DCU Comic Book Reviews

NIGHTWING #127

Targets, Part 3

February 2007

Written by Marv Wolfman

Pencils by Dan Jurgens

Inks by Norm Rapmund

Cover by J. G. Jones

Synopsis

Nightwing has been shoved in an empty grave (that should have held the body of the Raptor) and then covered with dirt.  Quick thinking has him alive and now he needs to dig his way out.  As he slowly digs, he recalls all of the events that led him to this point and how and why everything has happened.  Eventually he escapes.  Elsewhere, doctors get ready to operate on the body of Jace Lorens (aka the Raptor).    

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I’ll get this out of the way first.  It was painfully obvious that Nightwing would not only dig his way out but also dig his way out to the cliff face just based on the bottom panel on page 3.  Since in a sense I knew where the story was going to go from that point onward.  Granted it was only a couple page of later when Nightwing reasoned where he had to go and why, so I’ll give that a pass.  Unfortunately, I am not convinced it could be done, mostly because of the tree that is in the way.  Based on the positing of the headstone and the eventual spot where Nightwing emerges, I am surprised that he would not have run into significant tree roots that would have impeded his progress.  And he is digging with a damaged shoulder and a blade used as a weapon and not digging?

Okay, now that I said that, I liked the concept of the story and I thought the execution worked for the most part.  I am just not sure an entire issue devoted to digging a hole works, even with the flashbacks. 

This is something that annoys me:  Nightwing can’t seem to win any fights.  Isn’t he supposed to be one of the better fighters in the DCU?  Shouldn’t he be able to kick some butt.  God, I am sounding like my Batman-freak of a brother-in-law.  However, it does point out an interesting tendency that I’ve noticed lately; Nightwing rarely wins.  Not necessarily only in fights, but in lots of things, such as finding a job or a steady girlfriend, or the bad guy.  This seems to hold true in the Outsiders as well.  I am not exactly sure why that is or even if my feeling is accurate, but it just seems that way.  I am curious why that seems to be.  Granted, Nightwing should not always win, but when he (or any super hero) does not win, it should be in a situation in which they are in over their heads.  For Nightwing, he loses in situations that I would guess he should win, like the first battle with the Raptor.  Or failing to get a job or get a date.  Or solve this mystery or even have a breakthrough that would help him solve the mystery.  Come on, Marv, give Nightwing a chance!

The drawing of Nightwing on the last panel on page 6 makes him look an awful lot like Ion.

 

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