing on all cylinders. The plot may not dash forward, but in return we get some really nice character work. Nightwing’s banter is thankfully up to par and that balance of humor and terror that he can bring to a scene is excellently rendered.

Likewise, perhaps essentially, we get a couple of scenes with Dick’s new roommates. Michael’s struggle is lingered on just long enough to be sympathetic and feels much more believable than I might have expected. I also have to admit that I’m coming to like Joey, who will likely make more than one programmer happy this month.

If there’s a serious issue with the writing, it’s probably in the pacing. While there’s something to be said for the sense of time slowing as the trouble starts, the book is literally bisected by a lengthy villain speech and its slightly predictable fallout. The writing remains strong, but it feels a little like Higgins wrote the second half just because the story demanded it, and no amount of craft can fully mask a writer’s disinterest.

Higgins is joined by a new artist, Will Conrad, this month. Conrad is clearly talented, but his style dips into the uncanny valley here and there. I will say that his style of realism sits better with me than most and that there are whole pages where the book is simply beautiful. Still, it’s just too often that we get a weird expression or some shading you know should be there but your brain won’t accept as anything but bizarre neck fat.