Nightwing #139

Writer Fabian Nicieza is stuck with cleaning up the mess from part 5 of "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul". We left off with Robin about to join Ra's side to get his deceased family and friends back. This issue picks up the ball with Nightwing confronting Robin. I like Nicieza's characterization of Nightwing here. Even though Robin is acting extremely irrationally Nightwing is sympathetic to this and works as best he can to resolve the situation. Nicieza puts Nightwing in a defensive position through out the combat and you can tell that he is biding time to reason with Robin. Nightwing captures my feelings about this story when he ponders "...we're doing all of this for Damian--?" The art team did an excellent job this issue. Pencillers Don Kramer and Carlos Rodriguez capture the differences between Robin and Nightwing. You realize this is definitely a man fighting a boy.

Towards the end of this issue the story gets back on track and we have all of the Bat Family heading for a collision course in Nanda Parbat with Ra's Al Ghul. At this point I don't care whether Damian or Ra's lives or dies. I just want a satisfying conclusion.

Nightwing #138

Nightwing enters "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" story as writer Fabian Nicieza does a fine job of presenting a tough and ready lead character. I haven't read Nightwing in years, almost a decade, and only recently read Judd Winick's final run on "Outsiders" where Dick never came off very well. Nicieza gives the reader a confident Nightwing who knows his business. I like the fact that even while facing insurmountable odds we have Nightwing not wanting to kill anyone. He has a strict morale code and follows it. The same can't be said for Damian, the object of Nightwing's protection. Damian comes off as a brat and doesn't really seem worth saving. In the end Nicieza reveals Dick's true intent when he vows to protect Tim. The Ra's Al Ghul story elements are coming along nicely in this issue as the path to Nanda Parbat are beginning to come in line. Don Kramer and Wayne Faucher to a fine job on the art. Of all of the crossover titles, the art here is the best yet.

I read Shelly's review of this issue over at here blog, Shelly's Comics Bookshelf, and she mentioned that even though she liked Nightwing in this issue she wasn't going to be reading the rest of the Batman titles to keep up on this story. Well, DC has got me here. I'm hooked in and will read the entire 7-parter.